Free Resources to help you read God's Word

Ephesians 5:16 tells us to “make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” How are you going to spend the extra time you may have up your sleeve? I really encourage you to use it well for the glory of our worthy Saviour. One way you could do this, is by seeking to grow yourself spiritually. The best way we can do this is by reading, studying, meditating on and praying God’s Word, so that we mature in Christ and are better equipped to mature others.


Below are some key resources you may want to use to help you meditate and study God’s Word. The first four you can access online for FREE! And the last one you can purchase at different bookshops. As you look through these resources, please remember that we are all different, and so not all the resources will work for everyone. I encourage you to test some of them out and see which ones help you cherish God’s Word and be transformed by it.


ESV Study Bible (FREE!)

The ESV Global Study Bible is a slight reworking of the ESV Study Bible so that it can be accessible to more people. The content covered in both is very similar. This study Bible provides background information to each book of the Bible. It also contains a simple commentary on each passage to help you understand the context and meaning of those verses. Crossways makes a free e-book version of this study Bible available here.


A Reading Plan (FREE!)

Here you can find a 2-year Bible reading plan. This reading plan goes through the Bible twice over 2 years. It alternates between Old Testament and New Testament books, has catch up days each month and incorporates different ways of reading the Bible (overview reading, in-depth reading).


Gospel Coalition Courses (FREE!)

There are heaps of free Bible courses offered at this website. In particular, the ‘Knowing the Bible’ is a course that will help you study the Bible. ‘Knowing the Bible’ is a series of free Bible studies on every book of the Bible. You could use it to assist you in your personal readings, or you could work through the studies with someone else. You can access these courses for free here.


Look at the book (FREE!)

This is a free video resource to help you study the Bible. In it each video, a passage of scripture is annotated and studied to draw out rich lessons and theology. You can access these videos here.


God’s Word “For You” Commentaries

These are simple commentaries that could be used if you would like to study a passage in more detail. Because these commentaries are focused on each book of the Bible, they are able to cover a lot more than a study Bible. You can purchase books from this series here.


I hope these resources help you delight and be changed by God’s Word more and more every day.


“In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:14-16)


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Article by Will AitkenAugust 28, 2021