Lesson 1 | The First Pass: Divide
The Nine Types of Phrases
To aid you in breaking up a passage into phrases, you are going to need a deeper understanding of the nine types of phrases you’ll encounter in the biblical text. In addition, the third pass involves using different arrows depending on whether a phrase is a relative phrase, genitive phrase, or another kind of phrase—so you will need to know the difference.
Introduce yourself to the nine types of phrases, with scriptural examples, in the following video.
Cheat Sheet: Types of PhrasespdfA description and example of each type of phrase. Print this out for a quick reference.
Now let’s practice with a quiz. Identify the phrase type of the words in ALL CAPS.
“And you shall rejoice before the Lord YOUR GOD, you and your sons and your daughters…” (Deut 12:12).
phrase
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“Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, SHAME SHALL COVER YOU, and you shall be cut off forever” (Obad 10).
phrase
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“An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven FOR YOU” (1 Pet 1:4)
phrase
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“For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, SO THAT THE LORD MIGHT BRING HARM upon Absalom” (2 Sam 17:14).
phrase
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“And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, GLORIFYING GOD” (Luke 18:43).
phrase
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“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days OF HIS LIFE that God has given him, for this is his lot” (Ecc 5:18).
phrase
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“I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both WHAT TO DO” (Ex 4:15).
phrase
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“Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, … FOR THEN HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO SUFFER REPEATEDLY since the foundation of the world” (Heb 9:25-26).
phrase
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“And the angel said to those WHO WERE STANDING before him, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him’” (Zech 3:4).
phrase
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“I will betroth you to me IN FAITHFULNESS” (Hos 2:20).
phrase
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“Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off TO MAKE WAR on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 12:17).
phrase
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Once you have arrived at the correct answer for each question above, you’re ready to learn the first pass!