Step 3: Learn about Chapters and Verses

Maybe you already know this, but perhaps not. If the Bible is new to you, this a key point. Every Bible verse has an address: book, chapter, verse. So you would look for John 3:16 in the book of John. Then you would go to Chapter 3. Then you would look for Verse 16. The colon (:) indicates the separation between the chapter and the verses.

John 3:16

Book Chapter:Verse

If this isn’t easy for you yet, practice on a few verses. Look up Romans 5:8. Look up Proverbs 3:5. Then look up one of the Bible’s shortest verses—1 Thessalonians 5:16.

It takes practice and yes, only practice to be able to master the art of finding the chapters and verses that you may be asked to read while following a sermon or Bible Study.

Sometimes, the person leading a Bible study will ask you to read John 3 from verses 1 to 3—John 3:1–3. The hyphen (–) between verses 1 to 3 indicates that you should read all the verses from 1 all the way up to three.

What happens if you find commas between the verses while reading a book—John 3:1,5,7? The comma between the verses 1, 5 and 7 means that you should only pay attention (read) the verses indicated, not the ones in between (which in this case would be verses 2, 3, and 6).

Step 4: Do Not Worry about Strange Names

I am sure that while reading the Bible, quite a few times you have encountered this difficulty. Let us say that you are reading John 3 in the New Testament. This is a great chapter. But in the first verse, you meet Nicodemus. That name could trip you up. It could keep you from getting to the good stuff later. So just call him Nick.

Even if you are just reading by yourself, try this. Don’t let tough names slow you down. Turn them into Nick-names. Some versions of the Bible on YouVersion are audible. You can play that specific verse and find out how to pronounce difficult names.

Last but not least, while using the Bible App (YouVersion) do not forget to choose your Bible version of preference. It is also useful to read a verse that strikes you in different Bible versions. It will add richness to your experience. A choice of words can make a lot of difference in your understanding and experience as a whole.

Ask God to open your mind so that you would be able to understand the Scriptures. Be sure that the Holy Spirit will guide you to all truth. Trust him in the process.