How many times have you read the bible?

[Landon Caeli]

Just curious why people place so much weight on reading the bible. Seems like reading it once should be enough, doesn't it?

 

[redleghunter]

Just curious why people place so much weight on reading the bible. Seems like reading it once should be enough, doesn't it?

Cover to cover? Many times in my lifetime going even back to my Roman Catholic upbringing and education. Over the past 10 years have read it cover to cover 8 times. I take a few months in-between annual readings to read theology books and deeper studies of the Gospels and epistles. This along with Adult Bible Study and home Bible study.

Why is it so important? The Bible contains the Holy Spirit inspired Holy Scriptures where we see our God directly communicate and deal with mankind.

 

[mukk_in]

The Holy Spirit makes certain passages come alive as I read them. That's how the word of God comes to me and speaks to me in that particular situation. Besides faith comes by constantly being in God's word. Peace in Christ.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Cover to cover? Many times in my lifetime going even back to my Roman Catholic upbringing and education. Over the past 10 years have read it cover to cover 8 times. I take a few months in-between annual readings to read theology books and deeper studies of the Gospels and epistles. This along with Adult Bible Study and home Bible study.

Why is it so important? The Bible contains the Holy Spirit inspired Holy Scriptures where we see our God directly communicate and deal with mankind.

Sounds like you read the bible more than you pray. Is that true?

 

[“Paisios”]

Just curious why people place so much weight on reading the bible. Seems like reading it once should be enough, doesn't it?

I have read it through cover to cover about 4-5 times in several different translations, and have read/studied passages quite frequently, including various “daily office” kinds of readings (different ones depending on where I was at in my spiritual journey - currently, I read the daily Greek Orthodox readings using an app, and am working my way through the Orthodox Study Bible in a year).

Some might be able to read, understand and retain the substance found in the Scriptures after one reading. I cannot. I find that I miss a lot each time I read it, forget a lot, and find new things each time.

Sounds like you read the bible more than you pray. Is that true?

I pray more frequently and for longer than I read the Scriptures. But it is not an “either-or”, but rather a “both-and” situation in my view.

 

[Halbhh]

Just curious why people place so much weight on reading the bible. Seems like reading it once should be enough, doesn't it?

Consider how if you listened to your wife once, would it work after that day to no longer listen to her anymore?

Well, it's not a perfect analogy.

But, there is very much more for Him to say to us even in passages we've already read.

Here's why -- when Christ spoke, often there were several deep things being said, and usually we will be hit with one, and it really takes us into a new understanding, and that is so valuable we don't see any more than this one thing (or 2).

This new thing we just gained is so sublime, we suddenly feel now we've really got it all.

And that's fine.

But, the next time you read, you may get piece #3, or piece#5, finally, for the first time, or in a deep new way....

Piece #5 may so radically improve your life you will wonder why you ever thought you were doing well in the days/years before you had it!

 

[HTacianas]

Just curious why people place so much weight on reading the bible. Seems like reading it once should be enough, doesn't it?

There's reading and then there's studying. Merely reading the bible only takes a couple of weeks I suppose, but you could spend the rest of your life studying it.

 

[redleghunter]

Sounds like you read the bible more than you pray. Is that true?

No, sir as I have learned to not only pray without a Bible in front of me, but to pray the Scriptures as I read. Try doing so especially the psalms.

I've also learned to pray continuously. As other's needs come to mind, I pray. As I see the beauty of God's creation I praise Him. When I am with family we pray giving thanksgiving for His Grace and Peace.

People should also have set times of day where they pray. Once we get up in the morning we should pray for the day ahead that we are walking in the Holy Spirit and our actions on that day be according His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. We should confess our faults, failures and sins and ask for His forgiveness and His strength to endure and persevere. We should pray over every meal as it is by God's common Grace we have all that we have. In the evenings we should pray with family and then individually before retiring giving thanksgiving to God and confessing our faults, failures and sins.

If your question is do I lead the family in memorized prayers or from the heart? It's both. For memorized prayers we do recite the Our Father and I am especially fond of from my youth the amalgam of psalms in the Sanctus.

 

[redleghunter]

There's reading and then there's studying. Merely reading the bible only takes a couple of weeks I suppose, but you could spend the rest of your life studying it.

Had a ThD friend of mine tell me after his final trials to get his doctorate he felt more humbled on what he did not know. Even after years of studying.

 

[Halbhh]

The Holy Spirit makes certain passages come alive as I read them. That's how the word of God comes to me and speaks to me in that particular situation. Besides faith comes by constantly being in God's word. Peace in Christ.

I really love you shared this, and how good it is to hear it from another.

 

[Jon Osterman]

You haven't really read the bible unless you have read it in many different languages (and multiple versions per language) including the original languages.

 

[Sam91]

Cover to cover once. Certain chapters 100's of times. Practically every book multiple times. The only ones I have only read once in entireity are Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel. Although have read them in part many, many times.

One reason that it is important to read over and over, is that it is so interlinked that as you gan understanding, more and more becomes relevant. What you learn from God in life adds context to the verses.

It makes you notice your sin, gives answers, teaches and witnesses to you giving a deeper understanding of God.

I don't think there ever comes a time where there is no point to reading any more and it is amazing how much deeper a meaning a passage takes on over time. On a first read you gain a limited snap shot.

Eg.
First read: It is like seeing a photo of someone's house and thinking you know the house.
Second read: walking past the house.
Third: Entering the house
Fourth: Sitting on a chair in house

And so on.. exploring rooms, contents of rooms, cupboard drawers. Finding out about the articles in the drawers...

 

[redleghunter]

You haven't really read the bible unless you have read it in many different languages (and multiple versions per language) including the original languages.

That is a huge advantage and gift to have. However, on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit gifted the apostles with tongues so every person could understand.