How to Effectively Study the Bible in 10 Minutes or Less

Over the past few months, many of my newsletter members have reached out to me requesting the same thing. They want to read the Bible more, but they struggle to read it consistently.

I’m right there with you! Reading and studying the Bible takes a lot of discipline.

So, I’ve decided that it’s high time to answer my readers’ requests.

While I’m far from perfect, I have found a system that not only allows me to study the Bible in just 10 minutes, but also leaves me feeling enriched.

Please read first: As you learn to love God’s Word and lean into it with your whole heart, remember to give yourself grace on the days that you’re unable to read it. I talked about this further in my article Falling in Love with Reading the Bible.

The Difference Between Reading & Studying

The key difference between reading and studying is how much you learn. Imagine that you’re reading a novel. You’ll learn things like the main characters’ names and the settings they reside in.

However, if you study that novel, you’ll see the whole picture AND the tiny details. You’ll learn that when Cindy (yes, that’s the first name I could come up with) was asked to give a brief book report in front of the whole class, she skimmed past her favorite part.

Originally, you thought this was due to mere nervousness, but now you realize that in the 3rd chapter she made an indirect reference to her struggle with emotional vulnerability.

Of course, she wouldn’t want to disclose her favorite part of the book; she fears revealing too much of herself.

Knowing these details allows you to cherish the workmanship of the story much more. The same goes for the Bible.

Reading the Bible is GREAT, but if you don’t slow down and focus on the words you’re reading, you’ll miss a lot of details. These details matter!

Paying attention to the little details in Scripture helps you to apply yourself better and look forward to the next study session.

Why Should You Read the Bible?

We know that the Bible is good, but if we go to church and say our prayers, what’s the purpose of reading it? We’ve heard all the stories before. 

This is a valid question—one that we all wrestle with at some point or another. Unfortunately, most of us decide that there’s no need to read it.

That’s simply not true.

Once you realize just how crucial the Bible is to your relationship with God, it becomes easier to dive in. While our pastors and spiritual mothers and spiritual fathers try their best to ensure they are sharing sound Biblical advice, it’s easy for their paraphrases to be misunderstood. 

The Bible is the only firm foundation we can stand upon. As we read it, we uncover the truth about topics we have misinterpreted.

Through studying the Bible, we begin to understand who we are called to be. Personally, the more I read the Bible, the less I feel like I’m wandering around aimlessly.

Not only that, but I also feel closer to God. I feel closer to His goodness, strength, joy, and grace—things we’re all desperately in need of. 

After you finish reading this post, I highly recommend reading my article that further explains why it’s so important to read the Bible. 

1. Where to Begin Reading the Bible

The first step in studying the Bible is figuring out which book of the Bible you want to dissect. Do you want to dig deeper into Ezikiel or Proverbs? Daniel or Ephesians?

Whether you have read the Big Book from front to back or have never laid a finger to one of its pages, I have put together a list of some of the best places to study. 

These are especially great for beginners (I’ve put an * beside my personal favorites):

• Esther* = addresses fear & purpose
• Psalms = the power and formation of prayer & praise
• Proverbs* = practical wisdom for everyday life
• John = addresses hard questions & illustrates the life of Jesus
• Ephesians* = reveals who God is & who we are in Christ
• James = considered the Proverbs of the New Testament
• 1 John = how the outworking of love works in the Christian life & how to solidify the Holy Spirit inside of us

If you would like to know more about each book of the Bible, I found this interesting article by Garrett Kell that explains each book in one word. I can’t speak for how accurate it is, but it’s a cool looking resource.

2. Why You Should Pray for Understanding & Wisdom

I believe one of the most challenging parts of studying the Bible is understanding what the words mean. Sometimes Scripture is hard to understand, especially when we’re just starting out.

James 1:5-8 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Whenever you open your Bible, take a minute to pray for God to open your heart, giving you an understanding of the words in front of you, and then pray for wisdom to know how to apply the words to your life. 

Here is an example of what this prayer can look like:

Lord, help me to understand Your words.
Show me what I need to hear and help me to retain anything that I may need to understand in the future.
Give me the wisdom to know how to joyfully live inside of your will for me.
In your name, I pray, amen.

3. The Right Tools Go a Long Way

In my opinion, a pen and a few highlighters are essential to studying the Bible. If you are comfortable highlighting your precious pages, it’s a great way to draw your attention to the theme of each verse.

If you aren’t sure which topics to highlight, just start reading and see which topics are mentioned the most. Once you figure it out, you can start to highlight those topics.

For example, I recently read through Ephesians for the second time, but this go around I decided to study it.

In the beginning, I felt led to highlight two topics: who God is and who we are in Christ. By focusing on those two topics, I uncovered a lot of rich truth I’d missed the first time around.

As I mentioned above, make sure to have a pen or pencil nearby as well! There will be many areas that stand out to you that don’t fit the topics you’re highlighting.

In these cases, simply underline the area or put asterisks (**) at the beginning and end of the statement. 

If you are using a journaling Bible, you can also quickly jot down your thoughts beside the verses that stand out to you.

I understand that not everyone likes to mark up their Bibles though. If this is you, simply write down the verses/your thoughts in a notebook. You can also use Sticky Notes and put them in your Bible.

4. Break it Up into Small Chunks

There are a lot of verses in the Bible! Some days you may read 6 verses. On other days, you may only read one verse. Neither is greater than the other. (Read that again!)

Reading a small number of verses allows us to study them for longer. Plus, if we are running short on time, it’s harder to make up an excuse not to read. 😉

The biggest thing is to STAY ON TOPIC. Don’t forget the context of the verses you’re reading. If you forget, make sure to reread a couple of verses to remind yourself of the context.

Read this article by Oak Ridge Baptist Church for a few examples of what Scripture taken out of context looks like.

5. The Importance of Researching the Definitions of Words

When reading the Bible, don’t apply your own meaning to words you don’t know. Take the time to understand the true definitions.

After you finish reading for the day, go back and look for any words that you may not understand. I’ve always loved doing this; however, I know it can be tiresome for some.

But please don’t skip this part!

For example, in Ephesians 3, God’s wisdom is referred to as manifold. If you skim past the word, you may think that it means great, but when you dive deeper, you’ll discover that it means, in short, abundant. 

God’s wisdom is abundant! To me, abundant overrules great. It gives me a clearer picture of what the author was trying to illustrate.

6. The 411 on Tricky Passages

While reading the Bible, you’re going to run into a lot of tricky areas—passages that catch your eye and make you ask questions. This goes further than just complex words.

Ephesians 2:19-22 explains that Christ is our cornerstone. When I first read this, I had zero idea of what it meant, so I took it to gotquestions.org. Through doing this, I discovered what a cornerstone is and how it relates to God.

Bible Study Tools also seems to be a neat resource for these situations.

While I wholeheartedly believe we should depend on praying for help in understanding the words God breathed, there are many occasions where these handy tools are needed.

I’m thankful we have access to such tools! We must simply use them wisely.

7. Pray About Anything that Stood Out to You

To conclude your devotion time, take a minute to pray over anything that stood out to you. Here are a few areas to pay attention to when praying:

• Did any of the verses make you squirm? Ask God to help you through it.
• Is there anything that God revealed to you? Thank Him for it!
• Do you feel like God is prompting you to do something? Ask Him for the strength and peace to joyfully obey.

Bonus: Summarize the Verses

After reading, studying, and praying over the verses you’ve read, grab a notebook and briefly summarize everything. Be sure not to stray from the Biblical meaning! 

If you aren’t sure what the verses mean even after studying them (that’s completely normal), you can skip writing them or simply write them word-for-word, replacing any difficult words with easier synonyms.

This is a great way to retain the verses you read.

Once you are finished reading that whole book (e.g. Matthew), you can look at your notes and find any recurring patterns or themes.

Get Excited to Study the Bible

Studying the Bible is something that forces you to have great discipline, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be exciting! Instead of making it a chore, treat yourself to a nice experience.

Fix yourself a yummy snack or beverage, read outside, start some music, doodle one of the verses you read, etc. The simplest of things can go a long way!

At the end of the day, spending time with your Savior isn’t meant to be boring. It won’t always be sunshine and rainbows, but you can implement things that help you become more excited about reading the Bible.

And on the hard days, remember how rich the Bible is in wisdom and comfort. God speaks to us through His word!

Reading the Bible reminds us that our God isn’t just a figment of our imagination. Our God is alive, near, and powerful.

In case you missed anything (or hate reading long articles), here is a quick recap:

1. Studying the details in Scripture causes us to apply ourselves better and look forward to our next study sessions.
2. The more we read the Bible, the more we learn about our Savior and the less we feel like we’re wandering around aimlessly.
3. Garrett Kell wrote an intriguing piece that explains each book of the Bible in one word.
4. Whenever we open our Bibles, we should take a minute to pray for God to open our hearts and give us an understanding of His words. 
5. Highlighting and underlining verses is a great way to draw our attention to the theme of each verse and further connect with the words.
6. Reading a small amount of verses allows us to study them for longer. Plus, if we are running short on time, it’s harder to make up an excuse not to read.
7. When reading the Bible, it’s important to take the time to understand the true definitions of words we don’t know.
8. While I wholeheartedly believe we should depend on praying for help in understanding God’s Word, there are many occasions where Got Questions and Bible Study Tools are needed (no shame in that). We must simply use these tools wisely.
9. After our study time, we should take a minute to pray over anything that stood out to us and ask God to help us respond correctly.
10. Bonus: Briefly summarizing the verses that we read for the day is a fun way to retain them and pinpoint any recurring themes.

If you’re interested in more methods to stay consistent in your reading, check out my article Fall in Love with Scripture: 10 Tips to Keep You Motivated & Passionate.

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Comment below:
Which of the above tips are you excited to try?
Do you have any Bible study tips you’d like to share with me and/or other readers? Slide them into the comments!

Keep praying & hoping,
Autumn Rebecca

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