Why You Should Consider Marking Your Bible with Cross References

In all of our Abidible studies, we have you practicing the amazing Bible study tool of cross referencing.

In simplest terms, cross referencing is when we use the Bible to help us interpret and understand the Bible. It’s amazing because it brings us STRAIGHT to the source.

I didn’t used to mark my cross references directly in my Bible. Previously, I’d only note them in my study.

MARKING CROSS-REFERENCES IN YOUR BIBLE

Now, whenever I can, I also mark my cross references in my Bible by highlighting them and then noting the original verse I was studying.

Example:

I’m currently studying Zephaniah 3:11. Part of this verse is about God’s “holy mountain.” One of the cross references also talks about God’s “holy mountain.” The cross reference is Daniel 9:16. So I flip to Daniel 9:16, highlight it, and ALSO write Zephaniah 3:11 next to it.

In the photo above, you'll see that I also marked Romans 9:33 as a cross reference for Zephaniah 3:11. Both verses talk about "no longer suffering shame." I put "cf" next to Romans 9:33, which is short hand for "cross reference." And then I wrote "Zephaniah 3:11 so I can remember to go back and read that connected verse at a future date.

WHY MARK YOUR BIBLE WITH CROSS REFERENCES?

There are three reasons you should consider marking your Bible with cross references.

1. NEXT TIME I’m in Daniel 9:16, I’ll be reminded of my study in Zephaniah. It's like coming back to find traces of a previous treasure hunt.
2. It familiarizes me with the order of all the books in the Bible. If we only ever use apps to study the Bible, we won't get proficient at finding books ourselves.
3. It provides me with constant examples and reminders of how absolutely miraculous the Word of God is. It is just one continuous, incredibly cohesive story. It provides tangible evidence of how inter-connected books of the Bible are, despite the fact that they were written by all different kinds of people in various places over a thousand year time period!

The more I study the Bible the more I realize how there is nothing on earth like it. 🌎 And the more I want to open it. 🙌🏼

Interested in this study? You can find "God is Mighty," a study of Zephaniah 3:11-20, here.

Want real training and practice with annotation? Get both in our "How to Study the Bible" course! Click the link to learn more.

Let's Abide,

Jason and Kate