What’s the best way to study the Bible?
The Bible is like a study guide from God to help us follow Him and His son, Jesus.
2 Tim 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (NLT)
Here are some useful tips to learn as much as we can!
First, choose a Bible translation that is easy to understand, like the New American Standard, which uses words that are more familiar to us. Some Bibles have interesting maps and pictures, as well as helpful backgrounds of the location, time period and people involved. Choose a Bible that has the type style and size that’s easy to read.
In order to quickly look up Scriptures, try to memorize all 66 books in order. Also, memorizing your favorite Scriptures will make it easier to call them to mind when you need them later.
Learn the stories of the people of the Bible. Moses, Daniel, Esther, Paul, and Elijah lived very interesting lives! Choose your favorite person and start reading, both from the Bible and books for your age group for extra information.
The Bible doesn’t always follow a clear “beginning to end” order. While it’s possible to read it in its arranged order, some find it helpful to study by topic. Choose a topic you want to study and then read all of the Scriptures related to it. For example, you could start by searching online to find every Scripture about “prayer,” or “forgiveness.”
Translation errors can sometimes lead to misunderstanding and confusion. Use a helpful study book – like a concordance – to discover the original meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words.
So, what’s the best way to study the Bible? Find a translation and style you like best, memorize your favorite Scriptures and the books in order, and learn about the people of the Bible and their lives. Study topically by gathering every Scripture about a subject you’re interested in. Start searching God’s word today and discover His beautiful promises!
For more information about this topic listen to our two part series, “Why Didn’t God Make the Bible Easy to Understand?”
You can also find more resources on our Bible Study page: https://christianquestions.com/bible-study/