How To Read The Bible

So how do you even read the Bible? I think that’s a pretty common question. And a lot of the times it’s difficult to fine an answer. Either someone will tell you just to read it or to figure it out by yourself. And that is frustrating. It’s one of the biggest reasons why people don’t read their Bibles. They make it boring and unintelligible. But, don’t worry, I’ve got your back with a few tips. Soon you should be able to read without getting so lost.

Understand the Bible

OK, first things first. I believe that in order to know where to begin reading the Bible, we should understand how the Bible is set up. It is divided into two parts, The Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament basically has everything from Creation to all about the history of Israel. It is a pretty complex story that will help broaden your knowledge of the why’s of the New Testament. The New Testament begins after approximately 400 years of silence, and it opens up with the story of Jesus’ birth. It continues to talk about the First Church, the disciples, and it ends with Revelation.

Know Where to Begin

A lot of the time we don’t know how to read the Bible because we don’t know where to begin. Which is why the first step is to identify where we should begin. If this is your first time ever reading the Bible, then you should start in an easy place. Somewhere where you will be able to understand what you are reading. I would not recommend you start reading in Chronicles or Revelation, since it will make no sense at the very beginning. Rather, start on an easier spot which will be easier to read and understand. Most people would recommend you begin with the Gospels. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.) Personally I would recommend the book of Luke, since it is told as a story. But if you really want to read more about who Jesus is, rather than focus on what He did, then start with John. Although it tends to be more complex in the way it is written, it is a great place to begin.

If you are more advanced in your knowledge of the Bible but want to study things that apply to your daily life, then you can begin reading a book that doesn’t focus so much on Jesus’ life, rather on things that can be applied to us today. I recommend you read Acts since it explains how the First Church was born. Other books you could read would be Romans, Ephesians, or Colossians. I would recommend you read Romans slowly since it is a very complex book.

Use a Version That Will Explain Itself

Personally, I love the King James Version, but if you are just beginning, then I would recommend the New Living Translation, since it is pretty easy to read and it doesn’t have any “thous” and “thees” to make it confusing. The NLT is also a reliable version to study, unlike The Message, which is only an adapted version to modern day language.

Don’t Fly Over It

What I’m saying is this, don’t try to understand it all at once and in one reading. Trust me, that’s not happening. You can read the same passage a hundred times and each time you will find a different meaning. I know that for a lot of people it can be difficult to grasp what the Bible is saying. And this is a result of how sin separated us from God and how the Enemy blinds us to His truth. So, before you begin, you can always pray that God opens your eyes and gives you understanding. This always helps!

Read It in Small Portions

Just to be clear, you don’t always have to read an entire chapter every day. Go at your own pace and read maybe just half a chapter or a few verses every day. It will make it less boring and less tedious than if you tried a full chapter every day. If you’re just beginning to build this habit, then do it little by little. It will help you understand things better.

Write It Down

Like I’ve said before, if you write things down you can easily remember them. So, a tip would be to write down what you really liked or thought interesting after you read a portion of the Bible. It will help you understand it better and it is a great way of learning.

I hope this helps you get started on this amazing journey!

Anna