Choose A Study Bible In A User
The very first step to learning how to read the Bible for beginners is simply making sure you have a Bible translation you can read!
Did you know: Originally, the Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek? In other words not in English.
The English Bibles we have today are all just translations of the original language, and some are easier to read than others. And while it is true that some translations are more accurate than others, if youre just starting out reading , any of the common translation should be fine.
So which Bible translation should you choose?
The New Living Translation is a great Bible translation for learning how to start reading the Bible for beginners, since its pretty easy to read. The Message is another option. Its a paraphraseso its not as accurate to the original textbut it is very user-friendly and easy to read.
Personally, my favorite Bible translation is the New International Version . I personally own a REALLY old version of this NIV Study Bible that I use for my everyday Bible. The NIV is one the most popular Bible translations out there, and its what I grew up with and am most comfortable and familiar with.
I would avoid King James Version or New King James version if you didnt grow up with them, however. Many people still love these Bible translations for sentimental reasons, but they arent the easiest translations to read when youre still learning how to read the bible for beginners for the first time!
Best Bible Recommendations For Beginners
There are the bible translations that I recommend for beginners based on their accuracy level. Ive also included a sample of the same scripture from each translation.
Word for Word Translation
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God John 1:12
Find Ways To Make Daily Bible Reading Fun
Im guessing you dont have to find ways to motivate yourself to sleep in, eat chocolate cake, watch TV, scroll social media, or visit your favorite websites for Christian Women, blogs for Christian women, Christian Youtube Channels, and Christian podcasts. After all, these things are fun and enjoyable!
So why not find easy ways to make learning how to read the Bible daily more fun or and meaningful as well? I have an entire chapter in my book, Fall in Love with Gods Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women full of ways to do this.
Here are a few ideas:
- Choose an easier translation
- Listen to an audio Bible while shopping
- Read the Bible with friends
- Read the Bible alongside a great daily Bible study or devotional
- Go to a coffee shop and order your favorite snack and hot beverage
Sure, you can try to rely on willpower and force yourself to learn how to start reading the Bible daily, but if you dont enjoy your time in Gods Word, you arent likely to stick with it. Instead, look for ways to make reading the Scriptures daily fun and enjoyable!
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Get Started Reading The Bible
Now that you have all of your materials AND your Bible reading plan for beginners, youre ready to get started!
Thankfully, learning how to read the Bible for the first time really is easier than you might think.
Simply choose a book from the Bible reading plan for beginners above, and set a goal to read one chapter a day.
Each chapter of the Bible starts with a big number. Each verse in the Bible starts with a small number. So a chapter is typically only a page or so, while a verse is typically only a sentence or two.
You write them like this: John 3:16 = the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16.
Dont worry if you dont understand every single word. Ive been reading my Bible for decades and I still dont understand every single word or know how to apply them all. No one does. Theres always more to learn!
But you really can learn a LOT simply by reading through a little each day, thinking about what youre reading, and looking for ways to apply what youre learning to your real life. The more you read and put into practice, the more you learn and grow!
Study Context And Original Languages
Bible commentary can be extremely helpful for getting a deeper understanding of Scripture and even provide a more enjoyable experience of reading the Bible.
Looking at the original languageâwhether Greek or Hebrewâcan also provide a more accurate understanding of Scripture. If youâre reading the New Testament in English, for example, youâre not going to pick up on the complexities of the word âloveâ in Greek, which takes several different forms in the original Greek.
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So Why Bother With Bible Reading Plans
I lead a small group of high school freshmen boys. Every two weeks this year weve read a chapter of Mark and talked about it together.
Every time we meet, at least half of them say, I didnt have time to read it.
One chapter. Two weeks.
Without discipline, youll never read the Bible regularlyno matter how badly you want to.
Daily Bible reading plans, Bible study techniques, and external incentives are all tools designed to help you develop discipline and make Bible study part of your regular routine.
My wife started a diet because she wanted to. At first, she knew that she wouldnt always be able to resist the unhealthy foods she used to have whenever she felt like. A group of her coworkers started dieting too, and together, they held each other accountable. Sometimes my wife would decline cookies because she knew she would have to tell her coworkers shed cheated on the diet. But she didnt start the diet because of her coworkers. She started because she wanted to eat healthier. After eating healthier for a few months, the reasons why she started were enough to keep her going. She didnt need reminders or accountability.
My church recently went through a series called, Room for Cream. The premise was that if we want to have room for God in our lives, we couldnt fill our cup until theres no room for the good stuff. If you dont have time to read your Bible, what do you need to remove to make time?
The conclusion was profoundly simple:
Choose Where To Start Reading The Bible For Beginners
Now that you have a good Bible and youre ready to dig in, you may be wondering how to start reading the Bible for beginners.
Let me give you a helpful tip When youre learning how to read the Bible for the first time: DO NOT start at the beginning and attempt to read straight through. This is a common beginner mistake.
The Bible isnt like a novel where you just open up to page 1 and start reading. Rather, the Bible is more like a collection or library of individual books, poems, letters, and documents, its made up of lots of different genres and writing styles, and some of the Bibles individual books are much easier to read than others.
For example, heres a quick overview of what youll find when youre learning how to start reading the Bible for beginners:
Old Testament Books:
- Genesis Exodus: Bible stories of the first people God created. Easy reading.
- Leviticus Deuteronomy: Long lists of Old Testament law that we are not required to follow today. Very difficult reading for beginners.
- Joshua Job: Longer, more complicated stories of the Israelites and their on again off again relationship with following God. Moderately difficult reading.
- Psalms Ecclesiastes: Quick, general Biblical advice for godly living. Easy reading.
- Isaiah Malachi: More stories of the Israelites and their on again off again relationship with following God with plenty of prophesy mixed in. Fairly difficult reading.
New Testament Books:
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Create A Bible Reading Plan
As I was researching for my book, Fall in Love with Gods Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women, I found the #1 reason why Christian women dont read the Bible as often as we would like is because were TOO BUSY!
We want to read Gods Word. We know its important. We know its something we *should* do.
And yet, it seems like there are always a million things competing for our time and attention.
Thats why I devoted a whole chapter in Fall in Love with Gods Word to creating your own personalized Quiet Time Plan. Basically, rather than hoping to get around to it. , one tip that I found SO helpful personally was to create a plan in advance.
If you want to not only learn how to start reading the Bible for beginners, but actually stick with it, decide in advance:
- WHEN you will read your Bible
- WHERE you will read your Bible
- HOW LONG you will read your Bible
- WHAT you will do during this time
- WHAT MATERIALS you will want/need
Deciding all of these details in advance can really help you make your Bible reading a habit.
Want a short printable workbook to help you find the perfect Bible reading plan for you? You can download this Quiet Time Planning Guide for free.
Scripture Is The Hope Of Heaven
And what I mean by this is that full understanding, full enjoyment of the truth of Scripture, will be experienced only in heaven.
Now I know in part then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
The knowledge of God all the fullness that a created being can properly comprehend and enjoy will not be withheld from us indefinitely. The frustrations of our present limitations of understanding and enjoyment will be removed. How fitting it is, then, that we be ever growing now in what will be our final joy in the age to come.
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Memorize Scripture To Carry It With You
Psalm 119:11 tells us to hide Gods Word in our heart. When we do that we will always have it with us even when we dont have our Bible handy. We can have Gods Word right there in our minds to help us fight the negative voices and find the right direction to take. So choose one verse a week to memorize. Pro-tip: Write the verse down and put it where you will see it often, or make it the lock screen of your smartphone. Youd be surprised how easy it will be to memorize it if you are seeing it a few dozen times a day. If you and your accountability friend do this together itll be even better. Read three awesome hacks for memorizing Bible verses here.
Consider A Devotional Or Bible Study For Beginners
One great thing about learning how to read the Bible for the first time is that there are SO many great resources available to help you as a beginning Bible reader. You definitely dont have to reinvent the wheel or figure everything out for yourself.
For instance, Bible devotionals typically contain a very short passage of Scripture along with the authors thoughts and ideas on the passage and how it relates to your life, all broken up into short, daily segments. You can find devotionals on pretty much any topic imaginable , and theyre a very accessible for beginners.
Basically, Bible devotionals do all the heavy lifting for you, telling you what the author thinks the passage is about or what you should get out of it. These are perfect for learning how to read the Bible for beginners.
Bible Studies, on the other hand, are the next step up. With a good Bible study, the author will have you read a Bible passage yourself, and then answer questions about the passage so you can uncover what it means or how it applies to you today.
Similar to devotionals, you can find Bible studies on just about any Bible passage or topic.
There are tons of womens Bible studies out there to help you as youre learning how to read the Bible you can find them on just about any topic or for any book of the Bible. Just choose a book or topic that looks good to you, read the Amazon reviews for a good one, or ask a friend or womens ministry leader for a good recommendation.
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How To Start Reading The Bible Daily
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.
With Easter just a few days away I wanted to share a Bible Reading Plan with you. This simple to use Bible reading plan helps you read the Gospel of John in 30 days. Plus, Im talking about how to read the Bible daily and make it a habit in your life.
Were told in the passage of Proverbs 31 that the virtuous woman has a great faith. Its her faith that lays the foundation for a life lived with purpose. She is a woman who actively seeks out Gods will for her life.
Last week I shared about a few different Bible study methods:
- SOAP Bible Study Method
- The WORD Bible Study Method
- Study the Word Worksheets
- Verse Mapping
Theres so many ways you can get started reading the Bible if you are new to reading the Bible. One of the easiest ways is to just choose one book of the Bible and begin.
Reading the Bible daily is important! We need to be in Gods Word even if we just read a verse or two each morning before going about our day. You always have time to begin your day with God even if its with one short prayer and a memorized Bible verse you whisper aloud.
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Matthew 4:4
But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Tips For Reading The Bible Daily
As we ring in the new year, many of us will make resolutions or think about how we want to live in 2020. Why not resolve to read the Bible for a few minutes every day? The Bible can help you understand God, yourself, and others better. It can comfort you, challenge you, and lead you into prayer. Maybe youve tried this before, but your resolve fizzled out after a month or two. Below are some tips to help you embrace daily Bible reading and stick with it!
1. Choose the right time and place. Imagine adopting a new exercise plan. The secret to success is often finding a plan that works with your schedule and is not overly demanding. Otherwise it is just too tempting to give up. The same is true when adopting a new spiritual practice such as prayer or Bible reading.
What time of day really works best for your schedule? If youre always rushing in the morning, choose evening. If youre sleepy in the evening, choose morning. Also select a consistent and quiet place for your daily reading . Be realistic and reasonable about the amount of time you will spend reading a five- or 10-minute commitment is a great start!
Once youve completed the New Testament with the highly symbolic Book of Revelation, do a little research or ask a friend with some Bible knowledge what they recommend you read next.
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Turn Your Heart To The Lord
Every time we come to the Word, its good to first turn our heart to the Lord Jesus. Before we start our Bible reading, we can pray a simple prayer like this:
Lord Jesus, I turn my heart to you right now. I open to You. Speak to me and wash me in Your Word today. Dear Lord, there is so much more for me to see in Your Word. Enlighten me more as I read today.
Praying a simple prayer like this will help us be open to anything the Lord would like to speak to us through His Word.
How To Read The Bible: Read A Little Every Day
Getting Gods Word into your life doesnt have to take long. Start smallfive or 10 minutes is better than none. Sometimes less is more, especially when reading less means youll actually remember more.
Chose a time and place thats convenient for you. Many people read their Bible first thing in the morning, choosing to spend time with God before daily distractions get in the way. But if mornings arent your thing, dont sweat it. That you read Gods Word is more important than when you read Gods Word. Personally, I love to read my Bible at a local coffee shop, but I once read through the entire Bible while waiting in carpool lines.
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Need A Way To Keep Track Of Your Bible Reading Plan For Beginners
When I was learning how to read the Bible for the first time, I loved checking off each book and chapter as I read them, so I could easily see my progress.
My NIV study Bible came with a built-in reading plan checklist right in the front. If yours doesnt, youre welcome to print off this Bible Reading Checklist to keep track of your progress.
It comes straight out of my Fall in Love with Gods Word WORKBOOK, but youre welcome to have it for free.
Print it out and stick it in your Bible, or hang it on your fridge where youll see it often as you work your way through your Bible reading plan for beginners.
How To Read And Understand The Bible
Reading the Bible on your own is a great start to growing in your walk with Christ.
However, if you want to understand the Bible, you have to learn how to study the Bible.
Attending your local churches weekly bible study is a great place to start.
Bible studies are less formal than Sunday service. Usually, you can ask the Pastor or group leader questions and gain insight from other members of the congregation.
There are also ways to study the Bible on your own, but thats a topic for another day.
I hope answered all of your questions about the Bible and how to read it.
Dont forget to download a copy of my Bible Reading Plan for Beginners!
As always, remember to keep Jesus in the center of everything you do.
Your Sister in Christ,
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