The following post is adapted from my book Inductive Bible Study.
Many people don’t know how to read the Bible for all its worth. In this short article, I share one tip that can transform your Bible reading and your life.
Read a Bible Book Repeatedly
Read through the book repeatedly, as many times as possible, in a single sitting or within a short period. The more times you go over the book, the more you will get out of it.
Dr. John MacArthur advises to “begin with a short book, such as 1 John, and read it through in one sitting every day for 30 days. At the end of that time, you will know what is in that book.” The famous Bible teacher, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, read each passage forty to fifty times before feeling confident about his analysis of the book!
Dr. R. A. Torrey recommends “merely reading the book through without stopping, then reading it through, again and again, say a dozen times in all, at a single sitting.” He says that “to one who has never tried this; it doesn’t seem as if it would amount to much. But any thoughtful man who has ever tried it will tell you quite differently.”
Renowned Pastor Dr. Rick Warren is more modest and recommends reading a book at least five times before summarizing its content.
I think you get the point. Experts all agree that we should read repeatedly. Some read dozens of times, while others are more modest. Even though our initial reaction may be to say that reading a book over and over again will not add much more value, we should follow the example and recommendations of these leaders. Soon the books of the Bible will begin to open up to us, become like new books, and give new revelation of the relationships between the different parts. The chapters will take on new meaning and beauty, and our insight and knowledge of the Book will swell up. In addition to reading repeatedly, read through the book fairly rapidly. You are reading for an overview. As such, read with comprehension but read rapidly.
To learn how to learn an effective and powerful way to study the Bible, check out Inductive Bible Study.
