Introduction
As we study the Bible, we gain knowledge, discover important truths, and develop a better understanding of Scripture. However, reading a passage once does not mean we will remember everything it teaches.
Sometimes, we forget what we read because we do not review it. At other times, we remember a verse but forget its context or misunderstand the lesson it was teaching.
Reviewing Bible study notes and revisiting Scripture can help us strengthen our understanding. It also allows us to recognize connections between passages and correct misunderstandings we may have developed earlier.
In this lesson, we will learn how to review our studies, remember important teachings, and use what we have learned to continue growing in biblical understanding.
Lesson 1: Understand Why Reviewing Scripture Is Important
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:12–13 (KJV)
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
Peter explains that he considered it important to remind believers of truths they already knew.
This teaches us that hearing or learning something once is not always enough. Reminders can help us remain established in what we have learned.
The same principle can be useful in personal Bible study. Reviewing a passage does not mean that we have failed to understand it. We may understand something today and benefit from examining it again later.
Each review can help us notice details we missed previously or understand how the passage connects with other Scriptures.
Practical example:
Suppose you studied Ephesians 2:8–10 last week and learned about salvation by grace through faith.
Today, return to your notes and read the passage again. You may notice more clearly how verse 10 follows the teaching about salvation by grace in verses 8 and 9.
Reviewing the passage helps you remember the teaching and understand its relationship to the surrounding verses.
Lesson 2: Review Your Notes After Each Study Session
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (KJV)
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
These instructions were given to Israel concerning God’s commandments and the responsibility to teach them diligently.
They emphasize keeping God’s words in mind and passing them on to the next generation.
In personal Bible study, reviewing notes after a session can help you identify the most important points before moving to another passage.
You do not need to spend a long time reviewing. A few minutes may be enough to summarize what you learned and record any questions that remain.
Practical example:
After studying Philippians 4:10–13, review your notes and answer these questions:
- What was Paul discussing?
- What did I learn about contentment?
- Which verse best summarizes the main message?
- What do I still need to investigate?
This short review helps you finish the session with a clear understanding of its main teaching.
Lesson 3: Summarize What You Have Learned in Your Own Words
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:11 (KJV)
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
The psalmist describes treasuring God’s Word in his heart.
One helpful way to remember what you study is to summarize the passage in your own words. This requires you to think about its meaning rather than simply copying sentences into your notebook.
However, your summary must remain faithful to the biblical text. Putting a passage into your own words does not give you permission to change its meaning.
After reading and examining a passage, try to explain its main message in one or two sentences. Then compare your summary with the actual passage to make sure you have represented it accurately.
Practical example:
After studying Romans 5:1, you might summarize the verse this way:
Paul teaches that believers who have been justified by faith have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You can then read Romans 5:1 again and check whether your summary reflects what Paul wrote.
Remember: If you cannot explain the main message of a passage clearly, you may need to examine it more carefully.
Lesson 4: Revisit Important Bible Passages
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:1 (KJV)
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
Paul indicates that repeating certain teachings was not burdensome to him and could benefit his readers.
Revisiting important passages allows us to become more familiar with their wording, context, and message.
Some passages may be especially important to your current studies. You might return to them because they explain a central teaching, answer a question you have been investigating, or connect with another passage.
However, repeated reading should not replace careful interpretation. Every time you revisit a passage, continue paying attention to what it says and how it fits into its context.
Practical example:
If you are studying the subject of grace, you might revisit Ephesians 2:8–10 over several study sessions.
During one session, you may focus on verses 8 and 9. During another, you may examine verse 10 and consider how good works relate to the preceding verses.
This approach helps you examine the passage more thoroughly without assuming that a quick reading has answered every question.
Lesson 5: Use Questions to Test Your Understanding
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 2:2 (KJV)
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
This verse encourages attention to wisdom and a desire for understanding.
When reviewing your notes, ask yourself questions about the passage. This helps you discover whether you understand the main teaching or merely recognize familiar words.
Useful review questions include:
- What is the main message of this passage?
- Who is speaking, and to whom?
- What does the surrounding context explain?
- Which important words or phrases should I remember?
- What conclusion can I support from the text?
- What questions remain unanswered?
Try answering these questions without looking at your notes first. Then check your answers against your notes and the Bible passage.
Practical example:
After studying Acts 17:10–12, close your notebook and explain what the Bereans did when they heard Paul’s teaching.
Then reopen the passage to check your answer.
If you forgot an important detail, review it and try again.
This method helps you identify areas where you need further study.
Lesson 6: Connect New Lessons With What You Have Already Learned
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 9:9 (KJV)
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
This proverb highlights the value of receiving instruction and continuing to learn.
As you progress through a Bible study course, new lessons may build on principles you learned earlier. Reviewing previous lessons can help you recognize these connections.
For example, understanding biblical context helps you interpret passages more carefully. That skill can also help you evaluate commentaries, compare related Scriptures, and avoid drawing conclusions from isolated verses.
Instead of treating every lesson as a completely separate subject, consider how the lessons work together.
Practical example:
You previously learned how to examine the context of a passage. Later, you study how to use Bible commentaries responsibly.
While reviewing the commentary lesson, remember that you should examine the passage and its context before relying on someone else’s explanation.
Connecting the lessons reinforces both skills.
Lesson 7: Use a Review Schedule That Works for You
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV)
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
This verse introduces the teaching that different activities have their appropriate times.
A review schedule can help you return to important passages without having to depend entirely on memory.
Your schedule does not need to be complicated. You might briefly review your notes at the end of each study session, revisit them at the end of the week, and return to particularly important passages later.
Choose a routine that fits your circumstances. If you miss a planned review, simply continue when you can.
Practical example:
You could follow this simple plan:
- After each study session: Spend two or three minutes summarizing what you learned.
- At the end of the week: Review the main passages you studied.
- At the end of the month: Revisit your most important notes and unresolved questions.
The purpose is to maintain a useful connection with what you have learned, not to create a burden that discourages you from studying.
Lesson 8: Use What You Learn to Strengthen Your Understanding
Scripture Reading: James 1:22 (KJV)
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James teaches that hearing the Word should be accompanied by appropriate action.
Although this verse emphasizes obedience rather than a particular memory technique, it reminds us that biblical learning should not remain mere information.
As you review a passage, consider whether it teaches something about faith, conduct, relationships, wisdom, or another aspect of life.
Be careful to distinguish between understanding what a passage meant in its original context and determining how its teaching should be applied today.
A practical application should follow from the passage’s meaning rather than from an idea we have added to it.
Practical example:
After studying Ephesians 4:29, you review the teaching about speech that builds others up.
You consider how to apply that teaching when speaking to family members or colleagues.
When reviewing the passage later, you can remember both what it teaches and the practical response you identified.
Lesson 9: Correct Your Understanding When You Discover an Error
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 18:15 (KJV)
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
A wise person remains willing to gain knowledge.
Sometimes, reviewing an earlier lesson reveals that we misunderstood a verse, overlooked the context, or accepted an explanation without sufficient examination.
When this happens, do not feel that you must defend your earlier conclusion. Return to the passage, investigate the issue, and correct your notes.
Growing in understanding includes recognizing when our previous interpretation needs to change.
Practical example:
You once recorded a statement about a Bible passage, but later discover that the statement was based on only one verse.
When you read the surrounding chapter, you notice that the passage addresses a different issue than you first thought.
Update your notes, record the contextual explanation, and keep the relevant references.
This helps prevent the same misunderstanding from affecting your future studies.
Lesson 10: Create a Personal Record of Your Bible Study Progress
Scripture Reading: Psalm 77:11–12 (KJV)
I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
In these verses, the psalmist expresses his intention to remember and meditate on the works of the Lord.
Keeping a record of your Bible study can help you recognize what you have learned, which passages you have examined, and which questions still need attention.
Your record does not have to be a formal journal. A notebook or digital document can serve the purpose.
You might include the date, the passage studied, the main teaching, important observations, questions, and references for future review.
Over time, this record can help you see how your understanding has developed and where further study is needed.
Practical example:
At the end of each week, create a short summary containing:
- The passages you studied.
- The main teachings you learned.
- The questions you answered.
- The questions that remain unresolved.
- The passages you want to revisit.
At the end of the month, review these summaries to identify connections between your studies.
This gives you a practical record of your learning and helps you plan your next steps.
Remember
To review and remember what you have learned from the Bible:
- Recognize the value of reviewing Scripture.
- Review your notes after each study session.
- Summarize the main teaching in your own words.
- Revisit important passages.
- Use questions to test your understanding.
- Connect new lessons with previous lessons.
- Follow a realistic review schedule.
- Consider appropriate applications of what you learn.
- Correct misunderstandings when you discover them.
- Keep a personal record of your Bible study progress.
Key takeaway: Learning Scripture is not only about reading new passages. It also involves returning to what you have studied, examining it carefully, remembering its message, and building on your understanding over time.