🌿 Why should I read the Bible?

• Faith comes through hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17), and we need to renew our minds (i.e, align our minds with His) through His Word: Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24 .

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🌿 Video: Overview of the Entire Bible in 17 Minutes!

 

🌿 Where can I get a Bible?

• You can read (or listen to) the Bible for free on your computer, phone, or tablet by going to bible.com . It has many different translations and reading plans. If you create a free account, you can highlight verses and create bookmarks.

• You can also buy a paper Bible from Amazon, christianbook.com, and many other stores.

 

🌿 Recommended translations:

• New Living Translation (NLT) - Instead of a word-for-word translation, each verse is reworded to convey the meaning accurately to present day readers. This is the most readable and understandable version for new believers, or seekers.

• English Standard Version (ESV) - Closer to a word-for-word translation.

• New English Translation (NET) - Closer to a word-for-word translation, but idioms and words specific to the first century culture are replaced with language from our current culture that conveys a similar idea. It also includes translation notes that provide more information for verses that are difficult to translate into present day English. See About the NET.

• Christian Standard Bible (CSB) - In between ESV and NET in terms of how close it is to a word-for-word translation.

 

🌿 How do I read the Bible?

• Reading God's Word is not just an intellectual exercise. God intends for it to transform you. While you read it, ask yourself these questions:

  • ​What does this passage tell me about who God is and what He has done? What does He love and hate?

  • What does this passage tell me about myself and/or humanity?

  • How will this truth change the way I think or live?

• The Discovery Bible Method provides a simple, yet effective, set of questions to ask each other during group Bible study, or ask yourself during private Bible study.​

• Unlike reading most material, when you read a section of the Bible, read it multiple times and meditate over it.

• Remember: Reading the Bible is useless if you don't respond in obedience: James1:22-25, James 2:14-19 .

 

🌿 Before reading a particular book of the Bible, it is very helpful to pray that God's Spirit gives you understanding (John 14:26, John 16:13) and then to get an overview of that book (who wrote it, when, who it was to, and why he wrote it):

• You can find video overviews of each book of the Bible here:

  • ​Videos: Old Testament Overviews

  • Videos: New Testament Overviews

• You can find written overviews of each book of the Bible here:

  • Blue Letter Bible introductions - Bible book introductions from ESV Bible, ESV Global Study Bible, John MacArthur, and more.​

 

🌿 Where should I start reading?

• Genesis chapters 1-3 - God creating everything, and the fall of the human race.

• Gospel according to John - Written by the apostle John, one of the disciples closest to Jesus. It therefore focuses less on Jesus' actions and more on His teaching to the 12 disciples and others. Watch the overview part 1 and part 2 before reading the book.