How to Study your Bible

what you’ll need or at least find useful:

To study the Bible should be the life priority of all believers. There are study Bibles for different age groups, different ministries, and different life stations, so if you take the time you can find a study Bible that best meets your needs.

If you can afford it, purchase more than one translation of the Bible. It would be useful to have a copy of the King James Version and a copy of a version that uses more modern English, such as the New American Standard, the New Living translations, or the New International Version, just to name few.

BIBLE CONCORDANCE

A Bible concordance is a published list of keywords in the Bible text, and it includes thumbnail definitions and the context in which all those words are used. A concordance is especially useful when it come to finding keywords and phrases in the Bible.

Note: When you go to purchase a Concordance, it is helpful to buy on thatis compatible with the version of the Bible you are using.

BIBLE DICTIONARY

Like concordances, there are many quality Bible dictionaries in both printed and electronic form, and most of them are readily available at your local bookstore or as downloads from Internet.  There are some free ones online: the Holman Bible Dictionary at www.studylight.org/dic/hbd/ or Sith Bible Dictionary at www.study light.org/dic/sbd/

Bible dictionaries are different from concordances in that they cover topics, events, places, and people rather than keywords. For example if you wanted to study personal salvation, the Bible dictionary would give you the scriptural basis on that subject, while the concordance would direct you to passages in the Bible where that word is used.

BIBLE COMMENTARY

A Bible commentary has valuable insights for those who make Bible study a part of their daily lives. There are several Bible commentaries available today that are considered classics in Christian literature. While these commentaries offer excellent insights to the Bible, some of them are, because of the outdated English used, difficult to understand for the modern reader. Read a sample of a commentary befor you buy.

DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS

The thesaurus is especially helpful because the Bible text often uses different words to convey what is essentially the same thought or idea.

WRITING SUPPLIES

Taking notes on your Bible reading is helpful in two ways: first, it enabled you to go back to your notes so you could be reminded of what the instructor said. second, it helped brand what he or she said on a particular day into your memory. Also using a pe or colored highlighters to mark key passages are an excellent way to remember what is noteworthy and important to you.

Once you arm yourself with the items listed above, you’ll be ready to start a systemized Bible study. The only question then is which method to use. There are many good ways to read and study the Bible, and some are detailed for you bellow.

Continue reading more about Different Bible Study Methods

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