How To Study the Bible (and enjoy it!) #1

Posted on 20/07/2010 by in Bible School, How To Study

Simple yet powerful keys and principles to effectively engage with the Scriptures

KEY No.1 – Purchase a Bible that you enjoy reading

This may seem completely obvious to some but I still think it is important to mention. One of the things to remember when engaging in any endeavour is that we are a complete person. There is not a spiritual part of our life, and then a separate mental part, and then again another part of us that is physical.

Certainly we can break down the make up of a human into the three parts, spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23), but these, although distinct, are not separate.

When we come to Bible study we do so with our whole being. Recognising that we must not only engage our spirit, but our mind and yes, dare I say it, our body, is important.

Some simple features that will help you in your desire to study (and enjoy) the Bible include:
  • Large enough print so it is not difficult to read
  • A translation that you are able to understand (*see recommended translations at the end of this post)
  • A decent hardwearing cover (leather is best if you can afford it)
  • Reasonably thick pages that will allow you to highlight, underline and make notes on the page without showing through on the other side of the paper.
  • Something that feels good in your hand, that you will want to pick up and read!

These may seem trivial but honestly, if you can remove the excuses of our sense driven physical nature not to pick up and enjoy the Great Book, you have already overcome a great hurdle.

Recommended Translations

As you probably already know, there are many different translations of the Bible. Some are more accurate than others. In a later post I may go into the differences between but here I will simply list what I consider to be some of the best.

Some of the most popular, enduring and accurate translations are the King James Version, the New King James and the New American Standard. Other notable Bible’s worth having in your collection include the Amplified, the NIV and the New Living translation. This list is not comprehensive, and each of these translations have their pros and cons. The important thing to do is find a translation that is both accurate, understandable and enjoyable to read.

Where to buy a Bible?

Try your local Christian Bookstores. There are so  many different places on the Internet specialise in Christian books and resources that you can purchase quality Bibles such as www.bibleco.com or Christianbook.com

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About David Lee Martin

David and Larna Martin are creative Christian ministers in London, UK. David is the author and compiler of The Spirit Life Bible School, whilst Larna is a trained dance teacher, home school teacher and pastor. They are the parents of three children, Luke, Hannah and Joel.
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2 Responses to “How To Study the Bible (and enjoy it!) #1”

  1. Antoinette 25/07/2010 at 8:20 pm #

    Hi David,
    I recently purchased a Comparative Study Bible with the NIV, KJV, NASB and Amplified in one for my studies. I find it a great help because you can compare all 4 translations on one page instead of paging from one Bible to another. I can definitely recommend it.

    Reply
    • David Lee Martin 27/07/2010 at 8:31 am #

      Sounds like a very useful tool for comparative study. I use a parrallel bible with the KJV and Amplified that I love! isn’t God’s Word just awesome.

      Reply

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