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Welcome to this laboratory for exploring how the words used by New Testament authors were understood by audiences of their day. The Contexticon offers unprecedented tools for developing fresh readings of the long-venerated biblical texts.

Our Approach

The Contexticon does not attempt to pin down or narrow the meaning of words in their biblical contexts. Instead, it gives users a feel for the wider range of interpretive possibilities, based on writings from the ancient world. From this comparative standpoint, users appreciate more fully how New Testament authors—in their own settings—were using language to communicate.

Exploration is guided, in part, by expert tours. However, it is the direct encounter with terms in context—both within the New Testament and without—that lies at the heart of the Contexticon experience.

New Tools for Teaching

Our latest upgrade—version 2.0+—offers innovative teaching tools for group learning in any setting. These allow you to create customized lesson plans to share with students, then hear back from them right in the Contexticon itself.

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