Reading Skills
Learn practical ways to examine literary form, structure, language, and context.
Practice the habits scholars use to describe how texts work
These guides begin with features a reader can see in the text, then add historical and literary questions without prescribing a theological conclusion.
Literary Forms & Genres
Learn what changes when a passage is narrative, poetry, law, prophetic oracle, lament, wisdom, or apocalyptic literature.
Explore →READING GUIDEBiblical Narrative
Follow scenes, speech, characterization, gaps, repetition, and pacing.
Explore →READING GUIDEBiblical Poetry
Read paired lines, images, repetition, sound, and larger poetic structures in relationship.
Explore →READING GUIDEGenealogies, Lists & Itineraries
Compare formulas, branches, omissions, geographic groupings, and literary placement.
Explore →READING GUIDESongs & Prayers
Follow voice and movement through petition, praise, thanksgiving, blessing, and performance.
Explore →READING GUIDEBiblical Law
Examine audience, legal form, literary placement, social setting, and later reuse.
Explore →READING GUIDEProphetic Oracles
Identify audience, formulas, accusation or situation, announced consequence, imagery, and placement.
Explore →READING GUIDEBiblical Lament
Trace the speaker, crisis, complaint, request, expressions of trust, and changes in direction.
Explore →READING GUIDEWisdom Literature
Compare proverbs, instructions, dialogues, poems, and sustained reflection in Job and Ecclesiastes.
Explore →READING GUIDEApocalyptic Literature
Separate what a vision depicts from what the text explains, then place symbols in context.
Explore →READING GUIDEParallelism
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDERepetition & Keywords
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDEInclusio & Framing
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDEChiasmus
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDEAcrostics
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDEImagery & Metaphor
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDEType-Scenes
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDENarrative Pacing
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →READING GUIDEWordplay
Practice identifying and testing this literary feature in a specific biblical passage.
Explore →