How to Read God's Word
the bible is its own best teacher
how to read the Bible
It’s not arranged like an encyclopedia. You can’t go to chapter 1 and read all about God, then go to chapter 2, to read all about Jesus, etc. The verses and chapter breaks are placed in scriptures by man, so read by paragraph. These too are man-made, but they conform better to the original language.
Before you start
Before you start, forget everything you’ve ever heard about Jesus, God, and the Bible. Don’t be influenced by what you “want” the text to say. Pray first before opening God’s Word. Ask for guidance to be able to accept what is written and apply it to your life. God’s Holy Spirit will illuminate truth for you as you read.
Begin in the New Testament. If the passage you’re starting with doesn’t make sense, reread it. If it’s still unclear, write it down and come back to it later. Take one Scripture at a time and ask God to help you understand what it means for you today. As you do, your hunger for the Word will grow more and more!
a simple reading plan
- Read “Mark.” A chronological account of the life of Jesus.
- Read “Matthew.” The life of Jesus with a little more detail.
- Read “John.” The last two weeks before the Crucifixion are highlighted in John’s description of the life of Jesus.
- Read “Luke” then “Acts.” Both books were written by Apostle Paul’s traveling companion Luke. Acts is a continuation of Luke which describes the early church.
- Read “Galatians.” An explanation of the difference between life under the Old Covenant and the New Covenant (Old Testament vs. New Testament).
- Read the rest of the New Testament, starting at Romans and going to Revelation.
- Start through the Old Testament. Do your best to see Jesus Christ revealed in every passage. Every word, sentence and paragraph in the Bible points to God’s Only Son.
Your voyage through God’s Word will be the best journey you ever take! You will laugh and you will cry. It has everything that makes a very good book, and lots more. The Bible will teach you the most important things for this life and the one to come. God’s Word will give you life!
