I. PREPARATION FOR BIBLE STUDY
ALWAYS PRAY FOR A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE USING YOUR BIBLE! THIS WILL PREPARE YOU TO HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU PERSONALLY.
When reading, use a paraphrase that is easy to read such as the Living Bible or The Message. A paraphrased Bible is not reliable for study because it is basically one person’s opinion of the meaning of the Bible. It is a good thing to read the Bible through as you would any other book. Afterward, read more in the Gospels, other New Testament books, Psalms and Proverbs.
When studying, use a translation of the Bible. There are many such as the New International Version, New King James Version, New American Standard Version and the traditional King James Version. The easiest translation to study is the Good News Bible which is an accurate translation from Greek and Hebrew into English. It is excellent for children because the vocabulary is on the fifth grade reading level. You should study the Bible alone and with others, such as your family, a small study group or in a large group as the Bible is being taught by a teacher.
II. METHODS OF BIBLE STUDY
A. Book Study – Start at the beginning of a certain book of the Bible of your choice.
1. 1. Outline it – Many translations such as the NIV have paragraph headings that already provide an outline.
2. 2. Locate and identify persons, places and things. Use a Bible dictionary. Smith’s Bible Dictionary is available in paperback at a nominal cost.
3. 3. Look for various themes in the passage and try to see if there is a dominant theme. Love, for instance.
4. 4. Ask God to help you see what the passage says to you personally.
5. 5. Use a concordance to find other Bible passages which with the same themes. A concordance such as Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance lists every word in the Bible alphabetically. Chain references and center column references are found in many study Bibles which can be used to follow a theme.
6. 6. Read commentaries about the passage as a last step to compare your thoughts about the passage with others who are authorities. Some of these are Halley’s Bible Handbook, Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Peake’s Commentary and Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
B. Topical Study – Choose a theme or word and study that theme or word.
1. 1. Look up all the passages with this theme in a concordance and study them.
2. 2. Organize the topic into sub-topics.
3. 3. Read books or listen to tapes on the subject by reliable authors.
C. Character Study - Choose some person and find out everything the Bible tells about that person.
1. 1. Study their background and relatives.
2. 2. Learn their positions in life.
3. 3. List their major accomplishments.
4. 4. Identify their spiritual gifts, strengths and weaknesses.
5. 5. Determine how their life compares to yours and what you might learn from that person.
D. Other Things To Do
1. 1. Memorize paragraphs, verses or phrases that have special significance to you.
2. 2. Meditate on a thought or verse that has captured your attention and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight into its meaning.
3. Make the Word of God a part of your daily life.