See my guide to English Versions of the Bible for help in choosing a translation. Concordances A concordance lists every occurrence of every word in the Bible. It is laid out alphabetically. Each occurrence is listed with a short portion of the context. This tool allows you to find where a word is used in the Bible, trace themes throughout the Bible, see the various contexts in which the word is used, or find the reference for a verse which you have heard.
Concordances are available for a variety of translations of the Bible.
Some concordances differentiate among different Hebrew or Greek words which are translated with the same English word. Recently electronic versions have become available, both on CD-ROM and on the internet. Word Books Word books of the Bible give the various meanings of words and the various contexts in which they are used in the Bible and in other ancient literature. Word books can be used to determine the range of meanings for a word and provide essential background for the use of that word. Often a word book can have a particular theological slant and one is wise to consult more than one particular word book.