Study the Text For A Sermon

Although your professor may have specific instructions that differ from what this guide presents, here are the basic steps common to most exegesis papers. You may go step-by-step, or jump to the topic of interest to you.
1. Choose a Passage
2. Examine the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Background
3. Perform Exegesis of Each Verse
4. Offer an Overall Interpretation
5. Provide an Application of the Passage

A pericope comes from the Greek language, meaning, "a cutting-out".  It is a set of verses that forms one coherent unit or thought, thus forming a short passage suitable for public reading from a text, that usually refers to sacred scripture.