If you’re making common Bible study mistakes, you might be working hard but not getting anywhere. You show up consistently, you’re trying to understand what you’re reading, but somehow you still feel like you’re spinning your wheels. The problem isn’t your effort, it’s usually one of these five mistakes that trip up even the most committed Bible readers.
So many people make these mistakes. Some of them for years before they figure out what was going wrong. And once they’re corrected, their Bible study time became exponentially more meaningful and effective.
Let’s walk through the five biggest Bible study mistakes people make and how to fix them so you can actually get the depth and clarity you’re looking for from Scripture.
Mistake #1: Reading Without Any Plan or Direction
One of the most common Bible study mistakes is the “random approach,” you open your Bible wherever it falls open, read a chapter, and hope something sticks.
This feels spiritual in the moment, but it’s incredibly ineffective for actually understanding Scripture. You’re getting disconnected snippets without context, jumping between Old and New Testament randomly, and never building on what you read yesterday.
Why this Bible study mistake keeps you stuck: You never develop continuity or see themes develop. You miss the narrative arc of books. You don’t build on previous knowledge because every day is a completely new, unrelated passage.
How to fix it: Choose one book of the Bible and read it all the way through before moving to another. Even better, create a simple Bible study plan that gives you direction and purpose for what you’re reading each day.
If you need help with this, check out my post on How to Start Studying the Bible where I walk you through creating your first simple study plan that actually works.
Mistake #2: Skipping Over the Confusing Parts (And Never Coming Back)
Here’s a Bible study mistake almost everyone makes: you hit a confusing passage, skim over it thinking “I’ll understand that someday,” and keep moving without actually dealing with it.
The problem? You never come back to it. Those confusing passages pile up, and you start to believe the Bible is just too hard to understand or that you’re not smart enough to get it.
Why this Bible study mistake keeps you stuck: You’re building a habit of avoidance instead of engagement. The confusing parts often contain some of the most important truths, but you’re training yourself to skip anything that requires extra effort.
How to fix it: When you hit something confusing, mark it. Write down your question. Then actually look it up, check your study Bible notes, search the passage on Bible Gateway, or read a commentary on that section.
You don’t have to understand everything immediately, but you should at least acknowledge the confusion and take one step toward clarity. Often, just reading the verses before and after will clear things up.
Mistake #3: Reading the Bible Like It’s All Written Directly to You
This is one of the sneakiest Bible study mistakes because it sounds spiritual: “Every word in the Bible is for me!”
Not exactly.
Every word in the Bible is useful for you (2 Timothy 3:16), but not every word is written to you or about you. When God tells Noah to build an ark, that’s not a personal command for you to start woodworking. When Paul addresses specific problems in the Corinthian church, you need to understand the context before applying it to your life.
Why this Bible study mistake keeps you stuck: You misapply Scripture, make it say things it doesn’t say, and end up confused about what God is actually communicating. You also miss the broader story and themes because you’re trying to force every verse to be about your current situation.
How to fix it: Always ask: “Who was this written to? What was happening when this was written? What did it mean to the original audience?” Then ask: “What timeless principle applies to me today?”
Understanding context doesn’t make the Bible less personal, it makes your application more accurate and meaningful.
Mistake #4: Never Writing Anything Down
One of the most common Bible study mistakes is reading passively without engaging actively. You read a chapter, think “that was good,” close your Bible, and by dinner you can’t remember what you read.
Reading without writing is like trying to hold water in your hands, most of it slips away.
Why this Bible study mistake keeps you stuck: You’re not processing what you read. Writing forces you to slow down, think critically, and articulate what you’re learning. Without it, Bible reading becomes a checkbox activity instead of genuine study.
How to fix it: Get a simple notebook and write down:
- The passage you read
- One thing that stood out to you
- One question you have
- How this applies to your life
You don’t need elaborate journaling or artistic Bible pages. Just write something. The act of putting pen to paper engages your brain differently and helps Scripture stick.
If you’re looking for more practical tips on building effective study habits, check out my post on 5 Bible Study Tips for Beginners for foundational strategies that work.
Mistake #5: Studying Alone and Never Discussing What You’re Learning
Here’s a Bible study mistake that keeps people stuck for years: treating Bible study as a purely individual activity and never talking about what you’re learning with anyone else.
While personal Bible study is essential, it’s not meant to be your only source of biblical learning. The early church studied together, discussed Scripture together, and learned from teachers and other believers.
Why this Bible study mistake keeps you stuck: You never get outside perspectives that challenge or expand your understanding. You can develop theological blind spots or misinterpretations that go uncorrected. You miss out on the insights others have that would deepen your own study.
How to fix it: Join a Bible study group at your church, start a simple study with a friend or two, or even discuss what you’re reading with your spouse or a trusted Christian friend over coffee.
If in-person groups aren’t an option, many churches offer online Bible studies, and there are solid virtual communities where believers discuss Scripture together. Check out options through churches like Life.Church that offer free online Bible study groups.
Even just sharing one thing you learned this week with another believer creates accountability and deepens your understanding.
Stop Making These Bible Study Mistakes Starting Today
These five mistakes, reading without a plan, skipping confusing parts, misapplying everything to yourself, never writing anything down, and studying in isolation, are fixable.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire Bible study approach overnight. Pick one mistake you know you’re making and focus on correcting that first.
Quick action steps:
- If you’re reading randomly: Choose one book to read through completely
- If you skip confusing parts: Start marking them and looking up at least one per week
- If you misapply everything: Begin asking “who was this written to?” before asking “what does this mean for me?”
- If you never write: Get a notebook today and write just three sentences after your next reading
- If you study alone: Reach out to one person this week and ask if they’d be interested in discussing what you’re both reading
Avoiding these mistakes don’t make you a perfect Bible student, it just removes the barriers that have been keeping you from growing in your understanding of God’s Word.
The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is progress. Fix these mistakes, and watch your Bible study become clearer, deeper, and more meaningful than it’s ever been.