Lesson 5 Complete 1 hr

How to Read the Holy Bible

Practical methods for daily Bible reading, spiritual understanding, avoiding mistakes, and living the Word

5,189 words Feb 15, 2026

Lesson 5: How to Read the Holy Bible

Course: Topic 2 - The Holy Bible
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Target Audience: Servants and Sunday School Teachers

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, servants will be able to:

Understand the proper purpose of reading Scripture
Apply practical methods for daily Bible reading
Teach students how to read the Bible spiritually, not just intellectually
Explain the different levels of meaning in Scripture
Help others develop a sustainable Bible reading practice
Avoid common mistakes in Bible reading

Opening Prayer

"Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Word, open our eyes to see the wonders of Your law. Open our hearts to receive Your truth. Open our minds to understand Your mysteries. As You opened the understanding of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, open our understanding now. Through the prayers of all who loved Your Word and lived by it, hear our prayer. Amen."

Introduction: the Tragedy of Ignorance

The Most Important Question

St. Jerome (4th century) said something shocking:

"Our ignorance about the Holy Bible is our ignorance about Christ himself."

Think about that!

If you don't know the Bible = You don't know Christ

Not knowing the Bible = Not knowing the One who saved you

The Epidemic of Biblical Illiteracy

Among Christians today:

Many own multiple Bibles but rarely open them
Many read the Bible only in church (once a week for 10 minutes)
Many know more about their favorite TV show than about Scripture
Many can quote movies but not verses
Many have strong opinions but weak biblical knowledge

The result?

"So many people suffer in their spiritual life as well as their daily lives because of their lack of full knowledge of the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Weak Bible knowledge = Weak faith
Strong Bible knowledge = Strong faith

This lesson will change that!

Part I: Why We Must Read the Bible

The Necessity of Scripture

The Bible is not optional!

Jesus said:

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (Luke 4:4)

Notice:

NOT "man shall not live by bread alone, but also by God's Word"
BUT "by EVERY word of God"

Just as you need food DAILY to survive physically:

You need God's Word DAILY to survive spiritually

"Reading the Holy Bible has a unique purpose, and cannot be fulfilled through reading any other book. This purpose is to sustain our lives, for 'man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God' Luke 4:4." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

What Happens Without Bible Reading?

SPIRITUAL STARVATION:

Physical starvation:

Day 1: Hungry
Day 3: Weak
Week 1: Very weak
Week 2: Critical condition
Week 3: Death

Spiritual starvation (without Bible):

Day 1: Feel fine (dangerous!)
Week 1: Prayer becomes harder
Month 1: Temptations feel stronger
Month 3: Faith feels distant
Month 6: Spiritual death (still breathing, but spiritually dead)

The danger: You don't FEEL spiritual starvation immediately!

That's why Satan loves to keep Christians away from the Bible!

Part Ii: the True Purpose of Reading Scripture

Not Just Information

Many people read the Bible WRONG!

They read for:

❌ Information (to know facts)
❌ Education (to be smart)
❌ Obligation (because I should)
❌ Argument (to win debates)
❌ Curiosity (interesting stories)

But the TRUE purpose is:

"Reading the Holy Bible is not only for reviewing the word of God and communicating with Him. It is also not for serious reading with a goal of logically understanding things. The main and true goal of reading the Holy Bible is to get into the inner soul of the human being so he becomes in a state of unification and partnership with the words of the living God. Therefore, this reading is considered as 'communion, or Holy union.'" (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The Bible is for COMMUNION with God!

Eating the Word

God told Ezekiel:

"Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." (Ezekiel 3:1-3)

Notice the ORDER:

1. EAT the scroll FIRST
2. THEN go speak

"Therefore, preaching the word of God comes after being fulfilled by the word of God." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

You cannot give what you don't have!

If you want to teach the Bible:

First, EAT it yourself
DIGEST it
Let it become PART of you
THEN teach

The Sweetness of God's Word

"So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." (Ezekiel 3:3)

God's Word should be:

Sweet (not bitter duty)
Delightful (not boring obligation)
Desired (not dreaded)

"Also, notice the beauty of the words of God and how it gives a beautiful meaning to our lives, 'So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.' Persistence in the enjoyment of reading the Holy Bible leads to a constant change in the way a person thinks and lives his life. 'But be transformed by the renewing of your mind' (Romans 12:2)." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

If the Bible feels boring → You're reading it WRONG!

Part Iii: How to Achieve This Goal

Step 1: Pray Before and During Reading

"I have to pray before and while I am reading the Holy Bible, such as St. Isaac the Syrian who said 'Lord, qualify me to feel the strength of your book.'" (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Why pray?

Because:

The same Holy Spirit who WROTE Scripture must ILLUMINATE it
Without the Spirit, it's just ink on paper
With the Spirit, it's LIVING and ACTIVE

Simple prayers before reading:

"Lord, open my eyes to see wonders from Your law." (Psalm 119:18)

"Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears." (1 Samuel 3:9)

"Lord, qualify me to feel the strength of Your book." (St. Isaac the Syrian)

Step 2: Expect Transformation

"Reading the Holy Bible in every stage of our lives gives us a new meaning, new grace, and new joy; there is continuous change that happens within the person 'change the way you look by changing your minds' Rom 12:2." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The Bible should CHANGE you:

Same passage, different life stages, different messages:

Psalm 23 read at:

Age 10: "God is like a shepherd who takes care of me"
Age 20: "God guides me in my decisions"
Age 40: "Even in dark times, God is with me"
Age 70: "I will dwell in God's house forever"

Same words, different depths!

Step 3: Digest the Word

"Material food does not strengthen us unless we chew it and digest it. The same thing can be said of the Words of God: we have to eat it and let it go inside us, then we digest it, i.e. we keep the food inside us for a while and do not forget it." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Process of eating:

1. TAKE IN (read the verse)
2. CHEW (think about it)
3. SWALLOW (let it enter your heart)
4. DIGEST (meditate on it throughout the day)
5. NOURISH (let it change you)

Don't speed-read the Bible like a novel!

Better:

Read 1 verse deeply
Than 10 chapters superficially

Part Iv: Understanding the Word Spiritually

The Church Fathers' Wisdom

St. Clement of Alexandria says:

"The Scriptures are not only to make our discourse sound, but to exhort us to godliness... We must not therefore read them merely as history, but must search for the hidden principle... The Word continually points toward the one Christ hidden in the Old Testament and appearing in the New."

St. John Chrysostom says:

"It were indeed fitting for us not at all to require the aid of the written Word, but to exhibit a life so pure, that the grace of the Spirit should be instead of books to our souls, and that as these are inscribed with ink, even so should our hearts be with the Spirit." (Fr. Tadros Malaty)

The goal: Let Scripture be written on your HEART, not just in books!

Searching the Scriptures

Jesus said:

"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39)

St. John Chrysostom explains:

"Christ sent the Scriptures to the Jews, not that they might read them casually, but that they might search them deeply and exhaustively; He did not say 'read the Scriptures,' but 'search the Scriptures.' Thus, He commands them to study them profoundly." (Fr. Tadros Malaty)

"Search" = like mining for gold!

Dig deep!
Look carefully!
Don't just skim the surface!

Part V: Practical Methods for Reading

Method 1: Know the Main Outline

"Knowing the subjects and the main outline of the Holy Bible: The main theme is the salvation of the souls and granting them the ability to enjoy eternity through the work of the Holy Trinity." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Everything in the Bible points to:

God's love for humanity
God's plan of salvation
Christ as the center
The work of the Holy Trinity

When you read ANY passage, ask:

How does this relate to salvation?
Where is Christ in this?
What does this teach about God?

Method 2: Hear God's Voice Personally

"When reading the Holy Bible, the reader should start to search out to hear the voice of God talking to him in person based on his own needs and state. The elderly person in his readings will find something in it that fits him/her and the youth when reading the same passage will hear a different message that fits him/her." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The Bible speaks to YOU!

Example: Psalm 23

For a student: "He leads me in paths of righteousness" (guidance in decisions)
For a sick person: "I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (comfort in suffering)
For a struggling person: "He restores my soul" (hope in depression)

Same Psalm, different personal messages!

Method 3: Write Down Your Contemplations

"Continue to write down your contemplations: The best way to read the Holy Bible is when the reader uses a notepad beside him and writes down his/her thoughts and contemplations or some points that he/she needs clarification on." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Practical tip:

Keep a Bible journal!

Date: February 13, 2026
Passage: Philippians 4:6-7
What stood out: "Do not be anxious about anything"
What God said to me: "Stop worrying about exam results - I'm in control"
How I'll apply: Pray instead of worry this week

Writing helps you:

Remember what you read
Track your spiritual growth
See how God speaks over time

Method 4: Study Verses in Depth

"Studying one or two verses a day: As digestion is necessary for nourishment, we must also study verses from the Holy Bible and recite them with a loud voice to appreciate their depth. As Pope Shenouda III said: 'Study the psalms by heart and they will protect you.'" (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Deep study means:

1. READ the verse
2. MEDITATE on each word
3. MEMORIZE it
4. RECITE it throughout the day
5. APPLY it to your life

Example: Psalm 70:1
"Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O Lord!"

Recite when:

Facing temptation
Feeling afraid
Under attack
Needing urgent help

Method 5: the Five-step Process

"In order to truly understand and be affected by the Holy Bible you might like to refer to the following simple guideline: Reading → Meditating → Absorbing → Digesting → Applying" (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

1. READING

Read the passage carefully
Read it slowly
Read it multiple times

2. MEDITATING

Think deeply about what it means
Ask questions
Consider the context

3. ABSORBING

Let it sink into your heart
Feel the truth of it
Receive it personally

4. DIGESTING

Keep thinking about it
Turn it over in your mind
Let it change your thinking

5. APPLYING

Put it into action
Live it out
Make it practical

Part Vi: Explaining the Bible Through the Bible

Christ Is the Key

"To explain the Bible through the Bible: By continuously reading the Holy Bible, we discover the internal structure of the Holy Bible and we discover the main outline. The Lord Jesus Christ is the key to the Holy Bible. The New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament and the Old Testament is in fact in the New Testament." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Every Old Testament story points to Christ:

Example: Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22)

What happened:

Abraham takes Isaac to mountain
To offer him as sacrifice
Isaac carries wood up mountain
At last moment, ram provided instead

What it means:

God the Father gave His Son
Jesus carried cross up mountain (Golgotha)
Jesus was the sacrifice
Jesus was the provided Lamb

The Old Testament PREDICTS Christ!
The New Testament REVEALS Christ!

Opening Our Understanding

Luke 24:44-45:

"Then He said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.' And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures."

"The full understanding of the Holy Bible and tying the Old Testament with the New Testament requires enlightenment and God's help similar to the help which the Lord Jesus Christ gave to the two disciples of Emmaus 'and He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scripture.' Luke 24:25." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

We need:

The Holy Spirit to open our eyes
Christ to be the interpretive key
Humility to receive understanding

Part Vii: the Liturgy as Living Scripture

Liturgy Explains the Bible

"Liturgies are a practical evidence of the Holy Bible. All the liturgies in the Coptic Orthodox church are based on the Holy Bible and are a living explanation of it." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Example from Liturgy of St. Basil:

Prayer of Reconciliation:
"O God the Eternal the Great who brought man with no corruption..."

Every phrase from Scripture!

"God the Eternal" = Psalm 90:2
"The Great" = Deuteronomy 10:17
"Who brought man" = Genesis 2:7
"With no corruption" = Wisdom 2:23

The liturgy is SCRIPTURE IN MOTION!

Readings Chosen by the Spirit

"The readings of the Holy mass were written by the Fathers of the church and were inspired by the Holy Spirit. They were not written by humans, but were prepared as a spiritual meal to fit every occasion the church is celebrating for our spiritual benefit and to be able to live with God." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Example: Holy Lent readings progression:

Week 1: Temptation on the mountain (conquering the devil)
Week 2: The prodigal son (repentance)
Week 3: The Samaritan woman (hope and living water)
Week 4: The man born blind (spiritual sight)
Week 5: Raising of Lazarus (resurrection power)

Each reading builds on the previous!
It's a JOURNEY through Scripture!

Part Viii: Learning From the Saints

The Saints Lived the Bible

"Explaining the Holy Bible through actual lives of the Church Fathers. The fathers of the church are not just scholars of the Holy Bible, or know its content. Their lives are evidence of how to fulfill all the commandments that are in the Holy Bible and how they applied them to their lives." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The saints didn't just READ the Bible:

They LIVED it
They BREATHED it
They BECAME it

Example: Pope Athanasius the Apostolic

"Pope Athanasius the Apostolic – the greatest of all popes – was a very great man and a very spiritual person. He loved the Holy Bible and digested everything in it. He defended the belief and preserved the right doctrine." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Athanasius:

Memorized entire Bible
Quoted it constantly
Defended truth with Scripture
Lived every commandment

His life = Living commentary on Scripture!

St. John Cassian on Scripture and Prayer

Fr. Tadros Malaty shares:

"St. John Cassian saw a correlation between the reading of scripture and fervent prayer. Each of these supports the other through the work of the Holy Spirit... He emphasized that the kingdom of God is the ultimate goal of spiritual life, and that reading and contemplating upon the words of scripture serve to attain that goal."

Cassian's practice:

Transform Scripture into personal prayers
Don't just recite — make it YOUR prayer
Let Bible words become YOUR words to God

Example:

Psalm 51:1 → "Have mercy on me, O God"

Becomes YOUR prayer: "Lord, I need Your mercy right now in this situation..."

Part Ix: the Four Levels of Meaning

Understanding Scripture's Depths

The Church Fathers taught that Scripture has MULTIPLE levels:

"While reading the Holy Bible, the reader must be aware of the fact that there maybe one or more meanings to the Holy Bible: the literal meaning (or historical), the symbolic meaning, the foreshadowing meaning and the eternal meaning." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

1. Literal (historical) Meaning

What actually happened in history

Example: Genesis 19:22
"Lot exited Sodom and went to Zoar Mountain"

Literal meaning: Lot physically left Sodom and went to a mountain

This is the foundation! Always start here!

2. Symbolic Meaning

What the event represents spiritually

Example: Sodom and Zoar

Symbolic meaning:

Sodom = Life of sin
Zoar Mountain = Place of safety with God
Lot's escape = Our escape from sin through Christ

3. Foreshadowing (typological) Meaning

How Old Testament events point to Christ

Example: The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12)

Historical: Israelites sacrificed lambs in Egypt
Foreshadowing: Jesus is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29)

Old Testament shadows → New Testament reality!

4. Eternal (anagogical) Meaning

How it points to heaven and eternal life

Example: The Promised Land

Historical: Israel entered Canaan
Foreshadowing: Church enters Kingdom through Christ
Eternal: We will enter heavenly Jerusalem

All Scripture ultimately points to ETERNITY with God!

Part X: Avoiding Common Mistakes

Mistake #1: Using One Verse Out of Context

"We must take the whole Holy Bible in its totality. In order to understand the Holy Bible, we must read above and below the verse that we are reading. We must get the context of everything to fully understand what is being written." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Example of taking verses out of context:

Romans 3:28: "A man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law"
James 2:24: "A man is justified by works, and not by faith only"

CONTRADICTION? No! They're answering DIFFERENT questions!

Paul: How are we SAVED? By faith, not by keeping Jewish law
James: What does REAL faith look like? It produces works

Context is KING!

Mistake #2: Reading Without Love

St. Augustine warns:

"The Bible enlightens the eyes of the soul, so read it, O wise one, and be filled with its love... Approach the Bible with love, and contemplate its beauty. You will not benefit without love, because love is the entrance to understanding. The book commands your love, if you do not love it, do not read it." (Fr. Tadros Malaty)

If you read the Bible:

As duty (without love) = No benefit
With boredom = Miss the message
Without desire = Won't understand

Must read with LOVE for:

God who wrote it
Christ who is revealed in it
Truth that transforms us

Mistake #3: Reading Without Repentance

St. Augustine says:

"If you sin, your adversary is God's word... It's the adversary of your will until it can become the author of your salvation. Oh what a good adversary, what a useful adversary!" (Fr. Tadros Malaty)

The Bible will:

Convict you of sin
Challenge your behavior
Expose your heart

If you're not willing to REPENT:

The Bible will feel condemning
You'll avoid reading it
You'll resist its message

But if you REPENT:

The Bible becomes medicine
Healing for your soul
Path to transformation

Mistake #4: Reading Without Action

Father Hesychius of Jerusalem teaches:

"When the earth is plowed, it produces flowers and fruit, but contemplating the Law produces virtues. This is the reason why the practice of the Law is required with zeal; not by covering it in words, but by doing it; not by discussing the language of the divine words in a useless way, but by confirming it by our conduct and approving it in our actions." (Fr. Tadros Malaty)

Bible reading must lead to:

Changed behavior
Virtuous life
Practical obedience
Visible fruit

James 1:22: "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only"

Part Xi: the Bible in Coptic Orthodox Life

First-degree Church of the Book

"Our Coptic Orthodox church is a first degree church of the book. It is a church that is closely related to the Holy Bible. Its doctrines and beliefs are completely derived from the Holy Bible." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The Bible governs EVERYTHING:

Personal prayers — Based on Scripture
Liturgies — Filled with Scripture
Rites of the Church — From Scripture
Canons of the Church — Rooted in Scripture
Holy Traditions — Preserves Scripture
Doctrines — Derived from Scripture
Social issues — Addressed by Scripture
Sacraments — Established in Scripture

How We Honor the Bible

"The Holy Bible is greatly respected in our church, we kiss it and bow our heads in respect when we read the Holy Bible, and we stand in awe and listen carefully to the Holy Bible." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

In Orthodox worship:

When Gospel is read:

✅ We stand
✅ We bow our heads
✅ We make the sign of the cross
✅ We say "Glory to You, O Lord"
✅ We kiss the Gospel book

This physical reverence teaches:

The Bible is HOLY
God's Word deserves HONOR
We approach Scripture with AWE

Scripture and Communion

"In the Holy liturgy, we have a liturgy for the preached people as a preparation for them to take the Body and Blood of our Lord. The liturgy for the preached is like eating the written word of God for our senses and feelings and our internal development, then we actually take the Body and Blood of our Lord that is the edible word of God." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Two forms of communion:

1. WRITTEN Word (Bible readings in liturgy)

Prepares our minds
Feeds our souls
Opens our hearts

2. LIVING Word (Body and Blood)

Christ Himself
Physical communion
Ultimate unity

Both are ESSENTIAL!

Part Xii: Study Helps and Resources

We Need the Saints' Explanations

"We need the explanations of the Saints" (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Don't read the Bible ALONE!

Read WITH:

Church Fathers' commentaries
Orthodox study Bibles
Patristic interpretations

Recommended resources:

Orthodox Study Bible — Protestant text with Orthodox notes
Fr. Tadros Malaty Series — Patristic commentaries on every book
Bishop Anba Athanasius series — Comprehensive studies
Bible Dictionaries — Explain terms, places, customs
Bible Atlases — Show geography, historical context
Bible Concordances — Find every occurrence of words

Private Interpretation Is Dangerous

2 Peter 1:20:

"No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation"

St. Basil the Great warns:

"Never neglect reading, especially of the New Testament, because very frequently mischief comes of reading the Old; not because what is written is harmful, but because the minds of the injured are weak." (Fr. Tadros Malaty)

Why we need the Church's interpretation:

Heretics twist Scripture
Our understanding is limited
The Church has 2,000 years of wisdom
The Holy Spirit guides the Church

Read Scripture IN THE CHURCH, WITH THE CHURCH!

Part Xiii: Practical Application for Servants

Teaching Students to Read the Bible

FOR YOUNG CHILDREN (Ages 5-8):

Make it:

Simple
Visual
Story-based
Fun

Activities:

Act out Bible stories
Draw Bible scenes
Memorize short verses
Sing Scripture songs

For Youth (ages 9-12):**

Teach them:

How to find books/chapters/verses
Context of each book
Main Bible stories
Key verses to memorize

Start habits:

Daily Bible reading (5-10 minutes)
Bible journal
Sharing what they learned
Asking questions

For Teens (ages 13-18):**

Challenge them:

Read whole books at once
Understand context and history
Compare different passages
Apply to real-life issues

Address:

Questions about science/Bible
Apparent contradictions
Different interpretations
Why Orthodox view is correct

For Adults:**

Encourage:

Systematic reading plans
Deep study methods
Patristic commentaries
Teaching others

Develop:

Personal devotional time
Family Bible reading
Bible study groups
Scripture memorization

Conclusion: Living by the Word

The Book of Eternal Life

"We could briefly respond by saying that it is the book of eternal life. This is evident when St. Peter said to our Lord Jesus: 'Lord to whom we shall go? You have the words of eternal life' John 6:68." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The Bible gives:

✅ Eternal life (salvation)
✅ Abundant life NOW (John 10:10)
✅ Heavenly joy ON EARTH
✅ Meaningful existence
✅ Daily grace

The Book That Announced the Resurrection

"Therefore, we can describe the Holy Bible as the book that announced the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus Christ did not do this for Himself, but for us all: for our resurrection, to defeat the devil, for our joy, and to gain eternity." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

The Bible is ultimately about:

Christ's resurrection
OUR resurrection
Victory over death
Eternal joy
Life with God forever

A Call to Action

Will you commit to:

1. DAILY Bible reading (even 10 minutes)
2. PRAYERFUL approach (before and during)
3. DEEP meditation (not surface reading)
4. PRACTICAL application (doing the Word)
5. SHARING what you learn (teaching others)

Remember:

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

Your faith DEPENDS on the Word!

"The beauty and strength of our holy fathers of the past is 'living the Bible', not just reading it." (Fr. Rueiss Awad)

Don't just READ the Bible — LIVE IT!

Reflection Questions

When was the last time you read the Bible for communion with God (not just information)?
What has prevented you from reading Scripture daily?
Which of the five steps (Reading → Meditating → Absorbing → Digesting → Applying) are you missing?
Do you approach the Bible with prayer before reading?
Are you reading the Bible in context, or taking verses in isolation?
How can you develop the habit of daily Bible reading?
What Scripture has God spoken to YOU personally this week?

Practical Application

This Week:

Start a Bible journal — Get a notebook, start writing reflections
Choose a reading plan — Start with a Gospel (Mark is shortest)
Pray before reading — Use the prayers from this lesson
Memorize one verse — Write it on a card, carry it with you
Share what you learned — Tell someone what God taught you

This Month:

Read an entire Gospel — Mark (16 chapters), Luke (24 chapters), or John (21 chapters)
Study one Psalm deeply — Psalm 23, 51, 91, or 119
Use a commentary — Get Fr. Tadros Malaty's commentary
Teach your class — Share the five-step method with students
Join a Bible study — Or start one!

This Year:

Read the entire Bible — Use a reading plan
Memorize key verses — 52 verses (one per week)
Study Church Fathers — Read their biblical commentaries
Develop Bible habits — Morning/evening reading routine
Become a Bible teacher — Help others love Scripture

Closing Prayer

"Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Living Word. Your words are spirit and life. Grant us grace to read Your Holy Scripture daily, with prayer, with love, with understanding, and with obedience. Open our eyes to see wonders from Your law. Open our hearts to receive Your truth. Transform us by the renewing of our minds. May we not just be hearers of the Word, but doers also. Through the prayers of all who loved Your Word and lived by it, especially the apostles, evangelists, and Church Fathers, hear our prayer. Amen."

Scripture Memory Verse