Everyone likes a good story. Along with colorful characters and an appealing setting, a good story has an intriguing plot.  

Stories are also referred to as “narratives”, described by Tim Mackie of BibleProject.com as “characters in a setting going through a series of events”¹. The Bible has lots of narrative passages.  More than 40% of the Bible is written in the narrative genre including historical events and parables. 

Outlining a Bible story based on its plot sequence is a form of segmentation that helps you follow the author’s flow of thought, gaining a clear picture of what the passage says. Sometimes the story is a pericope² on its own while other times the story provides additional information, like an explanation or illustration of a pericope. 

• A plot sequence usually doesn’t follow chapter/verse divisions – phases of the plot can start in the middle of a verse or even a sentence.
• Not every story will include all seven plot phases.  Sometimes a phase is skipped in the story, or the story ends without an outcome or epilogue.  (The book of Mark has several like this, including Mark 2:23–28).
• Sometimes a story may have several occurrences of the same plot phase, like an additional setting when a new person or additional background information is introduced in the middle of the story. (See example with Mark 1:21–28 below.) 
• Occasionally you may find a plot sequence (a sub-plot) within a larger plot sequence (such as Mark 5:25–34 within Mark 5:21–43).

Watch this video for an overview of Plots in Biblical Narrative 

There is no one standard number of phases within a plot sequence. The plot sequence scheme used here has seven phases. Below are descriptions of the seven phases with some sample questions to ponder while studying a narrative passage in the Bible.

Plot Sequence Phases

 (If a phase is missing in a story, you should still consider some of the questions associated with the missing phase.)

Setting  

Introduces the time, place, people and circumstances of the story.

• Does this passage have anything to do with the previous passage? Or the passage that follows?  (Sometimes stories are used to illustrate or explain the previous passage, or are a continuation of the bigger storyline of the book. Sometimes the story is followed with an explanation of the story, which would be part of the same pericope.)

Incident 

A statement or action that changes the status quo and begins the story’s movement, either in a positive or negative direction.

• Identify and describe the protagonist. (From Wikipedia: The main character of a story. The protagonist often affects the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles.)
• Identify and describe the antagonist. (From Wikipedia: A character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist.)
• How does this incident change the circumstances of the story?
• Could this be helpful or harmful to the circumstances of the story?

Complication 

A statement or action that complicates the situation or causes tension among the people in the story.

• How has this complication contributed to or influenced the situation?
• Might this complication make things better or worse? 

Escalation 

Decisive moment when someone makes a critical decision or statement, or takes significant action that determines the destiny of the story.

• Was this a good idea?
• Were there any another options?

Climax 

The turning point in the story where issues are resolved; mysteries are solved; tensions are relieved; and a teaching point is made (“the moral of the story”).

• Did you want or expect the story to lead to this?
• What would you say is the the Main Idea of the Text (Its message)? 
• Is this story Descriptive (describing), Prescriptive (instructing) or Predictive (foretelling the future)?
• Is there anything in this story to emulate or avoid?

Outcome 

Immediate response to or result of the climax.

• Did you think or expect the story to end like this?
• Is this an improvement from the way things were before the incident?
• In what ways does or doesn’t this please or glorify Jesus?
• Does this imply or express a lesson we need to heed?

Epilogue 

Comment, conclusion or long term consequences, blessings, or changes from the past – the new normal.

• How did this impact the lives of the people in this story?
• What title would you give this story?   
• How should this story impact the lives of people today?
• How can we be SMART about our response to this story?  

Plot Sequence Example:

(Mark 1:21–28)

^<21>       

SETTING Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.  ^<22> The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 

^<23>       

INCIDENT Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue: 

^<24> 

COMPLICATION  “What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

^<25>       

ESCALATION But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” 

^<26>       

CLIMAX At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek. 

^<27>       

OUTCOME All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!” 

^<28>      

EPILOGUE And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee. 

~~~

Another example can be found in study guide 43-0a, “Jesus Cleanses the Temple (John 2:13–22)”. It has the Berean Standard Bible translation provided in the Plot Sequence format.