Read Through Cover To Cover
Its hard to dig deep into Scripture using this method, but you do get a good, broad overview when you read through the Bible cover to cover. Many who choose this Bible study method read through the Bible in one year, using a seven days a week plan or a five days a week plan. I like the five day plan because it gives you two days without a reading assignment, so you can catch up if youve fallen behind or dig a little deeper if something stood out to you.
Actual Methods To Follow
Read straight through the bible If youve never read the entire Bible, I highly suggest you start here. Yes, it will take you a while. But it is so worth it. There are apps and charts that can help you keep track as you ready.
But you can just pick up Genesis and start reading, even if thats only 1 or 2 chapters a day. Another great option is using a One Year Chronological Bible which has the sections broken down for you.
Read through the Gospels Another good option is start with the Gospels. If you are on a kick, then just keep going through the entire NT!
Our 30 day plan
This is our weird plan that Jason and I have been following for almost two years. You can read all about the plan we follow here.
But basically you pick a book of the Bible, like 1 John, and read it everyday for 30 days. This works really well for small books that less than 6 chapters. If its a larger book, like Acts, then you can break it up into 2-4 months. The amazing part of this method is that you get so familiar with the text.
The Big Story And All The Little Ones
The Bible is filled with history, biographies, miracles, prophecies, songs, poems, letters, and practical teaching. Each element deserves your time and attention, and each book contains wisdom and guidance for your life.
But as you read and study, you should never lose sight of the big over-arching story of the Bible, which is the story of Gods redemptive love and His desire to be present to His people.
It is a Kingdom story, about a King who will be go to any lengths to invite His people into relationship with Him and to join Him in advancing His kingdom agenda in history.
The Old Testament tells the story of how that relationship grows and changes over time. It focuses upon the story of the Jews, a people specially chosen by God to establish and advance His kingdom for His glory. He works with His people in different ways through each of the covenants He makes with them. The New Testament contains the fulfillment of these promises and covenants in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh. The Bible tells a story with a big narrative arc, and that arc points toward Gods increasingly intimate dealings with His people. Thats why it is important to pay attention to where you are in the big story as you read through the Bible.
The Pentateuch
The Historical Books
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Free Bible Study For Beginners Pdf Printable
To help you with your Bible study time, Ive created a free inductive bible study PDF download where you can simply follow the steps and answer the questions I mentioned above.
You can print one for every day of your study time and even make a Bible study notebook by putting the pages in a binder! You can download your own free inductive Bible study PDF printable here:
If you are already a subscriber, and use the password at the end of your last weekly newsletter.
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The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
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A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the “When inside of” nested selector system.
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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the “When inside of” nested selector system.
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the “When inside of” nested selector system.
When I first became a Christian, I had no idea how to study the Bible.
Thatâs why I went on a wild quest to understand this book.
Bible study doesnât have to be complicated.
Weâll cover:
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Milk Chocolate A Close Translation That Is Easily Understandable For Modern Readers
ESV A translation that tries to combine literal translation with being easy to understand in everyday modern English. This translation is common with mainline protestant communities.
NIV A translation that tries to combine literal translation with being easy to understand in everyday modern English. This translation is common with evangelical communities.
HCSB A translation that tries to combine literal translation with being easy to understand in everyday modern English. This translation is common with evangelical communities.
Listen To An Audio Bible
For a lot of the churchs history, people listened to Gods Word instead of reading it. Sometimes it can be helpful to purchase an audio Bible, then take a walk and listen to the Bible instead of reading it. If you find that youre struggling through your daily reading, consider supplementing it with an audio Bible.
With the NIV 50th Anniversary app , you can read or listen to the full Bible textand its free!
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How To Study Your Bible: 7 Effective Ways
Its one thing to read the Bible, its another to study it. Heres how to get the most out of your Bible study so you can find freedom, healing and hope in Jesus.
Youve made the decisionyoure diving in!
The Bible is a unique book. Its got exciting parts, its got boring parts. Its got weird parts and inspiring parts. It can cut to the heart while also filling you with a new kind of peace. It covers the big picture and also zeroes in on the smallest details that still make a difference. The Bible can affect your life in ways you never thought possible.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart .
The Word of God is Food for the Soul
It might feel intimidating to begin your studyjust like how it can feel before having to dig into a new textbook at school or begin a new project at work. Whats different about the Bible, however, is that you can take comfort in the fact that it was written for your own benefit.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus .
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path .
What Are Some Good Bible Studies For First
Over the years, Ive come to realize that Gods Word was meant to be understood by regular people, just like us. Its not meant to confuse us! If you have a Bible, a desire to learn, and the Holy Spirit working in you, begin by simply opening up your Bible you dont need to buy any Bible studies. I have a masters degree, but I didnt need it to begin studying the Bible. I didnt need any degrees or special classes to get started, and you dont either. Take the first stepsimply use the Bible and other tools mentioned in this article, and let the word begin to take root in your heart. God will illuminate His Word to you!
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Pick A Book Of The Bible And Work Your Way Through It
If youre anything like me, you need a Bible reading plan or youll waste precious minutes thumbing through the Bible, never quite landing. So pick one book of the Bible and read a little each day, one chapter, perhaps.
If you read one chapter of John a day, youll read John in its entirety in 21 days.
After reading John, move on to the other gospels Matthew, Mark or Luke. Next read Philippians, Ephesians and Colossians, which provide practical encouragement and instruction for living the Christian life. Romans is jam-packed with essential doctrine. Genesis explains how everything began. Psalms is filled with heartfelt prayers that offer encouragement for every season of life.
Work your way through one book at a time, and youll never find yourself fumbling for where to read again.
Develop A Teachable Spirit
If youre wanting to know how to study the Bible, youre probably feeling the spiritual hunger to know God more and to grow spiritually. On top of these, develop a teachable spirit. God gives grace to the humble and Hell reveal Himself to you as you pursue Him diligently.
We touched on this earlier, but dont fall into the trap of studying the Bible to fix yourself or other people. Simply get to know God and youll find that God begins to shift your perspective so you can see the real issues. If you approach the Bible with your agenda, youll be limited and not hear what God wants to tell you through His Word. Youll only look for and find things that validate your point of view.
God is always gracious and will give you His wisdom . But His wisdom doesnt always come in the way you might expect. His wisdom is higher, so we dont want to limit God.
Simply get to know God and youll find that God begins to shift your perspective so you can see the real issues and not just try to manipulate your circumstances. Often times, we dont know what the real problems and the root issues are anyway.
Keep your goal in growing in the knowledge of God. The issues of your life will become clearer if you have a teachable spirit.
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A Basic Framework For In
Bible study can be compared to taking an extended road trip. If you travel by automobile across the country, you need to develop driving skills and habits that will bring you safely to your destination. Some of these skills you probably do automatically, such as fastening your seat belt or adjusting your mirrors. Others, such as making sure your vehicle is in good shape, may require more planning and thought. While you drive, you also use certain skills, such as glancing in your rearview mirror and following road signs.
We also need to adopt good habits and skills in Bible study. I suggest the following patterns as part of your Bible study regimen. Some may require effort on your part others may be easy to implement.
- Begin with prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an understanding of Gods Word and the power to apply its principles to your everyday life.
- Keep a Bible study notebook at your desk or on your laptop and use it!
- Read the text slowly and carefully, then reread and take notes.
- End your time in prayer, thanking God for what you have learned.
- Obey the commands and follow the instructions you learn from Gods Word. Strive to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer through the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter how much you know about Gods Word, if you do not apply what you learn, you will be wasting your time.
To make this study plan easier, just remember four key words: Say, Mean, Apply, Fit.
Then:
Today:
Why Should I Even Care About Going Deeper In Bible Study Isnt Surface Knowledge Enough
No, its definitely not enough! The Bible says that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled. If you only study on the surface, you will only gain a surface understanding. But, God has so much he wants to show you. Gods word will literally illuminate your life and bring hope to dark places. But you cannot receive that light and hope if you do not seek for it. Personally, sometimes in-depth study of a particular passage in the Bible would be my key to breakthrough. Plus, why would you not want to have the fullest possible understanding of your Savior and Creator?
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Other Bible Study Methods
My technique is not the only one out there. There are so many others. In fact, I would encourage you to draw from the various methods to create your own. Your most effective bible study will be the one personalized to you. I wont go into detail but here are a few of the other types of Bible study methods out there.
- Acronyms
- Bible Verse Mapping
Study A Verse By Looking For The Great Ideas Revealed In It
Let us look again at John 3:16 as our example. We might title this verse, The greatest verse in the Bible. The following ideas are found in it:
Godthe greatest Personso lovedthe greatest devotionthe worldthe greatest numberHe gavethe greatest actHis only begotten Sonthe greatest giftthat whoever believesthe greatest conditionshould not perishthe greatest mercyhave everlasting lifethe greatest result
Sometimes a combination of these various ideas applied to a verse will bring the richest results.
ThereforeThis verse depends on 4:25. Our justification is based on and is guaranteed by Jesus resurrection.justifiedmade righteous.by faithmethod of our justification .havenot future, but present tensewe have this now.peace with GodWe were enemies, but now there is peace between us and God because of what Christ has done. through our Lord Jesus Christthe way to peace with God is only through Jesus Christ.
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Choose A Personality To Study
Another option is to choose a particular person to study, such as Paul, and spend time researching about that person. For example, if I was studying Paul, Id make notes about what his name meant, where he was born, where he was from, what do we know about his childhood, what major events happened in his life, etc.
Learning How To Read The Bible Can Be Fun And Enjoyable
By the way, if youre truly interested in learning how to study the Bible for beginners, Id love to invite you to check out my brand new book: Fall in Love with Gods Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women!
Practical, encouraging, and full of biblical truth, Fall in Love with Gods Word has everything you need to learn how to:
- Overcome 7 common obstacles preventing you from spending time in Scripture
- Discover the personalized Bible-reading routine that works for YOU
- Learn 15 easy ways to make studying the bible for beginners more meaningful and enjoyable
- Use Scripture to conquer sin, false beliefs, and negative thought patterns
- Experience fresh spiritual growth and passion for Gods Word.
Please visit Amazon.com or your local bookstore to learn more and grab your copy of Fall in Love with Gods Word today!
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The Tools You Need To Start Studying The Bible
Lets not overcomplicate this.
The only tools you need to start studying the Bible is your Bible.
& your eye glasses if necessary.
You dont need a fancy large study Bible. You dont need an entire set of commentaries. You dont need 50 books to teach you how to read the Bible.
You just need a Bible and a desire to read it.
If you dont have a desire to read the Bible then ask yourself this
What am I making more important than time with the God of the Universe?
Sometimes desire doesnt come until after life changing revelations that come from spending time with our awesome God.
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What Is The Best Translation For Beginners
Many people wonder what version of the Bible a beginner should use, and heres my short answer: The best Bible translation for you is the one youll actually use.
For example, I could tell you that many people insist on only using the KJV, but if the KJV seems like a foreign language to you , then you probably wont stick with studying it.
There are many solid english translations to choose from. A good starting point for some beginners is the NIV, since its fairly easy to read and uses more modern words we tend to use in our everyday life. You may also want to consider an ESV which is a more literal translation. The more literal the translation, the better option it is for studying.
When my husband first began studying his many Bible years ago, he loved the Amplified Bible, which adds synonyms to help you understand the meaning of certain words as you read. Today, he finds the NASB to be his version of choice. Truly, choose the one that suits your current reading style and aligns closely with your comprehension level.
I do have one caution to make here: Some people use The Message as their Bible of choice. Note that The Message is not necessarily a version of the Bible, but rather a paraphrase of it. While it might be sufficient for casual reading, I personally dont recommend using it for focused Bible study.
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