What is required to understand the Bible?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

All Scripture is spoken by God and necessary for teaching, for rebuke, for correction and training in righteousness so that a man of God would be spiritually equipped and ready for any good work.

Paul is writing to the younger Timothy and giving general advice about his work in preaching the Gospel. Paul has repeatedly contrasted those teaching false doctrine and their motives for doing so against how Timothy should conduct himself.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

How can a young man keep his conduct pure? By guarding his conduct according to your (God’s) word. I seek you (God) with an undivided heart; let me not wander from your word!

A great Psalm (119) dedicated to the merit and beauty of God’s word.

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Be warned, my son, of anything added to them [wise sayings of the Teacher]. There is no end to the making of books, and their study wearies the body. Having heard everything, I have concluded that it is enough for man to only fear God and keep his commandments.

A book of wisdom from “the Preacher” (many believe to be Solomon). The very wise and wealthy “Preacher”, having done all things “under the sun”, shares his treatise on life and worldly pursuits – it is all vanity.

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Your [God’s] hands made and formed me; give me understanding so that I may learn your commandments.

A great Psalm (119) dedicated to the merit and beauty of God’s word.

And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

Consider also the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our brother Paul wrote to you in all his letters based on the wisdom given to him. Some of his writings are hard to understand – the things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own demise – just as they do with rest of all scripture.

Peter’s final exhortation to hold a “firm grasp on the truth” (vs 17) and to “continue to grow in the grace and knowledge” of Christ (vs 18).

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

The brothers sent Paul and Silas by night to Berea, where they entered the Jewish synagogue. The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica: they received the word eagerly and examined the Scriptures daily to determine whether what they heard was true.

Paul is on his second missionary journey with Silas. They had to flee Thessalonica for fear of being killed by those jealous (vs 5) of them preaching the gospel. These same Jews actually followed them there to disrupt their cause (vs 13).

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

As a result, from the day we heard, we have continued to pray for you, asking God that you will be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. In order that you might walk in a way that’s worthy of Christ our Lord, fully pleasing him and bearing fruit in every good work while increasing in the knowledge of God.

Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae where he confronts false teaching in the form of “human philosophies and traditions”. He goes on to reference “the word of the truth, the gospel” which came to them and “indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing” (vs 6).

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

If sinners draw near to God, He will near to them, and requires cleansing themselves (spiritually) and being single-minded in their focus to serve and obey God.

James practical words to Christians on how to live faithfully. In chapter four, he focuses on humility and single-mindedness.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you dwell/remain in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus is teaching in the temple while being challenged by the Pharisees (vss 13, 19).

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Ask and you’ll receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened for you. Everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to the one that knocks it will be opened.

Jesus sermon on the mount after giving instructions about how to pray to God in heaven (6:1-14) and trusting in God to provide in this life (6:19-34).

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

When you [Ephesians] read this [letter], you can understand my [Paul] insights into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men beforehand but has now been revealed to His appointed apostles and prophets through the Holy Spirit.

Paul is reminding them that he had disclosed “the mystery” (vs 3) to them. Specifically, in this application, it was the mystery that the Gentiles were “fellow heirs” of God’s promise (vs 6) but he goes on to talk about the “the gospel” (vs 7) more broadly as the “the mystery” brought to everyone (vs 9). The gospel is commonly referred to as “the mystery” in Scripture as the gospel (Col 4:3).

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

When I [Paul] came to you [Corinthians brethern/Christians], I plainly spoke the word of God – that Jesus Christ was crucified.

Paul is writing to the church in Corinth dealing with several serious issues throughout the letter, but here dealing with divisions among them and reminding them of the uniting nature of the Gospel. In this chapter, and really including the first four chapters of this letter, he emphasizes the need for them to rely upon the word of God that he had shared with them as the foundation to solve these issues.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

There should not be many brethren wanting to take on the grave responsibility of teaching [God’s word], since those that teach will be judged more stringently. Everyone stumbles in various ways, and all of us stumble in speech, otherwise, you would be perfect and able to control your flesh completely.

James’ practical words to Christians on how to live faithfully. In chapter three, he turns to address those among the brotherhood that might teach others (vs 1) and from here begins to talk about the tongue and its power, particularly for evil. He says that “It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (vs 8).

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

I [Paul], am fearful that just as Eve was deceived by Satan’s deceitfulness in the garden, your thoughts will move away from the simplicity and perfection of being devoted to Christ alone.

Paul, while away from Corinth, is being marginalized by other men that Paul refers to as “super-apostles” (vs 5). They are criticizing what Paul spoke when he “preached God’s gospel” to them “free of charge” (vs 7 xref Acts 18:8-11). He is warning the Corinthians of these individuals’ inferiority in the knowledge of Christ and labels them as “false apostles” and “deceitful workmen” (vs 13).

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

When God’s word is pursued or studied (“unfolding”) it provides a lighted path and understanding for the untrained.

A great Psalm (119) dedicated to the merit and beauty of God’s word.

(When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

The common people, including the tax collectors, who heard this [Jesus’ testimony that John the Baptist was “the messenger” that the prophet Malachi said would come] and had been baptized with John’s baptism declared God’s way was right. However, the “experts” among them rejected God’s way and were not baptized.

John the Baptist is in prison and soon to die at the hands of Herod (Matthew 14:3-12), and Jesus confirms that John the Baptist is “the messenger” (Malachi 3:1) that God said would come (vs 27). Matthew 11:2-30 is a parallel account generally, but he doesn’t record this specific parenthetical offered by Luke.