Pericope:
A set of verses that forms one coherent unit or thought; usually of sacred scripture
Most of our English Bible translations have pericope headings. These are subheadings that the translators used to separate what the translator considered to be separate thoughts. I want to tell you a story of how disruptive those separations are and how they can influence and distort our understanding of the word.
This year, 2026, on the 4th of July will be my 50th spiritual birthday. In Christian vernacular I was “born again” on the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. My conversion story is here: conversion and conflict
For years I studied the word in Bibles with pericope headings. I did not realize how much I was missing by those breakages in the scriptures until I started using a New American Standard Inductive Study Bible. The passage illustrated above, as it appeared in the Inductive Bible–with no pericope headings, changed my life.
When I surrendered to the Lord, war broke out in my home. My husband hated Christianity. He told in the first months of my walk with the Lord, that he would leave me if I continued going to church.
I knew that the Lord hated divorce, and 1st Peter Chapter 3 told me that wives were to be submissive to their husbands, so I submitted to what my husband wanted: no church, no conversations about anything that represented faith, no Bibles (in his sight), no Christian music or anything else “religious” in the house, no talking to our daughters about God, and especially no praying! (At least not that he could hear.)
Our marriage lasted 20 years after my conversion while I struggled to figure out how to be the submissive wife described in 1 Peter Chapter 3.
Then I got a Bible with no pericope headings.
As I read through the sermon on the mount I came to:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12
I had certainly not be rejoicing in the persecution. *
I went back to 1st Peter Chapter 3:
In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 1 Peter 3:1-2
Followed by:
Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 1 Peter 3:13-17 The emphasis is in the Inductive Bible.
I realized that I had “feared the persecution”. I felt conviction.
I read on in the verses in Matthew Chapter 5. With no pericope heading the next verse says:
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. Matthew 5:13
That was me. Fearing persecution I had not kept my saltiness. I was good for nothing, and I was being trampled under foot.
I read on:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
At this point, I wept in repentance, and prayed for forgiveness.
I cried out, “What do you want me to do, Lord?”
“Get up!” I heard him say, “be the woman I have created you to be.”
“Oh, Lord,” I cried, “who is that?”
I had been so preoccupied with trying to keep peace (where there was no peace), that I did not even know who I was.
I “got up”, “turned the light on” and starting discovering who the Lord had created me to be.
My husband left.
Now, 30 years later I am the woman God created me to be. My life is overflowing with all he prepared my heart to enjoy. Halleluyah!
*As for rejoicing in the persecution: I do rejoice over that now. Without the first 20 years of walking with Jesus under persecution I would not be today the woman he created me to be. Those years built my absolute trust in Him.
My feet were, and are, in Rock. I will not be shaken.
