The SOAP Bible Study Method
S is for ScriptureRead the passage you intend to study. Read it again. Read it a third time. Don't focus on doing a deep dive, just read the Scripture. Make sure you're understanding on a surface level what you're reading.
For context, read before and after the passage you're studying. It could be just a simple verse before and after, or even a chapter before and after. However much you need to read to get the full context of what you're reading. |
O is for ObserveWhat sticks out to you? What questions do you have after reading the Text in context? Be sure to write these down.
From here, you can begin to do a deep dive on the Scripture you're studying. Look up commentaries on this passage. Google 'what does this passage mean' if you need to. Write down everything you find. Studies show that writing things down helps us to remember them. |
A is for ApplyWhat does this passage mean for you? Don't insert yourself into the story—you're not David fighting a Goliath, you're not Samson chained to the pillars, you're not Paul locked away in prison. But what can you learn from the passage you're studying?
How can you take the message this passage presents and apply it to your life? How can you learn from and move forward with what you've read? |
P is for PrayNow that you've finished studying the passage and know how to apply its message to your life, take some time to pray. Thank God for helping you during your study. Ask Him to help you retain the knowledge you've just received and help you turn it into wisdom (applied knowledge).
Ask Him to continue helping you and revealing Himself to you as you continue to study the Text. |