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If you have ever read the Bible and come across a passage that made you think, “I honestly don’t understand what this means,” you are not alone.
There are parts of the Bible that are very easy to understand. The message that God loves us, that we have sinned, that Jesus died for our sins and that we need to put our faith in Him is clearly taught throughout Scripture.
But there are also passages that are difficult. Some involve ancient customs and languages that are unfamiliar to us. Others contain prophecy, symbolism or subjects that are much deeper than we can fully understand. There are also passages where Christians genuinely disagree about the meaning.
That does not mean the Bible is confusing or unreliable.
In fact, the Bible itself tells us that there are things in Scripture that are difficult to understand.
The Bible Itself Says Some Things Are Hard to Understand
One of the most important verses to remember when we come across a difficult passage is found near the end of Peter’s second letter.
Peter was talking about Paul’s writings when he acknowledged that some things Paul wrote were difficult to understand. He did not say this meant Paul’s writings were false or that Scripture could not be trusted.
2 Peter 3:16 — Some Things Are Hard to Understand
“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
This is important because it shows us that having difficulty understanding part of Scripture is not a new problem.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus, acknowledged that some things Paul wrote were difficult to understand.
The problem was not that Scripture contained difficult things. The problem was that some people twisted those difficult passages instead of understanding them properly.
So if you read something in the Bible and think, “I don’t understand this,” you do not need to panic.
The Bible never promises that every verse will be immediately easy to understand.
The Bible Was Written in Different Times and Cultures
One reason some passages can be difficult for us is that the Bible was not written in our time or culture.
The Bible was written over many centuries by different human authors, in different circumstances and languages. The Old Testament was primarily written in Hebrew, with some Aramaic, while the New Testament was written in Greek.
The people who first received these writings understood customs, expressions and situations that can be unfamiliar to us today.
Imagine reading a letter written several thousand years from now by someone from a completely different culture. Even if the letter had been preserved perfectly, there would still be things you would need to learn in order to understand exactly what the writer meant.
The same principle applies when we read the Bible.
Historical Context Matters
Sometimes we struggle with a passage because we are reading it without understanding what was happening when it was written.
Who was speaking?
Who were they speaking to?
What was happening at the time?
Why was this being written?
What did particular words or customs mean in that culture?
These questions can make a huge difference.
Nehemiah 8:8 — The People Were Helped to Understand Scripture
“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”
This verse shows that understanding Scripture can involve explaining what is being read.
Reading the words is one thing. Understanding what those words meant to the original audience is another.
That is why studying the context of a passage is so important.
Some Parts of the Bible Use Symbolism
The Bible also contains passages that are not meant to be read in exactly the same way as a straightforward historical account.
There is poetry, prophecy, parables, visions and symbolism throughout Scripture.
Books such as Daniel and Revelation contain imagery that can be difficult to understand, particularly when we try to interpret individual symbols without looking at the wider biblical context.
This does not mean that these passages are meaningless.
It means we need to understand what kind of writing we are reading.
Revelation 1:1 — The Revelation Was Given Through Symbols
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:”
The word “signified” is important because Revelation communicates many things through signs and symbols.
If we treat every image as though it were a literal description, we can easily misunderstand what the passage is saying.
Some Things Are Difficult Because God Is Greater Than We Are
There is another reason some things in Scripture are difficult to understand: God is infinitely greater than we are.
We are limited human beings trying to understand the One who created us.
That does not mean that we cannot know anything about God. He has revealed Himself to us through His Word.
But it does mean that we should expect there to be things about God that are beyond our complete understanding.
Isaiah 55:8–9 — God’s Ways Are Higher Than Ours
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
There is a difference between something being untrue and something being beyond our full understanding.
We sometimes make the mistake of thinking, “If I cannot understand it, it cannot be true.”
But that is not necessarily the case.
There are many things in life that we can know are real without completely understanding every aspect of them.
The same is true when it comes to God.
We Should Not Build Our Beliefs on One Difficult Verse
One of the biggest mistakes we can make when studying the Bible is taking one difficult verse and building an entire belief system around it.
Scripture should be understood as a whole.
Clear passages can help us understand passages that are less clear.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 — All Scripture Is Profitable
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
The Bible is not made up of random verses that have no connection to one another.
The whole of Scripture tells one larger story of God’s relationship with humanity, the problem of sin, God’s plan of redemption and the salvation He provides through Jesus Christ.
When one verse seems difficult, we should look at the rest of Scripture before deciding what that verse means.
Scripture Should Be Compared With Scripture
One of the best ways to understand a difficult passage is to look at other passages that discuss the same subject.
The Bible often explains itself.
For example, if you are trying to understand what the Bible says about salvation, you should not base your understanding on one verse. Look at what Jesus taught, what Paul taught, what Peter taught and what the rest of Scripture says about faith, grace, repentance and salvation.
1 Corinthians 2:13 — Comparing Spiritual Things With Spiritual
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
This is why it is important to study Scripture rather than simply searching for a verse that supports what we already want to believe.
We should allow the Bible to speak as a whole.
Pray for Wisdom When You Study the Bible
When you come across something you do not understand, you can ask God for wisdom.
You do not have to be a Bible scholar before you can ask God to help you understand His Word.
James 1:5 — Ask God for Wisdom
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
This does not mean that every difficult passage will suddenly become clear because we prayed once.
Sometimes understanding comes through prayer and study over time.
God can also use teachers, pastors, Bible study resources and other mature Christians to help us understand Scripture.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Understand God’s Truth
The Holy Spirit has an important role in helping believers understand spiritual truth.
This does not mean that every Christian will automatically interpret every difficult verse correctly simply because they have the Holy Spirit.
We still need to study Scripture carefully and handle it responsibly.
However, we should depend on God rather than believing that human intelligence alone is enough.
John 14:26 — The Holy Spirit Teaches
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
The Holy Spirit helps believers understand and remember the things Jesus taught.
That is one reason prayer should be part of Bible study.
We are not simply reading an ancient book for information. We are seeking to understand what God has revealed to us.
Some Things Become Clearer as We Grow
You may read a passage today and not understand it at all, then come back to it years later and suddenly see something you did not notice before.
That can happen as we grow in our knowledge of Scripture.
The more familiar you become with the Bible, the more connections you begin to see between different books, passages and teachings.
Proverbs 2:6 — God Gives Wisdom and Understanding
“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
Understanding Scripture is not always about reading more quickly.
Sometimes it comes from slowing down, studying the passage carefully and allowing yourself time to understand it.
We Should Be Humble When Interpreting Scripture
It is easy to become very confident about our own interpretation of a difficult passage.
But confidence does not always mean correctness.
Christians can genuinely love God, take the Bible seriously and still disagree about the interpretation of certain passages.
That is why humility matters.
Proverbs 18:17 — Hear Both Sides
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”
We should be willing to listen, study and reconsider our understanding when the evidence requires it.
There is nothing wrong with saying, “I am not completely sure what this passage means yet.”
Sometimes that is a much more honest answer than confidently teaching something the Bible does not clearly say.
We Should Not Force the Bible to Say What We Want
There is a danger when we approach Scripture with our minds already made up.
We can find ourselves looking for verses that support our opinions while ignoring verses that challenge them.
The Bible warns us about twisting Scripture.
2 Peter 3:16 — Do Not Twist Difficult Passages
“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
The fact that a passage is difficult does not give us permission to make it mean whatever we want.
We need to ask what the author intended to communicate and how the passage fits with the rest of Scripture.
What If Something in the Bible Seems Contradictory?
Sometimes a person reads two passages and thinks they contradict each other.
This can be unsettling, especially if you already have questions about whether the Bible can be trusted.
Before concluding that there is a contradiction, however, it is worth slowing down and examining both passages carefully.
Look at the surrounding verses.
Consider who is speaking.
Consider who is being addressed.
Look at the historical setting.
Check whether different words are being used for different situations.
Sometimes what looks like a contradiction disappears once the context is understood.
Other times, there may be details we simply do not have enough information to resolve completely.
Not having an answer does not automatically mean there is no answer.
Difficult Passages Do Not Mean the Bible Is Untrustworthy
This is an important distinction.
The Bible being difficult to understand in places is not evidence that the Bible is unreliable.
In fact, the Bible itself tells us that some things are difficult to understand.
Psalm 119:160 — God’s Word Is True
“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
The existence of difficult passages does not change the truth of God’s Word.
It simply reminds us that we are reading something that spans thousands of years, different cultures, different languages, different types of writing and subjects that are sometimes far beyond our natural understanding.
We Should Not Expect to Understand Everything About God
Sometimes people think they have to be able to explain everything about God before they can trust Him.
But if we could completely understand God, He would not be greater than us.
There are mysteries in Christianity that we can understand truly without understanding them exhaustively.
For example, we can understand that God is one and that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are revealed as God, while still recognising that the nature of the Trinity is beyond our ability to completely comprehend.
The same principle applies to many other truths in Scripture.
Romans 11:33 — God’s Wisdom Is Unsearchable
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
Paul did not respond to the greatness of God’s wisdom by saying that God therefore could not be trusted.
He responded with wonder.
Sometimes the right response to something we cannot completely understand is humility rather than fear.
The Bible Is Simple Enough to Understand Its Central Message
Although parts of Scripture are difficult, the central message of the Bible is not hidden.
We do not need to understand every prophecy in Daniel or every symbol in Revelation before we can understand the Gospel.
The Bible clearly teaches that humanity has sinned, that sin separates us from God, that God sent His Son Jesus Christ, that Jesus died for our sins, that He rose from the dead and that we are called to repent and believe in Him.
John 3:16 — The Gospel Is Clearly Given
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
This is one of the clearest examples of the central message of Scripture.
God loves us.
Jesus came for us.
We are called to believe in Him.
Salvation is available through Him.
You do not need to understand every difficult passage in the Bible before you can respond to that message.
Do Not Let One Difficult Passage Make You Give Up on the Bible
If you come across something you cannot explain, it can be tempting to close the Bible and decide that Christianity must not be true.
But that is a very big conclusion to draw from one difficult passage.
Instead, keep studying.
Ask questions.
Look at the context.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Pray for wisdom.
Speak with people who have studied the Bible carefully.
Give yourself permission to say, “I don’t know yet.”
Proverbs 4:7 — Get Wisdom and Understanding
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
You do not need to have every answer immediately.
Learning Scripture is a lifelong process.
It Is Okay to Say “I Don’t Know”
There is nothing wrong with admitting that you do not know the answer to a difficult Bible question.
In fact, it can be much healthier than giving someone an answer that Scripture does not actually support.
There are passages where Christians have different interpretations, and there are questions that may not have a definite answer this side of heaven.
We should be confident where Scripture is clear and humble where Scripture leaves room for uncertainty.
Deuteronomy 29:29 — Some Things Belong to God
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
God has revealed many things to us.
There are also things He has not revealed completely.
We do not need to know everything God knows in order to trust Him.
The Goal Is Not Just Knowledge
Bible study is not supposed to be about collecting information so that we can win arguments with other people.
God wants His Word to change the way we live.
Psalm 119:105 — God’s Word Guides Our Lives
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The purpose of a lamp is to help us see where we are going.
God’s Word does the same for our lives.
As we study Scripture, we should not only ask, “What does this mean?”
We should also ask, “What is God showing me, and how should I respond?”
What Should I Do When I Don’t Understand a Bible Verse?
When you come across something difficult, start by praying and asking God for wisdom.
Then read the entire passage rather than relying on one verse by itself. Look at the historical and cultural context, consider what type of writing you are reading and compare the passage with other parts of Scripture that address the same subject.
It can also be helpful to use trustworthy Bible study resources and speak with mature Christians who have experience studying Scripture.
Most importantly, do not rush.
2 Timothy 2:15 — Study God’s Word Carefully
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Paul tells Timothy to rightly divide the word of truth.
That means Scripture deserves careful handling.
We should not pull verses out of context simply because they support something we already believe. We should take the time to understand what God’s Word actually says.
Why Doesn’t God Make Every Part of the Bible Easy?
We cannot say with certainty that God gave us every difficult passage for one specific reason, because Scripture does not tell us that every difficulty has the same purpose.
However, we can see that Scripture calls us to seek wisdom, study God’s Word, grow in understanding and depend on Him.
Some passages may require us to slow down and study.
Others may remind us that God is greater than our understanding.
And some may continue to challenge us throughout our lives.
Romans 15:4 — Scripture Was Written for Our Learning
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
Notice the connection between Scripture and patience.
We are not promised that everything will be understood instantly.
Sometimes learning God’s Word takes patience.
Difficult Passages Can Lead Us Deeper
A difficult passage can actually become an opportunity to grow.
Instead of reading it once, becoming frustrated and moving on, you may begin researching its context. You may discover connections with other books of the Bible. You may learn about the culture in which it was written or understand a biblical concept you had never considered before.
In that way, the difficult passage can lead you into a deeper understanding of Scripture.
Proverbs 2:3–6 — Seek Understanding
“Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
God invites us to seek wisdom.
That means we do not have to be afraid of difficult questions.
We can search, study, ask and learn.
The Bible Does Not Have to Be Easy to Be True
This is perhaps the most important thing to remember.
The Bible does not need to be simple in every single passage for it to be God’s Word.
There are things in Scripture that a child can understand and things that can challenge someone who has studied the Bible for decades.
That depth is not necessarily a weakness.
Psalm 119:18 — Ask God to Open Your Understanding
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
This is a beautiful prayer to have when opening the Bible.
We can ask God to help us understand what we are reading while recognising that we still have much to learn.
What If I Still Don’t Understand?
Sometimes you may study a passage, pray about it, read different explanations and still not feel completely satisfied with the answer.
That is okay.
You do not have to force an interpretation just because you feel uncomfortable with uncertainty.
Write down the question and come back to it later.
Continue studying the Bible as a whole.
There are things that may become clearer as you grow, and there may be some questions that you simply have to place in God’s hands.
1 Corinthians 13:12 — We Do Not Know Everything Yet
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
Paul recognised that our understanding is incomplete.
There is coming a day when we will know more fully.
Until then, we can continue learning while remaining humble about what we do not know.
Difficult Bible Passages Should Lead Us to God, Not Away From Him
If you come across something in the Bible that you do not understand, do not immediately assume that the problem is with the Bible.
Sometimes the problem is simply that we do not yet have enough understanding of the language, culture, context or subject.
And sometimes the passage is dealing with something that is genuinely beyond our full human understanding.
The right response is not fear.
It is to seek God, study His Word carefully and remain humble.
Psalm 119:97 — Loving God’s Word
“O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.”
The more we learn God’s Word, the more we can appreciate its depth.
You do not have to understand everything today.
Keep reading, keep asking questions and keep learning.
Why Are There Things in the Bible That Are Hard to Understand?
There are difficult passages in the Bible because Scripture was written across different times, cultures and languages, and because it contains different forms of writing such as history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters and symbolic visions.
Some things are difficult because we lack the historical or cultural context that the original audience understood naturally. Other things are difficult because God’s thoughts and ways are greater than ours.
Most importantly, the Bible itself acknowledges that some things are hard to understand. Peter specifically said that some things in Paul’s writings were difficult, while still treating those writings as Scripture.
That means you should not be discouraged when you encounter something you cannot immediately explain.
You can trust God while continuing to seek understanding.
Keep Studying God’s Word
If there is something in the Bible that you do not understand, do not give up on Scripture because of it.
Pray about it.
Read the surrounding passage.
Study the context.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Ask wise and trustworthy Christians.
Use good study resources.
And when you still do not know, it is okay to say, “I don’t know yet.”
Psalm 119:165 — Great Peace Comes From Loving God’s Law
“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
You do not have to understand every difficult passage before you can have peace in God.
There will always be things we are still learning.
The important thing is that we keep coming back to God’s Word with humility, patience and a genuine desire to know what He has revealed.
The Bible does not promise that everything will be easy to understand. It does promise us God’s truth, and when we come across something difficult, we can slow down, seek wisdom and trust God while we continue to learn.
✨ Still Have a Question?
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