How to Study the Bible: My Two Favorite Free Tools

One of my favorite quick reference sites is Bible Hub. If I want to read a single verse, this site will show that verse in several dozen translations. I find it so helpful to get a sense of how different versions translate the meaning.

For most of my study, though, my personal favorite tool is Blue Letter Bible.

I tend to do two specific types of searches: either a word search or a passage search.

If you’re curious to see this in action, I shot a 4:30 screencast of where to find various buttons and Advanced Search and the features I use most often.

To do a word search, I put a word in the search bar.

Let’s say I wanted to know about the word “joy” in the Bible. How many times does it show up? In the KJV: 165, all of them listed out.

Sometimes I’m just curious to see how many times a word shows up. The word “restore” shows up 40 times in the KJV—a common number in the scriptures, a number often used during a time of testing or trial, as when Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days.

That makes me happy. (When I first looked at the total number of word usages, I was often surprised by how often the number wasn’t a random number, but one of significance. To me, it was a sign of how much God cares about the details.)

When doing a passage search, I put a specific passage or verse in the search bar. For example, Isaiah 30:15.

When I click the reference, I can see the verse with all the specific words in Hebrew, and can click any of those in order to see a more specific translation. “In returning and rest shall ye be saved.”

What do those key words mean?

Returning: it’s the only time this word shows up in the scripture. It means retirement, withdrawal, with a metaphoric sense of conversion.

Rest: used eight times, it means rest, quietness, a quiet attitude. Also “set down,” used with food.

Saved: used 205 times. Saved, delivered, liberated, saved in battle, victorious, saved from moral troubles, give victory to. To be open, wide, or free, which implies safety. To free, succor, avenge, defend, deliver, help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring salvation.

So something like: in retiring and a quiet attitude shall you be freed.

Happy studying!

Lord God, thank you for the wealth of resources you’ve given us to study your Word. We ask that you would end the famine for hearing the Word of the Lord worldwide. Thank you that your Word is living and active, and repays our efforts of deeper study, that there is always more to learn about you. We bless your name.

I always thank my God for you,

Amy Joy

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