How to Read the Bible in a Year: Sample Reading Plans & Strategies

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Find the Bible reading plan that fits your lifestyle and goals
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With 66 books, 1,189 chapters, and over 750,000 words, reading the Bible in a year can seem like a daunting goal—but with the right attitude and study plan in place, it’s far easier to achieve than you may think. We’ve done all the research and found some study plans we think you’ll really resonate with, along with some tips and tricks to help boost your chances for a successful read-through. With a little prayer, patience, and practice, you can make diving into God’s Word a part of your daily life.

What is the best way to read the Bible in 1 year?

Find a Bible reading plan that best aligns with your schedule and spiritual goals. Some plans encourage you to read the Bible in order, while others invite you to dive into multiple parts of the Bible at once. [1] It can also help to read from a Bible translation that you enjoy, and to find friends to read along with you.

Section 1 of 3:

Sample Year-Long Bible Reading Plan

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Day Verses
Sample Bible Reading Plan (by Month)
January Genesis, Exodus 1-26, Matthew 1-21
February Exodus 27-40, Leviticus, Numbers 1-25, Matthew 21-28, Mark 1-8
March Numbers 26-36, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges 1-5, Mark 8-16, Luke 1-7
April Judges 6-21, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Luke 8-22
May 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 1-3, Luke 22-24, John 1-12
June 2 Chronicles 4-36, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job 1-20, John 12-21, Acts 1-9
July Job 21-42, Psalms 1-64, Acts 10-28, Romans 1
August Psalms 65-147, Romans 2-16, 1 Corinthians 1-11
September Psalms 148-150, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah 1-21, 1 Corinthians 11-16, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians 1-2
October Isaiah 22-66, Jeremiah 1-30, Ephesians 3-6, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus 1
November Jeremiah 31-52, Lamentations, Ezekiel 1-44, Titus 2-3, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter 1-2
December Ezekiel 45-48, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, 2 Peter 3, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation
  • This Bible-reading plan was created by The Gideons International organization. Click or tap here to view and download a day-by-day breakdown of this reading schedule.
Section 2 of 3:

Popular Bible Reading Plans

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  1. Take the number of pages in your edition of the Bible and divide it by 365—then, read that number of pages every day . For example, if your edition of the Bible has 1,760 pages, that’s around 4.8 pages a day (or 5, rounded up). If a daily reading plan doesn’t make sense with your schedule, try calculating a monthly page count instead. Just divide the number of pages in your Bible by 12 instead of 365.
  2. If you’re starting your Bible-reading plan at the beginning of the month (like January), you might find a front-to-back plan to be helpful. Starting at Genesis, you’ll work your way through the Old Testament, followed by the New Testament, reading specific books of the Bible each month.
    • Month 1 (January): Genesis & Exodus
    • Month 2 (February): Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy
    • Month 3 (March): Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth & 1 Samuel
    • Month 4 (April): 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings & 2 Kings
    • Month 5 (May): 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther
    • Month 6 (June): Job & Psalms
    • Month 7 (July): Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon & Isaiah
    • Month 8 (August): Isaiah, Jeremiah & Lamentations
    • Month 9 (September): Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai & Zechariah
    • Month 10 (October): Malachi, Matthew, Mark & Luke
    • Month 11 (November): Luke, John, Acts, Romans & 1 Corinthians
    • Month 12 (December): 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude & Revelation
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  3. This reading plan organizes the Bible in the chronological order that biblical events occurred, rather than the standard order of books, chapters, and verses that you’d normally see in the Bible. In this plan, you might jump between books before “officially” finishing one—for example, Day 3 of this plan has you reading Genesis 8-11, while Day 4 switches to Job 1-5. [2]
  4. The standard order of books you see in most Bibles doesn’t reflect the order in which these books were written. Instead of reading the Bible from start to finish, consult this historical timeline of Bible book publications and read them in that order instead.
  5. Some reading plans encourage you to dive into multiple sections of the Bible at once rather than just one book at a time. For instance, this plan encourages you to read parts of the Old and New Testament simultaneously, while this plan invites you to read from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms or Proverbs all at once.
  6. The Catholic Bible includes extra books known as the Apocrypha that are otherwise excluded from Protestant Bibles. If you’d like to include these extra books in your yearly reading plan, check out this robust Catholic reading plan .
  7. Are you a particularly fast reader, or just up for a harder challenge? You might find this plan to be a bit more invigorating, which has you reading the Bible in 6 months rather than 1 year. [3]
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Section 3 of 3:

Bible Reading Tips for Success

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  1. There isn’t just one version of the Bible—over the centuries, people have rewritten the Bible in many different ways. Choose from one of the following statements below and see which one you resonate with most. [4]
    • I’m a total newbie and want something easy to understand. Best versions: CEV, GNB/TEV, JB, MSG, TLB, NLT, NIV
    • I want to really dive deep into the meanings of individual verses. Best versions: ESV, KJV, NKJB, NRSV
  2. Tackling the entire Bible in one year is a huge and impressive goal—but there’s nothing wrong with starting out with a smaller plan first. If you’d rather just get your footing in a daily Bible-reading plan, you might enjoy:
    • Isaiah Plan : 71 days total ( covers the book of Isaiah )
    • Gospel Plan : 45 days total ( covers Matthew, Mark, Luke & John )
    • Psalms Plan : 150 days total ( covers the book of Psalms )
    • Wisdom Plan : 60 days total ( covers Psalms, Proverbs & Song of Solomon/Songs )
  3. Do you feel at your freshest and most alert when you first wake up, or after you’ve started to wind down at the end of the day? Whatever the case, schedule your daily Bible readings for a time that makes the most sense for you, your schedule, and your energy levels.
    • If you get up early, you might do your Bible readings while eating breakfast.
    • If you have a long commute to work, you might listen your Bible readings in audio form with plans like the Chapter-A-Day Audio Bible . (With this specific plan, you’ll need to listen to multiple chapters per day to meet your goal.)
  4. To get through a long text without losing focus, try reading your Bible for a regular amount of time every day. [5] You might read for twenty minutes to an hour, depending on your reading speed and attention span.
    • It can help to keep a calendar and track your progress. Tick a box every day you do your reading.
  5. Since you’re starting out with a brand-new Bible-reading plan, it makes sense to start out with a brand-new Bible (especially if you’re planning to read from a different translation than you normally would). Bibles don’t have to be expensive at all; in fact, you can easily get a Bible for under $10:
  6. Studying the Bible with fellow believers provides an even more enriching experience as you dive into the deeper meanings of God’s Word. It also helps you create firmer bonds within your faith family, which is an important aspect of being a Christian. [6]
    • Other people can also hold you accountable to your daily reading plan, and help you stay motivated as you follow through with your goals.
  7. Think of Bible commentaries as in-depth analyses on different aspects of the Bible. While they certainly aren’t a requirement for reading the Bible, they can provide valuable insights that really enrich your reading experiences. [7] Here are some commentaries that are geared toward year-long Bible-reading plans:
  8. If you are reading for purposes of devotion, include your reading in your daily faith routine. [8] Praying as you read helps to nurture and expand upon your spiritual experience as you dive into the Bible. You might: [9]
    • Pray for God to reveal things to you in His Word
    • Ask for mercy as you cope with the daily struggles of sin
    • Ask to be reminded of God’s grace
    • Pray to be closer with God as you study the Bible.
  9. Reading the entire Bible in one year is a big challenge, especially if you aren’t used to reading the Bible each day. You might find that you don’t have the time or energy to stay on top of your daily readings—and that’s totally okay! Be prepared to be kind to yourself if you lose momentum and fall behind (or even if you take a break). What matters most is that you’re reading the Bible at your own pace, not the quantity of what you read.
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Bible Reading Schedule and Reflection Journal Template

Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Are there any other ways to read the bible in a year?
    Mark Russell
    Christian Theology Expert
    Mark Russell is a Christian Theology Expert based in Bourbonnais, Illinois. He is a Senior High School Youth Pastor at Gathering Point Church of the Nazarene, and has held this post for over nine years. He is the director of the Next Gen programs at the church, managing all youth education programs. Through this role, he also leads a team of adult youth leaders and completes preaching duties. Prior to working at Gathering Point, he worked as Assistant Principal at Grove City Christian School and was a Youth Pastor at Grove City Church of the Nazarene. He received a BA in Elementary Education and Teaching from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
    Mark Russell
    Christian Theology Expert
    Expert Answer
    You can also make use of the "Read the Bible in a Year" option available in the Bible App. The app will give you daily readings that will help you read the Bible completely in one year.
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  • Question
    How many chapters would I have to read every day to read the Bible in a year?
    Community Answer
    There are close to 929 chapters in the Old Testament and 260 chapters in the New Testament. This would mean that you would need to read around 3 - 4 chapters per day to read the complete Christian Bible.
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  • Question
    Is it okay if I can't study in a quiet place?
    Community Answer
    There are no rules about where you must study. As long as you can concentrate on what you're reading and absorb the material, it's absolutely fine.
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      References

      1. ↑ Mark Russell. Christian Theology Expert. Expert Interview. 16 August 2024.
      2. ↑ https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/chronological.html
      3. ↑ https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/one-year-immersion-plan.html
      4. ↑ https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/which-is-the-best-bible-translation/
      5. ↑ Mark Russell. Christian Theology Expert. Expert Interview. 16 August 2024.
      6. ↑ https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/read-the-bible-with-someone-else
      7. ↑ https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-commentary.html
      8. ↑ Zachary Rainey. Ordained Minister. Expert Interview. 19 May 2019.
      9. ↑ https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/four-prayers-for-bible-reading

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To read the Bible in a year, set aside 20 to 30 minutes each day for reading. Alternatively, divide the number of pages in your issue of the Bible by 365, then read that number of pages each day. Alternatively, consider listening to an audio version of the Bible. If you find it challenging to read by yourself, consider joining a reading group to help you stay focused and boost your comprehension. For tips on how to read the Bible from start to finish, keep reading!

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