How to Do a Bible Character Study: Unlock the Wisdom of Scripture

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk in the shoes of the people we read about in Scripture?

Their stories are full of faith, struggles, victories, and lessons that can encourage and challenge us in our own journey. That’s why a Bible character study is such a powerful way to dig deeper into God’s Word.

A Bible character study allows us to focus on one person in Scripture, learning about their background, choices, and how God worked through their lives. Whether it’s Abraham’s faith, Ruth’s loyalty, or Peter’s transformation, these studies give us wisdom, encouragement, and a greater understanding of how God shapes His people.

If you’ve ever wanted to study the Bible in a fresh and meaningful way, a Bible character study is a great place to start. In this guide, I’ll walk you through a simple, step-by-step process to help you dive into the lives of biblical figures and uncover the lessons God has for you today. Let’s get started!

What is a Bible Character Study?

A Bible character study is a bible study method that dives into a person’s life in the Bible. This is a type of topical bible study that focuses on a specific person, their life and lessons, and how God used them.

A Bible character study consists of:

• Choosing a Bible character to study
• Doing background research
• Gathering verses
• Studying the character and
• Discovering what we can learn from their lives

Ultimately, the goal of a Bible character study is to learn more about God. Bible character studies can encourage us, teach us, and remind us of how God can use our life stories to help others, as well.

By studying the lives of people in Scripture, we gain insight into God’s character—His faithfulness, justice, mercy, and power. These studies not only help us understand biblical figures but also deepen our personal relationship with God.

If you are curious about what a character study could look like, check out this study on Martha from Study and Obey.

Why do a Biblical Character Study?

There are a variety of reasons to do a Bible character study. We may be curious about a character from the Bible or simply want to focus on the life of someone we have read about.

The Bible was written to teach us and help us learn about who God is and often teaches us these lessons through the stories of people. The Bible lends itself well to character studies because it is full of examples of God’s goodness, omnipotence, righteousness, and grace.

The Bible teaches through real-life stories.

The victories, failures, and faith journeys of these characters serve as a mirror for our struggles and triumphs. By studying the characters of the Bible, we see how God works through imperfect people—just like you and me.

Depending on your chosen character, a Bible character study can be extensive. For example, studying Abraham or David will take far more time than doing a study of Naomi or Esau.

No matter which character you choose, you can come expectant that there will be fruit from your study.

How to Do A Bible Character Study: Step-by-Step

The same basic steps of a Biblical character study will apply no matter whom you choose to study. The amount of time will vary, but how you study should stay the same.

Let’s dive into your character study!

Step 1: Choose a Character to Study

There are so many amazing characters to learn from in the Bible, but how do you choose which one to study?

My first tip is to not think too much about this step. Find a character you are curious about and dive in. You can:

• Choose a character from a sermon you heard,
• Choose a character from the book of the Bible you are reading in
• Choose a Bible character that resonates with something you are going through in your own life
  • Ex. Study Hannah if you need encouragement with faith and waiting or Job if you need encouragement on walking through suffering

Here are some Old and New Testament Character study options:

Sure! Here’s a list of Bible characters and their key lessons, separated by the Old Testament and New Testament:

Old Testament Bible Characters & Lessons

1. Adam & Eve – The consequences of sin and the need for obedience (Genesis 3).
2. Noah – Faithfulness and obedience to God despite opposition (Genesis 6-9).
3. Abraham – Trusting in God’s promises (Genesis 12-22).
4. Sarah – God’s timing is perfect (Genesis 18, 21).
5. Joseph – God can turn trials into blessings (Genesis 37-50).
6. Moses – God equips those He calls (Exodus 3-4).
7. Joshua – Courage and faith in God’s leadership (Joshua 1).
8. Rahab – Redemption is available to all who trust God (Joshua 2, 6).
9. Gideon – God can use the least to do great things (Judges 6-7).
10. Ruth – Loyalty and God’s provision (Ruth 1-4).
11. Hannah – Persistent prayer and trusting God’s timing (1 Samuel 1).
12. David – A heart after God and repentance (1 Samuel 16, Psalm 51).
13. Solomon – Wisdom comes from God, but we must stay faithful (1 Kings 3, 11).
14. Elijah – God’s power and provision (1 Kings 17-19).
15. Esther – Courage and God’s providence (Esther 4-7).
16. Job – Trusting God in suffering (Job 1-42).
17. Daniel – Standing firm in faith despite persecution (Daniel 6).
18. Jonah – God’s mercy and the call to obedience (Jonah 1-4).

New Testament Bible Characters & Lessons

1. Mary (Mother of Jesus) – Submission to God’s will (Luke 1:26-38).
2. John the Baptist – Preparing the way for Christ and humility (Matthew 3, John 3:30).
3. Peter – Failure isn’t final with God’s grace (Matthew 26:69-75, John 21:15-19).
4. James & John – True greatness is in serving others (Mark 10:35-45).
5. The Woman at the Well – Jesus offers living water to all (John 4).
6. The Apostle Paul – Transformation through Christ (Acts 9, Philippians 3:7-14).
7. The Good Samaritan (Parable) – Love your neighbor, regardless of differences (Luke 10:25-37).
8. The Prodigal Son (Parable) – God’s grace and forgiveness (Luke 15:11-32).
9. Mary & Martha – Balancing worship and service (Luke 10:38-42).
10. Zacchaeus – Jesus transforms hearts (Luke 19:1-10).
11. The Roman Centurion – Faith in Jesus’ authority (Matthew 8:5-13).
12. Judas Iscariot – The consequences of betrayal and misplaced priorities (Matthew 26:14-16).
13. Thomas (Doubting Thomas) – Faith over doubt (John 20:24-29).
14. Barnabas – Encouragement and supporting others in faith (Acts 4:36-37).
15. Timothy – Faithfulness in ministry and mentoring (1 Timothy 4:12).
16. Lydia – Hospitality and supporting God’s work (Acts 16:14-15).
17. Stephen – Boldness and faithfulness even in persecution (Acts 6-7).

There are more characters in the Bible than this list entails, but it is a great starting point for doing a Biblical character study.

Step 2: Find Scripture References

Your next step is to find all of the places in Scripture where your character is talked about and referenced.

The list above shows the general location of each character in the Bible, but you will also utilize cross-references and material from your study Bible to complete your character profile.

You can find information on your Bible character:

• In the index at the back of your Bible;
• By searching an online study resource like Blue Letter Bible for your character;
• In a Bible concordance or dictionary

Step 3: Gather Background Information

Many Bible characters will have a wealth of information about them in the Bible, but others will have little background information listed.

Gather as much information as you can to help you learn from your character. If it is available, find:

• All the Scriptures that reference your character
• Their name and it’s meaning
• Their occupation
• Marital status, and to whom are they married
• Their lifespan
• What time period they lived in (add in any cultural notes you can)
• Any major event they are known for (ex. David defeating Goliath, Hannah giving away her son to the Lord)
• Who they are related to/their family line
• Any enemies or allies
• Summarize key life events
• Key characteristics
• Strengths and weaknesses

If you have a study Bible, there are character profiles that can give you a lot of this information.

You can write this all down in a plain notebook or use a Biblical character study template.

Step 4: Study Your Character

Now that we have all of our information and we have read all of the Scriptures related to our character, we can begin to ask some questions and dive into the lessons we have to learn from them.

Ask yourself things like:

• How did God use them?
• What were their major pitfalls?
• What did they do right?
• Are their positive qualities for me to emulate? Are there negative qualities that had consequences I can learn from?
• What lessons did this character learn? What can I learn from those same lessons?
• How did this character’s relationship with God shape their decisions?”
• What can I apply to my life today?
• How does their story point to Jesus or God’s greater plan?
• How does this character’s life encourage me?

Are you ready to do your own Biblical character study?

A Bible character study isn’t just about gathering information—it’s about transformation.

As we dive into the lives of these men and women, we see God’s faithfulness, mercy, and power at work. Their triumphs encourage us, and their mistakes caution us. But most importantly, they remind us that God uses ordinary people for His good works. (Ephesians 2:10)

Whether you study a well-known figure like Moses or someone lesser-known like Lydia, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of God’s Word and how it applies to your own life.

So, grab your Bible, pick a character, and start your Bible character study today! Get ready to learn and discover, all on your own!