Who or what is Trance in the Bible?

Ancient Context: Trance

⚡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)

Trance denotes a mental state wherein awareness of external stimuli is diminished while internal perceptions are intensified, often manifesting as visions or auditory phenomena interpreted as divine communication.

What is the meaning of Trance in the Bible?

Trance denotes a mental state wherein awareness of external stimuli is diminished while internal perceptions are intensified, often manifesting as visions or auditory phenomena interpreted as divine communication.

SIGNIFICANCE

Understanding trance states clarifies the phenomenological basis of prophetic experiences in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, distinguishing between psychological mechanisms of revelation and the theological claims of divine origin.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Ancient Cultural Lens: Avoid applying 21st-century Western assumptions to Trance. Examine how first-century or Near Eastern listeners understood this practice within their daily social dynamics.

Bible Study Reflection Prompts:

Why did the biblical author mention Trance in this passage?
What cultural or historical assumption does Trance clarify?

Source Attribution & Provenance

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.

How to Cite This Entry

          "Trance." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/trance/
        

Trance