This is where things begin to get interesting. We start putting into practice how to find the main subject and verb of a clause as we attempt to break off our Scripture passage into their different clauses & phrases

1. Splitting Up the Passage
Phrasing is flexible enough to customize it to the individual’s need. There are only two main rules to
remember:
● Main clauses and phrases go all the way to the left margin
● All subordinate clauses are indented under the main clauses

2. Different Styles of Phrasing
Because Phrasing is so flexible many choose different styles that are unique to them. Some of the most
common are:
● Splitting ALL the phrases – this includes each individual phrase, whether it is a clause or phrase
(remember, there is a grammatical difference between phrases and clauses)
● Splitting only the main clauses and indenting them to the left, focusing more on function rather than
subordination (adverbial, adjectival, substantival, etc.)
● Splitting off the main verbal ideas, along with any necessary other phrases
● Working directly from a Greek text and having the English text reflect the Greek. This is the most
accurate method, though most laymen will know little or no Greek

3. Different Styles of Phrasing
I will be using the 3rd method, primarily. We will split our passage into its main verbal ideas and consider
splitting off some of the other phrases as necessary.
Of course, there will be rules we’ll need to follow.

4. 1.Start with the main verbal ideas
A verbal idea is one that expresses an action or state of being. As a rule of thumb, we split the text into a
new proposition when a new verbal idea starts.
1Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy He has caused us to be born again to a living
hope…
We have two main verbal ideas here:
(verbal idea #1) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
(verbal idea #2) According to His great mercy He has caused us to be born again to a living hope

5. 1. Start with the main verbal ideas
Did you see where the split occurred? It came right after the complete verbal idea of blessing God.
The second idea is that God has caused us to be born again
Of course, things will get a little more difficult as the text gets longer. Splitting the passage up into its main
verbal ideas is a good starting place
But be aware…

6. 1. Start with the main verbal ideas
There are some verbal ideas that need to be left together:
1. If a verbal idea would seem incomplete by splitting it off:
John 5:10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed…
In this case you would not split after ‘to the man... ’ even though, technically, it starts a new verbal
idea. The verbal idea would be incomplete.
2. If an infinitive is attached to a helping verb:
Rom 8:6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Again, we only have two verbal ideas. Both clauses contain infinitives followed by a helping verb in
order to complete the verbal idea

7. 1. Start with the main verbal ideas
Just try and split the passage up as it seems natural. Often times your first intuition is the correct one
Punctuation can also be helpful in determining a split. Things such as commas, periods, exclamation
marks, question marks, etc., often mark a new proposition
Don’t sweat it too much! With practice, splitting will become like second nature

8. Phrases in between…
Sometimes several phrases will appear between the subject and the verb. When this occurs we need to
extract the phrases so that the subject and verb stay together:
Example: 1Peter 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and inquired carefully,
The subject, ‘prophets’ is separated from the verb, ‘searched and inquired’ by at least two phrases. When
extracting, we should leave an ellipses where the phrase was extracted from (...) and an upward pointing
caret mark (^) to show where that the placement of the new phrase has been arranged

9. 1Peter 1:10
Concerning this salvation,
the prophets...searched and inquired carefully,
^who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours

10. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Once you have your main verbal ideas you have two options: you may begin to subordinate your clauses
to each main thought, or look at other secondary clauses to see how breaking the passage down further
may aid in your understanding
Secondary clauses include:
1. Relative clauses
2. Prepositional phrases
3. Appositional phrases
4. Lists
Most of the other types of phrases would have been naturally split off as part of the verbal ideas

11. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
I would recommend that you at least look at the other phrases and clauses to see if breaking them off
would help aid in your understanding of the passage. This is the key goal, after all
The next logical step would be to know what to break off and when to break it off or leave it alone. We’ll
take each phrase type separately

12. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Relative clauses
A relative clause is simply a clause which begins with one of the relative pronouns: who, whom, whose,
which, that
Sometimes ‘that’ is not functioning as a relative pronoun but rather as a demonstrative pronoun. To
determine which type it is replace the word ‘that’ with its appropriate relative pronoun. If the clause works,
it is functioning as a relative pronoun. If not, it is a demonstrative.
Example:
The book that I got from the library was boring - we replace the word ‘that’ and read, ‘the book which I got
from the library was boring.’ It fits well so it is functioning as a relative pronoun
That book is a boring book - If we replace the word ‘that’ with a relative pronoun it doesn’t make much
sense. Therefore, it is functioning as a demonstrative pronoun

13. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Relative clauses
As a rule of thumb, we can split off all relative clauses
Sometimes a relative clause may seem to function like an object or a subject. Phrasing is flexible enough
for you to decide on your own if you would glean more insight by leaving it intact or breaking it off
Eph 1:19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe
Is it necessary to split off the relative clause? In this case, my first guess would be to leave it intact
Of course, it’s up to you

14. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Prepositional Phrases (optional)
Sometimes it is helpful to break off prepositional phrases and sometimes it is not. Here are some
guidelines to help:
1. Break off directly after a genitive phrase
1Peter 1:3 has caused us to be born again
to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead
The phrase, ‘from the dead’ can go either way. Sometimes it is better to leave it, but sometimes it is
better to split it off
2. When two or more consecutive prepositional phrases occur you may leave the first one(s) and split
off the last one
Rom 1:2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
concerning His Son

15. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Prepositional Phrases (optional)
3. When a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb of a clause ALWAYS split it off.
This is the only time you most definitely want to split off a prepositional phrase
1 Pe 1:11 ... inquiring what person
or time
the Spirit of Christ...was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ
^in them
and the
subsequent glories.
In this case, the prepositional phrase, ‘in them’ comes directly in between the subject, Spirit and the verb
was indicating. We always want to keep the subject and verb together

16. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Prepositional Phrases (optional)
4. When several prepositional phrases are part of a list
1Pe 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
in the sanctification of the Spirit,
for obedience to Jesus Christ
and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Each of these phrases would be broken off because they constitute a list. We will look more closely at lists
momentarily

17. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Appositional Phrases
There is no real rule for breaking off or keeping appositional phrases. They are there to simply identify or
clarify something about the noun they modify
2Cor 1:1 Paul,
an apostle of Christ Jesus
The phrase, ‘an apostle of Christ Jesus’ simply tells a little more about who Paul is. Therefore, we can
choose to either split it or leave it as it is

18. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Lists
Lists can yield interesting things from the text. Most people I know that use Phrasing as a study method
choose to split lists off from the passage. Take 1Peter 1:4 as an example:
to an inheritance that is imperishable,
undefiled,
and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
The description of the believer’s inheritance is something that you might want to examine a little more
closely. Most lists are important and should not be ignored

19. Step 2: secondary and miscellaneous clauses
Lists
Last things…
When splitting lists it is best to leave a gap between the first word of the list and then align the rest of the
list parallel to the first list item
1Peter 1:1 Peter,
an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion
in Pontus,
Galatia,
Cappadocia,
Asia,
and Bithynia,
When we leave a gap it tells us two things:
1. That it is indeed a list
2. It only needs one semantic label.
We will learn about semantic labels in another lesson. But for simplification, there is no need to label each
individual item in the list. The fact that they are aligned in this manner is to show that they all belong to the
same clause or phrase

20. Example Text
Now it’s time to practice.
For our example text we will use Ephesians 2:1-3. Try to split the passage on your own and then come
back to the video and advance to the next slide to see how I have chosen to split it
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind

21. And you were dead
in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked,
following the course of this world,
following the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work
in the sons of disobedience
3 among whom we all once lived
in the passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath,
like the rest of mankind

22. How did you do?
Don’t worry if you didn’t split the passage exactly like I did. The main thing to remember is that you found
the main subjects & verbs that represent the main thought(s) of that particular passage
In the next lesson we will look closer at finding the main thought and subordinating everything to the main
clause

23. End Presentation