Bible Tabs: What, Why and How {Video}
Do you remember the Books of the Bible songs from when you were a kid? I'm starting to sing them in my head now as I'm typing. You are welcome, by the way. Whether you are now a victim of a throwback tune for the rest of the day or have no idea what I'm talking about, knowing where things are in the Word of God is a handy skill. And Bible Tabs can help!
God gave you His Word as a fantastic gift.
It is alive (Hebrews 4:12).
You should read it with the goal of rightly handling it (1 Peter 2:15).
It is forever (Isaiah 40:8).
You can take refuge in it (Proverbs 30:5).
It helps you fight sin (Psalm 119: 11).
It will set you free (John 8:32).
And anything that will help you to get into the Word of God more effectively is worth considering.
Today, I'm talking about Bible Tabs. Such a simple thing. And yet, for some of you, it may be just the thing to help you reduce frustration and build confidence.
Bible Tabs: What?
What are Bible Tabs? Well, you know this answer already but I'll indulge you. They are sometimes called Bible Indexing Tabs because they show you where to find each Book. They are literally tabs that mark something. In this case, it's the beginning page of each Book of the Bible. They are sometimes lovely and often practical. And there is absolutely no shame in needing them or wanting them.
Bible Tabs: Why?
Bible Tabs are not just handy for the occasional Bible Speed Drill you may find yourself competing in (another throw-back, am I right?). In fact, I doubt any of you are in a race with other believers to find Jonah. However, when you are able to locate things more easily in the Word of God, you gain confidence and it speeds your learning. It can be challenging to find references quickly when studying the Word of God, listening to a sermon or in a Bible Study. Having tabs that mark each Book really helps.
Bible Tabs: How?
This is the easy part. Because I've done all the work for you! All you have to do is print off these tabs on cardstock, cut them out and attach them to your Bible at the beginning of each Book. I added washi tape edges to my pages first, but you certainly don't have to.
Check out this video tutorial to see how easy it is.
These are the cute yellow dot tabs I used in the video…
And here are some colorful watercolor tabs…
Finally, I'm giving you a white set for FREE (you can color these or print them on patterned paper) so you can try them out easy peasy!
Use these handy Bible tabs to mark the location of all 66 Bible Books. They are great for children learning to locate scriptures, Bible students that are new to the Bible, and anyone else who wants a quick reference for finding Bible books more quickly.
Thank you for your video and the printable Bible tabs! I was looking at videos about Bible tabs recently, but most of what I found used pre-made tabs or paper with adhesive already on them. I love that you used Elmer’s! I was wondering if it would work alright, but I’m so paranoid about putting tabs in “right” that I wouldn’t experiment with it on my own. Your video puts my fears to rest. 🙂
Your watercolor set is gorgeous, and is the one that I’ll use when I’m ready to add tabs. I’ve browsed many different ones, but LOVE this one. Including extra blank tabs is a great idea, too! One idea for future versions: it would be awesome if you included tabs for the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books (maybe in a different row so it’s clear that some Bibles include these, but so it doesn’t scare or confuse people who don’t have these books). I can handwrite them on the blank tabs, but having the same font would be awesome. The blank tabs are also great for study Bibles that have maps, charts, etc.
I’m so excited! Thank you!