How to Do an Exciting Scripture Reading

Last Updated: September 15, 2021

Sometimes, hearing the Scripture read in church sounds bland and monotone. And the reading of a familiar passage may even feel like it went in one ear and out the other, and nothing seems to speak to the heart until the preacher brings light through explanations and illustrations. But in fact, the Scriptures are alive and we ought to read them accordingly!

So by following these straightforward steps, practicing, and prayerfully relying on the Spirit, you can escape the monotone and help grab the congregation's attention with an engaging reading of the Holy Word.

Steps

1
Make a hard copy. It is very helpful to photocopy the passage (or copy it to Word from an online Bible) and enlarge it to a size you can easily read at arm's length (e.g. 14 point), and then mark it for emphasis.
2
Create a contrast. Underline words to emphasize importance, and add extra commas to denote an extra or longer pause. Mark elisions (syllables that you're going to run together) with horizontal parentheses (on a photocopy, or run them together as in examples below from the web).

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3
Articulate the words naturally as if speaking extempore by eliding or combining the syllables as you normally would. Hence often feel free to say "don't" instead of "do not", "aren't" instead of "are not", etc. But not always! Sometimes the sentence's key emphasis is indeed on the "not" itself.
4
Read the passage. Generally read a passage as if the author was addressing your audience, and in particular, an apostolic letter can be read as if the apostle himself were delivering the message. Avoid the tendency to drop your voice at the end of clauses or lines.
5
Avoid dramatic flourishes which draw attention to your performance rather than the Word. The goal is not to overdo it, but just to present the Word in an appropriately lively way with good emphasis and energy.
6
Be audible. When reading, words need to be articulated properly, and in particular, consonants must be clear (using lips, teeth and hard palate). Open your mouth, don't mumble! Project the voice forward towards the congregation, not down towards your feet.
7
Don't rush, but read at a pace that allows emphasis on particular words, and puts pauses where needed. The pace and overall effect should be just like in public speaking, and usually much slower than a nervous reader will feel like.
8
Ask Jesus to bless your Bible reading. During preparation, pray for your Scripture reading and commit yourself to the Spirit's leading. If in doubt about emphasis - and many passages can be read several ways - talk to the preacher and ask what the focus should be.
9
Use the correct introduction. In introducing the passage, you can start with book and chapter (e.g. Romans 12) than a page number (if all have the same church Bibles), then pause to allow time to locate the passage, then say the specific starting point (e.g. Romans 12 verse 10). Ignore the subheads in printed Bibles as these section titles are not part of the original text.
10
Close your reading. At the end, close using whatever is normal in the church, or perhaps close with the traditional exclamation: "This is the Word of the Lord!"

Community Q&A

Question

Should I start my introduction with giving honor to God and then the book, chapter and verse when reading scripture in the church?

Community Answer

You could.
Question

How do I end a reading?

Community Answer

If you are speaking in terms of Catholicism, you end a reading with "The Word of the Lord," and the Gospels are finished with "The Gospel of the Lord." To readings, the response is "Thanks be to God," while the response to Gospels is "Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ."
Question

Do I start the scripture reading by saying: "Good morning, I thank God for this opportunity to share his word." Then, read the scripture.

Community Answer

You can start it with those words. It is up to you. Any prayer is good before starting a good work.