Video: How to Study the  Bible for Beginners

The Bible can be a very daunting book for someone to start reading it for the first time. I know it was for me. Where do you start? Genesis? The New Testament? What translation or version is the best? In this video, I’ll show you some free tools to help you start an easy, daily Bible reading habit that will change your life…

How to Study the Bible for Beginners…

Why Should We Study the Bible?

First off, you need to know WHY you need to read the Bible.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT…

“All Scripture is inspired by God [the Holy Spirit] and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

Jesus said…

“Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”
Matthew 24:35 NLT

God said…

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11 NLT

That’s WHY you should read the Bible daily.

The Holy Bible

When I decided that I wanted to get closer to God after having been raised Catholic and being lost for many years, I dusted off my family’s BIG Bible. You know that one that sits either on the mantle, coffee table, or, as in our house, on a bookshelf, so it would look good when someone came to visit. Nobody actually picked it up and read it. It was a King James Version — like I really knew the difference. It was difficult to understand, but God was prompting me to read it. Now, this was in the late 80s — way before the easy Bible apps we have today. I started on page 1…

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
Genesis 1:1 KJV

So far, so good, right? “In the beginning, God created…” Yes, that’s a good place to start, but the Old Testament is rather intimidating for the Bible novice. Eventually, you’ll want to read Genesis, Exodus, and others to learn about the old Bible stories of Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, Jonah and the whale, and Moses and the prophecies of Jesus. In fact, see if you can recognize when the Old Testament talks about Jesus.

It’s All About Jesus!

Jesus, GNPI, 20 Names for Jesus in the first chapter of the Gospel of John — Image by GNPI.org, CC BY-NC-ND 4 from FreeBibleImages.org

The Bible, from start to finish, is all about Jesus. We find Christ in ALL the scriptures:

In the Old Testament, He is Predicted
In the Gospels, He is Revealed
In the Book of Acts, He is Preached
In the Epistles, He is Explained
And in Revelation, He is Expected

Don’t play Bible Roulette

I don’t recommend playing “Bible Roulette” — opening a Bible and reading wherever you land. You should read it systematically — chapter by chapter. Nevertheless, Bible Roulette will usually open somewhere in the middle, which is where the Psalms are. They are perfect when looking for answers to life’s problems.

The New Testament

The place to start is the New Testament.

Easy in-depth Bible Studies great for beginners

The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, but it, too, can be tough to grasp. It was written for the Jews of the first century, explaining how Jesus is the Messiah that they’ve been waiting for, thus the genealogy of Jesus in the first chapter.
Mark is more of a no-nonsense story of Jesus’ time on earth as an adult. It walks you from Jesus’ baptism to the cross, and then the resurrection.
Luke, the historian, starts with the Nativity story and then tells more or less the same stories as Mark, but with a slightly different point of view.
The Gospel of John, on the other hand, is different. The other Gospels focus on events and facts of Jesus’ life, John tells of Christ’s nature — the meaning of what Jesus said and did — how God spoke in the only way we could understand — by becoming human — one of us. It clearly explains the basics of the faith and helps you to get to know Jesus.

Which Version of the Bible is Best?

If you’re like me and was never encouraged to read the Bible as a Catholic, the King James Version (KJV) (with all the “thees” and “thous”) is hard to read, but if that’s all you have in the house, start there, then get yourself a newer version like The New Living Translation (NLT), The Good News Bible (GNB), or the New International Version (NIV). They are written in plain English.

In my over 30 years of studying the Bible, I’ve tried many versions, including the Amplified, which adds words to help you understand their meanings, the Message, which is a paraphrase, and the New King James. Personally, I stuck with the NLT. I do recommend having an actual book bible to hold in your hands. I like making notes in the margins and highlighting verses. This is my current study Bible that I found when going through a friend’s house after she went to be with Jesus.

Free Bible Apps!

Don’t have a Bible at home? Here is my favorite FREE Bible app: YouVersion Bible App. As you get deeper into studying the Bible. Here are some features that helped me get into the habit of studying the Bible Daily…

Different study plans: Search subjects, even “How to Read the Bible”!
Easy to use
Different languages
Different Bible versions, so you can try them out.
Audio, so you can listen while you read for better comprehension. Or listen while you drive!

Through The Word

My next favorite FREE app is Through the Word. I actually discovered them on the YouVersion Bible app! They have the best study on the Book of Revelation! It was eye-opening and understandable.

They explain the Bible chapter by chapter, and for newbies, they have “journeys” which take you, in a logical progression, to get to know Jesus personally and understand the Bible story. Again, listen while you drive, walk, jog, hike, or even clean the house!

Pray Before Starting

Lord, thank you for Your Word. Holy Spirit, open my heart, eyes, and mind to understand what You’re trying to tell me.  In Jesus Name. Amen.

Simple, right?

Join Other Christians

Find a Bible-based church
Join a Bible Study group
Take notes as you read the Bible
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Reread the passage a few times and ask…
- What does God want me to know from this passage?
- What is God trying to say to ME that will help me grow?
- What does He want me to do?

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105 NLT

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. That’s from Psalm 119, it’s the longest psalm, but it’s a love song to the Bible. Here are other easy-to-understand Bible studies.

Life is a wonderful journey, and the Bible is God’s road map, so we don’t get lost. In other words, God should be your GPS, not your spare tire!

With these free tools to get into the daily, bible-readying habit, you don’t have any excuses!

Jesus wants to be your friend! You get to know Him by reading His Word. He said in Revelation 3:20…