How to Read the Bible? A Practical Guide for Everyone

The Bible is God’s Word, spoken by the Creator to us - to each one of us. It’s a timeless book, relevant for all ages and every life situation.

I can confirm this from my own experience: living as a regular person - working, building relationships, dealing with everyday challenges - I find countless truths in it that I can apply right here, right now. Not in a thousand years. Not in some abstract future. Today.

But many people ask: isn’t the Bible too difficult? Will I understand it? Do I need someone to explain it to me? Where do I even begin?

In this article, I’ll answer these questions.

The Bible Is Not an Ordinary Book

First, we need to realize something: the Bible defies the classic definition of a book.

It’s not a novel you’ll read over the weekend and put on the shelf to decorate your bookcase. It’s not a one-time adventure with an epilogue and “the end, period.” It’s not a book you “check off” from your reading list.

The Bible is a journey. A journey into the depths of the Creator and His words. And this journey has no end - at least not in our earthly lifetime.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

— Ps 119:105 (BT)

But that’s the beauty of it! It’s an ongoing process. The more you read, the more you get to know God - His character, His plan, His wisdom, His laws, His promises. With each reading, you discover something new, even in passages you know by heart.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

— Is 55:10-11 (BT)

God’s Word works. It’s alive. And every time you read it, it does something in your heart and mind.

Watch Out for Filters!

However, before you start reading the Bible, we need to talk about something very important: filters.

Each of us has certain “preset filters” - beliefs, assumptions, things we “know” about Christianity and the Bible before we even open it. These filters weigh on us and affect how we understand the text.

The problem is that many of these filters are human traditions and teachings that have been added to the simple biblical message over the centuries.

What kind of filters might these be?

There can be thousands, but here are the most common ones:

1. “Many biblical stories are just metaphors and myths”

Creation of the world in six days? “That’s just a metaphor.” Noah’s flood? “That’s a legend.” The Exodus from Egypt? “Exaggeration.” Revelation? “Poetic imagery, don’t take it literally.”

Such a filter causes you to start deciding for yourself which parts of the Bible are “true” and which are “symbolic.” And suddenly, it’s not God who’s the authority - it’s your judgment of what sounds believable.

2. “Jesus told the apostles to establish the Catholic Church”

Many people assume that the Church described in the New Testament is a hierarchical institution with a pope, bishops, ceremonies, and a complex structure. Reading the Bible through this filter, they see things that aren’t there. Interestingly, the more you read the Bible, the less likely this scenario becomes - especially when you see how Jesus talked to the Pharisees and scribes, who represented exactly the religious hierarchy and complex structures of their time.

3. Human teachings added to Christianity

Purgatory, confession to a priest, the Assumption of Mary, prayers to saints, indulgences, holy water, the rosary, priestly celibacy as a requirement…

None of these things appear in the Bible. They were added by people over the centuries. And Jesus very sharply criticized placing human traditions above God’s Word:

And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

— Mk 7:6-8 (BT)

And further:

Thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.

— Mk 7:13 (BT)

These are strong words. Jesus says plainly: human traditions can nullify God’s Word. They can obscure it, twist it, invalidate it.

If I can help you “straighten the paths” in any way, I invite you to read my article about the history of salvation in the Bible. In it, I present the entire biblical narrative from beginning to end - without filters added by human traditions.

Where to Start Reading the Bible?

Okay, you’ve cleared your filters, you open the Bible… and now what? From Genesis? From Revelation? From the middle?

My advice: start with the New Testament.

Why? Because it’s closest to us. The New Testament is nearest to our times - it describes events from about 2,000 years ago, in a world that in many ways resembles ours. Greek culture, Roman law, cities, travel, trade, interpersonal relationships. Moreover, it’s precisely on these foundations - Christ and His ethics, Greek philosophy and culture, Roman law - that our Western civilization was built. Mentally, we are therefore very similar to the people of those times.

The Gospels - Get to Know Jesus

And in the New Testament, I especially recommend starting with the Gospels.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - four different people describe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each from a different perspective, each with different details, but all about the same thing: the amazing person of Jesus.

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

— Jn 20:31 (BT)

The Gospels are the “minimum” for anyone who wants to know Christianity. A condensed pill. They show:

• What God is like - through Jesus’ words and deeds, we see the Father’s character
• What God expects from us - Jesus clearly tells us how to live
• What plan God has for humanity - the death and resurrection of Christ is the center of this plan

This is the story and personality of Jesus Christ from the perspective of four different people. Four testimonies about the same event that changed the world.

I recommend starting with the Gospel of John - it’s the most theological and explains directly who Jesus is. Then Matthew, Mark, and Luke will show you more details about His life and teaching.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve read the Gospels, you can go further:

Acts of the Apostles - the history of the first Church, how the Gospel spread throughout the world after Jesus’ ascension. Exciting reading full of adventures, persecutions, and miracles.

Apostolic Letters - Paul, Peter, John, James, and others explain how to live as a Christian. Practical guidance for daily life of faith.

Revelation - learn the end of history. How will it all end? What fate awaits believers and unbelievers? What will happen to the world? Revelation answers these questions - and contrary to what some claim, it’s not an “impossible to understand” book. Importantly, you’ll also find many warnings about persecutions awaiting believers - similar warnings are already given in the Gospels from Jesus Himself. The Bible and Christianity are not just “candy-coated brotherhood,” hugs, and warm feelings. It’s also a faith that foresees terrible things and expects from us an appropriate, heroic stance in the face of adversity.

And you have the entire New Testament!

The Old Testament - Treasures to Discover

The Old Testament is more extensive and at times more challenging, but well worth the effort. Here are my recommendations to start:

Psalms - prayers and songs for every occasion. Joy, sadness, anger, gratitude, despair, worship - you’ll find it all here. The Psalms teach how to talk to God honestly, without pretense.

Proverbs - practical life wisdom. How to act wisely, avoid folly, build good relationships, manage money, raise children. Timeless truths in short, concise sentences.

Job - a description of a man’s heroic stance in the face of unimaginable suffering. Why do good people suffer? How to keep faith when everything falls apart? Job wrestles with the hardest questions - and finds God.

Song of Solomon - a surprising book that shows God is not against human sexuality at all. On the contrary - He tells us to enjoy this sphere within marriage. A passionate love song that definitely doesn’t fit the image of “prudish religion.”

Genesis - how it was in the beginning. Creation, the Fall, the Flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. The foundations of the entire biblical story.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

— 2 Tim 3:16-17 (BT)

Should Everything Be Taken Literally?

This is a common question. Is the Bible a collection of literal descriptions, or is it full of metaphors and symbols?

The answer is simple: it depends on the context - and usually it’s easy to notice.

Jesus often spoke in parables - and He Himself explained them to His disciples. When He said “I am the door” or “I am the vine,” no reasonable person thinks Jesus was literally a door or a plant. These are obvious metaphors and we understand them as such.

On the other hand, when the Bible describes the creation of the world, the flood, the exodus from Egypt, or the resurrection of Jesus - it presents these as historical events that actually happened. Not as “beautiful stories with a moral.”

And what about passages that are incomprehensible to us? Maybe that’s exactly how it has to be - at least for now.

Remember that God often uses certain formulations to conceal prophecies from those who are not ready to receive them. And then, when the events are fulfilled, everything becomes clear. This was the case with the apostles themselves - they repeatedly did not understand Jesus’ words until they saw their fulfillment with their own eyes.

But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

— Lk 18:34 (BT)

And later, after the resurrection:

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

— Lk 24:45 (BT)

So don’t worry if you don’t understand something right away. Keep reading, pray for understanding, and God will open your mind gradually. What’s beautiful - God’s Word is not reserved for scholars and theologians. Quite the opposite:

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”

— Mt 11:25-26 (BT)

The Bible is for everyone. For the simple, for ordinary people, for those who come with a humble heart. You don’t need a doctorate in theology - you need an open heart.

Can I Understand the Bible on My Own?

Many people fear they won’t understand the Bible without a theologian, priest, or some expert. That they need a mediator to explain it to them.

Of course, there are more difficult and easier passages. But God didn’t write the Bible only for educated theologians. He wrote it for everyone - for shepherds, fishermen, farmers, tax collectors, soldiers. For ordinary people.

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

— Ps 119:130 (BT)

Moreover, if you’re a believer, you have the best Teacher within you:

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

— Jn 14:26 (BT)

But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

— 1 Jn 2:27 (BT)

Does this mean it’s not worth listening to others, reading commentaries, learning from more experienced people? Of course it is. But the ultimate authority is Scripture itself and the Holy Spirit who helps understand it - not human interpretations and traditions.

Start Today

Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t wait until you’re “ready.” Don’t wait until you’ve read ten books about how to read the Bible.

Just open it. Start with the Gospel of John. Read one chapter a day. Pray before reading, asking God to open your mind and heart to His truth.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

— Jer 29:13 (BT)

God promises that those who sincerely seek Him - will find Him. And the Bible is the place where you can find Him most directly.

This won’t be a one-time adventure. It will be a lifelong journey. But I guarantee you - it’s the best journey you can take.

God’s Word is waiting. Open it.