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For those wanting to learn how to read the Bible in a year, the simple answer is to break it down into manageable chunks, build a plan, set a goal, pick a method and get going!
Reading the entire Bible in one year is a common goal, and it typically involves reading about 3 to 4 chapters per day. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible, 929 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New Testament. Most people can read one chapter in 4 to 6 minutes, so daily readings take roughly 12 to 24 minutes.
For those who prefer listening, audio Bibles are a great option. The Bible takes about 72 hours to read at standard narration speed, making it easy to fit into a year by listening for about 12–15 minutes daily. Many one-year plans also include a few days off to help you catch up when life gets busy.
Reading the collection of 66 books that make up the Bible from start to finish is a great way of building up a good understanding of God. A long reading of the Bible helps give a sense of the broader aspects of God’s character, desires, purpose and impact upon humanity. It will deepen and enrich your relationship with God. As you read the Bible in 1 year from cover to cover, you appreciate the developing understanding of God as he revealed himself to humanity over the ages.
Get started with a free PDF, helping you check off the books as you read them.
As you make your way through the Old Testament and into the New, you can piece together new layers of meaning, having grappled with those early traditions established in the Old Testament. Reading something about God’s nature in Exodus may give you a keen insight into the subtleties of the New Testament and more! As you read the Bible cover to cover, you will gain a greater appreciation for the overarching themes that reappear time and time again across thousands of years.
It’s also a discipline of self-control, devotion, and diligence to have read through the Bible in a year. You would be surprised how many Christians have never read all the books of the Bible at least once.
So, to get started, you need to do three things. Choose a plan, set a goal, and pick a method. The final thing to note in this article will be the challenges that you may encounter along the way.
Choose A Plan
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
The best way to achieve the goal of reading the Bible in one year is to pick a plan and stick to it. I’ve got a few suggestions to help you get going.
1) Sequentially
The most obvious way is to open the Bible at Genesis 1 and begin reading sequentially, aiming for four chapters daily regardless of length. Bear in mind that many books of the Bible are not listed chronologically but are organised into types of literature and genres. It’s worth reading up on the genres before embarking on reading the Bible in a year. If you’d like to follow a plan where you read through the Bible chronologically or thematically, I made a plan; download it by filling in your email and tapping ‘Download’ below.
2) Use A Varied Plan
Rather than reading it sequentially, one option (and highly popular) is to read various scriptures in rotation. If you find yourself in a particularly hard part of the Bible, dipping into the Psalms, Gospels, or Proverbs is a welcome relief. In my view, the best plans offer a rotation of different reading, working through 2-3 books of the Bible simultaneously each day. I’ve put one together. If you like a PDF, you can print it out and tick it off as you go; again, fill in your details in the box above and tap download.
3) Use A Bible App
There’s every good reason to use a Bible App. You can carry every translation with you in your pocket. This was something entirely unimaginable to the saints of old. Everywhere you go, if you have a device, you have access to the living word of God. What an incredible privilege. My favourite is ‘The Bible App’ by YouVersion. You can download it by tapping here.
Set A Goal
Regardless of the plan, you ought to have a reading goal. Even if your plan recommends a few chapters daily, it’s okay to go over and read beyond. If you are driven to complete the Bible in a year (many take longer), over-reading might be an advantage. Set a realistic goal and push through, even if you are not finding it as energising as other days. Ideally, you want to aim to read 4 chapters at set times of the day to ensure you bring your best to the challenge. You’re less likely to persevere and take the words on board if you read from a place of tiredness.
It might be that you set a goal of getting up 30 minutes earlier every day, which becomes your treasured reading time. You will be fresher in the morning if you sit down with your Bible before your household awakens, drink some water, tea or coffee and move steadily through your reading plan.
Pick A Method
You can digest the Bible in a variety of ways.
1) Physical Bible
I flit between using a paper Bible and the app on my phone. There is something precious and grounding in opening a high-quality physical Bible that you have personalised -particularly if you have been reading from the same physical copy for several years. I like to highlight and pencil in notes in the margins of key insights and connections as they come. Having something to hold that is not a device also means I can better place myself at the moment and avoid notifications or the temptation to scroll on my phone. I’ve lost count of the number of times I open my phone to do something meaningful, but I inevitably find myself down a rabbit hole of wasting time. A physical Bible is a great way of cutting out the distraction. You can get yourself a high-quality Bible with note margins on Amazon by tapping here.
2) Bible App
There are many to choose from, but the most popular I’ve already mentioned is ‘The Bible App’ by YouVersion. It’s got a never-ending selection of plans, and there are several excellent one-year Bible reading plans. It’s handy to have on your phone, meaning you can read it anywhere on the go. You can usually track missed days and catch up if you fall behind. Many apps have note features that serve those on long commutes well.
3) Audio Bible
Audio is perfect if you are on the go, taking long walks, commuting to work by train or car, working out, or can’t do anything other than listen. Many Bible apps have an audio version these days. The YouVersion app has many translations and several narrators. You can also use stand-alone audio, search for bible readings on podcasting platforms like Spotify, or get a free Audible trial here and listen to the Bible in a year, read to you by the guy who played Detective Poirot!
4) Visual Bible
For those who like visual enrichment, there is even the option to digest the Bible in audiovisual form. There are some great video readings on YouTube that fulfil this wonderful combo, and if you are a highly visual person, this might be a good fit for you.
Beware of Challenges
1) Perseverance
Let’s be frank: some parts of the Bible are quite boring to read. That’s not me saying any part of it is less spiritual or authoritative to our lives or that any of it lacks meaning. After all, the Apostle Paul said that all scriptures are useful for teaching, rebuking, training and correction (2 Timothy 3:16-17). However, we can all agree that reading a chapter full of ancient names is not the most riveting part of scripture. So, let’s perhaps not feel too bad when times feel like a slog.
I prefer that while reading scripture, I find inspiration, conviction, and revelation through the work of the Holy Spirit as I read. But, there will be times when it’s like eating broccoli -it might not be enjoyable, yet somehow, I know it is doing me good. During these times, it will be more of a discipline than a delight, and reading those less interesting scriptures will be worthwhile if at least to say that you have read all parts of the Bible.
2) Confusion
There will be times when something confusing happens, particularly in the more ancient texts. You must grasp the genre of the book you are reading and understand that there are thousands of years between you and the person recording the ancient scriptures. There will be things you read that will jar with our current cultural presence. The Bible is a complex concoction of God encounters and each book deserves its own analysis, patience and reading through an appropriate lens of understanding is required. If you encounter something confusing, note it, don’t judge it -it may be that as you read across the Bible, things become clearer. Your theology will develop, and as you understand more about God, the way you read some of the more confusing parts of the Bible will change.
3) Context
If there is something that feels innately challenging, you may find that understanding the historical and cultural context of the Bible will often shed light on those challenges. I prefer to read the books of the Bible holistically; that is to say, they all point to God revealed ultimately through Jesus and tell a story of humans encountering God across the generations. However, there are times when scripture seems to clash against itself. Still, I usually find that understanding the context means the contradiction is not a contradiction at all. The writer of a particular book is usually looking to address a very contextual issue. We find this often is the case with the New Testament letters.
So, Begin!
It’s a remarkable achievement to have read all the scriptures, but don’t miss the point. God is revealed to us through the Bible; the chief aim is to know him and know him better through the scriptures. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a few days or lose interest. Take a day off and return to it with fresh enthusiasm. If you don’t read the Bible in precisely one year, it’s okay. It’s better to have read some of it than none of it. The fact you set a goal to read it all means you will have engaged with more of the Bible than if you hadn’t.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the challenges of reading the Bible in a year, as well as successes or top tips. Drop a comment below, and please keep it respectful.
