Cherokee Bible library
Learn by reading
A graded path through real historical passages.
First, explore the foundations of reading and grammar →
Start with syllabary and pronunciation lessons →
The text stays authentic. The reading task grows: first recognition, then grouping, then a whole passage. These lessons do not invent simplified Cherokee sentences or promise that a short verse is grammatically easy.
Reading chapter 01
Recognize a recurring form
John 11:35
35ᏥᏌ ᏚᏠᏱᎸᎩ.
- Read the verse once without trying to translate it. Notice the number of written words.
- Find ᏥᏌ in the verse. Look for the same written form elsewhere in this chapter.
- Use the word-study page to compare an attested form with its contextual gloss. Return to this verse and recognize it again.
Reading chapter 02
Notice a repeated opening
John 1:1–3
1ᏗᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎡᎮᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎢᏧᎳᎭ ᎠᏁᎮᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎨᏎᎢ.
2ᏗᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎢᏧᎳᎭ ᎠᏁᎮᎢ.
3ᏂᎦᎥ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏬᏢᏁᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᎥ ᎪᏢᏅᎯ ᏥᎩ ᎥᏝ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏄᏬᏢᏅᎾ ᏱᎩ.
- Read the three verses and circle or copy repeated written forms.
- Look for ᎠᎴ. Compare its position in these verses without assuming that every occurrence has an identical English equivalent.
- Read the passage again, pausing at punctuation rather than after every syllable.
Reading chapter 03
Follow a short conversation
John 11:32–36
32ᎺᎵᏃ ᎤᎷᏨ ᏥᏌ ᎡᏙᎲᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᎪᎲ, ᏚᎳᏍᎬ ᎡᎳᏗ ᎤᏓᏅᏅᎩ, ᎯᎠ ᏄᏪᏎᎸᎩ; ᏣᎬᏫᏳᎯ, ᎢᏳᏃ ᎠᏂ ᏱᎮᏙᎮᎢ, ᎥᏝ ᎥᎩᏙ ᏱᎬᏩᏲᎱᏎᎢ.
33ᏥᏌᏃ ᎤᎪᎲ ᏓᏠᏱᎲᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᏚᎪᎲ ᎠᏂᏧᏏ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᏍᏓᏩᏙᎸᎯ ᏓᎾᏠᏱᎲᎢ, ᎡᎯᏍᏗ ᎤᏓᏅᏓᏛᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏕᏯᏙᏗ ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁᎸᎩ.
34ᎠᎴ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏪᏒᎩ; ᎭᏢ ᎡᏥᏅᏁᎢ? ᏣᎬᏫᏳᎯ, ᎡᎭᎦᏔ, ᎬᏬᏎᎸᎩ.
35ᏥᏌ ᏚᏠᏱᎸᎩ.
36ᎿᎭᏉᏃ ᎠᏂᏧᏏ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏂᏪᏒᎩ; ᎬᏂᏳᏉ ᏂᎦᎡ ᎤᎨᏳᎯᏳ ᎨᏎᎢ.
- Identify the verse boundaries and punctuation before reading aloud.
- Notice repeated forms across the verses. Track where familiar forms appear.
- Read John 11 in context. In a separate English Bible, compare the passage as a whole, not by aligning words one for one.
Reading chapter 04
Read a connected paragraph
Matthew 5:1–12
1ᎤᏂᏣᏘᏃ ᏫᏚᎪᎲ ᎤᏌᎯᎸ ᎤᎿᎭᎷᏎᎢ, ᎤᏪᏅᏃ ᎬᏩᏍᏓᏩᏗᏙᎯ ᎬᏩᎷᏤᎴᎢ.
2ᎠᎰᎵᏃ ᎤᏍᏚᎢᏒ ᏚᏪᏲᏁ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏪᏎᎢ;
3ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᏲ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᎿᎭᏕᎩ ᏚᎾᏓᏅᏛᎢ; ᎤᎾᏤᎵᏰᏃ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ ᎡᎯ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᎨᏒᎢ.
4ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᏲ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏔᏩᏕᎩ, ᏛᎨᏥᏄᏬᎯᏍᏔᏂᏰᏃ.
5ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘ, ᎦᏙᎯᏰᏃ ᎤᎾᏤᎵ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ.
6ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᏂᏲᏏᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᏔᏕᎩᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏙᏗᏱ; ᏛᎨᏥᎧᎵᎵᏰᏃ.
7ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᎾᏓᏙᎵᏣᏘ, ᏛᎨᏥᏙᎵᏥᏰᏃ.
8ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᏧᏓᏅᎦᎸᏛ ᏧᏂᎾᏫ, ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯᏰᏃ ᎤᏂᎪᏩᏛᏗ;
9ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎠᏃᎯᏍᏗᏍᎩ, ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯᏰᏃ ᏧᏪᏥ ᏛᎨᎪᏎᎵ.
10ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᏲ ᎢᎨᎬᎾᏕᎩ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏂᏍᏛᏗᏍᎩ, ᎤᎾᏤᎵᏰᏃ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ ᎡᎯ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᎨᏒᎢ.
11ᎣᏏᏳ ᎢᏣᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎢᏳᏃ ᏴᏫ ᎤᏐᏅ ᏂᎨᏥᏪᏎᎮᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏲ ᏂᎨᏨᏁᎮᏍᏗ, ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᎥ ᏧᏓᎴᏅᏛ ᎤᏐᏅ ᎦᏰᎪᎩ ᎨᏥᏃᎮᏍᎨᏍᏗ ᎠᏴ ᎨᏒ ᎢᏥᏍᏛᏗᏍᎨᏍᏗ.
12ᎢᏣᎵᎮᎵᎨᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏣᏔᏅᎯ ᎣᏍᏛ ᎢᏣᏓᏅᏖᏍᏗ, ᎤᏣᏘᏰᏃ ᎡᏣᎫᏴᎡᏗ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ; ᎾᏍᎩᏯᏰᏃ ᎤᏥ ᏂᏚᏅᏁᎸᎩ ᎠᎾᏙᎴᎰᏍᎩ ᎢᎬᏱ ᏥᏂᎨᏤᏅᎡᎸ.
- Skim for repeated openings and endings across the verses.
- Choose two recurring forms and search for them in the concordance. Compare their spelling in different verses.
- Reread the passage as connected discourse. Write down questions to take to a Cherokee-speaking teacher rather than guessing at unfamiliar grammar.
Reading chapter 05
Practice returning to context
Luke 15:1–7
1ᎿᎭᏉᏃ ᎾᎥ ᎬᏩᎷᏤᎴ ᏂᎦᏛ ᎠᏕᎸ ᎠᏂᎩᏏᏙᎯ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᎾ ᎬᏩᏛᏓᏍᏓᏁᏗᏱ.
2ᎠᏂᏆᎵᏏᏃ ᎠᎴ ᏗᏄᏪᎵᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᏐᏅᏤᎴ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏂᏪᏎᎢ, ᎯᎠ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏓᏓᏂᎸᎪ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᎾᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎢᏧᎳᎭ ᎠᎾᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎪᎢ.
3ᎯᎠᏃ ᏄᏪᏎ ᏚᏟᎶᏍᏔᏁᎴᎢ,
4ᎦᎪ ᎯᎠ ᏥᏂᏣᏛᏅ, ᎠᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᏱᏚᎾᏝᎠ ᎤᏂᏃᏕᎾ, ᎢᏳᏃ ᏌᏉ ᏳᏲᎱᏎᎸ, ᎥᏝ ᏱᏗᎬᏕᎪ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎠᏁᏙᎲ ᏐᎣᏁᎳᏍᎪᎯ ᏐᎣᏁᎳᎦᎵ ᎢᏯᏂᏛ, ᎠᎴ ᏳᏲᎴᎪ ᎤᏲᎱᏎᎸᎯ, ᎬᏂ ᎠᏩᏛ?
5ᎢᏳᏃ ᎠᏩᏛ ᎠᏃᎭᏢᎥᏍᎪᎢ ᎠᎵᎮᎵᎪᎢ.
6ᎥᎦᎷᎩᏃ ᎤᏪᏅᏒ ᏫᏓᏯᏂᏍᎪ ᏧᎵᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎾᎥ ᎢᏳᎾᏓᎳ, ᎯᎠ ᏂᏕᎦᏪᏎᎰᎢ, ᎢᏧᎳᎭ ᎢᏓᎵᎮᎵᎩ; ᎢᏥᏩᏛᎲᏰᏃ ᎤᏃᏕᎾ ᏣᎩᏲᎱᏎᎲᎩ.
7ᎢᏨᏲᏎᎭ, ᎾᏍᏉᏍᎩᏂ ᎤᏟᎯᏳ ᎾᎾᎵᎮᎵᎨᏍᏗ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ ᏦᏒ ᏌᏉ ᎠᏍᎦᎾ ᎦᏁᏟᏴᏍᎨᏍᏗ ᎤᏓᏅᏛᎢ, ᎡᏍᎦᏉ ᎢᏴᏛ ᏐᎣᏁᎳᏍᎪᎯ ᏐᎣᏁᎳᎦᎵ ᎢᏯᏂᏛ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᏧᏂᏁᏟᏴᏍᏗ ᏄᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᎲᎾ ᏚᎾᏓᏅᏛᎢ.
- Read the opening verses to establish the setting.
- Follow one recurring written form through the passage, then inspect its other occurrences in the chapter.
- Summarize the passage in your own language. Separate what you recognized in Cherokee from what you learned using a parallel translation.
Reading chapter 06
Build an independent reading habit
John 1:1–18
1ᏗᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎡᎮᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎢᏧᎳᎭ ᎠᏁᎮᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎨᏎᎢ.
2ᏗᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎢᏧᎳᎭ ᎠᏁᎮᎢ.
3ᏂᎦᎥ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏬᏢᏁᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᎥ ᎪᏢᏅᎯ ᏥᎩ ᎥᏝ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏄᏬᏢᏅᎾ ᏱᎩ.
4ᎾᏍᎩ [ᎧᏃᎮᏛ] ᎬᏂᏛ ᎤᏪᎮᎢ; ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎬᏂᏛ ᏴᏫ ᎢᎦ ᎤᎾᏘᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎨᏎᎢ.
5ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎦ-ᎦᏘᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᎤᎵᏏᎬ ᏚᎸᏌᏕᎢ, ᎤᎵᏏᎩᏃ ᎥᏝ ᏱᏚᏓᏂᎸᏤᎢ.
6ᎩᎶ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎡᎲᎩ ᏣᏂ ᏧᏙᎢᏛ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᏅᏓᏳᏅᏏᏛ ᎨᏒᎩ.
7ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎷᏨᎩ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎩ ᎨᏒᎩ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎦ-ᎦᏘ ᎤᏃᎮᏗᏱ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏩᏂᏐᏗᏱ ᎾᏂᎥ ᎤᏃᎯᏳᏗᏱ.
8ᎥᏝ ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᎢᎦ-ᎦᏘ ᏱᎨᏎᎢ, ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎩᏉᏍᎩᏂ ᎨᏒᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎦ-ᎦᏘ.
9ᎾᏍᎩᏍᎩᏂ Ꮎ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎤᏙᎯᏳᏒ ᎢᎦ-ᎦᏘ ᎨᏒᎩ; ᎾᏍᎩ ᎡᎶᎯ ᏧᎷᏨ, ᎢᎦ ᏥᏕᎠᏘᏍᏓᏁ ᎾᏂᎥ ᏴᏫ.
10ᎾᏍᎩ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎡᎲᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎤᏬᏢᏅᎯ ᎨᏒᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎥᏝ ᏳᏬᎵᏤᎢ.
11ᎤᏤᎵᎪᎯ ᎤᎷᏨᎩ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᏧᏤᎵ ᎥᏝ ᏱᏗᎬᏩᏓᏂᎸᏤᎢ.
12ᎾᏂᎥᏍᎩᏂ ᏗᎬᏩᏓᏂᎸᏨᎯ ᏕᎤᎵᏍᎪᎸᏓᏁᎸᎩ ᎤᏁᎳᏅ Ꭿ ᏧᏪᏥ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏙᏗᏱ; ᎾᏍᎩ ᏕᎤᏙᎥ ᎠᏃᎯᏳᎲᏍᎩ;
13ᎾᏍᎩ ᎩᎬ ᏧᎾᏄᎪᏫᏒᎯ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏇᏓᎵ ᎠᏓᏅᏖᏍᎬ ᏧᎾᏄᎪᏫᏒᎯ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ, ᎠᎴ ᏴᏫ ᎠᏓᏅᏖᏍᎬ ᏧᎾᏄᎪᏫᏒᎯ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ, ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯᏍᎩᏂ ᏧᎾᏄᎪᏫᏒᎯ.
14ᎠᎴ ᎧᏃᎮᏛ ᎤᏇᏓᎵ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎢᏕᎲ ᎤᎴᏂᏙᎸᎩ, ᎤᎧᎵᏨᎯ ᎨᏒᎩ ᎤᏓᏙᎵᏣᏛ ᎠᎴ ᏚᏳᎪᏛᎢ; ᎠᎴ ᎢᏗᎪᏩᏘᏍᎬᎩ ᎤᏤᎵᎦ ᎦᎸᏉᏗᏳ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎦᎸᏉᏗᏳ ᎨᏒ ᎠᎦᏴᎵᎨ ᎤᏩᏒᎯᏳ ᎤᏕᏁᎸᎯ ᎤᏤᎵᎦ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎨᏒᎩ.
15ᏣᏂ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎬᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ [ᎧᏃᎮᏛ,] ᎠᎴ ᎤᏪᎷᏅᎩ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏪᏒᎩ; ᎯᎠ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏥᏥᏃᎮᏍᎬᎩ, ᎯᎠ ᏥᏂᏥᏪᏍᎬᎩ, ᎣᏂ ᏨᏓᏯᎢ ᎢᎬᏱ ᎠᎦᎴᏗ, ᎾᏍᎩᏰᏃ ᎡᎲᎩ ᎠᏏ ᏂᎨᎥᎾ ᏥᎨᏒᎩ.
16ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎧᎵᏨᎯ ᎨᏒ ᏂᏗᎥ ᎡᎩᏁᎸᎯ, ᎬᏩᎦᏘᏯᏰᏃ ᎤᏓᏙᎵᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎤᎶᏏᎶᏛ ᎡᎩᏁᎸ.
17ᏗᎧᎿᎭᏩᏛᏍᏗᏰᏃ ᎼᏏ ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᎢᏳᏩᏁᎸᎯ ᎨᏒᎩ, ᎤᏓᏙᎵᏣᏛᏍᎩᏂ ᎠᎴ ᏚᏳᎪᏛᎢ ᏥᏌ ᎦᎶᏁᏛ ᏂᏙᏓᏳᎵᏍᎪᎸᏔᏅᎯ.
18ᎥᏝ ᎩᎶ ᎢᎸᎯᏳ ᏱᎬᏩᎪᎰ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ; ᎤᏩᏒᎯᏳ ᎤᏕᏁᎸᎯ ᎤᏪᏥ, ᎠᎦᏴᎵᎨ ᎦᏁᏥᎢ ᎡᎯ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᏄᏩᏁᎸ.
- Read the entire selection before consulting aids. Mark unfamiliar forms without stopping each time.
- Choose three forms for deeper study. Record the exact spelling, verse reference, and an open question.
- Read the passage again the following day. Keep contextual glosses tentative until checked with reliable language evidence.