You can understand the Bible for yourself.
But how?
In theory, you probably understand that studying the Bible is a good thing.
You might even read your Bible regularly already. Maybe you go to church and hear it taught by your pastor. You listen to Christian podcasts or read Christian books that talk about the Bible.
But how can you actually dig in and study the Bible for yourself?
This guide will walk you step by step through how to study and understand the Bible.
Because the good news is that the Bible was not written just for scholars or apologists or pastors. It was not written to be mysterious.
Rather, the Bible was written for all people to understand—including not only scholars but also fishermen and homemakers and customer support reps and grandmothers and college students.
And if you’ve trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have the ultimate Teacher living within you: the Holy Spirit.
So let’s dig in and discover how, through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you can study the Bible for yourself.
Basic Tips for Getting Started with Studying the Bible for Yourself
If you’re just getting started with learning how to study the Bible alone, a detailed, step-by-step process may feel overwhelming.
So here are a few basic tips to help you hit the ground running—and these tips also lay the foundation for more in-depth Bible study when you’re ready to dig even deeper.
1. Pray!
You can’t truly understand the depths of Scripture without the power of the Holy Spirit.
That’s why prayer is the most important element of a Christian’s Bible study.
Pray that God will teach you what He wants you to discover about Himself. Pray that He will draw you closer to Him as you study and that your study of Scripture will lead you to know Him and love Him more. And pray for His enabling power to apply what you learn from Scripture to your life.
2. Remember that Scripture is about God—not us.
When learning how to study the Bible on your own, it’s so easy to jump right into trying to answer the question, “What does this mean for my life?”
While it is good and vital to apply Scripture to your life in a personal way, this is not the first question we want to ask when we approach a passage of Scripture.
Instead, we can be first concerned with what God is actually saying—and what He is teaching about Himself: His character, His plan, and His will.
With this God-centered approach to Scripture, every page of the Bible comes more alive, because as God’s Word, every page teaches us something about Him.
And what could be more relevant to life than getting to know the God of the universe?
3. Keep historical context in mind.
The Bible was not written in the 21st century.
Its 66 books were penned by various authors (of different ancient cultures) inspired by the Holy Spirit over a span of 1,500 years.
When learning how to read and study the Bible for yourself, it’s important to remember that every book and chapter of Scripture was written in a specific context.
For example, just as you would read a Civil War-era letter from a soldier to his mother with that specific context in mind, you’ll want to approach every passage of the Bible with its historical context in mind as well.
4. Remember that the Bible is not a collection of verses.
Although slowing down and analyzing each verse (and even each word!) of Scripture is helpful, the Bible is not a collection of verses.
The Bible is more of a library of books and letters.
As with any work of literature, each book within the Bible has specific points the author is trying to make. The chapters and verses within the book don’t exist in isolation but rather contribute to those points.
So rather than reading individual verses as if they stand on their own, we can consider them in the context of the paragraph, chapter, and book in which it is found—as well as in the context of the Bible as a whole.
5. Don’t jump to study tools too early.
Tools such as study Bible notes and commentaries can certainly be helpful.
But it’s best if you don’t jump to these tools too early when you’re studying the Bible on your own.
Even if something in the text you’re studying is difficult, it’s better if you can grapple with it yourself first and try to come to your own conclusions.
This concept becomes less intimidating when you’re reminded that the Bible was intended to be understood by the scholar and the layman alike—and that if you’re a believer in Christ, you have the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit Himself inside of you.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that understanding the Bible is easy or that you’ll always be confident about your conclusions. When and if you do check with outside sources, you may find that you were incorrect. But the process of wrestling through even the difficult portions of Scripture on your own (and sometimes being proven wrong!) will help make the text of Scripture stick with you.
6. Study one book at a time.
There’s a time and a place for topical studies or character studies in Scripture.
But you’ll likely find that a consistent Bible study process is easiest to maintain when you’re digging into one specific book in the Bible at a time as you’re learning how to study the Bible for yourself.
In other words, as you’re first diving into studying Scripture on your own, it’s best to choose one book of the Bible and study it thoroughly.
Approaching the Bible in this way can help you keep the context of what you’re studying in focus—rather than jumping from topic to topic, which can sometimes lead to unintentionally taking passages out of their context.
When you focus on a book at a time, you get to know that author’s flow of thought, style, and emphasis.
7. Have a “questioning” mindset.
Come to the Bible with the approach of a truth-hungry journalist trying to figure out the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each passage.
Question everything in the text.
Who wrote this? What are they saying? When will the events described in the text happen? Where do the events take place? Why does the author use the words that he uses? How does the author lay out his arguments?
Being investigative will help you dig into what the biblical authors are truly saying.
8. Read through the entire Bible book first.
When you’re studying a book of the Bible, start by reading through the entire book several times from start to finish.
Doing this helps you get an overall feel for the bigger picture of the book and what the author is trying to communicate.
It’s best if you read through the entire book in single sittings if possible (although this may not be feasible for some of the longer books).
You can also consider reading aloud when doing this. Although reading aloud to yourself may seem awkward at first, you might be surprised at the things that stand out to you when reading aloud as opposed to silently.
As you’re reading, make a list of the words and concepts that seem important or that are repeated. This list can become the “key words” that you’ll want to pay closer attention to when you’re ready to dig deeper into the individual chapters and verses. (More on this in the next tip below.)
9. After you have the big picture, dig into the details.
Once you have the overall big picture of the book and your list of “key words” and important concepts (see tip number eight above), you’re ready to start digging into the details.
This is where you go chapter by chapter, paying attention to those key words that you wrote out before.
One useful approach is to read a chapter from start to finish, paying attention to a single keyword at a time and even marking it in your Bible with a particular marking. (You can read more about using a marking system for your Bible in the “Digging Deeper” section below.) Then list down everything the text says about that single key word.
You can repeat this approach for each key word—going through the chapter again and again, focusing on a different key word each time. Doing this helps you get the text into your mind from different perspectives, so you can get to know the details of what the author is actually saying.
10. Determine the meaning based on the details of what the author is saying.
Following tips six through nine above will give you a solid grasp of the actual details of what a biblical author is saying.
You can then try to interpret the meaning of the text based on what you’ve observed.
What you’ll often find is that when you’ve done a thorough observation of what the text simply says, the meaning of the passage—the point the author is trying to communicate—falls into place.
11. Prayerfully consider the life implications of what you’re studying.
The ultimate goal of Bible study is to know God more—because when you know God more, your life changes.
So don’t forget to consider (through prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit) the life-changing implications of the passage that you’re studying.
As mentioned in tip number two above, the most important takeaways from Scripture are what it teaches about God. Thinking about this will lead you to greater awe, love, and worship of Him, which is life-changing in and of itself!
A greater understanding of God will also naturally lead to practical applications in your everyday life. For example, the more you understand His holiness, the more you will want to stay away from sin. Or the more you understand His love, the less you will be anxious about the future.
You’ll also find that many passages in the Bible have very direct applications—specific commands to follow, warnings to avoid, and principles to abide by.
Don’t forget this immensely important aspect of Bible study!
How to Study the Bible for Yourself: Digging Deeper (Step-by-Step Instructions)
If you’re ready to evaluate the best way to study the Bible for yourself, it can be helpful to have a specific process to follow.
This section will give you step-by-step instructions you can follow when you approach a passage of Scripture, in order to really understand what God is saying through His Word, so that you can know Him more.
The process described in this blog is based on inductive Bible study and the Precept Bible Study Method specifically—a method that has been cherished by thousands of men and women across the world for over 50 years.
Inductive Bible study involves three aspects: observation, interpretation, and application.
Although these three aspects build on each other, they are not necessarily “steps” but can sometimes overlap. We’ll give specific guidance on all three of these vital aspects of Bible study as you think about how to study the Bible alone.
Observation: 8 Steps
The point of observation in Bible study is to slow down and pay close attention to the actual details of what the author is simply saying.
So often in Bible study we miss much of what is being said in a passage of Scripture. Here’s how to make sure you catch as much as possible so that you can have an accurate interpretation of the author’s meaning.
Step 1: Pray!
We already mentioned this above, but you can’t truly understand Scripture without the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit.
So start by praying that God will reveal to you what He wants you to see and that you can have an accurate understanding of His Word.
Step 2: Get in a “Question” Mindset
Don’t speed too quickly through the text.
Come to the text with the questioning mindset of someone who’s really trying to get to the bottom of what the author is trying to communicate.
One way to do this is to ask the “five W’s and an H” as you’re reading the text: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Step 3: Mark Key Words and Phrases
Taking time to mark key words and phrases (as well as pronouns or synonyms referring to those key words) will (1) help you slow down so that you can absorb more of the text and (2) give you visual cues to help emphasize what the text is actually saying.
(“Key words” are words that are repeated or are otherwise vital to the passage you’re studying. See tips eight and nine above for more information about key words.)
Marking can be as simple as underlining important words, or you can choose distinctive ways to mark different key words to help you notice even more about the text. At Precept, we have our own marking system that we recommend, but you can use another marking system or develop your own. Just make sure it is distinct and makes sense to you!
Step 4: Make Lists
Compiling and organizing what you’re learning into lists can help you keep track of what you’re discovering—and gain even more insight into the passage you’re studying.
So take a notebook and write out lists of what you observe about the key words that you’re marking in Scripture.
This may sometimes feel like you’re just writing out what the text already says—and that’s okay! In fact, in some ways that’s the point: to draw out what the biblical author is actually saying.
You’ll be surprised at how many details you can observe simply by slowing down and making lists.
Step 5: Note Comparisons and Contrasts
Very often, biblical authors draw comparisons or contrasts that highlight key truths they are trying to convey.
So it can be enlightening to specifically note when an author is making a comparison or presenting a contrast.
To spot a comparison, look for words such as like or as—but keep in mind that often comparisons are more direct, such as when the psalmist David says, “The Lord is my rock” (Ps. 18:2 NASB1995).
To spot a contrast, look for the words but or however—again keeping in mind that contrasts are sometimes presented without these specific cue words (for example, see the contrast between David and his enemies in Ps. 17:13-15).
Step 6: Pay Attention to Time Words
Time phrases help answer the when question and are therefore helpful to pay attention to. (They’re also some of the easiest phrases to notice when learning how to study the Bible on your own!) These can include words referring to actual units of time (such as day or year) as well as other indicators of time such as when or then.
Keeping track of the references to time in the passage you’re studying can help you make sure you have an accurate understanding of what the author is saying.
So keep an eye out for phrases that indicate time (including specific mentions of time or more general words such as then, when, until, before, or after) and mark them in your Bible.
Step 7: Look for “Conclusion” Cues
There are certain words which signal that an author is providing an explanation or drawing a conclusion.
These words can be helpful to mark in your Bible so that you can see an author’s flow of thought.
Some of these “conclusion” cues include words such as so, therefore, for this reason, and finally.
Step 8: Write “Themes” for Each Chapter
After you’ve completed the above steps, you’ll have enough information to write a brief “theme” summarizing the main point(s) of the chapter.
A theme is a short summary of the main content of the chapter you’re studying —similar to the chapter headings that are already present in many Bibles. (If your Bible already has chapter headings, try to ignore those and come up with your own theme based on your observations of the text. Or you can check out our New Inductive Study Bible which leaves room for you to write in your own chapter themes.)
If you’d like to get even more granular, you can come up with “paragraph themes” for each paragraph within the chapter. This exercise can help make sure you have a solid understanding of what’s being said throughout the chapter.
Interpretation: 6 Principles
Once you’ve done a thorough observation of a passage (what a passage says), you can start evaluating what the author actually means.
We call this concept interpretation. Another word you may have heard to describe this is hermeneutics.
Entire books and seminary courses exist to hash out the concept of biblical interpretation. But often what you’ll find is that if you simply do the work of observation as described above, the interpretation of the passage—the point the author is trying to make—will become clear!
Here are some key interpretation principles you can keep in mind as you discover how to read and study the Bible for yourself.
Principle 1: Keep Your Interpretations in Context
Interpretation and application of the Bible can easily go off track if you don’t keep in mind the context of the passage you’re studying.
Remember that no verse or passage of Scripture exists in isolation. The passage you’re studying must be evaluated in light of its purpose within the verses before and after it, as well as within the context of the entire book and, ultimately, the Bible as a whole.
Principle 2: Consider the Entirety of God’s Word
Having a thorough understanding of as much of God’s Word as possible will lead to more accurate interpretations as you study the Bible.
The more you examine what Scripture teaches about any given principle, the more informed your conclusions will be as you try to interpret what a passage means.
(However, this principle must be applied with caution—don’t allow preconceived biases regarding what you might think Scripture teaches to cloud your judgment as you try to determine what a particular passage means. There may be times when you have to reevaluate what you thought you knew!)
Principle 3: Keep in Mind—Scripture Never Contradicts Scripture
Since all Scripture was given by God, it is all true and will never contradict itself.
So you can use Scripture as a guideline to help you interpret other portions of Scripture.
If two different passages of the Bible appear to be contradictory, remember that there is no such thing as a contradiction in the Bible. Either our understanding of one or both of the passages should be adjusted, or the two teachings must be simply accepted as hard-to-understand truths from a God who is bigger than us.
Principle 4: Take Care with “Obscure” Passages
All the Bible is given to us to be understood.
However, it would be disingenuous to suggest that every part of the Bible is equally as clear as every other part.
There are admittedly passages of Scripture that are difficult to understand, whether you’re studying the Bible on your own or not. These are what we might call “obscure” passages.
While obscure passages are still the fully authoritative Word of God, we should exercise caution in drawing dogmatic convictions from these passages. Rather, it is best to draw your doctrine from passages that clearly teach specific truths.
Another word of caution here—don’t use this principle about obscure passages to “explain away” certain parts of Scripture that may not mesh as well with your theology. Do the hard work of digging into what the text is actually saying, because the meaning may be clear even if it is hard to accept.
Principle 5: Take a Literal Approach to Scripture
It has been popular throughout church history to allegorize or spiritualize portions of Scripture.
But God gave us His Word so that He could be understood. He has communicated with us using language that is meant to be taken in the normal, literal sense in which we understand all language.
Of course, interpreting the Bible literally includes understanding that there are figures of speech given in their proper context. For example, when Christ says, “I am the door,” we obviously don’t believe that He is literally saying He is a door!
This principle also includes understanding that the Bible was given in different literary styles. When you read a psalm, for instance, you can recognize that it is different from reading the historical accounts in Judges or the epistles of Paul.
But while you’ll approach every passage with its literary style in mind, recognizing figures of speech when they appear, a literal interpretation of Scripture recognizes that God is not communicating in some mystical, spiritual way. He is speaking in order to be understood according to natural, normal rules of language.
Principle 6: Don’t Look for Multiple Meanings
Historically, some Bible interpreters have approached Scripture assuming that there are multiple layers of meaning to a given text. They may have said that there are different literal, spiritual, and moral meanings of each text, for example.
But this is not a normal way to approach language.
When learning how to study the Bible for yourself, it’s best to look for the author’s intended single meaning. (Although it is true that sometimes biblical authors leave things ambiguous so that the reader can infer different layers of meaning for particular words or phrases).
The main thing to keep in mind is, “What was the author’s intent? What was the meaning that the author himself intended to convey?”
Because what the author meant is what matters—and the ultimate Author of the Bible is God Himself.
Application: 4 Questions
The next component of learning the best way to study the Bible on your own is application. “Application” refers to taking the principles of Scripture and applying them to your life in practical ways.
Although you can be applying what you’re discovering in Scripture to your life from the moment you open up your Bible, the most meaningful application happens after you’ve done a thorough observation of the text and have determined its meaning.
This is the ultimate goal of Bible study—to know God more deeply, and to let that deeper knowledge of Him change your life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Here are some questions you can keep in mind that will help you apply what you discover in Scripture to your life.
What does the passage teach you about God?
Every passage of Scripture, regardless of how far removed it is from your current situation, tells you something about God.
And since Bible study is about knowing God more, one of the best application questions to ask yourself is simply, “How does this help me know God more?”
The rest of application flows naturally out of this focus on knowing God.
What Principles Does the Passage Communicate?
Most of Scripture was given in a totally different context to our present-day situation, so a lot of the specifics may not directly apply to you.
However, the principles of Scripture are timeless.
Asking yourself what overarching principles a passage is teaching will help draw out specific implications and applications for your own circumstances today.
What Does the Passage Expose about My Beliefs, Attitudes, and Actions?
We are not perfect. So every time we come to Scripture, we can expect that we will be challenged in regard to what we believe, how we think or feel, and what we do.
Maybe there are commands that haven’t been fully obeyed. Maybe God is revealing wrong motives in your life. Maybe there’s an assumption or teaching you’ve believed that needs to be adjusted.
Be willing to accept where you might fall short and pursue growth by the grace and power of God.
And be encouraged that the Holy Spirit is with you each step of the way!
What Is God Teaching You as His Child?
God wants you to grow closer to Him as His child.
So you’ll want to be on the lookout for commands, truths, and promises that He wants you to pursue, so that you can know Him more.
And when you know Him more, you’ll find your joy in Him, and you’ll be more conformed to His image.
As Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children” (NASB1995).
How to Know WHAT to Study for Yourself in the Bible (Where Do I Start?)
When it comes to Bible study, maybe you’re wondering, “Where do I even start?”
Here are a couple of insights to help.
Start with a Short Book of the Bible
God has given us His Word in individual books. So you can start by simply studying one of these books as an individual unit.
And you don’t have to start at the very beginning of the Bible.
In fact, if you’re newer to the in-depth Bible study methods discussed in this post, start with a very small book. The shortest books of the Bible include the following:
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Philemon
- Jude
- Obadiah
These books all contain just one chapter. Starting with a single-chapter book will give you a good introduction to practicing inductive Bible study principles without having to wade through a longer book right away.
Use Inductive Bible Study Guides to Help
Whether you’re brand new to in-depth Bible study or are a veteran, there’s no shame in using inductive Bible study guides to help.
You can get help from Precept’s inductive study guides on every book of the Bible (including resources at varying levels of difficulty, from broader surveys of books to deeper studies).
You can also take advantage of Precept’s New Inductive Study Bible, which contains basic inductive study guide instructions for every book of the Bible (as well as charts, maps, and other helpful tools) within a single resource.
What Bible Translation Is the Best for Studying the Bible for Yourself?
One question that may come up when thinking about how to study the Bible alone is, “Which Bible translation should I use?”
The specific Bible translation you should use is open for debate, but it can be helpful to understand the two primary approaches to Bible translations.
Thought-for-Thought
The first approach is called “dynamic equivalence,” or “thought-for-thought translation.” These translations are less concerned about translating the specific words and are more focused on trying to capture the thoughts that the biblical authors are trying to communicate.
Some popular thought-for-thought translations are the New International Version (NIV) and the New Living Translation (NLT).
Word-for-Word
The second approach to Bible translation is “formal equivalence,” or “word-for-word translation.” These translations try to capture as closely as possible the words and structure of the original language, even if it makes the end result a bit more awkward to read in English.
Some popular word-for-word translations are the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB).
Which Approach Is Better?
Precept resources are offered in the NASB (1995 edition) and ESV (word-for-word translations).
That’s because at Precept we believe it’s important to get as close to the original Hebrew and Greek texts as possible.
But while word-for-word translations tend to work better for the kind of in-depth Bible study described in this blog, the most important thing is not the translation but simply digging into the Bible.
(Note that Bible paraphrases such as The Message are not actual translations. While paraphrases can be helpful resources, these would not be recommended to use as a primary Bible when studying the Bible for yourself.)
Bible Study Tools That Help You Study the Bible for Yourself
While the main point of learning how to study the Bible on your own is to be primarily in the Bible itself (not in other sources), there are Bible study tools you can use to help you check your interpretations and go even deeper.
A few of those resources include:
- Bible search sites such as Biblehub.com or Blueletterbible.org give you access to easily search through the Bible in different translations and even do language studies.
- Commentaries can provide helpful insights from pastors and scholars, but not all commentaries are created equal! Check with your pastor for recommendations on the best commentaries for whatever book of the Bible you’re currently studying.
- Bible software such as Logos or Olive Tree allow you to have access to all kinds of Bible resources (such as word study tools, commentaries, and dictionaries) digitally.
- Atlases help you understand the geography of the locations you read about in the Bible.
- Concordances and dictionaries help you do word studies and topical studies.
Take external resources with a grain of salt and don’t accept what others say simply because they are scholars! (Many Bible scholars may not even believe in the truth of Scripture that they are studying and discussing.)
At the same time, be humble and open to the possibility that your conclusions about Scripture may be incorrect.
What Other Methods Are There for Studying the Bible for Yourself?
While we believe the Bible study method described in this post is the best one for in-depth study of the Bible, there are other methods out there.
Here are some popular approaches on how to read and study the Bible for yourself.
Inductive Bible study
The inductive Bible study approach is the method championed in this blog post (and by Precept).
This approach involves examining the details of the text and drawing conclusions about the meaning based on careful observation of what the text is actually saying.
We believe that this is the best way to let the text of Scripture speak for itself.
SOAP
“SOAP” stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.
The Scripture step involves focusing on reading, re-reading, and thinking about the Scripture passage at hand, as well as focusing on a particular part that stands out to you.
Observation then involves asking questions of the text to help you evaluate what the text is saying.
With application, you think about how you can apply the truths you’re observing to your life.
Lastly, you end your study with prayer regarding the passage you’ve just studied.
Like the inductive method, the SOAP method encourages you to observe the text of Scripture and apply it to your life. The SOAP method may tend to be less guided than inductive study.
Personal reflection
Although not a specific method in and of itself, many people study the Bible with a more “personal reflection” approach.
This approach may involve journaling your thoughts and paraphrasing what you think the text means in your own words as you’re studying the Bible on your own.
Topical Bible study
A more topic-oriented Bible study approach focuses on examining what Scripture says about a particular topic rather than studying specific books of the Bible.
This will involve looking at as many passages as possible in Scripture that discuss the topic in question and then evaluating what the Bible teaches about that topic.
Sometimes a particular Bible study (including several studies offered by Precept) combine the topical and inductive approaches, using inductive principles to examine specific topics.
How to Study the Bible for Yourself: FAQ
Here are more answers to questions you may have about how to study the Bible for yourself.
How do you study the Bible for yourself?
To study the Bible for yourself, you can follow the steps of inductive Bible study, which include (1) carefully observing the details about what a biblical author is actually saying, (2) determining what the author means based on what you’ve observed, and (3) applying the principles of the text to your life.
What’s the best way to study the Bible on your own?
Inductive Bible study is one of the most-loved ways of studying the Bible on your own, with its focus on sticking to the text of Scripture and evaluating what the authors themselves are actually saying and teaching.
You can view the “Basic Tips” and “Step-by-Step Instructions” sections above or check out our classic book How to Study Your Bible for a more detailed walkthrough of the inductive method.
How do you study the Bible alone?
You can use the steps of the inductive Bible study method (observation of the text, interpretation of its meaning, and application of its principles) to study the Bible for yourself.
(See the “Basic Tips” and “Step-by-Step Instructions” sections above.)
However, keep in mind that while it is good to study the Bible for yourself and discover the truth of God’s Word on your own, Bible study should never ultimately be done alone. It’s best to study under the leadership of godly pastors in connection with a local church community and sometimes in community with other Bible study groups as well.
You can draw closer to God as you examine His Word yourself and alongside other believers!
Get Started with Studying the Bible for Yourself Now
Studying the Bible for yourself can feel intimidating, but having specific steps is helpful to make it more approachable.
What you’ll find is that digging into Scripture is worth it—because you’re getting to know God Himself.
And when you get to know God, your life is transformed.
To dig deeper into how you can study the Bible for yourself, check out our classic book How to Study Your Bible. You’ll come away equipped with skills to discover the truth of God’s Word—so that you can know Him more deeply.
Get your copy of How to Study Your Bible today!