How to read scripture correctly. How to read the Bible to understand its meaning. On the fulfillment of the Word of God

Reading the Bible and studying the Bible are two different things. In Christianity, it is generally accepted that the Bible is the holy word of God and therefore deserves to be treated with respect. The Bible is one of those books that is often misinterpreted, so many people simply do not understand what it teaches or says. The Bible was compiled over many centuries by a large number of people from different eras and cultures. The purpose of studying the Bible is to understand what the author of the text wanted to say in his own language, i.e. studying the text in the original language. If you don’t know where to start, don’t know what to read first and how to do it correctly - we’ll tell you everything!

Steps

General approach

Make a plan. Make time for Bible study. Make a calendar, for example, and mark Bible study hours for each day.

Get a good Bible. Choose one of the Bible translations. There is no need to read in excerpts, either from one book or another. Do not buy "literary" translations such as "Good News", "Word of God", etc.

• It is interesting to read different interpretations of the Bible, but you need to study the classical translations. After all, you want to figure out for yourself what exactly the author is trying to convey to you, and not read other people’s interpretations and opinions. The best, literal, classic translations are the King James Bible, the Holman Bible, and the New American Standard Bible.

1. Study the Bible with the intention and desire to understand and learn the truth. Try to get to the heart of things. The Bible should come alive in your hands and speak to you. After all, this is spiritual food.

   Pray. Ask God to help you understand his word. Take everything the Bible says literally. No need to try to read between the lines. Usually everything is simpler than it seems at first glance. “Know this first of all, that no prophecy in Scripture can be explained by oneself” (2 Peter 1:20,21). This is where all the misunderstandings and misunderstandings come from.

   Pay attention to the New Testament first. After all, the New Testament complements the Old, and the Old Testament will complement the New. Beginners should start with the New Testament. Then you will understand the Old Testament more clearly.

   Try starting with the books of John. This is the simplest Gospel. It talks about who Jesus is and helps you better understand what will happen in the rest of the Gospels. It is best to re-read the Gospel of John two or three times to remember everything well. It's good to read 3 chapters a day. Be careful and patient.

   • When you read from John, read from Mark, from Matthew and from Luke. Read all the Gospels.
   • When you finish reading the Gospels, read everything from Romans to Hebrews. You don't need to read Revelation just yet.

2. Select the topics you would like to study. Studying the Bible by topic is very different from studying individual chapters or books. When you find an interesting topic, start reading various passages in the Bible about it. This will give you some definite idea about the issue. For example, topics could be: salvation, obedience, sin, etc. Remember that if you read one chapter several times, you will discover, see and learn much more than those who read everything once.

   Bible Study

   1. Use a dictionary. Look up the meaning of unfamiliar words that appear in the text.

      Get a notebook. Write down all the most interesting things in it. Keep notes every day. When you have questions, be sure to write them down in your notebook. Ask questions like “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “why”, “how”. For example, “Who was there?”, or “What happened next?”, “Where is all this happening?” etc. Then it will be much easier for you to understand what is happening.

      Use colored pencils or markers to highlight important or interesting passages in the Bible.

      Read cross-references and footnotes if they appear in your Bible. They point to other places that say the same thing. It's like searching the entire Bible using keywords. Footnotes provide explanations or provide different interpretations of a given concept or verse, refer to specific events in history or famous historical figures.

      • Try cross-referencing some passages that caught your eye or weren't entirely clear.

   2. The order in which certain things or events are mentioned in the Bible is very important. Read the cross-referenced passages in the chronological order in which they were written.

      Take notes constantly. You don’t need to write a lot, just write the date, place, verse that you remember. Write in general terms about what you read that day. Ask yourself questions and answer them. This will help you understand what the author of the text wants to convey to readers, and what exactly God wants to tell you. Later, it is helpful to review your notes, reflect on them, and pray.

      Try not to get distracted. Turn off the TV and radio. Try to study the Bible in peace and quiet. This is the time you need to spend alone with God.

   Study the Bible with Others

   Sample Curriculum

   Stick to order. For example, study the New Testament first. Read the books in order. Here's an example:

   Start with the Gospels. Each of the Gospels tells a different story about Jesus. Matthew talks about Jesus as a king, Mark as a Rabbi, a teacher (by the way, many scholars think that Mark was the son of Peter, citing 1 Peter 5:12,13). But other studies indicate that Mark was a missionary who worked with Paul (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke talks about Jesus as a man (Luke was a doctor, most likely a Greek (Colossians 4:14), and John talks about Jesus as God, that is, the Messiah.

   • Read the Gospel of John twice. This will help you understand the Holy Scriptures better. The Gospel of John was the last to be written. The rest of the Gospels are called synoptic because they tell the story of Jesus, writing down their thoughts about the events along the way. John fills in the gaps left by the other Gospels. This is the most complete book of the New Testament.

   1. Now begin your study of Acts. e. “The Acts of the Holy Apostles.” This book was written by Luke and tells the story of the formation and development of the first Christian churches.

   2. Read all the books from Galatians to Philemon. These 6 short letters were sent by Paul to the three churches he attended, to his three friends - Timothy, Titus and Philemon.

      • Read the book of Romans. Here is the path to salvation. Then study Corinthians. It talks about the Holy Spirit and his gifts. Next, read the book of Hebrews and the book of Jude. These are the teachings of the early church elders.
      • No need to read Revelation yet. This is a book of prophecies that only well-read Christians can understand.

   3. Now open the Old Testament. It is not compiled in chronological order. The Old Testament has 929 chapters, so if you read 3 chapters a day, you will read it all in 10 months.

      • Read the book of Genesis. It tells about the creation of the World and the relationship of the first people with God.
      • Read Exodus and Deuteronomy. The Law is discussed here.
      • Read history books. Joshua and Esther (Esther).
      • Read the following books - a book of wisdom and poetry.
        • The Book of Job is said to be the oldest book. She talks about the relationship between God and man. It contains many useful lessons, and also talks about what God expects from a person.
        • The Psalms were written by the king of Israel, a man after God's own heart, despite the fact that he was not only a sinner, but also a murderer.
        • The Song of Songs was written by Solomon as a young man. This is a book of poetry written by a young man in love. King Solomon was the wisest and richest man in the world.
        • The book of Proverbs of Solomon was written by him in his adulthood, when he was king of Israel.
        • The book of Ecclesiastes was also written by King Solomon. She talks about what not to do.
      • Next, read the books of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
      • Read the remaining 12 books of the Old Testament.
   • At first, you will find it difficult to read the Bible every day. But after reading it, your soul will always feel lighter and more pleasant. This is daily spiritual food. Do not give up. Pray and ask God for help if you are having a hard time.
   • Pray before reading the Bible. Ask God to clear your mind of unnecessary things so that you can better understand his word. There is a special prayer in the Bible that can help you (Ephesians 1:16-23).
   • The Gospels must be read in a certain order because each of them describes Jesus differently and presents him from a different side. John = like God; Mark = as a Servant; Matvey = like the King; Luke = like a Man. There is no need to read too much into the stories about who gave birth to whom and when - the family tree that Matvey and Luke talk so much about.
   • As you begin to study the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. The Bible (John 14:26) says that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send, will teach us all things and remind us of everything that Jesus said.
   • After you have read the entire Bible at least once, with the help of a good teacher, read Layman's Guide to Hermeneutics and Apologetics.
   • There are 261 chapters in the New Testament. If you read 3 chapters a day, you will read the entire New Testament in 90 days. If you want to read the entire Bible as quickly as possible, read 3 chapters from the New Testament in the morning, and 4 chapters from the Old Testament in the evening. Then in 87 days you will have read the entire New Testament. You still have 668 chapters of the Old Testament left to read. If you read 3 in the morning and 4 in the evening, you will read everything in 6 months. Of course, it is better to read less, for example, 3 chapters a day. This way you will understand and remember more.
   • Check the accuracy of the version of the Bible you are reading. Read about this version on the Internet.
   • You can also use a special book called “The Bible in One Year.” Of course, if you are going to study the Bible, this book is not for you.
   • There are several books and guides that can help you better understand the text of the Bible. You don't need to buy them all. If you need help, buy one thing. A list of good guides and books is given below.
   • Commit to getting up early in the morning and reading the Bible. For example, tell yourself, “If you don’t read the Bible in the morning, you won’t get breakfast.” King David, for example, studied the Holy Scriptures morning and evening. (Psalms 1:2).

   Warnings

   • The Bible was written not in Russian or English, but in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. This means that the translation of some words and concepts is not entirely accurate, since our language does not always have suitable words to translate some foreign concepts. Some passages in the Bible were translated literally, others - artistically. Read, pray, talk to other Christians, try to understand what the author of the text wanted to tell you.
   • There is no need to read the opinion of every researcher and expert on one issue. It will only confuse you. Read, ask questions, and try to find the answers yourself (such as Acts 17:11). Let the Bible speak to you personally. God will reveal the truth to you and help you understand what is written.
   • Sometimes you will doubt what you have written because it will seem unscientific and unnatural to you. Try not to jump to conclusions. There is no need to try to criticize what is written and interpret it in your own way (2 Peter 1:20,21). Open the part that you don’t understand, read it in context several times. Perhaps it has a completely different, non-literal meaning? Talk to someone who is also studying the Bible. Read the cross-references, maybe everything will become clearer.

   What you will need

   • The influence of the Holy Spirit. Be open and receptive so that the Holy Spirit can guide you and reveal to you the essence of the Bible.
   • A good guide to the Bible.
   • It is better to use the King James Version of the Bible. If you don't have one, you can also use the New International Version, New American Standard Bible, or Holman Bible.
   • Notepad or notebook.
   • A symphony is a book in which various words and concepts from the Bible are collected, their meanings, etymology, roots are given, as well as other places where these words are used. Find the Symphony to the Bible. There you will also find various translations of some words from Hebrew and Greek. The book can be viewed here Blue Letter Bible. You will find a lot of useful information on the site.
   • Bible Dictionary. It contains an explanation of the words used in the Bible. This is a kind of encyclopedia with articles about places, people, money, etc. You can buy such a dictionary in a store or online.

— We Orthodox Christians are often reproached for not reading the Bible as often as, for example, Protestants do. How fair are such accusations?

- The Orthodox Church recognizes two sources of knowledge of God - Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. Moreover, the first is an integral part of the second. After all, initially the sermons of the holy apostles were delivered and transmitted orally. Sacred Tradition includes not only Holy Scripture, but also liturgical texts, decrees of Ecumenical Councils, iconography and a number of other sources that occupy an important place in the life of the Church. And everything that is said in the Holy Scriptures is also in the Tradition of the Church.

Since ancient times, the life of a Christian has been inextricably linked with biblical texts. And in the 16th century, when the so-called “Reformation” arose, the situation changed. Protestants abandoned the Holy Tradition of the Church and limited themselves to only studying the Holy Scriptures. And therefore, a special kind of piety appeared among them - reading and studying biblical texts. Once again I want to emphasize: from the point of view of the Orthodox Church, Holy Tradition includes the entire scope of church life, including the Holy Scriptures. Moreover, even if someone does not read the Word of God, but regularly attends the temple, he hears that the entire service is permeated with biblical quotations. Thus, if a person lives a church life, then he is in the atmosphere of the Bible.

— How many books are included in the Holy Scriptures? What is the difference between the Orthodox Bible and the Protestant Bible?

— The Holy Scriptures are a collection of books, different books according to the time of their writing, and by authorship, and by content, and by style. They are divided into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are 77 books in the Orthodox Bible, and 66 in the Protestant Bible.

- What causes this discrepancy?

— The fact is that in the Orthodox Bible, more precisely in the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament, in addition to 39 canonical books, there are 11 more non-canonical books: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach, Epistle of Jeremiah, Baruch, the second and third books of Ezra, three books of Maccabees. In the “Long Christian Catechism” of St. Philaret of Moscow it is said that the division of books into canonical and non-canonical is caused by the absence of the latter (11 books) in Jewish primary sources and their presence only in Greek, i.e. in the Septuagint (translation of 70 interpreters). In turn, Protestants, starting with M. Luther, abandoned non-canonical books, mistakenly assigning them the status of “apocryphal”. As for the 27 books of the New Testament, they are recognized by both Orthodox and Protestants. We are talking about the Christian part of the Bible, written after the Nativity of Christ: the New Testament books testify to the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the first decades of the existence of the Church. These include the four Gospels, the book of the Acts of the Apostles, the epistles of the apostles (seven - conciliar and 14 - of the Apostle Paul), as well as the Revelation of John the Theologian (Apocalypse).

— How to study the Bible correctly? Is it worth starting knowledge from the first pages of Genesis?

— The main thing is to have a sincere desire to learn the Word of God. It's better to start with the New Testament. Experienced pastors recommend getting acquainted with the Bible through the Gospel of Mark (that is, not in the order in which they are presented). It is the shortest, written in simple and accessible language. Having read the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John, we move on to the book of Acts, the Apostolic Epistles and the Apocalypse (the most complex and most mysterious book in the entire Bible). And only after this can you begin to read the Old Testament books. Only after reading the New Testament, it is easier to understand the meaning of the Old. After all, it was not for nothing that the Apostle Paul said that the Old Testament legislation was a teacher to Christ (see: Gal. 3: 24): it leads a person, as if a child by the hand, to let him truly understand what happened during the Incarnation, What in principle is the incarnation of God for a person...

— What if the reader does not understand some episodes of the Bible? What to do in this case? Who should I contact?

— It is advisable to have books on hand that explain the Holy Scriptures. We can recommend the works of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria. His explanations are short, but very accessible and deeply ecclesiastical, reflecting the Tradition of the Church. The conversations of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospels and Apostolic Epistles are also classic. If any questions arise, it would be a good idea to consult with an experienced priest. It is necessary to understand that reading the Holy Scriptures is part of a spiritual achievement. And it is very important to pray, to cleanse your soul. Indeed, even in the Old Testament it was said: wisdom will not enter an evil soul and will not dwell in a body enslaved to sin, for the Holy Spirit of wisdom will withdraw from wickedness and turn away from foolish speculations, and will be ashamed of the approaching unrighteousness (Wisdom 1: 4-5) .

- So, you need to prepare for reading the Holy Scriptures in a special way?

— Experienced elders in monasteries gave the novice a rule: before studying the Holy Scriptures, you first need to familiarize yourself with the works of the holy fathers. Bible readings are not just studying the Word of God, they are like prayer. In general, I would recommend reading the Bible in the morning, after the prayer rule. I think it’s easy to set aside 15-20 minutes to read one or two chapters from the Gospel, the Apostolic Epistles. This way you can get a spiritual charge for the whole day. Very often, in this way, answers to serious questions that life poses to a person appear.

— Sometimes the following situation happens: you read it, understand what it’s about, but it doesn’t suit you because you don’t agree with what’s written...

— According to Tertullian (one of the church writers of antiquity), our soul is Christian by nature. Thus, biblical truths were given to man from the very beginning; they are embedded in his nature, his consciousness. We sometimes call this conscience, that is, it is not something new that is unusual for human nature. The main tenets of the Holy Scriptures are the voice of God, sounding in the nature of each of us. Therefore, you need, first of all, to pay attention to your life: is everything in it consistent with the commandments of God? If a person does not want to listen to the voice of God, then what other voice does he need? Who will he listen to?

— Saint Philaret was once asked: how can one believe that the prophet Jonah was swallowed by a whale with a very narrow throat? In response, he said: “If it were written in the Holy Scriptures that it was not a whale that swallowed Jonah, but Jonah a whale, I would believe that too.” Of course, today such statements can be perceived with sarcasm. In this regard, the question arises: why does the Church trust the Holy Scripture so much? After all, the biblical books were written by people...

— The main difference between the Bible and other books is revelation. This is not just the work of some outstanding person. Through the prophets and apostles, the voice of God Himself is reproduced in accessible language. If the Creator addresses us, then how should we react to this? Hence such attention and such trust in the Holy Scriptures.

— In what language were the biblical books written? How has their translation affected the modern perception of sacred texts?

— Most of the Old Testament books are written in Hebrew. Some of them survive only in Aramaic. The already mentioned non-canonical books have reached us exclusively in Greek: for example, Judith, Tobit, Baruch and the Maccabees. The third book of Ezra is known to us in its entirety only in Latin. As for the New Testament, it was mainly written in Greek - in the Koine dialect. Some biblical scholars believe that the Gospel of Matthew was written in Hebrew, but no primary sources have reached us (there are only translations). Of course, it would be better to read and study biblical books based on primary sources and originals. But this has been the case since ancient times: all books of Holy Scripture were translated. And therefore, for the most part, people are familiar with the Holy Scriptures translated into their native language.

— It would be interesting to know: what language did Jesus Christ speak?

— Many people believe that Christ used Aramaic. However, when talking about the original Gospel of Matthew, most biblical scholars point to Hebrew as the language of the Old Testament books. Disputes on this topic continue to this day.

— According to Bible societies, back in 2008, the Bible was translated in whole or in part into 2,500 languages. Some scientists believe that there are 3 thousand languages ​​in the world, others point to 6 thousand. It is very difficult to define the criterion: what is a language and what is a dialect. But we can say with absolute confidence: all people living in different parts of the globe can read the Bible in whole or in part in their native language.

— Which language is preferable for us: Russian, Ukrainian or Church Slavonic?

— The main criterion is that the Bible must be understandable. Traditionally, Church Slavonic is used during divine services in the Church. Unfortunately, it is not studied in secondary schools. Therefore, many biblical expressions require explanation. This, by the way, applies not only to our era. This problem also arose in the 19th century. At the same time, a translation of the Holy Scriptures into Russian appeared - the Synodal Translation of the Bible. It has stood the test of time and had a huge impact on the development of the Russian language in particular and Russian culture in general. Therefore, for Russian-speaking parishioners, I would recommend using it for home reading. As for Ukrainian-speaking parishioners, the situation here is a little more complicated. The fact is that the attempt at the first complete translation of the Bible into Ukrainian was made by Panteleimon Kulish in the 60s of the 19th century. He was joined by Ivan Nechuy-Levitsky. The translation was completed by Ivan Pulyuy (after Kulish’s death). Their work was published in 1903 by the Bible Society. In the 20th century the most authoritative were the translations of Ivan Ogienko and Ivan Khomenko. Currently, many people are attempting to translate the entire Bible or parts of it. There are both positive experiences and difficult, controversial issues. So, it would probably be incorrect to recommend any specific text of the Ukrainian translation. Now the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is translating the Four Gospels. I hope that this will be a successful translation both for home reading and for liturgical services (in those parishes where Ukrainian is used).

— In some parishes, during the service, a biblical passage is read in their native language (after reading in Church Slavonic)...

— This tradition is typical not only for ours, but also for many foreign parishes, where there are believers from different countries. In such situations, liturgical passages from the Holy Scriptures are repeated in native languages. After all, spiritual food must be given to a person in a form in which it can bring spiritual benefit.

— From time to time, information appears in the media about some new biblical book that was allegedly previously lost or kept secret. It necessarily reveals some “sacred” moments that contradict Christianity. How to treat such sources?

— In the last two centuries, many ancient manuscripts have been discovered, which has made it possible to coordinate the view on the study of the biblical text. First of all, this concerns the Qumran manuscripts discovered in the Dead Sea area (in the Qumran caves). Many manuscripts were found there - both biblical and gnostic (that is, texts that distort Christian teaching). It is possible that many manuscripts of a Gnostic nature will be found in the future. It should be recalled that even during the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The Church fought against the heresy of Gnosticism. And in our time, when we are witnessing a craze for the occult, these texts appear under the guise of some kind of sensation.

— By what criteria can one determine a positive result from regular reading of the Holy Scriptures? By the number of memorized quotes?

— We read the Word of God not for memorization. Although there are situations, for example in seminaries, when exactly this task is set. Biblical texts are important for spiritual life in order to feel the breath of God Himself. Thus, we become familiar with the grace-filled gifts that are in the Church, we learn about the commandments, thanks to which we become better, and draw closer to the Lord. Therefore, studying the Bible is the most important part of our spiritual ascent, spiritual life. With regular reading, many passages are gradually memorized without special memorization.

I remember I had this question when I first picked up the Bible. I thought about starting to read from the beginning, like an ordinary book, but I am grateful to God that Christian friends suggested that it is better to start reading not from the beginning, because I may not have the patience to read all the books and understand the essence of all the books correctly. The fact is that .

There are several translations of the Bible in Russian. The most common is Synodal. It was completed and published with the blessing of the Holy Synod (hence the name "synodal") in 1876. The language of this translation should be understandable to anyone who has read Russian classics. The Synodal translation is read by the overwhelming majority of all Russian Christians. If you want to read the Bible in a simpler language, then there is a translation such as MBO (International Bible Society) and New translation.

1. Gospel(there are only four of them, these are four testimonies of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ). I recommend starting with Gospel of Luke (it is about 40 pages long). Moreover, this Gospel tells more fully about all stages of the life of Jesus in comparison with other Gospels.

Don't be afraid to mark with a pencil important thoughts of the text. God's purpose is to teach you His truth, not to keep your book intact.
Questions Write down on separate pieces of paper (or notebooks) to ask Christian friends ( ).

2. Romans (it is best read after the Gospel). This 16-page letter is addressed to believers in Rome who could not stop fighting over how to live as a Christian and whether to obey the law. The Apostle explains the essence of faith in Jesus Christ, helping to understand the Gospel.

3. Gospel of John- 30 pages (it differs in the view of events and the selection of facts from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke). Reading the Gospel of John after the letter to the Romans will help you better understand the essence of the Good News (this is how the word Gospel is translated), believe in Jesus Christ and accept God's salvation from sins.

4. Galatians(5 pages). It will show how the Apostle Paul communicated with Christians who misunderstood the Gospel.

5. Acts of the Holy Apostles (39 pages) will help you see how the church developed (community of people who believe in Christ) after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Personally, I really like Acts because it not only tells the teachings of Jesus, but also shows them being put into practice. (it's also easier to read because there are a lot of adventures).

7. Revelation of John the Theologian(20 pages). Shows the events of recent days. Christ shows John what will happen before He comes to earth a second time for judgment. It also talks about what will happen to people after the earth and the entire universe are destroyed. This is a prophetic book that is replete with a lot of different colorful images and helps to be calm because it shows the outcome of the battle (as if you were shown a video from the future about how the war ended). You can , But I advise you to do this after reading, so as not to be hostage to the images drawn by another imagination.

8. Gospel of Mark (this is the shortest Gospel - 23 pages). In general, it is always better to read the Gospel, because it contains the very essence of the entire Bible. Now I advise you to read it in order not to lose focus on the main thing behind this abundance of images of Revelation and the following truths of the messages.

10. Gospel of Matthew (38 pages). This gospel begins with a genealogy that often confuses readers, especially when they read the Bible for the first time. So just read it without any embarrassment and move on. Later, this pedigree and the purpose of bringing it will become clearer to you.

11. Hebrews(12 pages). It is a must-read before starting to read the Old Testament of the Bible. (events and prophecies written before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth), because this message explains images that may not be understood if you read the Old Testament without knowing this explanation.

12. Old Testament (923 pages), starting with Genesis and in order. Some books, such as Leviticus and Numbers, can be difficult to read because they describe laws and regulations, instructions for offering sacrifices and setting up the tabernacle. For the first time, you can skip those chapters that will be very incomprehensible to you, so as not to stop. After all, you must remember that the first reading of the Bible is a kind of introductory one, so you just need to dive in and read the information. And it is better to understand in depth during the second reading, when the entire Bible is read at least once.

When you come to visit and are shown a family photo album, you cannot do without some additional comments to help you correctly navigate the faces depicted. After all, the family archive is the property of a given family, so an outsider may not be able to figure it out on their own.

The Bible was written for the chosen people, whose heir, after the coming of the Lord and Savior into the world, was the people of God, that is, the Church of Christ. The Bible is the book of the Church. And therefore it must be understood as the family to which it belongs understands, that is Church.

But first, let's talk about this. Today, everyone can buy a Bible, open it and start reading. What is needed for this reading to lead to a positive result and become life-saving? And is it possible to read the Bible the way one reads an ordinary book?

The Bible is a Divine book, it is the Word of God addressed to us. But we must prepare ourselves for a correct understanding of this Word. If we open sacred pages somewhere on the subway or on a bus, if we try to penetrate their meaning hastily or without effort, then most likely we will not understand anything. This requires internal preparation, a certain spiritual attitude.

The Holy Fathers teach that reading the Bible should be preceded by prayer - concentration of spiritual and mental strength in order to “cool down” from the heat of everyday life, to free ourselves from the captivity of emotions, passions, and experiences. “Let your reading be in silence, undisturbed by anything,” inspires the Monk Isaac the Syrian. Ancient monks read Scripture little by little, out loud, trying to concentrate as much as possible on the meaning of the biblical text. In 4th-century Egyptian monasteries, monks memorized biblical texts by repeating them constantly to themselves throughout the day. And the great Russian saint of the 19th century, St. Seraphim of Sarov, said that the Christian’s mind should “swim” in the words of Scripture. When reading the Bible, you need to

readiness to perceive it not only with the mind, but also with the heart. The Bible should be read slowly. There is no need to absorb chapter after chapter, reading several pages at a time without stopping. “When you read the Divine Scripture, do not just keep in mind to read sheet by sheet,” says the Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountain. “But listen to every word with thoughtfulness.” It is best to read no more than one chapter a day, reflecting on what you read. It is very important to notice incomprehensible words in the Holy Scriptures, to write down expressions that are new to us, so that later, by turning to interpretation or with the help of an enlightened person, we can find the answer to the question that arose while reading the Word of God.

By reading the Bible, we enter into communication with God, recognize Him, and establish a personal connection with the Creator. That's why Reading the Bible is not only a rational, but also a deeply spiritual activity.

Depending on the level of knowledge, education, and life experience, a person develops his own perception and understanding of the biblical text. There is some danger hidden in this. On the one hand, individual work with the Word of God kindles a religious feeling in us and strengthens our faith. But on the other hand, we are not immune from mistakes when, while reading the Bible, we are able, due to ignorance, lack of experience and appropriate education, to come to the wrong conclusions.
In this regard, the question arises: is there an infallible criterion for the correct understanding of the Holy Scriptures? The Church asserts: since the Bible is the book of the people of God - the Church, then the general church understanding contains the criterion, by checking with which, mistakes can be avoided.

Why is the general church understanding of the Bible infallible, but an individual one can turn into error?
The Bible is a Divinely inspired book, written by Divine inspiration, and in order to penetrate into the essence of God's message to the world and man, you need to have the Holy Spirit in your heart.

People are at different distances from God. One is closer, the other is further away. One has great gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the other does not have these gifts. But it is known: in the Church as a community of faith, the same Divine Spirit lives and acts, Who inspired the ancient biblical authors with inspired texts. And therefore the Church, having this Spirit within itself, is able to accurately comprehend the Word of God. This all-perfect interpretation of Holy Scripture is, of course, not contained in the individual statements of certain church leaders, even the most enlightened and authoritative ones. An infallible understanding of the Word of God is preserved in church teaching, which is formed on the basis of Holy Scripture, belongs to the Church and is passed on within its bosom from generation to generation. Thus, Church doctrine, based on the Word of God, is in its essence an extensive commentary on the Word, inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit.

With what solemnity, with what majesty the reading of the Holy Scriptures takes place in the Church! At one of the most important moments of the service, the Word of God is solemnly carried into the middle of the temple. Before proclaiming the text during the Divine Liturgy, the priest reads a special prayer in which he asks the Lord to help everyone present understand the meaning of what is being read. The deacon exclaims: “Wisdom. Let us listen,” thereby emphasizing that the Word of God brings special wisdom to people, and it must be perceived with special attention. After reading the biblical texts, the liturgy is followed by a sermon, promoting the correct church understanding of Divine truths.

Listening to the words of Holy Scripture, we stand with our heads bowed, ready to receive the Word of God. Listening to the eternal verbs of Divine Revelation, we part with the world for a while and plunge into ourselves. For the Word of God, according to the testimony of the apostle, in its action is like a “sword of the spirit” (Eph. 6.17), capable of cutting human nature, separating truth from untruth, light from darkness, good from evil. The Word of God has a colossal power of spiritual influence on man. And it is very important that, as we listen to this Word, we absorb the truth that the Holy Spirit conveyed to the ancient authors of the Bible and which is still taught to the Church of Christ, the community of faith.

Have you ever opened your Bible and didn't know where to start?

The Bible has thousands of pages. 66 books. And the eternal question of converts:

In fact, many experienced believers ask me the same question. After finishing one book, they often wonder how to move on.

Many Christians have had the experience of not reading the Bible for a while, or reading inconsistently, and then having trouble knowing where to start reading again.

Here are some of my suggestions for Christians who are wondering where they should start reading the Bible.

1. Psalms. I love the Psalms. In fact, there are times when I only read the Psalms, especially when I am going through a difficult time in my life. Reading about David's battles and how he was able to praise God and worship Him while going through all these trials is such an encouragement to me and it gives me strength to do the same. Also, as I read through the Psalms, I often come across words from my favorite worship songs. I like to draw a musical note next to these verses.

2. Parables. Did you know that there are 31 proverbs - one for each day of the month? You could read Proverbs every month and it would be very helpful. There is an expression “One parable a day keeps the devil away”. In my article “How to Read the Book of Proverbs,” I share my unique method of reading the Bible, which allows you to break down each Proverb into individual nuggets of wisdom that you can apply to your life.

3. Luke. The Gospel of Luke is the most descriptive account of the life of Jesus. I like to think so because he was a doctor and paid attention to every detail. If you want to really know Jesus, read the Gospel of Luke. And when you finish, flip through the next two books and read the sequel he wrote - The Acts of the Apostles.

4. John. If you want to understand the depth of Jesus' love and sacrifice, read the Gospel of John. John truly reveals the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. We see this in the most popular verse in all of the Bible - John 3:16. Although it is not written in chronological order like Luke's Gospel, you can see the neat and focused structure in which the book of John is written to tell the story of the salvation that Jesus has given to the world.

5. Ephesians. Are you struggling with your past? Are you tormented by feelings of guilt and condemnation? Do you often feel like God's “adopted child”? Read the book of Ephesians. In his letter to Ephesus, Paul filled each chapter with reminders of who we are in Christ, our rights as His children, and the authority He gives us through His Holy Spirit.

6. Philippians. If you have lost your joy, turn to Philippians. Read it, study it, meditate on it, and allow each verse to enter your spirit.

These are some of my favorite books of the Bible.

Don't start with Genesis and just read from cover to cover unless you are an experienced Christian who has read the Bible regularly for a long time. What has happened to many Christians who have taken this approach to reading the Bible is that they get stuck on the book of Leviticus or Numbers and, out of frustration, stop reading.

Read the entire book. By reading the book in its entirety, rather than cherry-picking verses here and there, you will get a sense of the full context. Sometimes you'll be surprised how a well-known verse takes on a whole new meaning in the context of an entire story or overall idea.

Read until 3 things become clear. In my article, I share why it is so important to read until three things become clear, and without this understanding not to move on. Write them down and reflect on them throughout the day.