How to Conduct a Verse-By-Verse Bible Study
Perhaps you picked up a Bible and just started reading. You didn’t know where to start, so you started in either Genesis or Matthew. Or maybe someone told you to start in the book of John if you wanted to learn more about Jesus.
Either way, you started reading it because you didn’t know what else to do.
Now that you’ve been a Christian for a while you’d like to dig deeper into the scripture. However, you’re not quite sure how to do that.
That’s where a verse-by-verse Bible study can help you to achieve that goal. Unfortunately, most Bible studies study a book someone wrote, rather than the Bible itself.
What to do?
Why don’t you start your own Bible study? Even if it’s just you. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Suggested tools
There’s no shortage of Bible Study Bibles. Even though one could find multiple translations, not all are created equal. In my article Christians Who Will Be Denied Heaven (Part 3), I suggest the translations I use and ones that should be avoided.
It’s important to understand that the Old and New Testaments were not written in English. Discernment and understanding the original meaning of the words used is a part of learning scripture.
There are additional helpful tools once you find a good study Bible. On top of the NIV, NLT, and ESV study Bibles, I also use Halley’s Bible Handbook and the MacArthur Bible Commentary.
Halley’s Bible Handbook is a great resource for understanding the backstory of the passage of scripture you’re studying. Not only does it provide contextual information (i.e., what was happening in that part of the world at that time), but it also provides timelines and other relevant scripture. Not to mention pictures and maps of the area and timeframe.
Plus, for instance, when I was putting together a Bible study on the Apostle Paul, it provided a chronology of his life. The timeline provides the passages of scripture for your studies. It is a wealth of information.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary is the other resource I use when studying scripture. If you don’t know who John MacArthur is, he’s been the senior pastor at Grace Community Church in Redding, California since 1969. His daily sermons on the “Grace to You” app are priceless and timeless.
In his commentary, he helps you understand what the passage means. Additional passages where certain words or phrases might also have been used. And he’s excellent at breaking down complex passages into sections.
When preparing to lead a verse-by-verse Bible study, I’ll easily spend two to three hours for each passage of scripture we’ll look at that week.
And I use both Halley’s Bible Handbook and MacArthur Bible Commentary to help prepare me. Note, John MacArthur also has a digital Bible Commentary known as the Study Bible. It uses the ESV translation. It has the same commentary as the physical book. I have both. It’s easier to pull up the digital version while I’m out.
Understanding and Using COMA
The COMA method is a way of studying scripture. COMA is an acronym for Context, Observation, Meaning, and Application.
Context is understanding the language, examples, and what was happening at the time of the writing. For instance, Paul’s not referring to eggs when he said not to be yoked with an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).
If you decide to study any of Paul’s Epistles, start with the Book of Acts (aka Acts of the Apostles). That’s where all his missionary journeys are recorded for the various churches he started. It also records his conversion to Christianity.
Observation is understanding what’s happening during that passage of scripture. While context is understanding what was happening and what led to that point, observation is understanding what’s happening in that passage.
Most of the time it’s obvious. While other times you have to dig a bit. This is where hermeneutics comes into play. We’ll talk about that in a bit.
Meaning refers to what it meant to the intended audience. First and Second Corinthians were letters from Paul to the church he founded in Corinth. While we can learn from what was said, we weren’t the intended audience. So, when using the COMA method, we should understand what it meant to them.
Even Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus meant, in John 3:7, when He said, “You must be born again.” But the meaning here is what it meant to the audience at the time.
Application is the final piece of the COMA method. This is when we extrapolate the information for our benefit. Understand that not all scripture applies to our lives. Some passages, like most of the Book of Acts and Numbers, are recordings of what happened. It doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them. Like Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16, all scripture is useful for teaching.
Understanding and Using Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics is a long word. According to Merriam-Webster, it means, “the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible).” It’s simply using the Bible to interpret the Bible.
Rather than seeking outside sources to define what something means, we use the Bible. Of course, we can use outside sources to help us in that journey. However, any outside reference used should always point back to the Bible.
For instance, Halley’s Bible Handbook and the MacArthur Study Bible direct us back to the scripture to understand the passage. What they provide is context and validating scriptures. Halley’s Bible Handbook takes it a step further and has historical references.
The Logo Bible helps by telling us the original language/words used. Once we understand the original intent, we can extrapolate what the passage means. Not just take the translators’ word for it. Because we know several translations are in error.
For more on translations with known errors, as referenced above, consider reading Christians Who Will Be Denied Heaven (Part 3).
When I used to preach at the jail, I studied Paul’s introduction in Romans 1:1. To understand why Paul referred to himself as a Slave (Bond Servant) to Christ Jesus, we had to understand Paul’s background. We first read about him starting at the end of Acts 7 (with the stoning of Stephen).
Starting point
Perhaps you’re asking where you should start your study of the Bible.
Some people choose the beginning (Genesis). Some people choose Matthew (the beginning of the New Testament). While others choose another book. For most new believers, I recommend John since it’s one of the better books to help us understand the life of Jesus.
Whatever you choose, understand that verse 1 chapter 1 might not be the actual beginning of that book.
Consider one of Paul’s prison epistles, the book of Philippians. Paul was in a home arrest situation under Roman guard (as referenced in Philippians 4:22). He spoke of “joy” while under house arrest with a Roman guard going wherever he went.
To understand the book of Philippians, one must start where it began. Paul’s story with the church at Philippi began in Acts 16. And that’s where you’d want to start.
The nice thing is that most Bible Study Bibles will have other scripture references. Go to them and read what they have to say. The John MacArthur Commentary Bible has the scriptures and an explanation (not all verses) to help us better understand it.
Conducting it
After studying the various scriptures, remember it’s not your job to persuade anyone else (it’s the Holy Spirit’s). Or have all the answers. Your job is to study and teach others what you’ve learned. Remember not to forget James’ warning (James 3:1).
If you’re a female, you have a special calling. You’re to teach younger women (Titus 2:3-5) and children (1 Timoth 5:14). But your job is not to teach men (1 Timothy 2:11-14) or in church (1 Corinthians 14:34-35).
When you hold your study, if only one person shows up teach it the same as if thirty showed up. Why? Because you don’t know the impact you will have on that person. Look what Philip was able to do with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39).
I write things down (whether in a digital document or a notebook). And I make notes for myself. However, when going through the passages I ask for two things. Number one, they go to the passage of scripture. Whether it’s in a physical Bible or a digital one (phone, tablet, or computer/laptop). And to help read (I ask for volunteers).
The reason why I ask people to go to the passages is because I want them to learn their Bible. Not only the scriptures but the layout of it. To help them better understand where the various books are located.
Printing out the scripture for them might help save time, but I don’t believe it helps them learn the Bible.
For a younger audience, or individuals new to the faith, I would caution going longer than forty-five minutes. I’d suggest you strive for thirty minutes and go up to forty-five.
And, for those who want to go deeper in their faith, an hour to an hour and a half is usually the right amount of time.
With having other commitments, I’d suggest you meet once a week. As mentioned above, I usually spend two to three hours preparing for a one-hour Bible study.
If you’d like to read more on conducting a Bible study, consider reading A Bible Study of the Bible.
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