Tip 1 – How to Read a Biblical Passage Several Times Without Losing Focus

You've probably heard this Bible study tip: Read the text you're studying several times. At first it sounds like good, logical advice, but whenever I tried it I always ran into problems as soon as I started with the second reading – my mind was already familiar with the text so my focus began to drop. Levels of my observations and understanding decreased drastically and after only two or three readings I usually felt stuck and unproductive and I started losing motivation to continue studying the same passage.

But after some time I discovered a simple change that could turn this problem completely around, so let me give you this tip in a changed, extended form: Read the text you are studying several times, but every time with a different question in mind.

When I tried this for the first time it was so much better! Try it with a short passage and you'll see – your level of concentration will be high every time you read the same passage. Your observations will be focused and grow sharper as you go on. Your level of understanding will keep increasing and after reading the biblical passage a few times you'll see real progress and feel that you are getting somewhere, that you are finding answers and going deeper. The text will keep opening up to you with every new question. That way you'll stay motivated to stick with that passage, to read it again, to find out more, and to dig deeper using different questions and finding more answers. Nothing awakens the mind as much as a question that demands an answer.

Therefore: Read the text you are studying several times, but every time with a different question in mind.

This is a practical tip, so it will benefit you the most if you try it right away. Take at least half an hour to test it:

1. Pray before you start. Always connect with God before studying the Bible and stay in conversation with him throughout the process.

2. Pick a passage from the Bible and read it once to get the big picture. The first reading is fruitful even without any specific questions because your mind is freshly approaching the text.

3. Pick a question and read the passage again, searching for answers to that question. You can start with one of six basic questions – who, what, where, when, why, and how. For example: Who appears in this story? Simply read the story again and make a list as you go. Then pick another question – for example: What does the passage reveal about each of the characters? or What happened in this passage? – and then read the text again and write down the answers you've found.

4. Whenever you write down a piece of information that answers your current question, remember to also note the verse numbers next to it. That is a good habit for several reasons, but that's a topic for another post.

5. Keep re-reading the passage with different questions in mind. Asking questions is one of the most important Bible study skills. If you are skillful – and anyone can become skillful with enough practice – you can ask dozens of questions and keep finding out new things about your passage for quite some time.

6. Pray about your findings. Talk about them with God, because studying the Bible should never be just an intellectual exercise but also a spiritual activity, an integral part of our communication with God.

If you have any questions or comments about this tip, there's a Comments Section below this post. The Comments Section is yet another place to grow together and to encourage and inspire one another so don't hesitate to start or join the conversation.

Share this post if you found it helpful and if you think it would inspire other Christians to study the Bible.

You can subscribe to our newsletter to get notified whenever we publish a new post. (The subscription form is at the bottom of the page.)

See you on the next post.

Until then, dive into Scripture every day – observe thoroughly, interpret carefully, and apply with all your heart to become more like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.