Marking Scriptures

[LT04]

When I started becoming active in the church again I pulled out my scriptures and started marking the scripture mastery ones I could remember. My wife (who is Catholic) was horrified by this act of desecration and wanted no part of it. I was always taught that your scriptures gained character when you marked them, and that its to facilitate referencing them. My wife was always taught marking the Bible was like putting graffiti on it.

I'm going to continue to mark mine she's going to continue not to. I'm just interested in your input for pro's and con's.

-LT04

[jimradictis]

I have yellow highlights throughout my Book of Mormon. I don't see it as an act of desecration, I see it an act of my poor memory =). I think of it this way, the physical book is not what is important, what is important is the message contained within. I think my Catholic family is the same way, out of all of the Bibles which had fair use, I never saw any markings at all.

[Outshined]

I mark my scriptures; some verses just have special meaning, or we need to remind ourselves of certain concepts more than others. I see nothing wrong with it.

Someone gave my brother a Bible that has every verse color-coded to about 20 different categories. I don't see how it makes any sense to him.

[Serg]

The only good book is the one I can mark.

[Tsuzuki]

I normally hate marking books, but with scriptures I'll have one set for marking and another to keep pristine.

[CrimsonKairos]

I have little homemade tabs taped to the edges of my scriptures, aligned with horizontal divisions of the paper according to doctrines or principles, and then color-code them on top of it. Maybe this picture I took of the Book of Mormon I used years ago on my mission will illustrate my point (no pun intended).

If a scripture is colored yellow, I know it deals with faith. Also, I can flip open to any of my homemade tabs, see which doctrine it's aligned with, and know which color scripture to look for on that page.

[mrsfocus]

I underline (and/or color over) scriptures, parts of scriptures, words that 'speak' to me, give me clarity, etc. I also write definitions, explanations, or symbols for scripture chains in the margins or where I can fit them in. For long definitions not in the BD I write them in on the blank pages found after the BD. Then there are the 'glue-ins' - quotes, songs, etc. that pertain to a scripture or subject that I either tape in or just stick in the pages. For those of you who are hesitant to 'mark-up' your scriptures, teach seminary, you'll get over it. :)

[Dr T]

Basically, holding a pen in my hand is the only way I can "read" anything. It help me digest it, interact with it, and bring to the fore whatever needs to be addressed. It's funny because the books on my shelves tend to be very pristine with unfolded pages and the paperback's spine is never overly strained, but I write in them like crazy. My wife hates it. WHat can I say?

[Palerider]

I love marking in my scriptures......helps me in searching..........

[mom_of_jcchlsm]

I like books neat and clean. When, as a new convert, I heard from so many people the benefits of marking scriptures, I was hesitant to try it. I wanted a comprehensive system that was neat and orderly and would still leave my scriptures looking clean, not cluttered. Over the years, I've discovered that what works for one person doesn't always work for another. However, I like having some things marked. I replace my scriptures when they start to feel too cluttered to me. I keep the old ones - sometimes I just know a certain thing is marked or explained in a margin and I want to look it up - but it would drive me crazy to have all that information blaring at me every time I read. I also feel I see new things better when I'm not distracted by previous markings.

As a side note, when I decided to start going to various churches as a young adult, I grabbed a bible off the bookcase in our living room. It had been my Dad's when he was a teenager and going to the Episcopalian church. His had several markings in them, but just lightly in pencil here and there.

[Dr T]

I always use a straight edge/rule if that helps any...

[a-train]

Have you ever read a Red Letter Edition? These print all the words of Christ in the New Testament in red. I love that idea! So I took it a step further (OK, a lot further) and color coded my whole Standard works like this:

The Father (not many of these): Untouched

Christ: Red

Holy Ghost (few of these too): Yellow

Angels: Blue

Narrator: Green

Men: Brown

Women: Purple

Satan: Grey

In the case where a quoted speaker quotes someone else like a prophet saying 'Thus sayeth the Lord..." the color is only used to demonstrate the first layer and goes no deeper.

I like doing this because I can easily locate context when looking something up by identifying quickly who is speaking, who they are speaking to, the occasion, etc.

I began this process in 1995 and was very close to finished by 97 when I lost my scriptures to theives who stole my backpack on my mission. I restarted later and enjoy both the process and the product.

In short, my whole quad is so colored I even colored the facimiles in the Book of Abraham.

-a-train

[LT04]

I would have to agree with all of you. I think that making notes in scriptures brings me closer to them as well as facilitates my referencing them. I understand why my wife likes the clean cut, pristine look to a book. So now I (playfully) tease her that she never reads them.

RE: A-train, I love your idea for marking speakers I plan to start this some time in the not to distant future, even if it takes me twice as long as you I still think it would be worth it.

RE: CrimsonKairos, I also love your idea; however, I think it would be hards to follow both your plans together.

Maybe I should buy a 126 color cran box? I think that would solve the problem, but a color blind person might not notice the difference between midnight blue and navy blue and so on. Oh well I'll toy with the idea and see what I come up with.

[john doe]

I mark the mastery scriptures, then when I read, I mark the passages or portions that 'pop out' or where I saw something new or interesting to me. It's fun for me to go back even years later while reading, and read the same verse, and while reading the exact same words, the parts that 'pop out' are different. I think there are layers to personal revelation in scriptures, and the parts that you take to heart, or the meanings you take away, change depending on the things going on in your life at the time.

[Guest MrsS]

To me the Standard Works is a Text book - so of course I mark in them, make notes in the margins, add sticky notes when the margins are too small. I also make notes on the blank pages through out my quad. In a couple of years I am going to have to get a new set - large print - cause my eyesight is getting worse and even with new glasses I still have to strain!

[Sugarbay]

I mark the mastery scriptures, then when I read, I mark the passages or portions that 'pop out' or where I saw something new or interesting to me. It's fun for me to go back even years later while reading, and read the same verse, and while reading the exact same words, the parts that 'pop out' are different. I think there are layers to personal revelation in scriptures, and the parts that you take to heart, or the meanings you take away, change depending on the things going on in your life at the time.

That's the way it is for me. too. Life changes and so the ones that I marked ten years ago take on a different meaning wthin the same context.

My scriptures look like a coloring book. Color-coding gone horrible wrong, but the heft, smell, feel of the scriptures and knowing what I have marked is, was, will be important to me is what counts. I was feeling a little guilty about the colors and markings in my scriptures until I saw my stake prez's scriptures. Mine look pretty good compared to his. Every margin is filled in his. I love it!

[Aphrodite]

I do mark my scriptures and have tried many different ways-the colour coding etc, but it didnt work for me, there were too may topics per scripture and it looked a complete mess-So now, I have a red marker and underline with a ruler key things that stick out to me-and I have a 'scripture journal' or notebook, where i write down things i might have written in the scripture marjins. For example, scripture ref at the top of the page, then room for notes underneath it, with the date if you want. That way, you dont write all over your scriptures, still keep the insight and thoughts, and can start new scripture journals as you grow spritually. You can track your progress in your studies then as you can compare things you wrote from years ago without having to get new scriptures. I do this at church too. I never go to church without a notebook, ever! I like to write things down I feel I want to explore at a later date. I love a fresh clean book-my scriptures arent, but they are the only book I mark-I 'read' novels, therefore need no marking, but I 'study' the scriptures which in my opinion needs markings to help you remember what you learn, and remind you whats important to you.

[OIC]

I don't like to highlight in my scriptures, though I never liked highlighting in my school books in college either.

We had a sister missionary that came by one day with little multi-colored post-it tabs sticking out of her quad like confetti. I thought it was such a wonderful idea, so now I keep a pack of post-it tabs and a micro-fine sharpie on hand at all times. Now my quad is starting to look like confetti. :)

[LT04]

I don't like to highlight in my scriptures, though I never liked highlighting in my school books in college either.

We had a sister missionary that came by one day with little multi-colored post-it tabs sticking out of her quad like confetti. I thought it was such a wonderful idea, so now I keep a pack of post-it tabs and a micro-fine sharpie on hand at all times. Now my quad is starting to look like confetti. :)

Thats funny, your starting to turn to the highlited side.

-LT04

[Moroni10]

I do have a question here, in regards to this.:-) Just where can I find a website, that I can download Scripture Mastery Glue-ins for free? Without even paying for them? Does anyone here know where I can look for it? And I can database/ or even print them off on to my printer, for my notebooks? I do thank you very much. I would appreciate your help on this. I do know there are websites with different Quotation Pagesfrom Church Leaders, but i am looking for a main website where I can download or print them off.Thank you, very much. Gerry Luke Jr.

[bytebear]

I used to mark my scriptures and had a relatively complex system for color coding them. I also used color tabs by taking those little multicolor sticky dots (about the size of a pea) and fold them over on the edge. I line up each topic down a row, so I can easily find any topic. They are way less bulky that post-it tabs.

But now that the online scriptures are so easy to search, I tend to use that more than anything. The topical guide is awesome! I now feel like I can't study without the computer.

[mikbone]

my scriptures are wore torn and battle scarred.

While I was on my mission Chile circa 1987 I was asked why I would desecrate my scriptures. I pulled out Exodus 34:1 and explained that Moses actually destroyed the original 10 commandments in a fit of anger to make a point to the Israelites. The Lord was not upset. He just made another copy.

We can reproduce the scriptures at will, stone, paper, digital...

What is more important the medium upon which the words are written, or if the words are written upon our hearts?

Edited March 7, 2012 by mikbone

[Blackmarch]

my scriptures are wore torn and battle scarred.

While I was on my mission Chile circa 1987 I was asked why I would desecrate my scriptures. I pulled out Exodus 34:1 and explained that Moses actually destroyed the original 10 commandments in a fit of anger to make a point to the Israelites. The Lord was not upset. He just made another copy.

We can reproduce the scriptures at will, stone, paper, digital...

What is more important the medium upon which the words are written, or if the words are written upon our hearts?

one thing i'm reminded of is a sermon BY did on the worth of the scriptures... he basically said that without revelation/guidance from the lord, that they are worth about this much, and proceded to hit the scriptures off the podium and then left them on the floor for the rest of his talk.