How to Locate a Passage of Scripture
“Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?”
Job 10:10
You’re at a Bible study, and a leader says, “Okay, everyone, let’s turn to Habakkuk 1:5.”
Have you ever been there? Nothing induces more panic!
With sweaty palms, flustered hands, and embarrassed hearts, Bible-reading newbies and veterans alike get worried. Will others judge us for not remembering how or where to turn in Scripture? Is the dreadful flip of shame to the table of contents worse than frantically rifling through pages? The struggle is real!
Whether you are looking up Psalm 19:1–3 or John 14:6, every reference gives us three clues about where we can find its text. Let’s unpack these aspects of a passage reference.
Book
The first step in locating a Scripture is to look for the book title. The Bible is composed of two testaments made up of sixty-six books written by various authors throughout centuries and cultures. Sometimes the author’s name becomes the title of that book (like, for instance, the gospel of John). Others get their names from the recipients of the letter or a specific era of Israel’s history (like Ephesians or Judges). Either way, the book name is always listed before the chapter and verse numbers.
Side Note: Some books of the Bible have numbers in front of the name, such as 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel. Originally, these books were initially one cohesive document, but modern translations split them up to make reading easier. The number before the name is part of the title, so treat it as part of the name!
Chapter
The second clue in a Bible reference is the chapter number. This is the first number after the title and before the colon. For example, if your Bible study group decides to read Matthew 12:33–37, you are looking for the twelfth chapter in Matthew. As you flip through pages, you’ll notice that the big numbers on each page designate the beginning of each chapter.
There is one odd exception to this rule. Some books of the Bible—such as Obadiah, Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude—have only one chapter. Some writers (like us) will list the reference like this: 3 John 1:5. But sometimes writers will omit the chapter number and place the verse number after the title, like this: 3 John 5. That looks like the fifth chapter of 3 John, but don’t let it confuse you. Because 3 John has only one chapter, it has only one verse 5!
Verses
Lastly, once you’re in the correct chapter and book, it’s time to locate the specific passage. Sometimes a Bible study will only mention the chapter number, in which case you would read the whole chapter. However, when reading specific verses, you’ll look for the smaller numbers in front of each sentence in your Bible. Find the first one you need and read prayerfully through them. Then pat yourself on the back and do a little happy dance. You successfully turned to and studied a Scripture passage!
Originally, Scripture did not have chapter and paragraph divisions. Hundreds of years after the books were written, councils added in these references to make it easier to study Scripture. Could you imagine trying to find anything in the Bible without a helpful system to refer back to individual texts?
Now let’s put this knowledge to work, sis! Look up the following passages and type out the verse. Check to see if you are referencing Scripture correctly!
Job 10:10
“Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?”
What an odd analogy!
Psalm 37:4
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
What delight we can have in Jesus!
2 Kings 2:23–24
“He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, ‘Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!’ And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.”
What a scene to consider before calling someone bald, huh?
John 11:35
“Jesus wept.”
What an easy verse to memorize!
Jude 2
“May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.”
What a sweet prayer for you to speak over someone!
How did you do? The more you read God’s Word, the easier it will become to find your place as you flip from book to book. While it isn’t necessary to memorize the lineup of all sixty-six books, knowing the order will help you find a passage quicker. It also gives you a frame of reference for the Bible’s timeline and content!
For fun, think of as many names of books of the Bible as you can. Then check your answer to see which ones you missed!
Let’s practice finding a passage again by flipping there. Once you’ve found the sentence that begins “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,” you are in the right place!
Before reading this passage, what does your translation list as the heading for John 3:1–15?
The ESV chose “You Must Be Born Again,” whereas the NIV says, “Jesus Teaches Nicodemus.” CSB simply states, “Jesus and Nicodemus,” and the NASB refers to this section as “The New Birth.” All are slightly different, yet they all capture aspects of Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus about eternal life.
With these themes in mind, read the first fifteen verses of John 3.
Did you notice some random numbers or letters in the text while reading this passage? Different translations have different features, but many provide textual footnotes. This study tool provides additional information such as an alternative translation, explanation of the original Greek or Hebrew, or a grammatical note that clarifies the meaning. Cross-reference notes that reveal the direct quote from the Old Testament or parallel passages found throughout the Gospels are sometimes also included. These references help us see how truths weave throughout the entire Bible!
If you come across a reference number or letter, locate the corresponding letter or number at the bottom of the page. Read through that content, and if it points to a similar passage, flip there to see how they go together.
Ready, Set, Practice
Now, reread John 3:1–15 and look up each reference noted for the verses below. For the sake of this exercise, we will use the English Standard Version, so that will affect our answers. However, most translations will offer similar reference information!
Here is the gist of each footnote below.
John 3:2
This verse mentions that Nicodemus came to Jesus. However, according to this footnote, the Greek version says the man came to “him.” The Bible translators noted that they switched the pronoun to Christ’s name for clarity.
John 3:3
The Greek for born again also means born from above. This phrase implies the verse could also read, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:6
This reference informs us that the original Greek word used here for spirit also meant wind.
John 3:7
The end of verse 7 says, “You must be born again.” In English, the pronoun you is singular, not plural. However, the Greek word used here is plural in the original text. It’s as if Jesus is saying all of you must be born again. (Or y’all, if you’re Southern!)
John 3:8
As we saw in verse 6, again, we have the same note that the word for spirit and wind was the same in Greek.
John 3:11–12
Throughout verses 11 and 12, we again see that the you mentioned is singular, not plural.
John 3:13
This reference notes that some transcripts read, “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”
John 3:15
Jesus responds to Nicodemus from verses 11–15. This footnote indicates that some manuscripts end the quote in verse 14. Whether John penned it or not, verse 15 is still true: “whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
That was your crash course on locating Scripture passages and reading them practically. Thank the Lord for preserving His Word for us to know, read, and cherish! Then, get to practicing, friend. Open up God's Word and spend time with the Lord ASAP.