Bible Study--Conjunctions

As explained earlier, structure within paragraphs makes use of conjunctions. For a more comprehensive treatment of conjunctions, see Robert A. Traina, Methodical Bible Study, pages 41-43.

The definition of a conjunction, for the purpose of Bible study, is a word used with a clause or sentence to show its relation to some other clause or sentence. Like a sentence, a clause has a subject and a predicate but a sentence may utilize several clauses. A subject may be implied, but not the verb.

A conjunction is not a preposition. A preposition describes the relationship only between nouns or pronouns and another word or other words in the sentence.

A conjunction, as defined here, must do more than just connect words or phrases. It must connect clauses and sentences. See the following table for examples:

The table below is a catalog of conjunctions giving the type of connection each makes and an appropriate illustration. Remember the New American Standard version is being used unless otherwise noted.

This is not an exhaustive listing of conjunctions. But after understanding the definition of a conjunction, after dealing with the examples that follow and while consulting an English dictionary; you should be able to identify other conjunctions as you observe them in Scripture.

BIBLE STUDY CONJUNCTIONS
Conjunction	Connection	Illustration
and	series of facts	Romans 2:17-19
as	comparison	Romans 9:24-25
as	temporal	Acts 16:16
as . . . but	contrast	Matthew 3:11
as . . . even so	comparison	Romans 5:18
because	reason	Romans 1:18-19
before	temporal	John 8:58
both . . . and	series of facts	John 7:28
but	contrast	Romans 4:20
but	contrast	Matthew 11:7-8
consequently	result	Matthew 19:5-6
either . . . or	contrast	Matthew 6:24
even though	concessive	Daniel 5:22
for	reason	Matthew 3:1-3
however	contrast	Galatians 3:11-12
if	condition	Romans 2:25
in order that	purpose	Matthew 5:25
in order to	purpose	Matthew 6:5
in such a way that	purpose	Matthew 5:16
in that	explanatory	Romans 5:8
just as	comparison	Romans 4:5-6
lest	negative purpose	Matthew 4:6
neither . . . nor	negative series of facts	Acts 2:31
nevertheless	contrast	Romans 5:13-14
nor	negative series of facts	Matthew 5:14-15
now	series of facts	Matthew 3:4
now	inference	Romans 6:7-8
or	series of alternatives	Matthew 26:51-53
or	series of facts	2 Corinthians 6:14-16
or else	series of alternatives	1 Corinthians 7:11
otherwise	reason	Matthew 6:1
since	reason	Genesis 46:30
so	comparison	Matthew 7:12
	inference	Matthew 1:17 (KJV)
	result	2 Kings 13:3
so that	purpose	Matthew 6:17-18
so that	result	Daniel 5:20
so then	inference	Matthew 7:19-20
that	purpose	Ephesians 5:25-27
that	indirect discourse	Acts 20:26
then	inference	Galatians 2:21
then	temporal	Matthew 2:16
therefore	inference	1 Corinthians 10:11-12
though	concessive	Job 13:15
though	reflection	Romans 5:17
thus	comparison	1 Peter 3:6
until	temporal	Matthew 2:13
when	temporal	John 11:31
while	temporal	Romans 5:8
yet	contrast	Mark 14:29

CONNECTION DEFINITIONS
Connection	Definition	Illustration
Comparison	The conjunction promotes the examination of points of resemblance between the clauses or sentences.	"as" in Romans 9:24-25
Concession	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that grants a usually adverse condition under which the action in another clause or sentence will still take place.	"though" in Job 13:15
Condition	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that describes a performance that must be met before the action in another clause or sentence can take place.	"if" in Romans 2:25
Contrast	The conjunction promotes the examination of points of difference between the clauses or sentences.	"as . . . but" in Matthew 3:11
Explanatory	Two clauses and/or sentences are connected in such a way that the second explains the first.	"in that" in Romans 5:8
Indirect Discourse	The conjunction provides a clause or sentence that contains a description of a quotation (nor the exact quotation).	"that" in Acts 20:26
Inference	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that describes a deduction based on another clause or sentence.	"therefore" in 1 Corinthians 10:11-12
Purpose	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that describes the goal of the action in another clause or sentence.	"in order that" in Matthew 5:25
Reason	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that justifies the action in another clause or sentence.	"for" in Matthew 3:1-3
Reflection	The writer elaborates on a remote possibility mentioned in the connected clause or sentence.	"though" in Romans 5:17
Result	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that records the effect of the action in another clause or sentence.	"consequently" in Matthew 19:5-6
Series of Alternatives	The conjunction connects clauses or sentences, each of which is independent and different.	"or" in Matthew 26:51-53
Series of Facts	The conjunction connects clauses or sentences of the same type. They are not dependent on each other.	"and" in Romans 2:17-19
Temporal	The conjunction introduces a clause or sentence that provides the time when the action happened in another clause or sentence.	"then" in Matthew 2:16