Read any verse in context

A verse makes most sense inside its chapter, its book and the lives of the people who first heard it. Here are the questions to ask of any passage, and how Living Sword helps you answer them.

9:41

Philippians 4Aa

ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes

About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4NKJV

⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

App preview, with Philippians 4 as the sample chapter

Five questions to ask of any verse

Who is speaking or writing?
Who is being addressed?
What situation is described?
What comes just before and just after?
Is it poetry, story, a letter, wisdom, law or a vision?

How to read a Bible verse in context · A guide to each book

Then read the chapter around it in Living Sword

Step 1 of 6
Read the whole chapter
A verse lifted out on its own can be made to say almost anything. In Living Sword it sits back inside its chapter, with the verses before and after it. Swipe for the next chapter, and switch between the NKJV, NIV, ESV and NLT whenever you like.
Step 2 of 6
See who wrote it, and why
Tap “About” above any chapter for the book’s setting: who wrote it, who first read it, when, and why it was written. Every book of the Bible has one.
9:41
Philippians 4Aa
ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes
About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter
4
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4NKJV
Step 3 of 6
Highlight what stands out
Tap a verse number and pick one of six colours. Keep your own system, such as promises in one colour and commands in another, and it will be there the next time you open the chapter.
9:41
Philippians 4Aa
ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes
About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter
4
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4NKJV
Step 4 of 6
Write a note on the verse
Add a reflection, a question to come back to, or something to study further. The verse number takes on your note’s colour, and every note is kept together in the Notes tab.
9:41
Philippians 4Aa
ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes
About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter
4
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4NKJV
Step 5 of 6
Follow the cross-references
See where else the Bible speaks to the same thing. Tap a reference to read it in its own chapter, then go back to where you were.
9:41
Philippians 4Aa
ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes1
About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter
4
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4NKJV
Step 6 of 6
Ask about the chapter
Still unsure what a passage means? Ask a question about the chapter you are reading. The answer points to the passages it draws on, so you can check them yourself. Each question uses one prayer credit.
9:41
Philippians 4Aa
ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes1
About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter
4
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4NKJV

9:41

Philippians 4Aa

ReadingPlanBookmarksNotes

About PhilippiansAsk about this chapter

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4NKJV

⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

App preview, with Philippians 4 as the sample chapter

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Five questions to ask of any verse

Then read the chapter around it in Living Sword

Read the whole chapter

See who wrote it, and why

Highlight what stands out

Write a note on the verse

Follow the cross-references

Ask about the chapter

Read the Bible in Living Sword