3 Ways To Read The Bible In A Year

Keep a calendar and track your progress. Tick a box every day you do your reading. If you have an average reading speed and you read for about ten minutes a day for a year, you should finish with time to spare. To be able to take off some days and spend extra time on dense passages, try reading for at least twenty minutes at a time.

If dividing your reading up by day doesn’t work, because you have a changeable schedule, try setting weekly or monthly reading goals.

Alternatively, ask a friend or family member to read along with you. Even a long distance friend can be a good reading buddy—set reading goals together, and make a weekly discussion date online, in person, or over the phone. Take a class. Search online, or at your local community college, church, or free school, for Bible study classes. Taking a course that requires you to read the whole Bible will motivate you to read, while providing valuable historical context.

If you are a morning person, read in the morning. If you focus better at night, read then. If you find your mind wandering, try reading in sections. For instance, read for twenty minutes, stand up and have a glass of water, then read for another twenty.

Even if you are also reading the Bible, you might consider listening as well. If you are reading one translation you might choose to listen to a different translation, for example.

You can even purchase versions of the Bible that contains no verse numbers, if you choose.

Read 3 chapters each day. At this rate, you will complete the book of Genesis on Jan. 17 and the book of Exodus on Jan. 31. If you would like to use this schedule but do not plan to begin in January, adjust your monthly plan accordingly.

Read 4 chapters on Feb. 1; 3 chapters each day from Feb. 2-4; 2 chapters on Feb. 5; 3 chapters each day from Feb. 6-7; 2 chapters each day from Feb. 8-13; and 1 chapter on Feb. 14. Read 3 chapters each day from Feb. 15-16; 2 chapters each day from Feb. 17-18; 3 chapters on Feb. 19; 2 chapters on Feb. 20; 3 chapters on Feb. 21; 2 chapters on Feb. 22; 3 chapters on Feb. 23; and 2 chapters each day from Feb. 24-28. Using this reading plan, you will complete Leviticus on Feb. 10 and will finish Numbers on Feb. 26. On the last day of February, you will have completed Deuteronomy 4 (the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy).

Start with chapter 5 of Deuteronomy. Read 3 chapters each day from March 1-4. Read 4 chapters on March 5; 3 chapters on March 6; 4 chapters on March 7; 2 chapters each day from March 8-9 and 3 chapters on March 10. Read 4 chapters each day from March 11-12; 3 chapters on March 13 and 4 chapters on March 14; 3 chapters each day from March 15-17; 2 chapters on March 18; 3 chapters on March 19; 2 chapters each day from March 20-21. Read 3 chapters each day from March 22-25; 4 chapters on March 26; 3 chapters on March 27; 5 chapters on March 28; 4 chapters on March 29; 2 chapters on March 30; and 3 chapters on March 31. If you follow this plan, you will complete Deuteronomy on March 10, Joshua on March 17, Judges on March 25 and Ruth on March 26. You also will complete the first 17 chapters of 1 Samuel, which is more than halfway through the book.

Read 3 chapters on April 1, beginning with 1 Samuel 18. Read 4 chapters on April 2; 3 chapters on April 3; 4 chapters on April 4; 3 chapters on April 5; 4 chapters on April 6; 5 chapters on April 7 and 3 chapters each day from April 8-11. Read 2 chapters on April 12; 3 chapters on April 13; 2 chapters each day from April 14-16; 3 chapters each day from April 17-19 and 2 chapters on April 20. Read 3 chapters on April 21; 2 chapters on April 22; 3 chapters each day from April 23-26; 2 chapters on April 27; 3 chapters each day from April 28-29; and 2 chapters on April 30. By following this plan, you will complete 1 Samuel on April 4, 2 Samuel on April 11, 1 Kings on April 20 and 2 Kings on April 29. On the last day of the month, you will begin the book of 1 Chronicles.

Begin the May reading with the third chapter of 1 Chronicles. Read 3 chapters on May 1; 1 chapter on May 2; 2 chapters on May 3; 3 chapters each day from May 4-6; 4 chapters on May 7 and 3 chapters each day from May 8-10. Read 4 chapters on May 11; 3 chapters on May 12; 4 chapters on May 13; 5 chapters on May 14; 3 chapters on May 15; 4 chapters on May 16; 3 chapters on May 17; 4 chapters on May 18; 3 chapters on May 19 and 2 chapters on May 20. Read 3 chapters on May 21; 4 chapters on May 22; 3 chapters each day from May 23-25; 1 chapter on May 26; 2 chapters each day from May 27-29; and 5 chapters each day from May 30-31. This reading plan will enable you to finish 1 Chronicles on May 10, 2 Chronicles on May 20, Ezra on May 23, Nehemiah on May 29 and Esther on May 31.

Start with chapter 1 in the book of Job. Read 4 chapters on June 1; 3 chapters each day from June 2-5; 4 chapters on June 6; 3 chapters on June 7; 5 chapters on June 8 and 3 chapters each day from June 9-11. Read 2 chapters on June 12; 3 chapters on June 13; 8 chapters each day from June 14-15; 4 chapters on June 16; 5 chapters on June 17; 6 chapters on June 18 and 4 chapters each day from June 19-20. Read 6 chapters on June 21; 5 chapters on June 22; 7 chapters on June 23; 8 chapters on June 24; 4 chapters each day from June 25-27; 2 chapters on June 28; 6 chapters on June 29; and 4 chapters on June 30. With this reading plan, you will complete the book of Job on June 13 and get more than halfway through the book of Psalm.

Begin with Psalm 90. Read 6 chapters on July 1; 7 chapters on July 2; 3 chapters on July 3; 2 chapters on July 4; 7 chapters on July 5; 4 chapters on July 6; 1 chapter split between July 7- 8 (this is Psalm 119, which is a long chapter); 13 chapters on July 9 and 7 chapters on July 10. Read 6 chapters on July 11; 5 chapters on July 12; 3 chapters each day from July 13-19 and 2 chapters on July 20. Read 3 chapters each day from July 21-22; 2 chapters on July 23; 4 chapters each day from July 24-26; 8 chapters on July 27; and 4 chapters each day from July 28-31. Using this reading schedule, you will finish Psalm on July 12, Proverbs on July 23, Ecclesiastes on July 26 and Song of Solomon on July 27. The last 4 days of the month will be spent reading the first 17 chapters of Isaiah.

Begin the August reading with Isaiah 18. Read 5 chapters each day from Aug. 1-2; 3 chapters on Aug. 3; 5 chapters on Aug. 4; 6 chapters on Aug. 5; 3 chapters on Aug. 6 and 5 chapters each day from Aug. 7-10. Read 3 chapters each day from Aug. 11-14; 4 chapters each day from Aug. 15-16; 5 chapters on Aug. 17; 3 chapters on Aug. 18; 4 chapters on Aug. 19 and 2 chapters on Aug. 20. Read 3 chapters each day from Aug. 21-22; 4 chapters each day from Aug. 23-24; 3 chapters on Aug. 25; 2 chapters each day from Aug. 26-27; 3 chapters on Aug. 28; 2 chapters on Aug. 29; and 4 chapters each day from Aug. 30-31. With this reading plan, you will complete Isaiah on Aug. 11, Jeremiah on Aug. 27 and Lamentations on Aug. 29. During the last 2 days of the month, you will begin the book of Ezekiel.

Start with chapter 9 in the book of Ezekiel. Read 4 chapters on Sept. 1; 3 chapters on Sept. 2; 2 chapters on Sept. 3; 3 chapters on Sept. 4; 2 chapters each day from Sept. 5-6 and 3 chapters each day from Sept. 7-18. Read 7 chapters on Sept. 19-20; 3 chapters on Sept. 21; 5 chapters on Sept. 22; 4 chapters on Sept. 23; 5 chapters on Sept. 24; 7 chapters on Sept. 25; 3 chapters on Sept. 26; 6 chapters on Sept. 27; 2 chapters on Sept. 28; and 7 chapters each day from Sept. 29-30. This reading plan enables you to finish Ezekiel on Sept. 14, Daniel on Sept. 18, Hosea on Sept. 20, Joel on Sept. 21, Amos on Sept. 23, Obadiah and Jonah on Sept. 24, Micah on Sept. 25, Nahum on Sept. 26, Habakkuk and Zephaniah on Sept. 27, Haggai on Sept. 28 and Zechariah on Sept. 30.

Begin with Malachi 1. Read 4 chapters each day from Oct. 1-2; 2 chapters each day from Oct. 3-7; 3 chapters on Oct. 8; 2 chapters each day from Oct. 9-12; 1 chapter on Oct. 13; 2 chapters on Oct. 14 and 3 chapters on Oct. 15. Read 2 chapters each day from Oct. 16-20; 1 chapter on Oct. 21; 2 chapters on Oct. 22; 1 chapter on Oct. 23; 2 chapters each day from Oct. 24-29; 3 chapters on Oct. 30; and 2 chapters on Oct. 31. If you stick to this reading plan, you will complete Malachi on Oct. 1, Matthew on Oct 14 and Mark on Oct. 22.

Start this month’s reading with Luke 19. Read 2 chapters each day from Nov. 1-9; 3 chapters each day from Nov. 10-15. Read 2 chapters on Nov. 16; 3 chapters on Nov. 17; 2 chapters each day from Nov. 18-19; 3 chapters each day from Nov. 20-24; 4 chapters on Nov. 25; 3 chapters each day from Nov. 26-28; and 4 chapters each day from Nov. 29-30. Using this reading schedule, you will complete Luke on Nov. 3, John on Nov. 12, Acts on Nov. 23 and Romans on Nov. 28.

Begin with 1 Corinthians 9. Read 3 chapters each day from Dec. 1-2; 2 chapters on Dec. 3; 4 chapters on Dec. 4; 5 chapters on Dec. 5; 4 chapters on Dec. 6 and 3 chapters each day from Dec. 7-10. Read 4 chapters on Dec. 11; 4 chapters on Dec. 12; 5 chapters on Dec. 13; 3 chapters on Dec. 14; 6 chapters on Dec. 15; 4 chapters each day from Dec. 16-17; 6 chapters on Dec. 18; 4 chapters on Dec. 19 and 3 chapters on Dec. 20. Read 5 chapters on Dec. 21; 5 chapters on Dec. 22; 3 chapters on Dec. 23; 5 chapters on Dec. 24; 3 chapters on Dec. 25; 3 chapters on Dec. 26; 5 chapters on Dec. 27; 4 chapters each day from Dec. 28-29; and 3 chapters each day from Dec. 30-31. Using this reading plan, you will finish 1 Corinthians on Dec. 3, 2 Corinthians on Dec. 6, Galatians on Dec. 8, Ephesians on Dec. 10, Philippians on Dec. 11, Colossians on Dec. 12, 1 Thessalonians on Dec. 13, 2 Thessalonians on Dec. 14, 1 Timothy on Dec. 15, 2 Timothy on Dec. 16, Titus and Philemon on Dec. 17, Hebrews on Dec. 20, James on Dec. 21, 1 Peter on Dec. 22, 2 Peter on Dec. 23, 1 John on Dec. 24, 2 John, 3 John and Jude on Dec. 25, and Revelation on Dec. 31. Most importantly, you will have completed the entire Bible from beginning to end in one year.