10 Bible Study questions to help you dig deep!

10 Bible Study Questions To Ask As You Study

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A woman at a table with a Bible and a Bible questions checklist 10 Bible Study questions to ask and answer as you dig through the Bible. Push past the surface and really dig into scripture.

Stick this Bible Study Questions pdf in your Bible!

Are you looking for questions to ask in a Bible study group? Or daily Bible study questions to help you in your own personal study? I’ve got 10 power-packed questions that you can add to your Bible study to help you do just that!

I used to think the question, “what does this verse speak to me?” was sufficient when it came to studying the Bible. I’ve been to so many studies where that was the leading discussion question. It did make for some interesting conversations, but it also opened the door to a lot of confusion and misinformation. 

Instead of standing on God’s truth, this question (in isolation) teaches us to stand on our thoughts or feelings about God’s truth. This is why there is so much confusion when the world holds present-day Christian practices and theology up against the Bible – the two don’t align because (harsh truth here – don’t hate the messenger) we’ve allowed our feelings to filter which portions of God’s instructions we want to support and which portions we don’t.

It’s amazing what you can learn from the Bible when you’re asking the right questions. In this article you’ll learn the best way to study the Bible and why Bible study questions help.

What are the 10 Bible Study questions that help us study Inductively? 

What is the 3 Questions Method? 

Are there Bible study questions to help me move beyond the basic facts and into a deeper understanding of the Bible?”

I’m sharing them all in this article!

How Bible Study Questions Help

Here’s the deal. The Bible isn’t about what I can make of scripture. We study the Bible so that we can know more about the God we serve and what He has to say about our lives and how to live them. We study the Bible to adopt God’s perspectives, not to create our own.

So instead of building your study time off of vague questions like, “what does this speak to me?” or “how do I feel about this passage?” I want to prepare you to dive into God’s Word and receive the message HE wants to deliver.

Anything less is a slippery slope.

The Bible is God’s story. We need to be open to hearing it as He authored it. That means we have to be open to asking questions. Not defiantly, but humbly. That is the best way to study the Bible daily; with humility. Without it, we risk being led away by our own pride and (lack of) knowledge. My guess is that’s not what you’re here for. So how do make sure we aren’t polluting the perfect message God gave us through the Bible? The rest of this article will walk you through “how”.

Real quick, one quick piece of advice before we jump into the Bible study questions that will make you think and help you pull scripture together. If you’ve never read the Bible in chronological order (in order of event) I highly recommend you make time for it.

We tend to assume that when we pick up the Bible we’re reading in order from cover to cover. In actuality, the Bible is organized by literary type. Instead of reading in a sequence of events, we are reading groups of different literary texts. So the storyline doesn’t flow like we would expect it to, which creates a lot of confusion for people. If you want to understand scripture and keep it in context, try reading it chronologically. You can find the plan my Bible Study group uses in this post.

Inductive Bible Study Questions

Ok, so you’re tired of being stuck when it comes to reading through the Bible, right? Does it seem weird that we’re going to solve this problem with more questions? Hang in there because this is all going to make sense in a moment.

What Questions Should You Ask When Reading Through the Bible? Have you ever heard about the Inductive Bible Study Method? If you want to know how to understand the Bible better there are three types of questions you should ask yourself when you’re studying the Bible: Questions that give us context, ones that encourage application, and questions that prompt us to check our heart and posture. The Inductive Bible Study Method includes all three. It’s a series of easy Bible study questions that make you think back to the text and unpack it without using a ton of additional commentaries, encyclopedias, and stuff. We’ll walk through each question in the Inductive Bible Study pdf guide below.

Here’s a quick summary of the top 10 questions:

  1. Who wrote this text and what do we know about them?
  2. Who is the audience and what do we know about them?
  3. Why did the author write this book?
  4. When did the author write this text?
  5. What is the genre of this book?
  6. What themes stand out to you in this portion of the text?
  7. How does this fit into the big picture storyline of the Bible (creation, the fall, redemption, restoration, etc.)?
  8. What does the text reveal about God and His character?
  9. What does the text reveal about making and our nature?
  10. How do the truths in this text change me?
  11. What steps can I take to honor God with what I’ve learned?

Examples of Bible Study Questions to Help You Think Practically

A lot of us open the Bible hoping for some deep, in between the lines kind of revelation that we can grow spiritually in. Scripture isn’t like that. Sure our eyes cling to new things as we read and Holy Spirit certainly does bring understanding to us when we lack it, BUT the Bible is also practical. It was meant for ordinary people like you and me to read and apply to our lives.

The Old Testament is the history of God’s chosen people (the Hebrews) and their struggle to uphold the teachings He passed on to them.

The New Testament is a record of Jesus’ life and the teachings passed down to us through Him and His disciples. These words are for ordinary people.

So (although we could) we don’t necessarily need to approach the Bible wondering, “what is the mystery?” We can also approach it practically.

That’s what I appreciate about these first few questions. They remind me that God has a reason and a purpose behind the words He spoke. That reason is not out of reach. We simply need to take the time and examine His words from a practical standpoint. I love asking these questions in small groups. It’s the fullest way to understand the Bible in context.

NOTE: To keep all your Bible study notes organized, I highly recommend these Bible Study Pages. They’re a part of our SOAP Bible Study Collection. The answers to these Bible study questions go in the “observation” section of the soap notes. To learn what is the SOAP method of Bible study, click here.

Question #1 Who wrote this text? What do you know about them?

We know that all scripture is God-inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17) but God chose and entrusted specific people to get his Words down on paper (or tablet?). By taking a minute to consider who the author is and what we know about them we gain two things:

  1. A testimony. You get to see how yourself how God transformed the life of the person writing the text you are reading.
  2. The additional context is associated with what you’re reading. You’ll understand a little bit more where the author was coming from and his need to write what he did.

Every author in the Bible has a testimony that points back to the goodness of God. God chose them for reason.

Who is the audience? What do you know about them?

This information helps us piece together the big-picture story within the book of the Bible that we are studying. Remember the Bible is a record of real people, real events, and real conversations. Most of the words in it were spoken to specific people.

Who was this portion of the Bible written to? Was it one person or a group of people? Were they God-fearers or did they oppose God? What do we know about them?

Question #3 – Why did the author write this book?

Some books of the Bible were written to give instruction. Others were written to record monumental moments in history. Still, others were written to address specific issues taking place among the people in those days (many of which are issues still present in our societies today). The “why” can change from chapter to chapter so this is a question that is good to ask often. 

When did the author write this text?

Did you know the bible isn’t necessarily written in numerical order? That is the reason why knowing when a text was written is important. It helps us put the Bible timeline in order. 

What is the genre of this book?

Each book of the Bible can be identified by one of six genres: Law, History, Wisdom & Poetry, Prophecy, Gospel, and Letters. Knowing the genre of the book you are reading will help you understand how to approach that particular book. Psalms is a great example of this! It would be classified as poetry. This clues me into the idea that there is probably going to be a lot of imagery, similes, and metaphors within the text.

Wand to see the Inductive Bible Study questions in action? Purchase the Inductive Bible Study Checklist here!

How does this fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, redemption, restoration, etc.)?

This is one of my FAVORITE questions to ask as I study. In answering it I am constantly seeing how each chapter of the Bible (even Old Testament books) reflects the gospel. Romans (especially Romans chapter 5) paint such a powerful picture of the redemptive grace of God. While we were sinners, while we were even considered enemies of Christ (yes, enemies! Look it up!) God’s love toward us abounded so much that He made a way for us to have a life with Him.

No matter what book of the Bible you’re reading or the history accounted for in you, you can bet that they’ll lead the reader right back to the heart of the Gospel.

Question #7 – What does the text reveal about God and His character?

A person’s character is often reflected by consistent patterns of behavior. What better way for God to reveal His character to us than to keep an account of it through the Bible. I LOVE reading the Old Testament for this purpose. I talk more about this in a portion of my book, “Rooted,” where we work our way through the Old Testament and explore the many different circumstances where God showed His true nature and character to us.

What does this text teach about human nature and myself?

The cool thing about the Bible is that it’s full of historical accounts of regular people just like you and me. This means that as we observe these biblical accounts we can prepare our hearts to learn a lesson or two about ourselves. What does this passage teach you about people? 

How does this new truth change me?

Because the truth of God should do just that, change us. You can’t embrace the Word and stay the same. Did your understanding expand or your perspective shift? Did God plant something in your heart? Were you prompted to let go of anything? Or maybe pick up something new (or something you shouldn’t have let go of)? How has what you learned affected your life?

Last Questions – What are some action steps I could put into place to honor God with what I’ve learned?

The word of God is living and active (see Hebrews 4:12). This means when taken to heart, when applied, this truth can and WILL change your life. But it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through obedience. How can you use what you’ve learned today to honor God tomorrow?

What Is the 3 Questions Method?

I teach about the 3 questions method in depth in the VIBRANT Bible Study workbook. It’s meant to simplify the daily bible study questions allowing beginners to build confidence in their ability to study the Bible without all the extra tools. 

How does the 3 questions method work? 

Start by reading the Bible (preferably a couple of chapters). 

When you’re done, answer these three Bible study questions: What does this passage teach me about God and his character? What does this passage teach me about people and human nature (God’s plan and hope for people, how sin challenges us, etc.)? How does what I am reading point to the hope of the gospel? 

As you begin to recognize these themes in the Bible, studying the Bible becomes easier and you can begin to incorporate some of the other Inductive Bible study questions stress-free. 


Deep Bible Study Questions To Ask In Small Group

It’s necessary to have Bible discussion questions that help us think critically and thoroughly. Equally as important are Bible study discussion questions that force us to address the heart of the issues and not just the law of them. Because yes, God wants us to live righteously; but righteousness is as much a condition of the heart as it is an extension of our actions. God uses scripture to speak to our hearts. It’s important that we make sure His words don’t just become head knowledge but actually shape our understanding, heart, and life. 

The first ten Bible study questions helped us study inductively and cling to the facts. These next ten Bible study questions will help us go deeper. If you do any type of mentoring or group teaching these are perfect small group Bible study questions to encourage honest conversation and nurture spiritual development.

  1. How does this passage point me toward the gospel?
  2. How does this message nurture the promise of hope for those who know Jesus?
  3. What lesson have I learned from this text?
  4. How can I apply what I’ve learned to my life here and now?
  5. How does this truth sharpen my understanding of what it means to live for Jesus?
  6. Is there anything in my life, in response to this text, that I need to let go of to better live for Jesus?
  7. What additional scriptures do I know of that support what I have learned today?
  8. Is this a principle I live well? Or is this an area I need God to help me with?
  9. How can I use what I’ve read and learned to pray for the people, events, and situations around me?
  10. What about this passage has me in awe and wonder of who God is?

Want to Try Our Free Bible Study Worksheets?

My goal at Let’s Talk Bible Study is to help women gain confidence in Bible study so they can study the Bible for themselves. !Join our Bible study community list and get two of our most well-loved Bible study worksheets sent straight to your inbox!

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