Bible Reading vs Bible Study

By: Jenifer Metzger

All Scripture is inspired by God and is

profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for

correcting, for training in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16 CSB

The last couple of weeks we've talked about being in the Word of God. We talked about becoming a woman of the Word and how to cultivate an intentional and consistent quiet time. So we get that being in the Bible is important. But is there a difference in reading the Bible and studying the Bible? Yes! Which should we be doing? Both!

First let's look at reading the Bible.

Reading through the Bible can be done so many different ways. Here at Woman to Woman we offer a one year Bible reading plan. This year we are reading straight through the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, plus reading a chapter of Psalm each week day. (For our reading plan, click HERE.) I've also read the Old Testament and New Testament simultaneously, read through chronologically, read the Bible in 90 days, and read randomly (where you just open the Bible and read).

If you read the Bible for just fifteen minutes a day, you can read the entire Bible in one year's time. When you really think about it, that isn't difficult at all. We spend a lot more time on things far less important.

The more we read the Bible, the more familiar we become with it and the closer connected with are with God. Reading the Bible helps us build a foundation. 

Now let's look at studying the Bible.

Studying the Bible is a much slower practice. It isn't something we rush through. You can't study for fifteen minutes a day and go through the entire Bible in one year. Studying the Bible helps us dig a little deeper, begin to understand a little more, see patterns in the Word, uncovering meanings, and finding ways to apply the Word.

Studying the Bible can be done a couple of different ways. I love to use the study books from The Daily Grace Co. Their studies are Biblically sound, begin with Scripture, have a short lesson, and have questions to help you think and dig deeper. I also love the Bible studies from Priscilla Shirer, she is a powerful Bible teacher and many of her studies come with accompanying videos. If you ever find a Bible study  that doesn't require you to open your Bible, ditch it fast. A Bible study should always, always, always lead you to the Bible.

Another thing you can do is take notes when your pastor preaches, then go back to those notes with your Bible. Spend time asking questions, looking up the Scriptures, and finding connections with other verses. Another way to study the Bible is topically. For example if you are struggling with fear, you can look up Scriptures about fear and look up stories in the Bible of people who may have struggled with fear.

One thing you can always do when studying is utilize the cross referencing in your Bible. Most Bibles have these tiny little numbers that appear to be randomly next to words. Yet, it's not random at all. You take those little numbers and at the bottom or middle of the page you will find that number with other Scripture references. This means these verses are in some way connected.

Using a study Bible is always a great tool. Study Bibles offer cross referencing but also include things like words studies and cultural studies. Sometimes we read something in the Bible and it sounds odd, but when we understand the time and culture, it makes more sense. I love the CSB Study Bible for Women and the NLT Life Application Study Bible.

Reading the Bible and studying the Bible go hand in hand. When we read the Bible, we build a foundation, we read the Bible in full getting a whole view of God's Book. When we study, we dig deeper, get more "meat on the bones." Reading without studying keeps us a little more surface. Studying without reading risks missing parts of the Bible and possibly misunderstanding or misinterpreting something.

So how often should we read and how often should we study? We should be reading God's Word every day. It is our daily bread. We open the pages and read each and every day. Studying is something you can do daily, or weekly, or a few times a month. It is something we should be purposeful in, but there isn't a set amount of time we should do it. For me, I read each day, then try to do a study one to two days a week.

Remember, reading and studying the Word of God goes hand in hand. You need both.

Discussion:
1. Have you ever thought about the difference in reading versus studying?
2. Which of these methods is easier and which is harder and why?