Dear Jehovah's Witnesses

This is in reference to the April 2026 Christian Life and Ministry meeting material from JW.org. I found something in it rather ironic.

The part assigned was titled “Overcoming Obstacles to Personal Study.” The illustration shows a woman reading the New World Translation of the Bible. That, in itself, is interesting—because it raises a deeper question: what exactly is the obstacle here?

The material lists several common difficulties people have with Bible study:

“I don’t read well.”
“I don’t enjoy studying.”
“I don’t know where to start or how much to read.”
“There’s too much material—what should I study each week?”
“My schedule is too full.”
“I have trouble concentrating and remembering what I read.”

To be honest, I’ve experienced every one of these problems—especially when trying to read the New World Translation.

If you’re one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you likely understand something else as well: you can read the Bible extensively, but your understanding is expected to be filtered through Watchtower publications. In practice, that means the Bible alone is not treated as sufficient. Instead, interpretation is guided by a group of men who determine what it means.

And that leads to a natural question: why would someone feel motivated to study deeply on their own if the conclusions are already decided for them?

Try this it worked for me

If someone genuinely wants to overcome obstacles to Bible study, here’s a different approach:

1. Start with the Bible itself—independently.

Step away from organizational publications for a time. Focus on the Bible without commentary shaping every conclusion.

There are excellent free Bible apps available (I use olive tree, Bible study) that include multiple free translations, such as:

New International Version (NIV)
New Living Translation (NLT)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
Amplified Bible
Young’s Literal Translation

Comparing translations can bring clarity and depth that a single version often cannot. You may find it useful to use the interlinear Bible provided by the watchtower Bible and tract Society.

2. Choose a meaningful starting point.

A great place to begin is 1 Corinthians chapter 2, which discusses spiritual understanding and how truth is discerned.

3. Read slowly and thoughtfully.

If you read slowly, that’s not a weakness—it’s actually appropriate. The Bible is not meant to be rushed.

But at the same time, context matters. Don’t isolate single verses and expect full understanding. Read:

Entire chapters
Entire books
Eventually, the entire New Testament

(Revelation is often best saved for later, since it can be difficult for beginners.)

4. Pray for understanding.

Before reading, pray to your Heavenly Father for His Holy Spirit. The Bible presents itself as inspired, and understanding it is not just an intellectual exercise—it’s spiritual.

5. Study deeply, not quickly.

If you can read a full chapter in 15 minutes, that’s fine—but then go back.

Read it again, slowly:

Verse by verse
Word by word
Thought by thought

Ask: What is being said here? What is the deeper meaning? Who is speaking? Who is he speaking to? Where is the scripture take place. If it is location location find out where. These things will all help you understand what the scripture is about.

6. Be honest about priorities.

If someone says they don’t have time, that’s worth examining. If understanding God and truth is important, it has to take priority over less meaningful pursuits. Read John 17:3 this may help you get a priority.

7. Be persistent in prayer and study.

Insight doesn’t always come immediately. It may take days or weeks of consistent reading and prayer.

A powerful passage to reflect on is Hebrews 4:12–13. Read it in multiple translations. Pray for understanding. Those verses describe how deeply God’s word can examine a person.

Final Thought

If you sincerely seek truth—with humility and persistence—understanding will come. But when it does, it may not be comfortable. You may find it disturbing when you read things that clearly contradict with jw.org teaches. Remember, that’s a feature not a bug.

Because real understanding doesn’t just inform you—it challenges you.

And that’s often where the real journey begins.