So you want to sit down and dig into the Word, but you’re asking, “What do I need for a Bible study? Like, actually need.” We’ve all seen the romanticized clips on Instagram or YouTube, with a cozy lit candle, 32 pastel highlighters, sticky notes that look like mini masterpieces with all sorts of hand-lettered notes…
And raise your hand if, after seeing the romanticized clips, you’ve thought “Whew, I barely have fifteen minutes, let alone three hours to sit and study and make artistic note pages that would make Michelangelo shed a tear. Is that what Bible study is supposed to look like?“
Don’t worry, sister. Your Bible study notes don’t have to look like they belong in the Louvre. However…there is an advantage to using study tools like highlighters, sticky notes, or a nice journaling Bible.
In this article, we’ll talk about why you may want to invest in some quality Bible study tools, what you should pick, and where to find them.
Why You Need Tools for Bible Study
Ok, so maybe you don’t have an extra three hours a day to turn basic Bible study notes into artwork, or perhaps you wouldn’t consider yourself to be the artistic type. That’s not a problem since spiritual maturity is not measured by an aesthetic standard.
But consider this.
As women, we’re drawn to beautiful things.
We like to make beautiful things (I have an entire article on why women should consider making things, you can read that here). That’s not accidental. It’s part of our design, as creatures made in the image of a creative God.
And that love for beauty? That can be a Bible study strength.
We can use aesthetics to motivate our attentiveness.
When we circle words or highlight verses, we slow our roll. We activate our minds to notice what God is saying. The Scriptures become clearer and our hearts have the necessary time to take root in God’s Word.
No, we’re not using these tools for external beauty. We’re using them for internal transformation.
Keep this in mind as you look over the list below. These are my personal favorite tools for Bible study. These are the things that help me slow down and savor every word God has written.
A quick heads-up: some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase, I earn a small commission. The best part is, shopping though these links doesn’t cost you an extra cent, but the commissions help fund the expenses of this blog. Thank you for supporting our work!
Best tools for Bible study: Pens
An important Bible study tool is a good writing utensil. These are my favorite pens that I keep going back to, year after year:
- Staedtler Triplus Fineliners
- Tombow Brush Pens
- Pigma Microns
- Mr. Pen highlighters.
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
I love using these pens in my journals to make a quote stand out, or to underline my favorite written reflections. They come in a variety of colors. My personal favorites are sand, olive green, and salmon.
They haven’t bled through any of the Bibles that I have tested, so they could work for Bible marking too. However, you might want to do a small test in the corner of one of your own Bible pages before writing a bunch of notes to check for bleeding.
Links to my favorite Staedtlers:
Here’s a value pack that I’ve seen on sale a few times!
Tombow Brush Pens
These are my most favorite pens on the list! These Tombows easily add some beauty to my Bible study notes, whether with a quick cursive header or to underline my favorite reflections with color. I only recommend these for journaling, not for thin Bible pages.
The Tombows in this photo are my most favorite colors. I’ll link them for you below.
And here are some value packs:
Pigma Micron Pens
These pens come in a variety of colors and nib sizes. The higher the nib number, the thicker the line.
My personal favorites for writing in my Bible are the 005 and 01. The 005 is really good for underlining or circling verses. It’s very thin so it won’t make it hard to read the words you circle or underline. If you wear prescription glasses, you may find the 01 to be a better option.
Now I’m a matchy-matchy girl—I only use black microns in my Bible and I save all my colored pen writing for notebooks. If you like color in your Bible, the microns do come in multiple colors. The green and purple are easiest to read, in my opinion.
Here’s a link to an awesome variety pack. It comes with multiple different nib sizes so you can see which you like best. Definitely the best value!
Mr. Pen Highlighters
My mama shared these pens with me in our Christmas stockings, and I’m impressed! They are quite colorful but they don’t bleed through Bible pages. There are chisel-tip highlighters and gel highlighters (personally I prefer the gel ones).
My favorite journals
Having a good quality notebook makes handwritten notes more special to me. I love filling up a beautiful journal and then looking back through it over time. I’m pretty picky about my journals, so the list is short.
Notebook Therapy
I love using dot grid journals because I can add little stickers or doodles without being distracted by lines. Notebook Therapy offers dot journals in different sizes, colors, and with different cover types.
Each journal has a different emblem stamped on the front. I’ll give the disclaimer, some of the emblems on these journals are…not my style (a little too out there for me, since these are made in a different country with a different culture). But there are several lovely options to pick from.
The journal on the right in the above picture is the Tsuki Vintage Rose Pressed Petal Limited Edition Bullet Journal in the size B5. I wanted a large journal for planning issues of Gather in the Garden Magazine. But for everyday notes or carrying to church, I’d recommend the A5 or the original size.
Anecdote Hardcover Ruled Journal
This is one of the new notebook to me that I started using recently. It actually comes as a dotted or classic ruled journal. I chose a ruled journal.
The cover is nice and sturdy. The elastic strap to keep it closed is nice too. When I throw it in my diaper bag for church, it hasn’t opened and gotten beat up.
The notebook comes in several different colors. This one is the color Nutmeg. The pages are a warm, cream-yellow, compared to the white pages of Notebook Therapy. Here’s a photo of the two notebooks side by side, so you can see the color difference and the dots and lines.
Best Resources for Bible study
Beyond writing tools, these study resources help me dive deeper into Scripture. They help to add layers to my Bible study.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: When using Bible study tools, it’s important to remember that a study resource does not carry the same authority as the Bible. We can appreciate the people who took the time to develop the tools that help us understand the Bible, but we must compare everything they say to what God says. If a commentary or study resource contradicts what God has said, we must always default to God’s perfect Law. Keep this in mind when you use study resources outside of the Bible.
New Testament Commentary by Wayne Jackson
Over the years, this has been one of my favorite commentaries to aid my studies.
A New Testament Commentary (Third Edition) — by Wayne Jackson
If you’re looking for an easy-to-read commentary that will expand your Bible knowledge, this one would be a wonderful addition to your bookshelf. Each section opens with an introduction to the New Testament book, and then proceeds to break down the Bible text section by section.
ESV Study Bible
This Bible is interesting because it has the Scriptures with study notes from next to it. There’s an introduction to each Bible book put right at the beginning of each book.
Sometimes the study notes provide helpful context for what we’re reading by introducing us to a word in the original language or by explaining a custom of the times. It also has maps, other graphics and illustrations, and a cross-reference column (a cross-reference will show you other parts of the Bible that might relate to what you’re currently reading).
Here’s a disclaimer, though: I’ve noticed some lacking information in the commentary regarding salvation and baptism. You can find a thorough review of this study Bible and the errors it has here.
Ultimately, I think parts of this study Bible can be helpful. But as always, we must spend ample time in God’s actual Scriptures and not rely on any resource written by any man for salvational information.
ESV Illuminated Bible
This Bible infuses inspirational artwork into God‘s Word. The cover pages for each Bible book depicts a symbol found in that book (there’s a there’s an explanation for each cover page in the back of the Bible).
I have several copies of this Bible, including a hardback version and a leather version. They also come in individual Bible books. Here is the entire set of individuals, or you can search for each one (type into your search engine, “ESV Illuminated [name of Bible book] Scripture Journal” to locate the Bible book you want).
When I want to gift a Bible to someone special to me, this is what I typically reach for. It’s unique and beautiful, a lovely vessel that holds the perfect words of God.
Digital Tools for Bible Study
Sometimes, I use digital tools to quickly find a scripture reference or to enjoy extra reading time. Take a look at this list.
Bible Hub: What I love most about Bible Hub is how easily I can see verses in different translations. Sometimes, the word choice in a particular translation helps my brain click with God’s Word better.
Another feature I love is being able to view a verse in the original Greek, with a side-by-side of each word in English. Studying Greek might sound complicated, but Bible Hub makes it easy. Understanding the original word adds a layer to our comprehension. It’s like adding a layer of fertilizer to really help the Word take root in our hearts.
Bible App (YouVersion): I primarily use the Bible App for its audio Bible feature. It includes audio for multiple translations and lets you adjust the playback speed. It’s nice to be able to digest the Word more often by listening while I cook, do dishes, or drive.
Although the Bible App has many other features, I really haven’t explored them, so I can’t give an opinion on those other features. But the audio Bible has been extremely useful for me.
This series of Bible marking articles: My mom introduced me to this series of articles years ago. I have an entire Bible that I’ve dedicated to Bible marking chains.
The author, Kathy Pollard, connects Scriptures on a certain topic and provides easy to understand explanations. She guides the reader through the process of adding notes in the Bible to help us fully take root in the topic.
Now that you have your tools, where will your Bible study begin?
These tools have been essential in my Bible study routine. They help me stay organized, inspired, and engaged in God’s Word. I hope you find them as helpful as I have, and that they encourage you to dive deeper into your own Bible study journey.
What tools do you use in your study time? I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments below!
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