How to Understand the Bible

How to Understand the Bible

If you have have found the Bible difficult to comprehend, or wish you knew how to better apply its principles and wisdom, this guide is for you. Learn how the Bible itself gives us the keys to understanding it.

Downloads

Reading the Bible can feel confusing, culturally distant and uncomfortably dense and detailed. But the Bible itself reveals ways to better decipher its message and understand its principles.

This guide explores:

  • What methods of study should you follow? 
  • What tools are available to help you? 
  • How can you grow in spiritual understanding while reading the Word of God?

Read the guide and learn how to grasp the Bible’s wisdom and meaning—and make it relevant in your life.

Table of Contents

An older Bible open laying on a table.

Introduction: How to Understand the Bible

2 minutes
The Bible is the world's most popular book, but at the same time the most misunderstood!
A man with his hand holding his head while looking down at a Bible.

Approach the Bible With a Proper Attitude

15 minutes
Why do so many have difficulty grasping the Bible's message and meaning?
A man holding a Bible on its lap flipping through pages.

Keys to Understanding the Bible

4 minutes
Here are 15 keys to help you understand the Bible.
Theodore Roosevelt, Queen Victoria, Isaac Newton, George Washington

In Their Own Words: Great Men and Women Who Highly Respected the Bible

5 minutes
Historically, the Bible has been held in the highest esteem by many great men and women—presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, scholars, scientists...
An open Bible laying on a table.

Does the Bible Contain Errors?

6 minutes
Does the Bible contain errors? Often the answer depends on the eye of the beholder.
A woman reading a Bible in a coffee shop.

Actively Read and Study the Bible

29 minutes
Unless we actually use it, the Bible is no better than any other book on our shelves. So how can we properly use it? What principles and methods of...
Two open Bible stacked on top of each other.

Seven Scriptural Threads for More Complete Understanding

6 minutes
Many people are unaware of several basic threads running through Scripture that, when recognized, open our understanding.
An open Bible laying on a table.

Are There Mistakes in the King James Version of the Bible?

3 minutes
Although the original texts of the Bible were inspired by God and are without error, the same cannot be said for later copies of the texts or...
A woman using a laptop computer.

Bible Study Software and Online Resources

3 minutes
If you have access to a personal computer with a CD or DVD drive or an Internet connection, you can make use of Bible helps.
A young person reading a Bible on a dock.

Live What You Learn

8 minutes
Some study the Bible and enjoy great spiritual growth and maturity. Others study it but grow little if at all. What makes the difference?