Lesson 3.2 Interaction

Key Words and Context Check

Instructional goal: choose the right study question for important words and phrases before drawing conclusions.

Read each key word, phrase, or claim from Acts 16:16-19 and choose the study question that best fits it.

Good interpretation does not rush from a word to a conclusion. It asks what the word means in context, how the passage uses it, and what should not be assumed.

0 of 8 answered

Reference

Study Question Categories

Each category represents a different type of interpretive question to ask when studying a key word or phrase.

01 Immediate context
Ask how the nearby verses use or explain the word or phrase. Before drawing a conclusion from a theologically loaded term, check how the surrounding text presents it. The immediate context often shapes meaning more than a dictionary definition alone.
02 Word or phrase meaning
Ask what the word or phrase means and how a study tool may clarify it. Some words carry specialized meaning, come from another language, or require lexical or historical background to understand correctly.
03 Passage flow
Ask how the detail fits the movement of the scene. Narrative details like time markers, emotional states, and repeated actions help trace how a story builds. Ask what role the detail plays in the unfolding event.
04 Avoid assumption
Ask whether the claim goes beyond what the passage states. Good interpretation stays accountable to what the text actually says. When a conclusion cannot be supported by the words on the page, it should be treated as an inference rather than a reading.

Overview

About This Activity

Lesson 3.2 - Acts 16:16-19 Key Words and Context Check

Purpose

This activity trains careful, text-anchored interpretation by practicing the skill of asking the right question before drawing a conclusion. Good exegesis does not move directly from a striking word to a theological statement. It pauses to ask what kind of question the word or phrase requires.

By sorting key words and phrases into study question categories, you develop the habit of recognizing when to define a term, when to read surrounding context, when to trace narrative movement, and when to resist reading more into the text than it gives.

Passage Reference

Acts 16:16-19 - This passage narrates the encounter with a slave girl who has a spirit of divination in Philippi. The episode raises multiple interpretive questions about the nature of her announcement, the response of Paul, and the reaction of her owners.

Learning Goals
  • Identify the best type of study question for a key word or phrase before interpreting it
  • Distinguish between immediate context questions and word meaning questions
  • Recognize narrative flow details that build tension and connect events in a scene
  • Spot interpretive claims that go beyond what the passage directly states
How to Use
  • Read each key word, phrase, or claim listed in the Activity tab
  • Use the hint note beneath each item to guide your thinking
  • Select the study question category that best fits each item
  • Press "Check my choices" to see your score and identify any errors
  • Use "Reveal answer guide" to see all correct answers with explanations
  • Press "Reset" to start the activity over from the beginning