One of the most honest things a Bible reader can admit is that there are passages that simply do not make sense. Parts of the Old Testament feel culturally remote. Prophetic literature is often strange and disorienting. Even familiar passages, read closely, sometimes raise more questions than they answer. Confusion is a completely normal part of engaging with Scripture.
Confusion is not a sign you should stop
When we encounter something in the Bible that we do not understand, the temptation is to skip it, feel guilty about not understanding it, or conclude that serious Bible study requires more knowledge than we currently have. None of these responses are necessary.
Understanding Scripture is a lifelong process, not a destination reached after enough reading. Even scholars who have devoted decades to the text continue to find new layers, new questions, and new things they do not fully understand. Confusion is not a sign of inadequacy. It is a sign that you are genuinely engaging with a complex, ancient, and living text.
Simple steps when you feel lost
When a passage genuinely confuses you, the first and simplest step is to keep reading. Context often clarifies what individual verses do not. A paragraph that seems puzzling in isolation may become clearer once you have read what comes before and after it.
A readable, reliable study Bible or a brief commentary can also be enormously helpful. These resources do not replace your own engagement with the text, but they provide the historical and cultural background that is often the missing piece when a passage feels opaque.
Sitting with the questions
Not every question has to be answered immediately. Some of the most valuable things that happen through Bible reading occur when we carry a question with us for a while – turning it over, returning to it, allowing it to shape how we read other passages. The question itself can be a form of ongoing engagement.
Noticing what you do not understand and allowing yourself to stay curious about it is a more honest and ultimately more fruitful response than forcing a resolution that does not feel genuine. Some things will become clearer over time. Some will remain open questions. Both are acceptable.
What you can still receive
Even in a passage you do not fully understand, there is often something you can receive. A word that seems significant. An image that stays with you. A question that the text raises that applies to your own life. You do not need to understand everything in order to receive something.
Scripture is not a test you must pass. It is a text you are invited to live with over a lifetime. Confusion is part of that living. The goal is not perfect comprehension but faithful, ongoing return – and that is entirely available to you, exactly where you are.