BDAG Tour

The BDAG print edition introduces typographical enhancements to help the reader quickly scan the page and locate desired information. The most commonly referenced parts of each entry in the lexicon are given a contrasting typeface. For example, a word's extended definition is printed in bold while its gloss (also called a formal equivalent) is in bold-italic. Translation equivalents (which accompany quotations from Greek texts) are given in normal italic. Each of these "fields" is searchable independently or in conjunction with other fields within the text. More about that in a minute.

Built-In Functionality:

• New Testament citations are in blue
• Hover over a hotspot in red and a popup window shows the quotation referenced (e.g., a passage from Josephus)
• Hover over a green link to unpack an abbreviation (e.g., inf.=infinitive) or abbreviated citation
• The large, eye-catching graphic numerals and letters delineate the outline structure of each entry

Searchable Fields:

• Extended Definition (bold):
  An Extended Definition serves to "highlight the meanings of words or their functional usage."
• Formal Equivalent (bold-italic):
  A Formal Equivalent is akin to a gloss or synonym.
• Translation Equivalent (italic):
  A Translation Equivalent is a suggested translation of preceding Greek text. For instance, when a classical source is quoted, a translation of the quoted text normally follows.

Let's perform an example study that involves searching specific fields within BDAG.

Suppose you are studying the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, looking at an English translation and the Greek original side-by-side. You want more information on the word μακαριος which is translated blessed in the NASB, so you right-click on it in the Greek text and select the BDAG lexicon.

After reading the entry on μακαριος you want to dig deeper into this concept of blessedness and its relationship to various Greek words. Clicking "Search" on the toolbar automatically opens the specialized Search BDAG dialog box. A search for blessed in all BDAG fields results in 93 occurrences in 58 articles. Now let's narrow that down…

Perhaps you'd rather narrow the results to occurrences of blessed in extended definitions or formal equivalents only. This excludes occurrences within translation equivalents (e.g., translated quotations from classical sources) and gives a more manageable list of 15 occurrences within 13 articles. Countless other combinations of terms, fields and operators can be entered. Greek text can also be entered in the Search BDAG dialog…

Suppose you'd like to find other occurrences of μακαριος in examples the authors have pulled from biblical and extrabiblical sources. What other contexts and translations are given for this word within BDAG? You can enter the Greek word and limit the search to the translation equivalent field, resulting in three occurrences located within illustrative quotations given by the lexicon's authors.

Thanks to Frederick W. Danker's broad knowledge of Greco-Roman literature, as well as papyri and epigraphs, the new BDAG provides a more panoramic view of the world of Jesus and the New Testament. It incorporates new research, new information, and analyses while rendering translations into contemporary English. What is more, the LDLS version of this resource offers unprecedented search capabilities customized to this reference work. Can you continue doing Biblical study without it? Get yours now!