In What Order Should I Study the Bible?
If you have started to read the Bible, you have begun a great thing. Unfortunately, it is easy to get frustrated or defeated while reading the Bible if you don’t know where to get started. Logically, the beginning seems like the right place to start, but that would be a mistake. Today I will show you a plan to read and understand the Bible. If you think it is arbitrary in the beginning, keep on reading. I have found a plan to help you understand what you read, making sense of the flow and thought of the Bible as you read.
First, when you start, don’t begin at the beginning. Find the contents page and make your way to the Gospel of John. John is located about two thirds of the way through your Bible, right after Luke but before Acts. Reading the Gospel of John first is important because it familiarizes you with the most important character in the Bible, Jesus. Additionally, John helps you understand the whole point of the Bible, which is why most people read it.
Just read one chapter a day. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Take time to think, read and reflect. You can write down your thoughts and questions as you read. If you read four to five times a week, the Gospel of John should take you about a month to read.
Once you are done with the Gospel of John, proceed to the next book after John, the book of Acts. The book of Acts records the story of the apostle’s lives after Jesus left the earth. This will allow you to understand the rest of the New Testament, most of which are short letters written by the Apostle Paul. Acts should also take you about a month to read.
Now, go all the way back and read the first book in the Bible, Genesis. Genesis will teach you about the beginning of the earth and how God picked a certain group of people to affect all of human history. Genesis is a longer book, so it will take you about two months to read. In Genesis, you will get to know people like Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Joseph.
After you are done with Genesis, travel back to the New Testament and read Romans. Romans is right after Acts, a book you have already read. Romans was written by the Apostle Paul. Throughout Romans, Paul teaches us about the point of Biblical history. Most of what you just read in Genesis will help you as you read Romans. Romans is considered the height of Biblical teaching by many scholars.
If you want to mix it up a bit, then I recommend that you read the Psalms or the Proverbs. Psalms is in the middle of your Bible. They were written as songs, poems and prayers to God. Most of the Psalms are not very long. Proverbs is thirty one chapters of wisdom sayings that generally apply to life. They are great to read for gaining common sense, leadership skills and learning how to interact with others.
So far you have already read about Jesus, the apostles and the beginning of the world. Now I think it is time for you to pick where you want to read in the Bible. Remember, there are lots of different types of literature in the Bible, so take time to understand what you are reading. The Bible contains poetry, history, prophecy and much more. I have written a book to help you make sense of them all. Most importantly though, pray and ask God to give you understanding as you read. If you ask, God will help you.