For the past few weeks, I’ve shared how to organize your library, ways to use the guides, and how to utilize word lists and visual filters. Now, it’s time to work on a sentence diagram. Logos makes this easy with its Sentence Diagramming Tool:
- Select the Documents menu.
- Open the Sentence Diagramming tool.
- Click, “Insert Passage” and load the verse or passage.
Today I’m going to illustrate with 1 John 4:7.
Displaying interlinear text
Logos provides an interlinear function with the alternative (English) text above or below the Greek. To access the options as shown below click the Display drop down menu and choose your preferred display.
Join and separate compound subjects
Some subjects contain two parts (article and noun) . In these cases, select the words you’d like to include and click Join. If you accidentally combine the wrong words, there’s a button right next to it marked “Separate.”
Using the drawing tool
As you can see in the screenshot below, I’m almost done with my diagram. Unfortunately, I like to put the vocatives on a separate line, introducing the main line verb. If at any point in time you need a line that is not readily available in the predefined list, you can simply use the “Draw” tool to create your own, custom lines.
And with that, I’ve finished my diagram for 1 John 4:7. You can download my diagram here.
The importance of sentence diagramming
The beauty of sentence diagramming is that it helps simplify complex thoughts. The tree can be followed along any branch and still provide a coherent sentence. For example, the following statements can be traced from the sentence diagram above.
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God.”
“Beloved, let us love one another, because everyone loving is born of God.”
“Beloved, let us love one another, because everyone loving knows God.”
Immediately, this sentence diagram has helped highlight the main proposition of the verse and illuminated the three supporting points. From here, a teaching or preaching outline is only a step away.
Main Proposition: Christians should love one another.
Supporting Point 1: Because love is from God.
Supporting Point 2: Because our love shows that we are born of God.
Supporting Point 3: Because our love shows that we know God.
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