How to Read Your Bible… And Actually Understand It
I, myself, am a christian. I was raised in a christian home, with christian parents who taught me all about God and Jesus and I have always wanted to grow closer to God and learn more about Him. One way to do that is by, you guessed it, reading my Bible. However, reading my Bible is one of the biggest challenges I have encountered my whole life. There are a few reasons for this:
- I didn’t know where to start reading my Bible.
- I didn’t understand what I was reading.
The Bible is absolutely beautiful, but it’s not the easiest book to read and also not the smallest, nor the most attractive for those of us who are visual readers. This is why I want to give you a few tips to solve the problems listed above and help you get closer to God by reading your Bible in a way that you will understand and will not intimidate you.
Now before we begin, I want to make clear how important it is to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you before you start reading your Bible. The Bible is a complex book, but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit we will be able to understand what God wants to show us through His word. That being said, let’s get into the tips.
Tips to read your Bible and actually understand it:
- Start!
This is the most obvious one, but not the easiest one. Sometimes we don’t even know where to start reading. There are a few ways you can do this:
My personal favorite: From the beginning. Start from Genesis and make your way to Revelation. There are so many good books all throughout the Bible, you shouldn’t miss any of them! Read each of them slowly, at your own pace, but start. Get to know your Bible as it is!
Start with the New Testament. This is the one most people do. They skip the Old Testament and start from the New Testament. This is okay as long as you don’t completely ignore the Old Testament, as it is important for you to understand the how’s and why’s of the New One. The Old Testament is the foundation of everything else, it’s where everything started, where it comes from and why it is the way that it is. So if you wish to start from the New Testament, do it. But don’t forget to give the Old Testament the time and attention it deserves.
Alternate between the Old and New Testaments. This is another favorite of mine. Trust me, I understand the Old Testament can sometimes be a little overwhelming with everything that happens, so alternate between both. Read a few passages from the Old Testament and then a few passages from the New Testament until you finish both.
Bible Plans. I personally believe reading your Bible should only consist of you, The Holy Spirit and your Bible. However, reading plans can be really helpful when it comes to specific topics. You can find so many of them on the internet, for Free. I love the YouVersion Bible App plans, they’re well explained and quite easy to digest. However, I personally recommend using Bible Plans as a Bonus for your Bible Reading, not depending entirely of them, as most of them include opinions from the authors.
2. Break it down
Every passage in the Bible you read? Break it down!
I recommend breaking it down into three steps:
a) Observe: This is where you collect the facts. Set yourself in the middle of the story and notice as much as you can. Ask yourself questions.
b) Interpret: Figure out what the author meant in every passage. Consider the different contexts and audiences it was directed towards. Do some research if you have any questions.
c) Apply: This is the most important one. The whole purpose of reading your Bible is becoming more like Jesus. Find an action and do it!
I explain this further in a Bible Study Guide I have created, which includes a Bible Study Breakdown template to make it easier for you to understand and actually DO. They are available for only $3. You can find all 5 different colors here.
Click here to buy these Bible Study Guides for only $3!
3. Look up videos to help you understand it better!
Last but not least, do some research and find ways to understand the Bible better. I personally love The Bible Project, they do an amazing job animating and explaining Bible stories in a way that is super easy for me to understand. They are not the only YouTube channel to do this, but it’s up to you to find more ways you can understand the Bible better. This has helped me so much as a visual learner.
Trust me when I tell you I understand the struggle of wanting to read your Bible, but being too intimidated by the complexity of it. That’s why I’ve decided to give the tips that have helped me to get better at it and actually put it into practice.
I hope by using these tips you can further your relationship with God and learn more about Him.
I wish you the best in your journey of faith. Blessings!
