# Do You Write in Your Bible?



## bookslover (May 18, 2007)

Take the poll and post your comments. 

What _kind_ of notes do you take? Are they the kind that still helpful five years later, or do you look at a note and ask yourself, "why did I write _that_ down?


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## brymaes (May 18, 2007)

I have a wide margin Bible for preaching and sometimes I pencil my outline right on the page.


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## Scot (May 19, 2007)

No need to make notes if you get yourself a Scofield Bible.


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## turmeric (May 19, 2007)

Scot said:


> No need to make notes if you get yourself a Scofield Bible.


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## staythecourse (May 19, 2007)

*Saw Spurgeons Bible*

He referenced his sermons in the margin.


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## JonathanHunt (May 19, 2007)

I USED to underline things. But you could underline the whole text. Generally I just make pencil marks to indicate the groupings of texts which are obscured by modern versification, and also if there is a more helpful rendering of a word, I will mention it.

JH


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## SRoper (May 19, 2007)

If there was an option for having never written in a bible I would have picked that.


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## AV1611 (May 19, 2007)

Actually my Scofield has most of my own notes in as well but a wise piece of advice an elderly brother in the Gospel Hall I attended gave to me was to buy a Bible and make no notes in it to use for study so that you come to the verse fresh without previous thoughts already cluttering up the pages. So now I have my "posh" KJV which I use for study which is untouched and other Bibles which is chock a block full of my own notes and key verses highlighted (my Scofield).


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## Calvibaptist (May 19, 2007)

If my friend BaptistInCrisis were here, he would tell you that he often takes notes. He has looked back fondly on the notes he took while a flaming Dispensationalist at Word of Life and laughs his head off.

Personally, I don't take many notes in my Bible. I like Jonathan Edwards' practice of tearing the pages out of the binding and rebinding them with a blank page in between so he could take copious notes next to the text. Haven't tried that yet, though.


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## larryjf (May 19, 2007)

I used to write in the back of my Bible passage references that i found particularly helpful on different doctrines or ideas. But then i found re-copying them to be tedious. So i typed and printed them out. Now i just put that paper of notes in the back of my Bible.


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## Kaalvenist (May 19, 2007)

SRoper said:


> If there was an option for having never written in a bible I would have picked that.


 I don't write in any of my books; but I like it when I borrow books from others who do write in their books, to see what they found interesting.


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## Chris (May 19, 2007)

Mine looks like a child's coloring book.


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## kvanlaan (May 19, 2007)

> If there was an option for having never written in a bible I would have picked that.





Chris, do you make notes in crayon?


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## Gesetveemet (May 19, 2007)

.

I have a wide margin

I lightly highlight

I use a sharp #2 pencil it doesn't smear and you can erase it






.


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## 3John2 (May 19, 2007)

I'm like Chris. I have red, yellow, blue, green highlights & some notes on the sides. If you have a bible you can't write on throw it away (well give it away!) & find one you CAN!!!


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## Augusta (May 19, 2007)

I use post-it notes, the 3x3 size. I write my thought or whatever and I write on the end of it what the thoughts are generally about and let it stick out like a tab. Then I can turn right to that spot if I want. My bible does look kind of funny since the post-its I had recently were hot pink.  My bible is bristling with hot pink tabs.   I keep that one at home anyway.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (May 19, 2007)

I have found that I "wrote" in my bible. Everything you could imagine was written and posted and highlighted and underlined and, etc... in my first Bible. I translated all my notes to my second and third Bible, and then fourth and then...well you get the picture. After a while, the things you write down will stick in your head.

I don't write in them anymore, unless I have to correct a word or phrase.


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## matthew11v25 (May 19, 2007)

I highlight verses, and make notes with a blue pen (so there is a clear distiction between my writing and the black font on the page). It is kinda of a gauge that I use when reading through scripture, i.e. if it is not highlighted then I read through it to make sure it becomes highlighted. When my Bible becomes completely highlighted and marked with notes (and usually fairly worn), it goes on the shelf and I start over again.The cycle actually entertains me and feels refreshing. Maybe I am weird but I enjoy the visible interaction with the letters on the page, and then the physical interaction with making notes. Plus, I am to lazy to keep a seperate journal.


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## Puddleglum (May 19, 2007)

I used to do a lot of underlining, and sometimes write stuff . . . 

Then I started realizing that most of it was more distracting than helpful when I went back to that section later.

So now I've stopped pretty much - I think I've written one comment in my current Bible (which I've had for a year and a half) - it was a translation comment made in a sermon which made the passage make a lot more sense, and I didn't think I'd remember it otherwise, so I broke down and wrote it. 

I've underlined a few passages in the Bible I have in my backpack (which goes to work & school) - mainly because I don't use it as often, but when I do pull it out, I tend to spend a lot of time looking for the same few passages over & over again.


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## JM (May 20, 2007)

Not for a while, not anymore.


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## Peccant (May 21, 2007)

I always allow the Holy Spirit to "highlight" words or verses for me.
He doesn't use a pen or highlighter.


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## Reformed Baptist (May 21, 2007)

I make Greek/Hebrew notes, meanings and defs. I put in my own cross references, and I re-title any chapter headings the bible puts in that are wrong.


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## caddy (May 21, 2007)

*Yes...*

I'm a Huge "Noter" and "quoter" of ideas--mostly from my reading on those passages, but occasionally from sermons as well....


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## caddy (May 21, 2007)

I have 2 Bibles I do NOT note anything in, my Geneva Bible and My Archeological Study Bible. My others look like road maps--Spirit of Reformation Study Bible and Reformation Study Bible and my MacArthur Study Bible. I also have a NIV\Message Parallel that I have heavily noted up.





Puddleglum said:


> I used to do a lot of underlining, and sometimes write stuff . . .
> 
> Then I started realizing that most of it was more distracting than helpful when I went back to that section later.
> 
> ...


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## jawyman (May 21, 2007)

I do sometimes when I am working with Greek or Hebrew.


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## jenney (May 21, 2007)

I write a date by a passage if it stands out to me really significantly.

I write references to related verses in the margin that fill out or highlight a certain point. especially where there is a common misunderstanding.

I used to underline or highlight but then whenever I read the passage I'd sort of skip the non-highlighted part and focus only on the highlighted part. It drew my attention too much! So I don't write on the text at all anymore.


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## Chris (May 21, 2007)

kvanlaan said:


> Chris, do you make notes in crayon?



Orange, blue, green, pink, and yellow highlights, with red, blue, and black ink, plus the occassional pencil mark. 

Some purple highlights - where I had a verse highlighted in pink, then later went through with the blue highlighter (blue = Sovereignty/DoG/Covenant passages) and re-marked over the pink. 

I started out with just a pink highlighter, then started writing notes in black ink, then throughout time I've found myself in a hotel room wtihout a black pen, and had to use blue/red/pencil, and after that first year or so of pink highlighting, I wanted something to differentiate 'old' highlights from new ones.


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## edb19 (May 21, 2007)

I do take notes in my Bible - both during personal study and during sermons/talks. 

I've often thought that a "loose leaf" Bible would be a good idea (along the lines of the Jonathon Edwards idea) - then one could just keep adding pages where needed. It would be an interesting way to see one self grow in wisdom and understanding.


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## IanWatson (May 21, 2007)

I usually do not


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## ~~Susita~~ (May 22, 2007)

Going through the Gospel and I often write in the OT verses/prophecies that Jesus quotes/fulfills.


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## etexas (May 22, 2007)

Nope. I use a small Moleskine notebook.More room, and I can have a different "focus" each time.


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## BJClark (May 23, 2007)

I write in my Bible, but also keep a journal for personal bible studies, where I can go back and read my thoughts...who knows maybe one day after I'm dead my kids will read them...if they do, they will know more about my spiritual walk and how God has grown me over the years, and they will see that ANYTHING they go through in their own lives...God will be able to use, and grow them closer to Him...

They will learn how various verses ministered to my heart during trying times and see my praises to God..even through some of it, and they will see how through it all God was answering many of my prayers...as I write down how I see God working through a situation, and am reminded of a certain prayer I prayed...I write it out...God I see how this is a direct answer to such and such a prayer...WOW!! and the praises start flowing....

Many of the notes in my bible are my own paraphrase of the verse...and how it applies to me...while other notes I have are when I read various books and then when I'm reading my bible I come across a verse that covers that topic...a perfect example was from when I read the book Boundaries,
and later reading through my bible I came across verses that spoke of God's boundaries for us as His children...and I made notes about how it applies to setting boundaries in my own life...


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## Puritanhead (May 23, 2007)

~~Susita~~ said:


> Going through the Gospel and I often write in the OT verses/prophecies that Jesus quotes/fulfills.


 Isn't that already in the printed cross-reference notes of most Bibles?


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