Bible reading plans

A Reading Plan for Beginners

A Gospel first, then Genesis and Psalms; 10 to 15 minutes a day

If you are new to the Bible, do not start at Genesis chapter one and try to plow straight through. Many people begin there, hit the laws and genealogies, and quietly give up. Instead, start where the story shines clearest: a Gospel. Read the Gospel of John or Mark first to meet Jesus, then Genesis for the beginning of the story, then the Psalms to learn to pray. Ten or fifteen minutes a day is plenty. You are not behind, and you cannot do this wrong.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.Mark 1:17 (KJV)

Start with Jesus, not with Genesis

It seems natural to open the Bible at page one and read forward. But the Bible is a library of 66 books, not a novel, and its first pages were never meant as a beginner's on-ramp. Genesis opens with creation and quickly moves into long genealogies and, soon after, detailed laws. Many first-time readers run aground there and conclude the Bible is not for them.

The better door is a Gospel, one of the four accounts of the life of Jesus. Start there because Jesus is the heart of the whole Bible; everything before Him points forward to Him, and everything after looks back. Meet Him first, and the rest of the Bible has a center to gather around.

The suggested order for your first read

Here is a gentle order that has helped countless new readers find their footing. Take it at whatever pace you like; there is no clock.

First, the Gospel of John. It is warm, deep, and unmistakably clear about who Jesus is, and it says plainly why it was written: that you might believe. If you would rather have a fast, action-driven account, read the Gospel of Mark instead; it is the shortest Gospel and moves quickly.

Second, the Gospel of Mark (if you started with John) or Luke, to see the life of Jesus from another angle. Reading a second Gospel deepens the picture without adding difficulty.

Third, Genesis, now that you have met Jesus. Genesis tells where everything began: creation, the first people, the fracture of sin, and God's first promises to rescue. With Jesus in view, you will see how early the rescue was set in motion.

Fourth, the Psalms. These are the Bible's songs and prayers, the honest words of people crying out, praising, doubting, and hoping. Read a few at a time. They will teach you how to pray in your own words.

Fifth, Acts, to watch the good news spread and the church begin. From there, the whole Bible is open to you, and you can add a straight-through year or any plan you like.

A realistic daily rhythm for beginners

Keep it small and keep it steady. Ten to fifteen minutes a day is more than enough, and a short reading you actually do beats a long one you dread. Read a chapter or half a chapter, slowly.

Before you read, say a simple prayer in your own words: God, if you are there, show me who you are. You do not need special language. Then read, and afterward sit for a moment with one thing that stood out.

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.Psalm 119:18 (KJV)

Use a readable modern translation if the older English is hard going, and do not be afraid to look up a word or a name you do not know. Everyone starts as a beginner, and the Bible was written to be understood by ordinary people, not only scholars.

What to do when it is confusing, or you miss days

You will hit passages you do not understand. That is completely normal, even for people who have read the Bible for decades. When you do, do not stop and do not panic. Note your question, keep reading, and let the clear parts light up the unclear ones over time. The Bible explains itself as you go.

And you will miss days. Please do not let a missed day become a reason to quit, and please do not carry guilt about it. God is not keeping a scorecard, and you are not behind. Just open the Bible again the next time you can. Every time you come back, you are exactly where you are meant to be.

You are reading to meet a Person

The aim of all this is not to become a Bible expert or to finish a checklist. It is to meet the living God, who wants to be known by you. The whole reason John wrote his Gospel is worth keeping in front of you as you begin.

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.John 20:31 (KJV)

Read to meet Jesus. Let every chapter be a small step toward Him. If you finish John and Mark and Genesis and the Psalms having sensed, even a little, that God is real and near and good, then you have begun the Bible exactly the way it was meant to be begun.

A reading plan is a servant, not a master. If you miss days, there is no guilt here and no scorecard in heaven. Simply begin again. The goal was never to finish a book but to meet the One the book is about, Jesus, who is glad to be found by you today.

More reading plans: Read the Bible in a Year · The Life of Jesus in 40 Days · How to Read the Bible and Actually Understand It · All Bible reading plans