How to Study the Bible

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Choose a Book of the Bible

In this method you will study an entire book of the Bible. If you've never done this before, start with a small book, preferably from the New Testament. The book of James, Titus, 1 Peter, or 1 John are all good choices for first-timers. Plan to spend 3-4 weeks studying the book you have chosen.

Start with Prayer

Probably one of the most common reasons why Christians don't study the Bible is based on this complaint, "I just don't understand it!" Before you start each study session, begin by praying and asking God to open your spiritual understanding. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (NIV) So, as you pray, realize that the words you are studying are inspired by God. Psalm 119:130 tells us, "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." (NIV)

Read the Entire Book

Next you'll spend some time, perhaps several days, reading through the entire book. Do this more than once. As you read, look for themes that may be woven into the chapters. Sometimes you'll detect a general message in the book. For example, in the book of James, an obvious theme is "Persevering through Trials." Take notes on the ideas that jump out at you.

Look also for "life application principles." An example of a life application principle in the book of James is: "Make sure my faith is more than just a statement - it should result in action." It's a good practice to try and pull out these themes and applications on your own as you meditate, even before you begin using other study tools. This gives an opportunity for God's Word to speak personally to you.

Zoom In

Now you will slow down and read the book verse by verse, breaking down the text, looking for deeper understanding. Hebrews 4:12 begins with, "For the word of God is living and active..."  Are you starting to get excited about Bible study? What a powerful statement!

Now let's see what it looks like under a microscope, as we begin breaking down the text. Using a Bible dictionary, look up the meaning of the word living in the original language. It is the Greek word 'Zaõ' meaning, "not only living, but causing to live, vivifying, quickening." You start to see a deeper meaning: "God's Word causes life to come about; it quickens." Because God's Word is alive, you can study the same passage several times and continue to discover new, relevant applications throughout your walk of faith.

Choose Your Tools

As you continue to do this type of verse by verse study, there's no limit to the wealth of understanding and growth that will come from your time spent in God's Word. For this portion of your study, you will want to consider choosing the right tools to aid you in your learning, such as a commentary, lexicon or Bible dictionary. A Bible study guide or perhaps a study Bible will also help you dig deeper. Check out my Top 10 Bibles for suggestions on great Bibles for Bible study. Also check out my top Bible commentaries for suggestions on choosing a helpful commentary. There are also many useful on-line Bible study resources available, if you have access to a computer for your study time.

Be a Doer of the Word

Don't just study God's Word for the sake of studying. Be sure to put the Word into practice in your life. Jesus said in Luke 11:28, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." (NLT)

Set Your Own Pace

Once you've finished the first book, choose another one and follow the same steps. You may want to spend much more time digging into the Old Testament and some of the longer books of the Bible. If you would like further help in the area of developing your study time, check out How to Develop a Devotional.