How to Study Your Bible
Have you ever gathered up the courage to open up your Bible only to stare at it in confusion & give up?
I think we’ve all been there at one point. Reading your Bible can be hard to do when you don’t know where to start or you’re not equipped with the tools to understand it. That being said, I promise you that studying your Bible doesn’t have to be overwhelming! God doesn’t expect you to read it all- let alone understand it all in one day. The Bible has been given to us as a beautiful way to learn about God, His plan and His character. It’s expected that we read and re-read it throughout our lives as we do life with God. It’s a life long journey and you’ll find that throughout the years different passages will mean different things to you. Without fail, every time I’ve opened my Bible God has shown me something different. That being said, don’t put pressure on yourself to have magnificent revelations and huge moments of realization every time you study. Sometimes you’ll have those and sometimes you won’t. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything right or wrong. Some parts of the Bible are meant more to give us context of who God is and some parts are more personable and applicable to learning who we are in Him and to give us insight on how we should be living. So try not to stress out about those things.
Now that I’ve given you that disclaimer here are a few practical tips for studying your Bible.
Pick a solid translation that isn’t heavily altered but is still understandable. For instance, the KJV, it’s very hard to understand and then you’ve got some translations that have been heavily modernized to the point where some argue it’s been twisted. Personally I like the NKJV, ESV or NIV.
Start your time off with a prayer for discernment and for God to give you clarity as you read.
Choose a book and just start reading. I like to take 2-4 chapters at a time so I can really digest it. I started in the Old Testament a bit ago, but ended up switching to the New as I felt like I needed to spend time there. As I’ve read the Gospels many times over I decided to start with Acts and work my way through to Revelation. If you’ve never read the Bible before I recommend starting in Matthew, reading the NT and then going back and reading the Old Testament. You could start in the Old Testament but personally I find that once you have the good news of Jesus and you read about His ministry and how that carries on even today, it makes the Old Testament easier to understand as everything there is showing you why we needed Jesus and you’ll see the prophesy that came true in the New Testament and makes what Jesus has done so much sweeter. Personally I feel like the impact of that is much easier to comprehend that way. But to each their own! You can also purchase a chronological Bible and read it in what is considered the historically accurate “timeline” of when the events of the Bible took place. Although I personally don’t recommend that style until after you’ve read the Bible the way it is laid out now.
Grab a notebook and write down any questions that come to mind. Don’t be afraid to highlight, underline or make notes.
Present your questions to God in prayer. It’s amazing how He’ll answer them through other passages in scripture that He’ll bring you to or through conversation and commentary. I can’t even count the times I’ve had confusion and He’s brought clarity even when it didn’t make sense as to how I got there.
Search for commentary! There are so many amazing resources out there to find out the context of a passage and to find out what exactly the writer was trying to say and how it applies to our lives. Sometimes it is in the footnotes of your Bible or you can utilize any search engine. It’s important that we know the context situationally, historically and where it falls in the bigger picture as the Bible is not just a series of stories but there is a plot and plan that weaves throughout the whole book. Be sure to stick with theologically sound resources. Look into the writer/who is presenting the information before you take their word for it & this is where discernment comes in as well. Commentary is still commentary- it comes with human opinion and error. That’s why you must ask the Holy Spirit for discernment so that you don’t take verses the wrong way or accidentally twist them to fit a point. At the end of the day, if you still have questions bring them to your pastor or a trusted mentor.
Start slow and let God lead you, it doesn’t have to be perfect or pretty, all that matters is that you’re getting in the word!