--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What value is there to reading one…" description: "\"“What value is there to reading one, three, or more chapters of Scripture only to find that after you’ve finished, you can’t recall a thing you’ve read..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/donald-s-whitney-42522_bible_what-value-is-there-to-reading-one-three_1711241.jpg" --- # What value is there to reading one, three, or more… ![“What value is there to reading one, three, or more chapters of Scripture only to find that after you’ve finished, you can’t recall a thing you’ve read? It’s better to read a small amount of Scripture and meditate on it than to read an extensive section without meditation.” quote by Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/donald-s-whitney-42522_bible_what-value-is-there-to-reading-one-three_1711241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/donald-s-whitney-42522_bible_what-value-is-there-to-reading-one-three_1711241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/donald-s-whitney-42522_bible_what-value-is-there-to-reading-one-three_1711241.jpg) > ““What value is there to reading one, three, or more chapters of Scripture only to find that after you’ve finished, you can’t recall a thing you’ve read? It’s better to read a small amount of Scripture and meditate on it than to read an extensive section without meditation.”” [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates focused, meditative reading of scripture over extensive, unreflected study for deeper retention. **In simple terms:** Meditate on short passages rather than read long sections. Key Takeaway Prioritize depth over breadth in study. Themes spiritual growth learning reflection Mood thoughtful educational Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - personal devotions - Bible study groups - daily meditation Key Concepts biblical hermeneutics mindful reading Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply meditation to other learning? - What length of passage feels most digestible? A Different Perspective Long reading can still lead to superficial knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) ## Related quotes > [So you may look lightly upon a Scripture and see nothing; meditate often upon it, and there you shall see a light, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-caryl/so-you-may-look-lightly-upon-a-scripture-and-see-nothing-meditate/) Joseph Caryl > [It is good to read the testimonies of Scripture; it is good to seek the Lord our God in them. As for me, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/it-is-good-to-read-the-testimonies-of-scripture-it-is-good-to-seek/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [I meditate, I read, and I work out alone sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-marley/i-meditate-i-read-and-i-work-out-alone-sometimes/) [Skip Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skip-marley/) > [“As it is the sister of reading, so it is the mother of prayer. Though a man's heart be much indisposed to prayer, yet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bridge/as-it-is-the-sister-of-reading-so-it-is-the-mother-of-prayer-though-a/) William Bridge > [First thing I do when I get up is journal, meditate, read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/first-thing-i-do-when-i-get-up-is-journal-meditate-read/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [I don't like to lay down on my food - it's not good for you. I like to take a walk, then meditate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/i-don-t-like-to-lay-down-on-my-food-it-s-not-good-for-you-i-like-to/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [So spirituality itself should be self satisfying. If you are spiritually endowed, then you are self satisfied. And this self satisfaction within you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/so-spirituality-itself-should-be-self-satisfying-if-you-are/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [“Liturgy gathers the holy community as it reads the Holy Scriptures into the sweeping tidal rhythms of the church year in which the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-gathers-the-holy-community-as-it-reads-the-holy-scriptures/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. Go back to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/pay-no-heed-to-the-passing-religious-vogue-go-back-to-the-grass-roots/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If you ponder the scriptures and begin to do what you covenanted with God to do, I can promise you that you will feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/if-you-ponder-the-scriptures-and-begin-to-do-what-you-covenanted-with/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. We should never presume to receive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-loves-to-glorify-himself-by-suspending-his-gifts-and-blessings-on/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) ## More by Donald S. Whitney > [“According to James 1:22-25, we can experience God’s truth so powerfully that what the Lord wants us to do becomes as plain to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/according-to-james-1-22-25-we-can-experience-god-s-truth-so/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“Discipline without direction is drudgery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/discipline-without-direction-is-drudgery/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“Tom Landry, coach of the Dallas Cowboys football team for most of three decades, said, “The job of a football coach is to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/tom-landry-coach-of-the-dallas-cowboys-football-team-for-most-of/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“Joy does not come to you if you are spiritually passive; rather, joy is cultivated, but joy is cultivated by things you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/joy-does-not-come-to-you-if-you-are-spiritually-passive-rather-joy-is/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“You may be singing 'Holy, holy, holy,' but if you aren't thinking about God while singing it, you are not worshiping.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/you-may-be-singing-holy-holy-holy-but-if-you-aren-t-thinking-about/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“From matters as crucial as the death of Jesus, to those as mundane as eating and drinking, the Bible presents the glo ry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/from-matters-as-crucial-as-the-death-of-jesus-to-those-as-mundane-as/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“If people threw away their money as thoughtlessly as they throw away their time, we would think them insane. Yet time is infinitely more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/if-people-threw-away-their-money-as-thoughtlessly-as-they-throw-away/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“The word discipline has disappeared from our minds, our mouths, our pulpits, and our culture. We hardly know what discipline means in modern American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/the-word-discipline-has-disappeared-from-our-minds-our-mouths-our/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) > [“So the Spiritual Disciplines are those personal and interpersonal activities given by God in the Bible as the sufficient means believers in Jesus Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-s-whitney/so-the-spiritual-disciplines-are-those-personal-and-interpersonal/) [Donald S. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) [Explore all 10 Donald S. Whitney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-s-whitney/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What value is there to reading one, three, or more chapters of Scripture only to find that after you’ve finished, you can’t recall a thing you’ve read? It’s better to read a small amount of Scripture and meditate on it than to read an extensive section without meditation.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald S. 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