Bible Reading Plan #1
This program has divided the Bible into seven sections. You read several chapters from each section each day. Sunday is the day you will read the Old Testament Prophets. Monday is the Pentateauch . Tuesday and Wednesday are Old Testament History. Thursday is Old Testament Prophets. Friday is New Testament History and Saturday is the New Testament Epistles.
I have no idea why this is for slackers and shirkers LOL,but that what the creators named it.
The printable PDF of this Bible reading plan is found at the top of the article.
The Beginners Guide: How To Read The Bible For Beginners
Reading the Bible on your own can be intimidating. Where do you even start?
Reading the Bible on your own can be intimidating. Where does one even begin?
Do you start at the beginning and read straight through to the end? Should you jump around and read whatever strikes your fancy?
Is there a version of the Bible thats better than another version?
Speaking of versions, how many versions are there and what is the difference?
But reading and studying the Bible is an important part of every believers life and is one of the core spiritual disciplines.
Today Ill address the most common questions that beginners have about the Bible and how to read it.
Some Books Have Multiple Genres
Theres definitely some genre-hopping going on throughout the books of the Bible. Daniel is both historical narrative and apocalyptic literature, and Acts works as both history and Gospel. Proverbs is a wisdom book that includes poetic elements. But the point is that learning to see these books through the lens of genre can help make Scripture reading a lot easier.
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Read Whole Chapters At A Time
One of the easiest ways to read the Bible daily is to read chapters at a time. Most chapters are small and in most modern translations split up the passage by topics or scenes.
This isnt always the case but taking a book a chapter at a time is generally a good way of taking in a decent amount of information whilst not overwhelming yourself.
How Long Does It Really Take To Read The Bible
If you are like me, you may often make excuses for not reading Scripture, the most common of which is theres not enough time! But the reality is that there is enough time. We fill our schedules with other priorities while we neglect Gods Word. It can be helpful for us to realize just how much time reading the Bible actual takes. Ive compiled a list of each book of the Bible ranked according to word count and how long they take to read .
Almost half the books in the Bible take less than a half-hour to read. Twenty-three of them can be read in under twenty minutes! Thats one episode of your favourite episode on Netflix . Thats the amount of time you probably spend checking Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter on any given morning. Thats the amount of half a lunch break at work.
I hope this list will help you to see that reading whole books of the Bible is an attainable goal if we make it a priority.
Shortest to Longest3 John 219 words, 2.2 minutes2 John 245, 2.5 minutesPhilemon 335, 3.5 minutes
Read Also: Chronilogical Order Of Bible
It Reminds You Of The Big Picture + Gods Plan All Along
Something about reading the Bible this quickly allows you to make connections between books and people, realizing that everything was a part of Gods plan the whole time. Not to mention I read the book of Matthew in one day, allowing me to see all of Jesus ministry in just one day!
Convinced that you should do it yet?
How To Read The Entire Bible In A Year
Every year, its always my goal to read the entire Bible.
Thats what the Pastor said and it caught my attention. Of course, hes a pastor so its easier for him to read. I reflected on that and it really challenged and motivated me so much.
I realized that if I have time to read other books, watch videos online or browse the social media, then I have time to read the Bible.
If you are being led by the Holy Spirit to read the entire Bible in a year, here are my tips for you:
1. Warriors Dont Go to Battles Unprepared
Yes! Warriors always prepare for the battle so should you. The minute you decide to read the Word and learn more about Jesus, the enemy will pay more attention to you. This is your spiritual battle so it is very important to Identify your plan or strategy.
When our pastor challenged us this, he shared a plan to read the Bible in a Chronological order. This really appeals to me because Ill be able to understand it better as if just reading a book series.
The plan is called One Year Chronological Bible. You can print it and put it in your Bible or you can download it through your phone. You can also find different plans online from reputable Christian websites.
The most important thing is to have a roadmap so you dont waste time thinking about what to read. The plan looks too much to read in a day but many of them overlap so its easy to understand.
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How To Read The Bible In 1 Year
One of the most common ways to read the Bible is to do it within one year. Its by far the easiest way of going about reading the Bible. It only takes 3 chapters a day. Thats rightjust 3 chapters a day and you will have read the entire Bible in a year. Pretty awesome right!?
There are many ways you could do this, same as I mentioned above. But to be honest my favorite is to just read it from front to back:
- Start with Genesis -> Exodus -> Leviticus -> Numbers -> Joshua and Judges -> Ruth -> Samuel and KingsEtc Just keep going till you get to the Book of Revelation.
How To Read The Entire Bible In 30 Days: Plan
When is the last time you read through the entire Bible? If youre anything like me, those Bible reading plans to finish the Bible in a year seemoverwhelming. Which doesnt make any sense, I know. Reading the Bible in 365 days seems overwhelming to me, but a plan to read the entire Bible in 30 days does not?
Hear me out on this one. Here is why you need to read the entire Bible in 30 days :
- Save
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Level Five & Six: The Letters & A Prophetic Book
The next section contains epistles, or letters, written by early church leaders to various congregations or individuals. They struggled with and celebrated the same things we do today.
The final section of the New Testament is also prophecy. Its primarily about Jesus second coming, and how to live in the interval between his two appearances.
Find Someone Whos Willing To Take The Journey With You
Its always fun to do something when you have someone to share it with or bounce back information. Find an accountability partner to read with you. Having an accountability partner will help you keep track on your progress and also remind you to keep reading.
When our pastor challenged us, I gave him my email address. He sends out some emails to encourage us to keep reading.I also shared the plan to my sisters and they are also very excited to try it. We are living in four different countries so we keep each other accountable online.
Find someone to read with you so you will be motivated and encouraged to keep going.
You May Like: Reading The Bible In Chronological Order Of Events
You Can Compare Stories Side By Side
Many of the narratives in the bible were written to be compared to one another. For example on day 7 of the plan you read about the rise of King Saul and the story of his life, and then on day 8 you read about the life of King David. It’s very easy to compare the two stories when you’ve read them both in their entirety right next to each other. You start to see intentional comparisons that the author is making of the people they’re writing about. This is something that can easily be missed when you only read a few chapters at a time over a long period of time.
Find Out What Works Best For You
Find out the best time of the day where you feel most inspired to read it. I usually read early morning but when the pandemic hits around March, I find myself reading more every night. Timing might change depending on your circumstance.
The most important thing is to find time in your day to open and read your Bible.
Accommodate also for possible days where your schedule will be a little different like holidays or vacation. That way you can read more when you have a lighter schedule so you will still remain on track
Recommended Reading: Emotional Abuse In The Bible
Why The Entire Bible Is Critically Important
Best Bible Recommendations For Beginners
There are the bible translations that I recommend for beginners based on their accuracy level. Ive also included a sample of the same scripture from each translation.
Word for Word Translation
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God John 1:12
Recommended Reading: We Are Born Sinners
Make The Word Come Alive By Interacting With It
For the Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and hearts. Hebrews 4:12
As you read, write questions that jump out and ask your pastor or a mature believer for some insights. Be careful that you are not being misled. We can easily listen to many things these days and can be unknowingly misled by others.
I usually dont get the answers to my questions right away but by writing them down, it gives me the opportunity to interact with the Bible better. I later find out answers from the Word itself also through cross references on the other part of readings.
It is also wise to write down reflections so you will somehow remember what you are reading or the main message you got for that day. I usually keep all my questions and reflections in one simple journal.
How To Start Reading The Bible
There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible.
- 1 chapter a day 3 years
- 3 chapters a day 1 year
- 6.5 chapters a day 6 months
- 13 chapters a day 3 months
- 40 chapters a day 1 month
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Bible Reading Plan #4
As the tortoise observed, slow and steady wins the race. Give yourself the time and space to contemplate what you are reading in the Bible. This plan will take you through the whole Bible in three years. One chapter a day and you alternate between Old Testament and the New Testament. Since the reading chart is undated you could really take as long or as short as youd like for this plan. But its a good Bible reading plan for no pressure to finish it in a year.
You Are Part Of The Story
The Bible is an amazing story. It pulls no punches in portraying the good, the bad, and the ugly of the human condition, yet before, between, and beyond, is the matchless God and Saviour who is actively working to put it all right. It truly is the greatest story ever told.
And you are part of the story.
Or if you prefer learning through sarcasm, here is how to make sure your Bible doesnt change you.
Already reading with others? Find out why the same text can be understood differently in How to disagree in a Bible study.
Enjoy reading the Bible, digging into it, wrestling with it, reflecting on it, and putting it to use in your own life. It will change you forever!
References
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What Is The Best Bible For Beginners
Most people are familiar with the King James Version of the Bible, which also is the first authorized English translation of the bible.
However, I wouldnt recommend it for beginners.
When choosing a bible you should consider these two things:
- Readability & Understanding
Which Version of the Bible Should You Choose?
There are roughly 450 English translations of the bible.
The most popular translations are:
- King James Version
Why Are There So Many Bible Translations and Which One is Best?
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek .
Since the original Bible was written in several languages, it had to be translated into English. The English bible versions that we read are all translations from these original texts.
However, there are several ways that bibles can be translated.
The most accurate way is a word-for-word translation .
The King James Bible and the English Standard Version are examples of formal equivalence. While these versions are accurate, they are harder to read and understand.
Then you have retelling or paraphrasing the scripture which attempts to paraphrase the original text in a way that is easier for modern readers to read and understand.
The New Internation Readers Version and the Good News Translation are examples of dynamic equivalence.
There is a happy medium between the two called functional equivalencethat balances word for word and paraphrasing. The New International Version and the Christian Standard Bible are translated this way.
Why Christians Need To Read The Bible
In the 90s, there was a popular acronym for the BIBLE, which stood for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
And thats what the Bible is. Its our roadmap to how were supposed to live life on this earth as a representative of God and his son Jesus Christ.
The Bible has information on:
In short, the Bible is our instruction manual for how we should live in the world, filtered through the eyes of Christ.
- The nature and character of God.
- The history of our faith.
- Who Jesus is and why he died for our sins.
- How we should interact with God and other people.
- Proper conduct and behavior for Christians.
The Apostel Pauls sums it up perfectly in his letter to Timothy, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. .
Now that weve covered what the Bible is and why its important to read it, lets talk about the best way to read the Bible.
The Bible is our instruction manual for how we should live in the world, filtered through the eyes of Christ.
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Dont Try To Study Everything In Depth
One year is a short time to really dig deep and study the whole Bible. Reading the Bible in a year is better for getting a big-picture overview, rather than studying it in depth. The Bible is an expansive, complex book, and if you want to dig into commentaries and learn all about historical and cultural contexts, it will be hard to fit it into one year.
So, for in-depth Bible study, I wouldnt recommend using a one-year Bible reading plan. Instead, you could try delving into one book of the Bible at a time. You could spend more time studying and understanding the intricacies of that book, without the time pressure of one year. Here are some recommended Bible study resources.
On the other hand, if you think one year is not enough time, but you still want to read the Bible relatively quickly, try the Start Now 18-Month Bible Reading Plan. It comes with reading aides, prayer journal pages, flash cards and more to help you go deeper in Gods Word:
If you want to get a big-picture overview of Scripture in a short amount of time, a one-year or 18-month Bible reading plan is a great idea. Dont forget to reflect on what you read: pray and ask the Lord to teach you through it, and meditate on what youve learned.