Bible Study for New Believers

So, you are a new believer in Christ, and you want to start studying the Bible? Let’s talk about some ways you can begin reading your Bible today, without feeling overwhelmed.

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Studying the Bible can feel like a daunting task. One look at it, with its small letters, thin pages, and sheer volume of 66 books, can make anyone feel intimidated. I hear far too often from new Christians that they don’t know where to start, and so they don’t read their Bible at all. I want to change that!

When I became a Christian, I started reading the Bible right away. Jesus had just changed my entire life, and I wanted to know who this man was! It didn’t even occur to me that someone wouldn’t read the Bible after being saved.
Which leads me to my first tip…

1. Fall in love with Jesus

You’ll never truly desire to read the Bible if you aren’t first in love with Christ.
The Bible is a collection of books written over more than 1,500 years, all pointing to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. God gave us the Scriptures so we might know Him, love Him, and make Him known.

After becoming a Christian, you are called to follow Jesus. One of the tools we’ve been given to understand how to follow Him is the Bible itself. Studying Scripture is like reading a stack of love letters your spouse left behind; you open them to know their heart more deeply. Opening your Bible is a simple act of love and devotion to God.

The Bible is unlike any other book ever written because it claims to be the very words of God (2 Peter 1:20–21, 2 Timothy 3:16). By studying it, we show our love for Jesus, as it reveals Him.

Now, to be clear, this doesn’t mean that if you don’t feel like reading one day, go through a “dry season,” or miss days on your reading plan, that you don’t love Jesus or that He’s upset with you. Not at all! It simply means that if you want to start studying the Bible with the right motive, your heart should be to know Jesus first and foremost.

We all go through seasons where we don’t feel like reading Scripture some days. That doesn’t reflect a lack of love for Jesus; it’s often just burnout, something we all experience at times.

2. Study the Bible by Yourself at First

Now that we’ve covered the most important tip, let’s move on to the second: study the Bible by yourself at first.

There are so many Bible studies, commentaries, and resources available today that it can honestly be overwhelming because it seems like everyone is selling a Bible study. But what does that mean for a new believer? It means that when you use those materials, you’re receiving what the Holy Spirit revealed to someone else, their insights and reflections from their time in Scripture.

That’s not a bad thing! There’s absolutely a time and place to learn from what God has shown others, especially when you’re seeking biblical wisdom in specific areas of life, dealing with struggles, or studying deeper historical and theological topics.

However, when you’re just starting out, it’s important to spend time reading and studying the Bible on your own. Try to read it all the way through at least once, and allow the Holy Spirit to speak directly to you, without another person’s voice or interpretation shaping your understanding.

The Holy Spirit is a sufficient guide, and Jesus promised this very thing: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” — John 16:13

Learning to hear from God through His Word personally will lay a strong foundation for every other study you do in the future.

3. Get a Bible Translation You Can Understand

There are so many translations of the Bible available today, and some people argue that the Bible can’t possibly be reliable because it’s been translated so many times, supposedly losing its original meaning. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

When a reputable Bible translation is created, the goal isn’t to change the meaning—it’s to make the Scriptures easier for modern readers to understand. Some translations are paraphrases of the original text, while others aim to stay as close to the literal wording as possible. Most modern translations are produced by teams of scholars who carefully study the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts to preserve the intended meaning of the text in a language we can understand today.

C.S. Lewis explained it beautifully in the foreword to Letters to Young Readers:

“There is no such thing as translating a book into another language once and for all, for a language is a changing thing. If your son is to have clothes it is no good buying him a suit once and for all: he will grow out of it and have to be re-clothed.”

Bible translations aren’t evidence that the Scriptures are unreliable. Quite the opposite—they show how God has made His Word accessible to every generation. Translation allows us to read and understand the same truth that has always pointed to Christ.

The better you understand what you’re reading, the more likely you are to truly grasp its message. For new believers, I recommend starting with the NIV (New International Version) because it balances accuracy with readability, making it easier to comprehend without losing depth.

4. Choose a Book of the Bible or a Reading Plan—and Stick to It

When studying the Bible, it’s important to read through an entire book from start to finish. Pulling out random verses here and there can make it difficult to grasp the full message of what the author is trying to communicate.

It would be like picking up a novel, starting in Chapter 8, reading a few paragraphs, then flipping back to Chapter 2 and reading a few more. You might catch pieces of the story, but you’d miss the main plot and purpose.

While the Bible is a collection of 66 books, it tells one unified story, the story of humanity’s fall and redemption through Jesus Christ. If you only read scattered verses without context, it’s easy to lose sight of that greater narrative. You might be reading the Bible to get something out of it for yourself instead of reading it to know Jesus more deeply.

Of course, it’s perfectly fine to read individual verses or passages for encouragement, but when you’re ready to study the Bible, it’s wise to read all the way through a book before moving on to the next. You don’t have to finish it in one sitting; just keep coming back until it’s complete.

Using a Bible reading plan can help you stay consistent. Reading plans give you a set schedule of chapters each day, guiding you through a specific book (or even the entire Bible) within a chosen time frame. They help you stay the course and build a steady habit of engaging with God’s Word.

5. Mark Up Your Bible (or Use a Digital One)

If you’re anything like me, born in the era where gel pens and highlighters made note-taking the highlight of class, then you probably love marking things up! I want to circle, underline, and highlight all the words, phrases, and verses that stand out to me.

If that sounds like you, I recommend printing off books of the Bible or buying individual books of the Bible (check out the link for individual paper Bibles from Amazon). That way, you can circle, highlight, and make as many notes as you want without feeling like you’re “messing up” your main Bible.

This is especially helpful when you’re just starting to study Scripture. You’ll likely have a lot of questions, cross-references, and word definitions you want to jot down as you go. Writing these directly in the margins or alongside the text helps you stay engaged and remember what you’re learning.

If you’re not the pen-and-paper type, don’t worry, the YouVersion Bible App is a great option for the more tech-savvy. It lets you highlight, bookmark, and take digital notes right inside the app. You can also read the Bible with friends and join reading plans with them, too.

Whether you prefer colorful pens and notebooks or digital tools, the goal is the same: to interact with God’s Word in a way that helps it sink deep into your heart and mind.

Paper Bible for New Believers

Wrap-Up

Studying the Bible with the intention of knowing your Savior, Jesus, and His incredible love for you is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things we can do as we follow Him on this earth.

The very fact that God has preserved the Bible for over 2,000 years—despite countless efforts to destroy it or keep it out of people’s hands—shows how deeply He desires for us to have His Word, study it, and read it as often as we can.

Studying the Bible as a new believer doesn’t have to be difficult. Don’t feel pressured to understand everything right away; there will always be passages that take time to fully grasp. That’s okay. The Holy Scriptures are alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), and God continues to reveal new truths each time you read.

Approach your Bible study with a humble heart, a teachable spirit, and the desire to know Jesus more deeply—and He will meet you there, every single time.