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National Bible Week: PRIMA Bible Study

About this article

Here is a simple guide for praying with the Sacred Scriptures.This article originally appeared in The Catholic Youth Bible®, Revised.

THE PRIMA PROCESS

Prima is the Latin word for first. In the PRIMA process, each letter of the word stands for a step in reading and studying the Bible individually or with a group. Using the PRIMA process helps you remember to keep God first in your life!

Pray. Begin with a prayer that your time with the Bible will draw you closer to God.

Read attentively, trusting that God will give you what you need to learn or grow.

Imagine what was going on when the passage was first written. What is its cultural and historical context? Try to put yourself into the story. What was the author trying to get across?

Meditate on what you have read. How does this fit in the context of the rest of the Bible's teaching? with the church's teaching? What do you think God is teaching you?

Apply what you have read to your life. God may be calling you to address a particular issue or relationship. Or you may find words of comfort and support you need at this particular time. Carry God's word into the rest of your day, the rest of your life!

You can purchase this bible here: The Catholic Youth Bible

Acknowledgments

(This article is from The Catholic Youth Bible, Revised, Brian Singer-Towns, general editor. Copyright © 2005 by Saint Mary's Press. Permission is granted for this article to be used for classroom or campus ministry purposes. This article may not be republished in any form without written permission from Saint Mary's Press. To order this book, contact Saint Mary's Press at 800-533-8095, or visit our online catalog at www.smp.org/catalog.cfm.)

Published October 3, 2004.