2012 Bible Reading Plan
The Bible
The Bible is a collection of 66 books that communicate the message of God’s history with mankind and his love for humanity. Written by approximately 40 different authors, over a span of 1600 years, over a geographical span of 2200 miles, the one shining message of the Bible shines through the single verse of John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [NIV]
The Bible is a book that will change your life, if you take the time to read it. The Bible is God’s message to you about his love for you and his plan for your life. Enjoy the journey of studying God’s word with the many people of Journey Church International in 2012.
Bible Reading Guidelines
- Use a plan:
Because the Bible is so broad and covers so much history, it is good to use a set reading plan that helps the Bible fit together into proper sections. Below are 4 reading plans that you can choose from. One is a plan to read the entire New Testament, one is a plan to read the entire Old Testament, one is a plan to read the entire Bible with a combination of Old Testament and New Testament sections, and one is a plan to read the entire Bible straight through, in the period of one year. Choose one of the plans and begin to methodically read through the Bible this year. If you average 4 chapters a day, you can read the entire Bible through in one-year regardless of the plan that you use.
- Use a Study Bible:
Every Christian bookstore, as well as most large bookstores (Barnes and Nobles, etc.) will have Study Bibles that you can purchase. These are Bibles with additional notes that will tell you who wrote each book, why they wrote it, when they wrote it, etc. In addition each chapter will have additional notes that explain hard-to-understand verses. A Study Bible is a tremendous tool to learning the deep spiritual meaning of the Bible. If you have questions about which Study Bible to buy, e-mail our church at info@takethejourney.cc.
- Take Notes in a Journal:
The Bible student’s greatest tool for retaining what they read is a good journal. As you read each day look for one verse, one story, or one person that stands out in the narrative that you are reading and then journal a sentence or two about it and what it means to you. This practice will help you retain what you read and be able to tell others about it more easily.
- Write down key questions:
There are many places in the Bible that are hard to understand and some that are downright confusing. When you come across a verse or a passage like this, write it down and be sure to ask somebody your questions. You can e-mail your Bible questions to info@takethejourney.cc and our staff team will try to answer them for you.
- Set Reading Goals:
Just like working out, or dieting, or anything else where you hope to succeed, you should set goals for your Bible reading each year. A good goal for somebody who has never read the Bible would be to read the New Testament all the way through (there is a plan below to guide you in that goal). Many people who have gone to church all of their lives have never read all of the Old Testament, so that could be a good goal for those of you in that position. A challenging, but highly fulfilling goal is to read your entire Bible through. There are two plans below to help you do that. One paces you to read straight through the Bible in one year. The other helps you move fluidly between the Old Testament and the New Testament. By reading an average of 4 chapters per day, you will read through your entire Bible in year. Set your goal this year, and then pursue it!
- Don’t Give Up:
Reading through the Bible can become wearisome – it’s a big book! Some books of the Bible are just difficult to understand and draw daily inspiration from. In addition, just like any commitment you make, sometimes the excitement you begin with just fades away over time. Expect difficult times, boring times, and busy times in your life – and keep reading through your Bible. It will be worth it spiritually!
Bible Reading Plans
**At your own pace [the names of the books of the Bible and their corresponding page numbers can be found in the Table of Contents in the first few pages of your Bible].
Read the Entire Bible:
1. Luke
2. Acts
3. James
4. Romans
5. Genesis
6. Exodus
7. Leviticus
8. Numbers
9. Deuteronomy
10. Joshua
11. Judges
12. Ruth
13. 1 Samuel
14. 2 Samuel
15. 1 Kings
16. 2 Kings
17. John
18. 1 John
19. 2 John
20. 3 John
21. Revelation
22. Psalms
23. Songs of Solomon
24. Mark
25. 1 Peter
26. 2 Peter
27. Jude
28. Proverbs
29. Ecclesiastes
30. 1 Corinthians
31. 2 Corinthians
32. Galatians
33. Ephesians
34. Philippians
35. Colossians
36. 1 Thessalonians
37. 2 Thessalonians
38. Ezra
39. Nehemiah
40. Esther
41. Job
42. 1 Timothy
43. 2 Timothy
44. Titus
45. Philemon
46. Isaiah
47. Jeremiah
48. Lamentations
49. Ezekiel
50. Daniel
51. Matthew
52. Hebrews
53. Hosea
54. Joel
55. Amos
56. Obadiah
57. Jonah
58. Micah
59. Nahum
60. Habakkuk
61. Zechariah
62. Haggai
63. Zephaniah
64. Malachi
65. 1 Chronicles
66. 2 Chronicles
Read the New Testament:
1. Luke
2. Acts
3. James
4. Romans
5. Mark
6. 1 Peter
7. 2 Peter
8. Jude
9. John
10. 1 John
11. 2 John
12. 3 John
13. Revelation
14. Matthew
15. Hebrews
16. 1 Timothy
17. 2 Timothy
18. Titus
19. 1 Corinthians
20. 2 Corinthians
21. Galatians
22. Ephesians
23. Philippians
24. Colossians
25. 1 Thessalonians
26. 2 Thessalonians
27. Philemon
Read the Old Testament:
1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy
6. Joshua
7. Judges
8. Ruth
9. 1 Samuel
10. 2 Samuel
11. 1 Kings
12. 2 Kings
13. Psalms
14. Proverbs
15. Ecclesiastes
16. Song of Solomon
17. Job
18. Isaiah
19. Jeremiah
20. Lamentations
21. Ezekiel
22. Daniel
23. Ezra
24. Nehemiah
25. Esther
26. Hosea
27. Joel
28. Amos
29. Obadiah
30. Jonah
31. Micah
32. Nahum
33. Habakkuk
34. Zephaniah
35. Haggai
36. Zechariah
37. Malachi
38. 1 Chronicles
39. 2 Chronicles
Read straight through the Bible in One Year:
http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/reading.cgi?plan=straight&ver=NAS
