Visual Filter for a Greek Lemma

In response to a recent blog about Visual Filters a Logos user e-mailed the following to me:

I am enjoying very much your “how to” explanations in Logostalk, especially the recent post about using visual filters.  I have begun to create my own and I am very interested in this functionality. 

What I would like to know is how can I create a visual filter for a Greek word and have the filter show up on the translated English word.  For instance, I would like to create a visual filter for the Greek word “epignosis” and have the English word highlighted.

Here’s what I told him:

The easiest way to produce the filter for a Greek word and have it highlighted in English is to generate a Greek lemma search:

  • Open an English Bible (which contains the reverse interlinear option such as ESV, NASB, NKJV, or LEB) to a location where your desired word appears, in this case Colossians 1:6
  • Right click on the word (1) and select Lemma  “your word” | Search this resource. (2) (3)
  • Click Make filter on the Search panel which opens the Visual Filter panel with your search term already entered. (4)
  • Select a Formatting style for the word and name the filter. (5) (6)

Logos searches the underlying Greek text in the English Bible with the reverse interlinear data and then highlights the corresponding English text!

To add additional words to this same filter, so you don’t end up with a different filter for each individual word (because each time you click Make filter Logos creates a new visual filter):

  • Execute a lemma search as explained above
  • Copy / paste the search query from the search panel to the Visual Filter panel. (7)
  • Select a Formatting style for this new entry. (8)

VisualFilterForLemma1.jpg

VisualFilterForLemma2.jpg

VisualFilterForLemma3.jpg

Of course, the same instructions apply to a Hebrew lemma in the Old Testament.

This type of Visual Filter is a great way to distinguish Hebrew or Greek synonyms which are translated with the same English word. For example, create filters for the various Hebrew words translatedpraise. Make filters for the different Greek words translated love.

This is but one of the many features we discuss in the Camp Logos 2 Live video training series, which emphasizes using original language tools for the English student.

How do you use visual filters to study the Biblical text?

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Written by
Morris Proctor

Morris Proctor (1961–2023) was a certified trainer for Logos Bible Software and founder of MP Seminars. Morris trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos seminars, and his team continues to provide many training materials.

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