YOUNG PEOPLE ASK

How Can the Bible Help Me?​​—⁠Part 2: Make Bible Reading Enjoyable

How Can the Bible Help Me?​​—⁠Part 2: Make Bible Reading Enjoyable

 “The Bible can seem boring,” says a teenager named Will, “if you don’t know the right way to read it.”

 Would you like to discover the secrets of how to enjoy Bible reading? This article will help you.

 Make the Scriptures live

 Get involved in what you read. You could use this approach:

  1.   Select a Bible account that you would like to study. You could pick a Bible event or a passage from a Gospel, or you could choose an account from the collection of dramatic Bible readings available on jw.org.

  2.   Read the account. You could read it by yourself, or you could read it aloud with friends or family members. One person could read the narration while others take on character parts.

  3.   Try one or more of the following suggestions:

    •   Draw pictures to illustrate the account. Or draw a storyboard​​—⁠a series of simple pictures that illustrate a sequence of events. Use captions to describe what is happening in each scene.

    •   Draw diagrams. For example, as you read about a faithful character, connect that person’s qualities and actions with the blessings he or she received.

    •   Turn the account into a news story. Report the event from several perspectives, and include “interviews” with the main characters and eyewitnesses.

    •   If one of the characters in the account made an unwise decision, imagine a different ending. For example, consider Peter’s denial of Jesus. (Mark 14:​66-​72) How could Peter have responded better to the pressure?

    •   If you are feeling especially creative, take on the challenge of writing your own drama based on a Bible account. Include lessons that can be learned from the account.​​—⁠Romans 15:⁠4.

      You can make the Bible come to life!

 Investigate!

 If you analyze details, you can uncover hidden gems in an account. In fact, sometimes just a word or two in a Bible account is significant.

 For example, compare Matthew 28:7 with Mark 16:⁠7.

  •    Why did Mark include the detail that Jesus would soon appear to the disciples “and Peter”?

  •  Clue: Mark was not an eyewitness of these events; evidently, he got his information from Peter.

  •  The hidden gem: Why must Peter have felt reassured to hear that Jesus wanted to see him again? (Mark 14:​66-​72) How did Jesus prove himself a real friend to Peter? How can you imitate Jesus and be a real friend to others?

 When you make the Scriptures live and investigate the details, Bible reading becomes much more enjoyable!