You can start today
What Order Should I Read the Bible In?
Should you start at the very beginning and read straight to the end? You can, but for most people it is not the best way in, and stalling out in the middle of Leviticus has ended more Bible-reading attempts than doubt ever has. The Bible is not a novel that requires page-one-to-last-page order, and it is not arranged in the sequence the events happened. It is more like a library. So the wiser question is not what is the official order but what order will actually help you meet God and keep going. The honest answer for beginners is to start where Jesus is clearest and build outward from there.
“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”Luke 24:27
“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
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”2 Timothy 3:16
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”Romans 15:4
Let's make this simple
Here is a beginner-friendly path many have found helpful. First, read a Gospel, John or Mark, to meet Jesus directly. Next, read the rest of the New Testament: Acts, to see the church begin, then the letters, which explain how to live in light of Jesus. Alongside that, dip into Psalms for honest prayer and Proverbs for daily wisdom. Then turn back to the Old Testament with Jesus already in view, starting with Genesis and Exodus for the story's foundation. Reading it this way, you meet the One the whole story points to first, and then the earlier parts make far more sense because you know where they are heading.
How to actually do it
Do not overthink the perfect plan; a plan you follow beats a perfect plan you quit. Pick your starting book today, keep a bookmark, and read a little each day in order within that book so the story stays connected. If a stretch feels dry, it is fine to read a Psalm alongside it for encouragement. When you finish the New Testament, you will be far better equipped to handle the Old. If you would like more structure, a reading plan can guide the sequence and pace for you, and Living Bread offers plans and per-chapter guidance so you always know where to go next. The order matters less than the going.
What the Bible is really for
There is a reason meeting Jesus first unlocks everything else. After His resurrection He walked with two confused disciples and, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. He showed them that the whole library had been about Him the entire time. Whatever order you read in, read looking for Him, because that is the thread that ties sixty-six books into one story. Whatsoever things were written aforetime, Paul says, were written for our learning, that we might have hope. The order is a tool; the hope is the point, and the hope has a name.
Questions people ask
Should I start at Genesis and read to Revelation?
You can, but most beginners do better starting in the New Testament with a Gospel and coming to Genesis later. Reading front to back, many people stall in the detailed law sections and give up. Meeting Jesus first gives you the key that makes the earlier books make sense, so consider that path instead.
Do I have to read the Bible in order at all?
Not the whole Bible, no. But it helps to read within a single book in order, so the story or argument stays connected, rather than jumping around verse by verse. Think in terms of reading a book at a time in a sensible sequence, not treating the Bible as random quotes to sample.
What is a good order for a complete beginner?
A Gospel like John or Mark first, then Acts and the New Testament letters, with Psalms and Proverbs alongside for prayer and wisdom, and then back to Genesis and the Old Testament with Jesus in view. A structured reading plan can lay this out for you day by day if you would like the guidance.