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Bible Reading and Study GuideSection Site Map

Welcome to our Bible Study Guide.  With the Bible practically outlawed in our schools and other public venues, it was inevitable that Bible illiteracy would greatly increase.  We believe however, that there are many people who would like to read and study the Bible (and classic Christian literature), but just don't know how or where to start.  Others may have tried reading through the Bible from Genesis (first book) to Revelation (last book) and gave up after a few weeks.  The time period, geography, language and culture in which the Bible was written is much different than our own.  A certain amount of background information is needed in order to read and understand it.  The goal of this guide is to provide the Bible reader with this background knowledge, principles for studying the Bible, manageable reading plans and much more.

Don’t worry that there are some things you don’t understand at first.  The Bible is simple enough that a child can understand the basics, but complex enough to cause disagreements on some issues among even the most brilliant scholars.  So, be consistent, with much prayer and patience, and you’ll find studying the Bible one of life’s most rewarding and fulfilling endeavors.

When we speak of Biblical knowledge, we're usually referring to both head and heart knowledge.  The Bible should not be read just for intellectual information, but also for transformation and application.  It is the very Word of God, and it will change our lives if we take time to read, meditate on, and study the Word in order to let the Scriptures saturate our minds and penetrate our hearts (Joshua 1:8).

Programming Note:  Due to the continuous progression and expansion of this section, we've split it  into multiple sections for better organization and ease of navigation.  As a result, this page now functions as a second site map containing descriptions and links to other sections and articles relating to Bible reading and study.  Updated Nov 2014.

Navigation Note:  We recommend that beginners roughly follow the "Bible Reading and Study" entries in the listed order for maximum benefit.  More advanced students may want to skip around as needed.

Bible Reading and Study Helps

Bible Study Guide Site Map

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The Basics

This first page provides some basic background information, a glossary of key words, information on available study tools, and more.  After you finish this page, you should check out the Bible Overview page.

Bible Interpretation

Visit this page after you've read over the Basics.  It contains many valuable Bible interpretation principles and tips.   You should also start a Bible Reading Plan if you haven't already done so.

Bible Overviews

Bible Sections Overview

This page presents the Central Message of the Bible, followed by an Overview of the Old and New Testaments, and Intertestamental History.  After you finish this page, you should check out the Bible Interpretation page and start a Bible Reading plan.

OT at a Glance Guide

This page contains a very brief summary of each book of the Old Testament.  This is intended as a brief overview of the entire OT.

NT at a Glance Guide

This page is as described in the above section, except that it contains specific information on each book of the New Testament.

Bible Reading Plans

Reading Plans

This section contains Bible reading plans for all levels of students.  We have a 3-step study guide for beginners, which provides the reader with a good overall view of the Scriptures before reading the Bible in its entirety.  We’ve provided some suggestions on how to create and customize a "Thru the Bible" reading plan.  You can also follow our First Year Reading Plan,  365 Day Plan or our Two Year Plan.  While following a reading plan, please continue through the following "at a Glance" sections, then become familiar with the last three sections as needed.

Related Bible Study Sections

Introduction to the Sections and Books of the Bible

These pages contain backgrounds, summaries, theological and practical applications, and additional Biblical interpretation principles specific to each book and section of the Bible.  We are also linking this material to the corresponding books in our Online Bible section for use as a reference while reading and studying the Bible.  We created this section in 2008 and completed it in December 2024.

Bible Commentary Plus

Separate section containing articles, study notes, questions and answers on difficult passages, and much more; arranged by the sections and books of the Bible.

Bible Genre Analysis

This section started as a single page within the Bible Interpretation section.  Based upon reader response, it quickly expanded into its own section.  It contains pages on how to recognize and interpret the various  types of literature that you will encounter in the Bible.

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Additional Bible Study Information

The following articles contain additional information related to studying the Bible.

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