Your assignment asks you to craft a topical outline, sometimes referred to as a textual or analytical outline, of your pericope. This type of outline helps you to summarize and organize the text grammatically to identify the main and subordinate parts. It also helps you visualize the progression of the text. Given that the Bible was not originally organized by the chapter and verse that we see today, the topical outline may help you better understand the passage as it was initially intended.

Since your only goal with this outline is understanding the text, there are no real rules for creating it. You are merely playing with the structure according to your own logic. Some general guidelines for the outline are as follows:

1. Divide the text into paragraphs, according to your own sense of the passage.
2. Place the main thought or statement at the top level of the outline.
3. Put subsequent portions of text according to where they best fit.
   1. Other main ideas are placed at the top level of the outline.
   2. Supporting text is placed under the main thought or principle.
   3. Dependent words or clauses are placed under words they modify. Generally, dependent words are signaled by conjunctions (and, or, so, since, for, because, as, but, yet, still, while, therefore, moreover, though, although, even though, etc.), prepositions (in, at, on, of, to, with, by, etc.) or a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that, etc.)
   4. All text that addresses the same question is put at the same level. Lists, similarities, and opposites are all put at the same level.

Excerpted from Krejcir, Richard. 2007. “How to Outline Scripture.” Into Thy Word. Accessed October 18, 2024. http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/?articleid=31442&columnid=3801; Krol, Peter. 2016. “Two Ways to Outline a Bible Passage.” Knowable Word. July 29. https://www.knowableword.com/2016/07/29/two-ways-to-outline-a-bible-passage/. Moore, W. 2009. “Outlining a Bible passage for dummies, Acts 17:24.” W B Moore’s Biblical Insights. February 22. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/outlining-a-bible-passage-for-dummies-acts-17_24/)

This first example simply outlines the text: 

James 1:1-4 NRSVCE

1 James, a servant[a] of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 My brothers and sisters, [b] whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

A. James (v. 1) 

1.  A servant [a] of God (v. 1)

2. of the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 1)

B.  To the twelve tribes (v. 1)

1. in the Dispersion (v. 1) 

2. Greetings. (v. 1)

C.  My brothers and sisters [b] (v. 2)

1.  whenever you face trials of any kind, (v. 2) 

a.  consider it nothing but joy (v. 2) 

2.  because you know that the testing of your faith (v. 3)

a.  produces endurance.

D.  And let endurance (v. 4)

1.  have its full effect (v. 4)

2.  so that you may be mature and complete (v. 4)

3.  lacking in nothing (v. 4)

This second example summarizes the text in places to clarify its meaning: 

Ezekiel 37: 1-10 NRSVCE

1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath[a] to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath[b] in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath:[c] Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath,[d] and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 

Ezekiel’s Vision (37:1-10)

A.  Introduction and transportation of Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones (vv.1-2)

B.  First Dialogue (vv.3-7)

1. God’s call (vv.3-6)

a. God questions, Ezekiel responds (v.3)

b. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones (v.4)

c. God foretells the revival of the bones (vv.5-6)

2. Ezekiel’s response and its effects (vv.7-9)

a. Ezekiel prophesies (v.7a)

b. Prophecy fulfilled (vv.7b-8)

C.   Second Dialogue (vv.9-10)

1. God calls Ezekiel to prophesy to the spirit (v.9)

2. Ezekiel’s response and its effects (v.10)

a. Ezekiel prophesies (v.10a)

b. Prophecy fulfilled (v.10b)