Studying the Bible is more than just sitting down and reading the word. The goal is to really absorb what the text is telling you. We recently talked about why you should study your Bible if you have not read that post you can check it out here. Once we realize the importance of really studying the word we have to start actually studying. For some this may mean taking detailed notes, for some it could mean highlighting meaningful text, and some people may like to reference other texts as they read. Some of us like to do a little bit of everything when studying. No matter how you study the Bible it requires tools.
Over the past few years, I have amassed a rather large collection of Bible study tools. I use some items all the time and other things rarely see the light of day anymore. For instance, I own a few different Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias, but I hardly use them. I have found it to be easier to just do a quick google search for the information I need instead of searching through a physical book. The items you will find on this list are the tools I use on an almost daily basis. I can only speak to the items I have personally tried, but everything listed as an alternative that may be just as good or even better.
A Notetaking Bible
My notetaking Bible has forever changed the way I study. I used to attempt to take notes in a separate notebook while studying. Working with two separate items gets annoying after a while. Having one on top of the other makes it hard to see what you are doing. It also requires more space to spread out. Plus if you forget your notebook at home you miss the chance to take notes.
I also really enjoy being able to put notes right next to the verse they relate too. It kind of feels like you are creating your own study Bible. Every time you go back and reread a section you will remember what you were thinking when you made the note. It is rare that I will go back and read a notebook, but I am always going back to my Bible.
I am currently using the Holman KJV Notetaking Bible. It is a very nice Bible with plenty of room on the side for notes. If you are interested in this Bible you can check it out here.
Pens Designed for Bible Use
Finding the right writing utensil is very important when doing your Bible study. For instance, I have found the micron pens to be perfect for me. I really enjoy writing with them and they are great for writing in your Bible. They do not bleed through the page when taking notes. I mainly use the 01 which allows you to write small and keep your writing very legible.
Pens are not only important for taking notes, but they can be used to underline import verses. I personally have a different set of pens for underlining text. I like to separate impactful verse by using colors to keep the page from blending together. Any pens that are designed to be used in the Bible will work great for this task.
Bible Pen Holder
This may seem a little silly but I promise it’s great. LaBre got this for me as a small birthday gift and I use it daily. The pen holders slides onto the cover of your Bible. It is able to hold two writing utensil. I use mine to hold my micron pen and Bible highlighter. This comes in so handy all the time especially at Church. I can not begin to count the times when I have wanted to take a note in my Bible and did not have a pen that would not bleed through the page. It also seems that you always need to highlight something when you do not have a highlighter around. I. Wish that I had found this sooner!
If you are interested in getting your own you can find it here.
Bible Highlighters
Just like pens highlighters are also extremely useful when studying the Bible. You may wonder why you would need Bible specific highlighters. Normally highlighter use a died liquid that bleeds heavily through the thin pages of a Bible. Highlighters that are designed specifically for the Bible are made of a colored gel that goes on dry.
I have had great luck using the Accu-Gel Bible Highlighters. They come in a few different colors and go on to the page very well. Since they are a gel substance you never have any issues with smudging or running. If you coat the page a little heavy sometimes the pages may stick together a little, but they come apart with ease. My only complaint is if you lose the cap the highlighter is going to dry out and have to be thrown away.
If you want to pick up some of these highlighters you can see a sixpack option here.
Bible Apps
Bible apps are the best! I use them on a daily basis and actually use a few different ones. Some of the apps have reading plans and even sell other Christian books. My top two would have to be the Bible app and the Blue Letter Bible.
The Bible app has loads of great feature. On the iPhone, it offers a widget that offers you a daily Bible verse. You can also get your daily verse through a push notification everyday. The app also keeps track of how many consecutive days you opened the app. The app also offers many different reading plans. It will even remind you to read your plan if you have not read yet that day.
The Blue Letter Bible or BLB is a great reference app. If I have a question. About a verse or a particular word, this is my go to. If I want to see other translations of the same verse I can use the cross reference feature. It lists the verse in tons of different translations allowing you to get a very clear understanding of the text. The app also allows you to view the original meaning of the word. This is very helpful when trying to get deeper into the word.
Thank you so much for reading!
I hope that some of the tools listed will be useful to you when studying the Bible. Do you use a Bible study tools that is not listed? Please let us know, we would love to check it out. Have a question about anything listed above? Please feel free to ask and we will do our best to answer.
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