What if I don’t understand what I’m reading?
Question 1124
You’re reading your Bible and you hit a passage that makes no sense. You read it twice, maybe three times, and you’re still confused. What do you do? Give up? Skip it? Pretend you understood it? This is a common experience, and it shouldn’t discourage you. The Bible is a deep book, written over thousands of years in cultures very different from ours. Some confusion is inevitable. But there are good ways to work through it.
Don’t Be Discouraged
First, don’t let confusion discourage you. Even the apostle Peter admitted that some of Paul’s writings were “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). If Peter struggled with Paul’s letters, you’re in good company. The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, reading Isaiah on his chariot, confessed, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31). Needing help to understand Scripture is not a failure; it’s normal.
Some parts of the Bible are clearer than others. The main message of the gospel, the character of God, the way of salvation, these are proclaimed clearly throughout Scripture. You don’t need a seminary degree to understand that God loves you, that Jesus died for your sins, and that you are called to follow Him. The central truths are accessible to anyone who reads with an open heart.
But there are also depths in Scripture that scholars have debated for centuries. Prophecy, apocalyptic imagery, ancient laws, genealogies, these require more work. Don’t be discouraged when you encounter them. Set them aside for later study if needed, but don’t give up on Scripture altogether because some parts are difficult.
Practical Steps When You’re Confused
Keep reading. Sometimes the context clarifies what’s confusing. A difficult verse may make sense when you see where the author is heading. Read the whole chapter or section before deciding you’re stuck.
Read it in another translation. Sometimes the phrasing of one translation is clearer than another. Compare the ESV with the NIV or the NLT. Often a different rendering will illuminate what confused you.
Use cross-references. Most Bibles have cross-references in the margins pointing to related passages. Scripture interprets Scripture. A confusing verse in one place may be explained more clearly elsewhere. This is one of the best study methods available.
Consult a study Bible. A good study Bible provides notes at the bottom of the page explaining difficult passages, giving historical context, and clarifying meaning. This is like having a tutor sitting with you as you read. The ESV Study Bible, NIV Study Bible, and Ryrie Study Bible are all excellent resources.
Look up the passage in a commentary. Commentaries are books written by scholars who spend years studying particular books of the Bible. They explain the text verse by verse, addressing difficulties and providing insight. Many good commentaries are available in libraries, bookshops, or online.
Ask someone. God gave teachers to the Church (Ephesians 4:11). Your pastor, a mature believer, or a small group leader may be able to help you understand what you’re reading. Don’t be embarrassed to ask. Questions are how we learn.
Pray for understanding. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, and He illuminates it. Ask Him to help you understand. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).
Accept That Some Things Remain Mysterious
Here’s something important: not everything in Scripture will be perfectly clear this side of eternity. Some passages have puzzled believers for two thousand years. The exact meaning of “baptism for the dead” in 1 Corinthians 15:29 is still debated. Various details of Revelation’s imagery remain uncertain. Even within orthodox Christianity, godly scholars disagree about many specifics.
This should humble us. We are finite creatures trying to understand an infinite God. “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29). God has revealed what we need to know. Some things He has kept hidden.
Don’t let the difficult passages undermine your confidence in the clear ones. The Bible’s main message is crystal clear: God created us, we rebelled, He sent His Son to save us, and we are called to trust and follow Him. Build your life on what is clear, and hold loosely to interpretations of what is obscure.
Keep Growing
Understanding Scripture is a lifelong journey. You will understand things at fifty that puzzled you at twenty. As you read more, study more, and live more of the Christian life, connections will become apparent that you never noticed before. The Holy Spirit teaches progressively. Be patient with yourself.
The goal of Bible reading is not merely to accumulate information but to know God and be transformed by Him. Sometimes a passage you don’t intellectually understand still speaks to your heart. Sometimes sitting with a mystery draws you into worship. Don’t reduce Scripture to a puzzle to be solved. It is also a garden to walk in, a feast to enjoy, a conversation with your Creator.
Conclusion
When you don’t understand what you’re reading, don’t give up. Keep reading, compare translations, use study helps, ask someone, and pray. Accept that some things remain mysterious. Focus on what is clear, and trust that understanding grows over time. The goal is to know God, and He meets us in our confusion as much as in our clarity.
“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Psalm 119:18
