Few things give me more joy than helping a new believer start to study the Bible on his own. In order not to overwhelm but at the same time assist him to interact with the text, I share a simple three step method.
Step one: find the key words, key phrases, key idea in the verse(s). Basic tools, if available, like concordances, dictionaries, commentaries, and encyclopedias might come in handy. What do these key parts mean? How do they relate to the rest of the verse and context?
Step two: write the verse out in your own words. Anyone can copy the verse, but expressing the verse in your own words prods you to demonstrate that you understand it clearly.
Step three: ask yourself what action the verse is pushing you to take. Based on the meaning of the text, write out an “I will” statement. Because of the verse “I will” praise God, confess a sin, thank God, revere Him more deeply, take some action, trust Him, etc etc. There is no limit to the number of ways you can respond to verses. Be assured God did not give us the Bible so we could forget what we read. Step three forces us to respond to what we read before we close our Bible. That leads to transformation into Christlikeness over time.
In the future the new believer will add many more steps to his Bible study. This is a good start.