- Pray that God will prepare your heart to learn from Him.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to clear you of wrong ideas and show you the truth of His Word.
- Read the verse lots of times, and also read what’s before it and after it.
- What are the most important words and what do they mean?
> You can use other Bible translations, thesauruses, and dictionaries for help.
- If you can, list the “who, what, where, when, why, and how" of what you're studying.
- Re-write the verse in your own words using only what you’ve learned so far.
> Don’t try to explain the overall meaning yet.
> What is the verse saying on the surface?
- Look for cross-references. Other parts of God’s Word that help us better understand.
- God’s Word is true. If two verses seem against each other our understanding is wrong.
- Write the overall meaning, making sure it’s what God really means.
> The true meaning will match God’s whole Word and who He really is.
> Jesus perfectly explains much through the New Testament, so don’t go against Him.
> Reading commentaries, and learning culture and history can also help us understand.
> Our English language isn’t perfect, so looking at the original language can help too.
- Sometimes writing about what the verse DOESN’T say helps explain what it DOES say.
> Especially if someone who hasn’t studied it like you have might easily misunderstand.
- Differentiate. Learn, understand, and explain if the verse is about any of the following:
> Justification or Sanctification. Love or Acceptance. The Church or Israel.
> Jesus’ 1st coming or 2nd Coming. Great White Throne or Judgment Seat of Christ.
- What are ways to change and things to do because of the meaning of the passage?
- What are specific command to obey and sins to stop because of these truths?
- Make it personal by using “I”, “We”, and “You” with real life examples that fit.
- HOW does the Bible say to make the changes the passage challenges us to make?
- Application is more than how we act. It is why we act. Why we do what we do:
> It’s the condition of our heart and our motivation.
> It’s what inspires and what we offer others for motivation.
- Download Printable Simplified Inductive Bible Study Steps
> These are the same steps provided on this page.
- Download Printable Original Inductive Bible Study Steps
> These are Pastor Eddie's original study steps without simplification.
- Blue Letter Bible
> This is a wonderful free resource with many excellent Bible study tools:
> Multiple translations, original language study, dictionaries, and commentaries.
- Listen to Past Teaching from Calvary Foothills
> Listen to rightly divided teaching, studied using these steps, for additional understanding.
> But, also try to discern which parts are observation, interpretation, or application.
- Additional Recommended Listening
> Listen to recommended solid teachers for the same reasons.
BLUE LETTER BIBLE LINKS DON'T WORK IF YOU HAVE THEIR APP
UNLESS YOU "LONG PRESS" AND SELECT "OPEN IN NEW TAB"