How to Create a Bible Highlighting Guide + Free Color Code

So you want to get started with highlighting the Bible but where do you even start? With so many different ways and Bible highlighting guides online, it can get really overwhelming fast.

Instead of struggling to understand a Bible color coding key you find on Pinterest, why not develop your own customized Bible highlighting system and let the holy spirit lead? Stick with me here!

Back in my teen years I would utilize a bible highlighting system as I read my Bible. It was nothing fancy, at the time I didn’t think about using highlighters that didn’t bleed. My only interest was highlighting Bible verses or underlining passages that stood out to me during my Bible study time that I wanted to meditate on.

As I have gotten older, I have revamped the way I color code my Bible and have fine tuned my own Bible marking system along the way. If you would like to create your own Bible study color code, follow the steps below to get started.

This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.

What is a Bible Highlighting Guide?

A Bible Highlighting Guide is a color coded Bible study system you develop to highlight specific topics in the Bible as you study the word of God. Download this Bible marking guide for future reference. What is great about this method is that you can choose topics that are important to you, making Bible study fruitful and engaging. 

Is It OK to Highlight The Bible?

Some persons may have concerns about defacing God’s words by highlighting in what’s considered a sacred book. If you struggle with whether or not you should highlight your Bible, the most important thing you could do is to pray about it and let God lead you.

If you feel its disrespectful try using a Bible study notebook instead which is what I currently use. Alternatively you can use Bible study tools to print off passages of scripture and highlight those pages instead. Its a great way to get comfortable with Bible color coding prior to highlighting in your actual Bible.

My current Bible Color Coding system is paired with scripture writing. As I read, I write down the verses that are applicable to different sections of my life in a journal. The verses that I opt to write out falls in line with the categories on my Bible study key. I then highlight them accordingly. If you aren’t using a Bible study notebook, you would simply highlight the verses in your Bible.

Why I Use A Bible Highlighting System

I am a visual leaner and learn best through visual study methods like Bible Journaling. Bible Color Coding allows me to slow down by focusing on the text and how it applies to my life to walk away with a more fruitful study.

I have had seasons where I read the Bible regularly but all it boiled down to was merely me just reading the Bible. I got more from my time in God’s word by highlighting the bible and reading to see what lessons I could takeaway to apply to my life than merely just reading.

Through Bible Color Coding I am able to mark verses which I find applicable to different areas of my life. I can then quickly reference these verses in the future when needed. Plus a highlighted Bible looks really pretty too!

Bible Color Coding may not be for everyone but if you are interested in giving it a try, here are the supplies and steps to get started.

Bible Color Coding Supplies – Best Bible Highlighters

To get started you will need a pen and Bible highlighters that don’t bleed. The Sakura Micron Pens and Mr Pen No Bleed Gel Highlighters or the US Office Supply highlighter set are good options for writing in your Bible.

Consider also getting a small book record your Bible study notes for Bible color coding if you would rather not highlight in your Bible. Some folks opt to start of with a new Bible when color coding, so it doesn’t conflict with different highlighting methods they have used in the past. Here is how to color code your Bible, there are four steps involved in creating your Bible study key.

Getting Started With Highlighting the Bible

Choose Your Categories

This is the meat of Bible color coding.  Think about what you would like to learn? What topics are of interest to you? What type of encouragement are you in need of right now for your spiritual journey?

Form your categories around these topics. The beauty of Bible color coding is that there are no rules, play around with topics until you settle on categories that work best for you.

Here are some possible categories to get you thinking:

• Women of the Bible
• Names of God
• Commands
• Spiritual warfare
• Promises of God
• Identity in Christ

Assign Your Colors and Symbols

Once you have settled on your categories, next you will want to assign them different colors. Try not to choose colors that are too similar that way you will be able to clearly distinguish colors when used in your Bible. I went with standard colors for my highlighting Bible system so I didn’t have to go through hoops to find highlighters whenever needed.

Here is my Bible highlighting system:

Red – Names and Attributes of God – This speaks to who God is and his character.

Blue– Promises of God – Bible promises that I want to remember and reminders of my identity in Christ. I can always pray these promises, memorize them or refer to them when I am in a rut and in need of some encouragement.

Pink– Biblical Womanhood – Anything that applies to my different roles as a woman i.e. as a wife, mother, friend, women in the Bible etc.

Purple – Prayer Points – Verses I can pray when I am at a loss for what to say or use as prayer prompts for my prayer life.

Orange – Warnings and Consequences – Things I should avoid doing

Yellow – Introspection – Aha moments, verses I want to mediate on

Create a Bible Highlighting Guide

Develop a Bible Color Key with the colors  you have chosen and the categories. An index card makes this super easy and can be conveniently stored in your Bible for quick reference.

As you get consistent with Bible color coding and this system of marking, you will eventually learn what colors align with the categories you have chosen and won’t need to rely on your physical Bible color coding key as much.

Once you have a system in place, it’s time to start Color coding your Bible. Read your chosen passages, when a verse pops out at you ask yourself how does this apply to my life today with your Bible highlighting color key in mind and highlight verses that fits your color coding key. Use this key to create a free Bible Highlighting Guide or Bible bookmark.

Highlighting The Bible

Bible Color coding is pretty simple to incorporate into your daily routine, it need not be complicated. Here is a quick summary of how to get started:

• Think about what you would like to focus on as you read your Bible and assign categories accordingly.
• Assign colors to your selected categories
• Use an index card to create your color coding key with your chosen colors and categories
• Start utilizing your Bible color key

This is one of my favorite Bible study methods when reading the Bible in a year, it also works really well with the Inductive Bible Study Method. Have you ever tried color coding the Bible? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below!

More Bible Highlighting Articles You Might Like:

Studying The Bible For Yourself | A Beginners Guide To Bible Study

Bible Journaling Ideas For Beginners

The Best Journaling Bibles – Which One Is Right For You?

The Best Bibles With Notes Space