5 things to do if you want to truly understand the Word of God

Here are they:

Pray

This might seem unimportant but it really should be the first thing you do when you open the Bible. Why? Because what you are about to read was inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16) so it only makes sense to ask for His help.

Without God's help through the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to really understand the scriptures. 1 Corinthians 2:14 offers an explanation saying, "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

This is why you should always start with a prayer, asking for 'the eyes of your hearts to be enlightened' (Ephesians 1:18).

Always read in context

The easiest way to misunderstand the Bible is to take verses out of context. Doing this can lead to false conclusions as doing this changes the entire meaning of a particular part of the scriptures.

In order to avoid this popular mistake, it's extremely important to read the verse before and after the one, you are focused on. It also doesn't hurt to read the entire chapter in order to get the full story.

See popular Bible verses that are usually used out of context ece-auto-gen

Look for Biblical references

A great way to truly understand the scriptures is to look for Biblical references. While studying the Bible, look out for repeated verses. Some Bibles and apps provide this feature.

Looking out for similar verses can help you better understand what you are reading.

Use more than one translation

Understanding the Bible has never been as easy as it is right now thanks to the availability of several translations. If the old English language in the King James Version (KJV)is too difficult for you, then you can turn to the New King James Version (NKJV) which uses modern English. For instance, "Thou" has been substituted with "You".

You can also try the New International Version (NIV), English Standard Version (ESV), Amplified or the Passion translations for a better understanding of the scriptures.

There are over 60 English-language versions of the Bible ece-auto-gen

Have a Jesus mindset

In order to really understand the scriptures its important to know that the sixty-six individual books of the Bible all have one thing in common- the redemptive story of Jesus.

Seeing Jesus everywhere from the Old Testament which is prophesies about the coming of Jesus to the New Testament where He finally comes keeps the entire Bible in the right context.

Trust me, it gets easier and better ece-auto-gen

Additional tips include looking for the original Greek or Hebrew words used in the Bible and reading commentaries which are interpretations written by brilliant theologians.