Now, glancing through the headings, do you see any that share something in common? Do two or more stories or sections address a similar subject matter? This strategy is particularly helpful if you are already familiar with the pericopes’ basic contents, but you can apply it nonetheless. The ESV broke out the pericopes here perfectly-each paragraph being a self-contained unit. Let’s look at the descriptive headings surrounding “The Rich Ruler” pericope in Luke 18:18–30. Think of headings as breadcrumbs that can guide you toward a passage’s deeper meaning. They’re a bit of an art form, not a science. Instead, skilled Bible interpreters chose the wording and frequency of headings.

These headings weren’t in the Bible in the original manuscripts, so they aren’t divinely inspired. This way, you can easily get a better understanding of the context surrounding the single passage you’ve selected and consider that knowledge when determining the true meaning of a text. You might read a few headings leading up to your particular text for that day and maybe even a few headings following it. Whenever you come to a new Bible passage, always look at the headings in the text-those topical summaries that appear in many editions of the Bible. These short phrases are often overlooked, but they actually hold a wealth of information! One of the simplest yet most powerful tips for better Bible study involves making it a practice to read the headings before each passage.

Here are three best practices to begin (or refresh) your Bible-studying journey: 1. That being said, these first three tips can be useful to beginners and experts alike.In fact, sometimes the best way to draw new insights from well-known passages is by going back to the basics with a fresh mind. But whether you’re new to studying the Bible or you’ve been at it for years, there’s always room to improve. Studying the Bible can be overwhelming at first, especially if you don’t know where to start. Plus, take a look at a roundup of excellent Bible study resources (starting at free) you can dig into today.