How to read the Bible
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." — Psalm 119:105
If you've ever opened the Bible, felt lost, and quietly closed it again — you are in good company, and you have not failed at anything. The Bible can feel like a vast, ancient book, and most of us were never shown how to begin. But here is the wonderful secret: Scripture was not written to be decoded by experts. It was given as a love letter from God to ordinary people like you and me, so that we might know Him. "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ... and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31). You don't need a degree or a perfect routine. You need only an open heart and a few honest minutes. Let's begin together.
Start with Jesus, not Genesis
Many people open the Bible at page one and stall a few books later. There is a better doorway: start with a Gospel — the eyewitness story of Jesus' life. The Gospel of John or the Gospel of Mark is a beautiful place to begin, because the whole Bible is ultimately about Jesus. He Himself said the Scriptures "bear witness about me" (John 5:39). When you meet Jesus first — His kindness, His words, His cross, His empty tomb — the rest of Scripture begins to make sense as His story. After a Gospel, the Psalms are a gift for prayer, and Genesis 1-3 lets you see where the whole story begins. But start where the light is brightest: start with Him.
Read slowly, and ask one question
The goal is not to read fast or finish quickly; it is to meet God. Read a small portion — even a handful of verses — slowly, the way you'd read a letter from someone you love. Then ask one simple question: "What does this show me about God, and what is He inviting me to do?" The Bereans were praised because they "received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily" (Acts 17:11). You might keep a notebook and jot one line: something you saw, or a prayer it stirred. A verse you truly take in is worth more than ten chapters you rush past. Let it sink in. The Spirit teaches the unhurried heart.
Pray before you read — and as you read
The Bible is not an ordinary book; it is God speaking. So the best preparation is a short, honest prayer before you open it: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" (Psalm 119:18). The same Spirit who inspired the Scriptures lives to help you understand them (John 14:26). When a verse moves you, pause and pray it back to God. When something convicts you, talk to Him about it. Reading the Bible was never meant to be a solo study task — it is a conversation. You speak in prayer; He speaks through the Word. Keep both doors open and the Bible slowly becomes the warmest room in your day.
When it's confusing, keep going
You will hit passages that puzzle you — strange names, hard sayings, things you can't yet place. That's normal, even for lifelong readers; the Bible is deep enough to drink from forever. When you don't understand a verse, you don't have to solve it on the spot. Mark it, move on, and ask someone further along. Even Peter admitted some of Scripture is "hard to understand" (2 Peter 3:16) — and he was an apostle. The clear parts are clear enough to change your life, so feed on those and let the harder parts wait. This is also why God gives us a spiritual family: people to study alongside, who can answer questions and pray with you. You were never meant to read alone in the dark.
Search the Scriptures
Ps. 119:105; John 20:31; John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Ps. 119:18; John 14:26; 2 Peter 3:16.
Reflect
Don't aim for a perfect plan; aim for a beginning. Open a Gospel today, read a few verses slowly, whisper one prayer, and let that be enough. Tomorrow, come back. As the words of Jesus become familiar, you'll find they're not just shaping what you know — they're shaping who you are, drawing you closer to Him. And the closer you walk with Christ in His Word, the more your heart will lean toward the next step: telling the world, in the waters of baptism, that you belong to Him.
Where the Word is leading