Reading the Bible

Reading a Bible Passage:

Ask yourself:

• What it meant -
  1. Who was the author and when and why was it written?
  2. What kind of writing is it? Is it a story or poetry or wisdom literature or a letter? Is the writer using symbols and pictures? If so, what do they mean?
  3. Why did the author put it like this?
  4. Was it written for a particular person or group of people?
  5. What would the first readers have understood from these words?
• What about me?
  1. What is God saying to me through this passage?
  2. What does it say about me or my situation?
  3. What does it say about my relationship with God and with others?
  4. Is there any special command, promise, warning or example that I should take note of?
  5. What should I do?

Look up a word or passage in the Bible using BibleGateway.com