For some of us, our underlined Bibles sit by our beds. For others, it’s been gathering dust on a shelf, or was never opened at all.
The Bible is big. It’s ancient. Sometimes it’s confusing, unsettling, even offensive. Some walk away from its pages inspired. Others, disturbed.
So how do we approach it?
My Bible Journey
My dad was the pastor of our church, my parents were missionaries, they were Bible teachers, they produced Bible studies, and were on the editing team for the Bible translation into another language. I grew up watching and listening to them as they’d walk people through tough questions with gentleness and grace, whether on stage, on the street, on the radio, on tv or in our living room.
The first time I started reading the Bible, I was writing it. I couldn’t understand all the words, but I liked copying them onto my little notebook with my pencil. I was 6 years old. I had witnessed my dad run into a burning building to help some people while I was held back by some firemen. For some reason, I coped with that trauma by starting to read (and write) my Bible.
By age 12, I was eagerly browsing my dad’s theological library. On rainy days, you could find me on the rug of his office, devouring the writings of C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer, and so many others. I would have never guessed that a few years later I would be emailing back and forth with C.S. Lewis’ stepson, Douglas Gresham. In middle-school, I enjoyed theological conversations with my friends. Through high-school, I added archeology and apologetics to my research. Even on camping vacations, you’d find me diving into these books while suntanning.
I later got a Bible degree at University, and later got to enjoy diving into topics with my husband while he studied for his Masters at a Theological Seminary.
While my journey has always included valleys of doubt, verbal fights with God, tears of confusion and questions, God has always shown up through it all and continually brought me to streams of living water, patches of rest, and food for the soul. The Bible has often been a light through darkness and the fire still burns within me to understand it, for the purpose of knowing God and following Jesus.
10 Principles That Guide How I Read The Bible
Why use any principles at all?
Not everyone sees the same message in a passage. So how do we discover what the original writers intended to say? How do we discern what God wants to reveal? And how do we faithfully apply those truths to our lives today?
The New Testament urges us to examine all teachings carefully, to test interpretations, and to study the Bible with discernment. Paul commended the Berean Jews, who were “of more noble character… because they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:10–11). He also instructed believers to weigh carefully what is said (1 Corinthians 14:29). And John warned us not to accept every teaching blindly, but to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).
Over the years. through study, personal wrestling, and countless conversations with my dad, theologians, authors, pastors, and teachers, I’ve come to rely on the following principles and questions to guide how I read and interpret the Bible.
1. The Meaning of the Original Words
Question: What did the original word mean to the author and audience at the time?
When something is unclear or in question, I go back to the original Hebrew or Greek word used. Just as a court wouldn’t examine a copy of a photograph, but the original itself, it’s best to look at the source. Understanding a word’s original meaning, grammar, syntax, and context helps us better discern the author’s intent.
- Greek is a far richer and more nuanced language than English. A single Greek word can carry multiple layers of meaning that may be flattened in translation.
- Hebrew has a smaller vocabulary than English, and often relies on imagery and context rather than technical precision. A single word can evoke layers of meaning that don’t neatly fit into English.
It’s important to study how a word or concept in question is used elsewhere in Scripture, how it was understood in its own time, and how it might have been heard by the original audience.
2. The Context of the Translator
Question: How might the translator’s beliefs, culture, or era have influenced their word choices?
We do not read the original text. What we have in our hands is a translation. And translators have disagreed with each other’s translations (which is one reason why we have so many different Bible versions). Translators bring their own context, culture, theology, cultural lingo, assumptions, and even expectations of the publishing committee or financial supporters into the process.
Language evolves, and even small translation choices can dramatically shape how a passage is understood. Therefore, when a word or section is confusing, I also examine how it has been translated over time. Comparing translations across decades, traditions, and languages can reveal where bias or inconsistency may have influenced the wording. Some English words chosen 400 years ago meant something very different then than they do today. Studying the context of the translator helps us become more aware of where interpretation is happening, so that we don’t confuse man’s choices with God’s voice.
3. The Original Audience
Question: How would the original audience have understood this passage in their time and place?
The Bible wasn’t written to us. Its letters and books were written by specific people to specific groups, shaped by their own culture, language, and historical context. To interpret Scripture faithfully, we must first understand how the original audience would have heard it, what it meant in their world, and why it was written. Only then can we rightly apply its principles today.
While cultures change, God remains the same—and so does the core message of Scripture. Understanding the original context helps us grasp that unchanging message and apply it wisely.
What were the customs, politics, and worldview of the people this was written to? What were the historical, cultural, philosophical, and social forces at play? When we enter their world, we begin to hear the author’s expressions, nuances, and intent as the first audience would have. This helps us understand the meaning behind the illustrations, behaviors, and instructions in the text.
We must enter their world, not force them into ours. Pulling ancient behaviors into a modern context without understanding their origins is dangerous. Misapplying Scripture often begins with misunderstanding the culture behind it.
4. Genre Matters
Question: What kind of writing is this, and how should that shape my interpretation?
The Bible is made up of many books: poetry, prophecy, law codes, letters, wisdom sayings, parables, genealogy, apocalyptic visions, and historical narrative. We don’t read poetry the way we read history. We don’t treat a proverb like a promise, or a parable like a news report. The Psalms give us permission to pour out raw emotions, not prescriptions for how to feel. Revelation uses vivid imagery to convey truth, not to create a literal calendar. Knowing the genre helps us ask the right questions of the text and hear what the author meant to communicate. Misreading a genre can lead to serious confusion, falseness or harm. Considering the literary form the author uses, leads us to understand it correctly. Misunderstanding the genre of a text can end up distorting its message.
5. Seeing Clearly: Recognizing Our Lens
Question: What am I bringing to this text?
As Dr. David Gushee warns: “there is no such thing as a plain reading of the text, because everyone is bringing their own contexts, histories, biases, and interpretations.” Every one of us reads the Bible through a particular lens that has been shaped by our upbringing, culture, church tradition, education, personality, and life experiences. None of us come to the Bible as a blank slate. And that’s okay, as long as we’re aware of it. The danger lies in not recognizing that we do. Recognizing our lenses doesn’t weaken Scripture; it strengthens our reading of it. It invites us to engage the text with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to be challenged. By acknowledging our perspective, we create space for Scripture to stretch us, not just affirm us. We open ourselves to deeper wisdom and a more faithful understanding of the God the Bible reveals. I try to keep Jesus as the lens through which I read, understand, and interpret all of Scripture. Any interpretation that contradicts the life, teachings, or spirit of Jesus deserves deeper examination. He is, as Hebrews 1:3 reminds us, “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.”
6. What the Bible Tells Us vs. What It Teaches Us
Question: Is this passage simply describing something, or is it prescribing something to follow?
Not everything the Bible describes is something it prescribes. Scripture includes many stories, events, and behaviors that are recorded but not endorsed. Just because something happens in the Bible doesn’t mean God approves of it or intends for us to imitate it. So when we encounter a passage, one of the first questions we should ask is: Is this an example to learn from, or a command to follow? Is the author merely recounting what happened, or is this a principle meant to guide us today? Sometimes biblical accounts are meant to inspire us. Sometimes, they serve as warnings. Both have something to teach us, but they are not prescriptions. Distinguishing between description and prescription protects us from misusing the Bible to justify harmful behavior. Faithful interpretation means looking beyond what is recorded and asking what God is actually revealing through it, and what we’re being called to do in response.
7. Not Every Metaphor Is a Mandate
Question: Is this an illustration from the author’s culture, or is it meant to be a moral command?
In a similar way, when biblical writers use examples for illustrations, they do not automatically mean they are a command. When the authors draw from familiar imagery of their time, that doesn’t mean they are offering moral endorsements. Paul, for instance, may reference slavery to illustrate spiritual truths, and Jesus often used agricultural metaphors to connect with His audience. This doesn’t mean that slavery is endorsed and everyone needs to be a farmer. Recognizing these as cultural illustrations helps us avoid mistaking metaphor for moral command. It’s important to understand the purpose behind the imagery, rather than assuming it reflects God’s approval or disapproval.
8. Maintain Consistency
Question: Am I applying the same interpretive approach to this passage that I apply elsewhere in Scripture?
Something that I have recently been more attentive to is to make sure that my interpretive methods are applied consistently across all my reading. If I use one approach in one passage but abandon it in another, that would raise important questions about the integrity of my interpretation. Inconsistency may reveal unconscious bias, selective reading, or a desire to make the Bible say what I want it to say. For example, if I insist on reading one verse literally but not another with no clear reason. Or what if I use cultural context for one topic but ignore it for another, what’s driving that choice? A faithful reading of the Bible requires that we handle all texts with the same level of care, honesty, and interpretive integrity, especially when the stakes are high. The goal isn’t to prove a point. The goal is to know God more truly and love others more faithfully.
9. The Danger of Isolated Verses
Question: Am I reading this verse in the context of the whole paragraph, chapter, and book?
Oh, the danger when one reads isolated verses without considering the whole paragraph, chapter, and book. A part cannot mean what the whole does not.
Throughout history, entire doctrines have been built on verses removed from their context. When we lift a sentence from its surrounding flow of thought, we risk distorting the author’s message or missing the point entirely. Every verse lives in a context: a paragraph, a chapter, a book, a genre. More importantly, every verse belongs to the larger story Scripture is telling, a story centered on God’s redemptive work through Jesus. One verse can never override the heart of the gospel or the overall themes of Scripture.
Reading in context doesn’t make the Bible less powerful. It makes it more trustworthy, more coherent, and far more life-giving.
10. Paying Attention to Repetition
Question: What themes or truths does the Bible repeat again and again?
In Scripture, repetition is never accidental. It’s an intentional emphasis. Ancient writers didn’t have bold fonts or italics, so they used repetition to say, “This matters. Don’t miss it.” For example, the phrase describing God as “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Exodus 34:6) is echoed throughout the Old Testament. The prophets call for justice and mercy more than 400 times. Jesus returns to core themes through parables and repeated sayings like “Truly I tell you.” Paul constantly circles back to grace, unity, and love.
Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann writes that the role of the prophet is “to evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness of the dominant culture.” That prophetic consciousness is built on repeated truths—justice, compassion, humility, and mercy.
Repetition reveals what matters most to God. If God says something once, we should listen. If He says it over and over, we dare not ignore it.
What I believe the Bible Is Not
The Bible is Not one book – it’s many
A collection of writings, the Bible was composed over centuries by dozens of different authors, to different people groups, in different cultures, languages, and circumstances. Some were prophets, poets, historians, or letter-writers. So, for me, it’s a priceless library that I know many didn’t have access to in the past. How it was put together and why, will be an exciting topic for another day.
The Bible is Not Flawless – but its message is
I believe God orchestrated its writing and has protected it over the years. Because it was written by people, these books do reflect human flaws, but none that change its message. As theologian Karen Keen puts it, these imperfections are human fingerprints all over God’s divine work of a humble God who chose to speak through ordinary people, using their culture, language, and perspective to communicate something extraordinary. Despite its complexity, the heart of the story holds steady. I believe God provided this library for us to show us his story of love, justice, redemption, and grace. A story of a God who became human, entered our mess, and gave His life to heal and restore. And it’s a story still unfolding in us today.
The Bible is Not The Word – Jesus is the Word
When Hebrews 4:12 describes the “word of God” as living and active, it is not referring to a physical book. Hebrews was written before the New Testament existed as a compiled text, so the author could not have meant “the Bible” as we understand it today. The passage speaks of God’s living, active self communication, ultimately revealed in Jesus. The Word of God is a “who”, not a “what”:
- “He [Jesus] is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” Revelation 19:13
- “In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made through him.”John 1:1–3
- “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14
- “That which was from the beginning… which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes… concerning the Word of life [Jesus].” 1 John 1:1–2
The Bible is Not God
The Bible bears witness to God. It’s points to God and his message for us. The Bible itself never claims to be God, nor does it ask to be worshiped. Instead, it consistently presents itself as a witness, pointing beyond its pages to the living God who speaks, acts, and relates to humanity. It’s a flashlight to God’s story covenantal faithfulness, a lamp to his message for his will for us. We do not worship the book, the ink, or the people who wrote it. We worship the God it reveals. The book is not a good luck charm that blesses our rooms. The Bible is a powerful witness, but it is not the destination. It points us to the One who is worthy of our worship. The message of the Bible guides us to whom we should worship. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a witness to God.
The Bible pages are Not Alive – the Spirit is
The pages in this book are not alive. It’s God’s Spirit who is alive and works through the message in this book to teach, correct, and guide, as described in 2 Timothy 3:16–17. The power does not reside in the physical pages, but in the living God who speaks through them. Scripture is a means through which God acts, not the source of life itself. The pages of this book are not what bring life, but rather who they point to. This book is neither a magical object whose power lies in ink and paper, nor an idol to worship. Instead, it bears witness of the one we should worship. It points beyond itself to the one who is alive, Jesus Christ, the Word of God. What is alive is the God the Bible reveals. What is alive is God’s Spirit, who works through Scripture to teach, correct, and guide, as described in 2 Timothy 3:16–17. Scripture is a means through which God acts, not the source of life itself.
The Bible is Not the only revelation – but it’s unique
The Bible is a unique and essential revelation of God. The Bible itself tells us, though, that God reveals himself to us through more than just through it’s pages. His glory and voice transcends beyond it’s pages:
- God reveals himself through his creation. He reveals his power, creativity, order, and beauty through the natural world. As Paul writes in Romans 1:20, God’s invisible qualities are clearly seen in what has been made. Psalm 19 tells us that the heavens declare his glory. Someone’s creation doesn’t tells us everything about it’s creator, but it does tell a lot.
- God reveals himself through human beings. The Bible says that human beings are made in his image. If we as humans experience love, compassion, creativity, justice, sacrifice, conscience, relationships, empathy, and care for others. That tells us a little bit about God. Scripture speaks of God’s law being written on human hearts (Romans 2:15). People are imperfect mirrors, but still real ones.
- God reveals himself through history. The people of God experienced deliverance, exile, suffering, healing, and restoration. People all over the world have experiences of guidance, conviction, peace, or calling. Missionaries tell of stories of visions or protection from Angles. People tell of visions of Jesus appearing in the far reached corners of the world. God’s reveals himself through the lives of those who have gone before in service for him.
- God reveals himself through his Holy Spirit. John tells us that the Holy Spirit will “teach us all things” (14:26) and “guide us into all truth” (16:13). He convicts, guides, explains, teaches, comforts, and more. In the last days he will reveal himself through visions and dreams (Acts 2:17–18). The spirit can also speak to us through other people (even when those people don’t realize it). The Holy Spirit speaks through the words we read in the Bible.
- Above all, God reveals himself through Jesus, the clearest and fullest revelation of God (Hebrews). As the Gospel of John puts it, whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father (John 14:9). And where do we learn about him? The Bible.
The Bible is unique. God reveals himself in many ways, but we all know human perception is fragile. How do we discern which voices to listen to? That is what is what makes the Bible unique. The Bible is not the only revelation of God, but it anchors us. It’s a gift from God, a preservation of the testimony of those who encountered God most directly and contains the words and life of Jesus himself. Any voice, vision, teaching, or experience must be measured against the character of God, who Jesus is and what he taught. The Bible guards us from confusion by continually pointing us back to Jesus, who remains the ultimate measure of what is true.
The Bible is Not a Science Book
The Bible was never intended to serve as a science textbook. The people who wrote it did not have modern scientific knowledge about how the earth orbits the sun, how things were formed or how the human body functions. Their writings were sacred reflections of their experiences with God, not scientific explanations.
There was a time when the church used Psalm 104:5 and Psalm 93:1 to support the belief that the earth was stationary and at the center of the universe. When scientists started discovering it was not stationary, some were burnt to the stake for heresy of teaching something “contrary to scripture”.
Rather than extracting science from Scripture, we can bring scientific understanding to our reading of it.
Next Steps: Where is the Bible taking me?
When all is said and done, we should ask: How does this shape my life and actions?
The Bible shows how a message that moves from a garden to the world, from tribal laws to global mission, from sacrifice to mercy, from hierarchy to mutuality. It leads us from exclusion to welcome, from law to grace, from sacrifice to mercy, and from written words to The Living Word.
And Jesus doesn’t just ask us to read the words. He calls us to embody their direction, to love more deeply, include more boldly, and reflect God’s kingdom more fully. He invites us not only to understand, but to respond.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” James 1:22–24
The question is no longer just “What does it say?” but “Where is it going?”
And more importantly, “Am I willing to go there too?”
Through It All: Remaining in Jesus
No matter how carefully we study, how faithfully we interpret, or how diligently we apply principles, our ultimate guide is not a list but a living relationship. Jesus reminds us in John 15:4 to “remain in me, as I also remain in you.” God never expected us to wrestle alone. Jesus promised that his Spirit would come as our Counselor, our Helper, our Teacher, to lead us into all truth (John 16:13). When I read the Bible, I invite him to guide my thoughts, correct my misunderstandings, and soften my heart. My principles and studies shape my reading, but God breathes life into it. Remaining in Christ, for me, means approaching the Bible with humility, seriousness, trust, faith, repentance, willingness, and love. It’s not just about information, but transformation.
Maybe God wants Us to Wrestle
Sometimes the text is ambiguous, confusing or unclear. Sometimes we come across passages that are hard to understand. People have misunderstood scripture in the past, and even used it for harm. Why would God make it so confusing? Why would God not be more clear?
Jesus was sometimes confusing to his followers as well. He often spoke in parables, using stories that were layered, open-ended, and sometimes unclear. Even his closest friends had to ask what he meant. He didn’t always offer easy answers. Jesus invited people to wrestle with truth.
Throughout the Bible, we see this pattern: God’s people asking questions, debating, struggling, and learning through the process. Maybe God wants us to wrestle.
Roots grow deeper only by pressing through dry, resistant soil to reach water. Maybe God invites us to wrestle too, so our faith can stretch, deepen, and grow.
Wrestling with the Bible isn’t a sign of weak faith. It’s a pathway to deeper faith. It’s in the tension, the seeking, and the ongoing conversation with God’s Word that we grow in wisdom, humility, and love.
The Principle of the Law
An age-old problem is that, when faced with gaps, confusion, or ambiguity in the Bible, people tend to fill in the blanks with human assumptions or traditions. But Jesus consistently taught that the principle behind the law is what truly matters. He confronted the legalism of the religious leaders of His day, those who clung to the letter of the law while missing its heart. They were so focused on the rules, that they missed the principles.
When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He wasn’t violating the law. He did it to reveal a deeper purpose. Jesus showed us how to interpret the law through the lens of loving God and loving others.
Jesus reversed the priorities of the religious leaders when he echoed the prophet Hosea: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” He reminded us that the law was made for mankind, not mankind for the law.
Laws were never meant to be ends in themselves. They were meant to serve life, protect dignity, fight for justice, protect the needy and guide us toward love. If we miss the purpose and the principle, we risk misapplying the law in ways that do harm rather than good. But when we read with Jesus as our guide, we discover a law that gives life, not burdens it.
The Foundation of Love
I have heard those who say that love is more important than truth. I have heard others say that truth is more important than love.
We cannot separate love and truth. Both are essential parts of who God is. Jesus is love (1 John 4:8). Jesus is truth (John 14:6). God is both.
Truth without love becomes harsh and lifeless.
Love without truth can become directionless.
But if we are going to argue for one to be above the other, I suggest we go back to 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Does this mean we are free to sin? No! But it reminds us that without love, we are nothing more than a noisy gong, gaining nothing of true value.
The Bible Still Matters
For all its complexity, tension, and history, I still come back to the Bible. Not because I’ve mastered it, but because it keeps leading me to the One who has never let go of me.
The Bible was never meant to be a fortress we hide inside or a weapon we use to win arguments. It was meant to be a lamp that lights the path toward Jesus, a path we walk with humility, honesty, and love.
I don’t read it to have all the answers. I read it to keep asking better questions. I read it to keep growing, to keep wrestling, to love my neighbor better, to make wise decisions, to know the hope I have in Jesus and understanding how to follow him.
In this sacred wrestling, I’ve found not just words, but a living Word. Not just pages, but a Person. Not just truth, but love.
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