If you want to start reading the Bible, you might be unsure of where to begin. Let me introduce you to a feasible plan that can help you get started.
The Word Bible Reading Plan is a 100-Day focus on key passages to help you understand the grand narrative of Scripture.
Key Features
- 50 days in Old Testament reading
- 50 days in New Testament reading
- Chronological in approach (which means skipping around in books since the Bible is not organized chronologically)
- Writings attached to narratives (We read Psalm 51 after David’s sin with Bathsheba, we read Galatians 1-2 before the Jerusalem Council, reading through a letter of Paul following along what city he was in when he most likely wrote it, etc.) to get a fuller picture
- Days are fairly balanced in amount of reading (I attempted to make it manageable without losing the full beauty of pieces of the narrative; shortest will be less than one chapter, we will read through all 4 smaller chapters of Malachi in one day)
- There are built-in days with a lower volume of reading to help you catch up
- Even if you start and get bogged down, don’t quit, or even if you start late, it’s all good
- It’s not a perfect plan, you will see things that you think could have been left out or should have been put in, but it’s the fruit of a lot of study, prayer, and work on my part.
If you don’t have a plan, my line of thinking is it’s better to have a plan rather than no plan.
You can download or read the plan below.
Daily Plan
- Creation: Gen. 1-2
- Fall: Gen. 3
- Cain and Abel: Gen. 4
- Flood: Gen. 6:5-22; Gen. 7; Gen. 9:1-17
- Babel: Gen. 11:1-9
- The Call of Abram: Gen. 12:1-20
- The Covenant with Abram: Gen. 15:1-21; Gen. 18:1-21
- Issac: Gen. 21:1-7; Gen. 22:1-19
- Jacob and Esau: Gen. 25:19-34; Gen. 27
- Jacob to Israel: Gen. 28:10-22; Gen. 32:22-32
- Joseph’s Dreams: Gen. 37
- Joseph’s Perseverance: Gen. 39; Gen. 40
- Joseph’s Position: Gen. 41; Gen. 42
- Joseph’s Provision: Gen. 43; Gen. 44
- Joseph’s Forgiveness: Gen. 45; Gen. 46:1-7; Gen. 50:15-26
- The Early Years of Moses: Ex. 1; Ex. 2
- The Burning Bush: Ex. 3; Ex. 4:1-17
- God Promises Deliverance: Ex. 6:1-13; Ex. 7:1-13
- The Passover: Ex. 11; Ex. 12:1-32
- The Exodus: Ex. 12:33-42; Ex. 13:17-22; Ex. 14; Ex. 15:1-21
- The Ten Commandments: Ex. 19; Ex. 20:1-17
- The Golden Calf: Ex. 32; Ex. 33; Ex. 34
- The Rock: Ex. 17:1-7; Num. 20:2-13
- The Wanderings: Deut. 1:19-46; Deut. 2:1-25; Deut. 6:1-15
- The Death of Moses: Deut. 32:44-52; Deut. 34
- Be Strong and Courageous: Josh. 1
- The Battle of Jericho: Josh. 5:13-15; Josh. 6
- Choose This Day: Josh. 24:14-31; Judg. 2:6-23
- The Priest Samuel: 1 Sam. 1; 1 Sam. 2:1-11; 1 Sam. 3
- Request for a King: 1 Sam. 8
- King Saul: 1 Sam. 9; 1 Sam. 10
- David and Goliath: 1 Sam. 16; 1 Sam. 17
- King David: 2 Sam. 5; 2 Sam. 6; 2 Sam.7
- Songs of David: Ps. 23; Ps. 103
- David and Bathsheba: 2 Sam. 11; 2 Sam. 12:1-15; Ps. 51
- King Solomon: 1 Kings 1:28-53; 1 Kings 2; 1 Kings 3
- The Wisdom of Solomon: Prov. 3; Ecc. 2
- The Temple: 1 Kings 8:1-61; 1 Kings 9:1-9
- The Division: 1 Kings 11:1-13; 1 Kings 12:1-24
- The Prophet Elijah: 1 Kings 18; 1 Kings 19:1-18
- Warnings of Judgment: Jer. 1; Jer. 2
- The Fall of Israel: Amos 5; 2 Kings 17:1-23; Hosea 6
- King Josiah: 2 Kings 22; 2 Kings 23:1-3
- The Fall of Judah: Jer. 29:1-14; 2 Chron. 36
- Sent to Exile: Lam. 3:1-45; Ps. 137
- Promises of God’s Faithfulness: Is. 40; Ezek. 36:22-38; Ezek. 37
- Life in Exile: Dan. 1; Dan. 6
- Rebuilding the Temple: Ezra 1; Haggai 1; Ezra 3:8-13
- Rebuilding the Wall: Neh. 1; Neh. 2; Neh. 8:1-12
- The Great Day of the Lord: Mal. 1; Mal. 2; Mal. 3; Mal. 4
- The Word – John 1:1-18
- The Coming Messiah: Luke 1
- The Birth of Jesus: Luke 2:1-40; Matt. 2:1-12
- Prepare the Way: Luke 3:1-20; John 1:19-51
- Ministry Beginnings: Luke 4:1-30; Mark 2:1-12
- Follow Me: Luke 5:1-11; Luke 6:12-19
- Sermon on the Mount – Part 1: Matt. 5
- Sermon on the Mount – Part 2: Matt. 6; Matt. 7
- For God So Loved: John 3
- Parables of the Kingdom: Matt. 13
- Bread of Life: Matt. 14; John 6:22-71
- Parables of the Lost: Luke 15
- Triumphal Entry: Matt. 21
- The Last Supper: Luke 22:1-30; John 13
- Parting Teachings: John 14; John 15
- The High Priestly Prayer: John 16; John 17
- Arrest of Jesus: Luke 22:31-46; John 18
- Crucifixion: John 19
- Resurrection: John 20
- Ascension: Matt. 28:11-20; Acts 1:1-11
- Pentecost: Acts 2
- The Church Grows: Acts 3; Acts 4
- Stephen the First Martyr: Acts 6; Acts 7
- Persecution: Acts 8
- Damascus: Acts 9:1-31
- No Partiality: Acts 10
- Paul’s First Missionary Journey: Acts 13; Acts 14
- Faith: James 1; James 2
- The Jerusalem Council: Gal. 1; Gal. 2; Acts 15
- More Missionary Journeys: Acts 16; Acts 17; 1 Thess. 5
- Paul in Ephesus: Acts 20:17-38; 1 Cor. 13:1-13; 2 Cor. 5
- The Righteousness of God: Rom. 1; Rom. 8
- Gaining Christ: Phil. 2; Phil. 3
- The Supremacy of Christ: Col. 1
- Saved by Grace: Eph. 2
- The Quality of Leaders: 1 Tim. 3; 1 Tim. 6:3-21
- Every Good Work: Titus 3
- Living Hope: 1 Pet. 1; 2 Pet. 3
- Paul’s Defense: Acts 26; Acts 27
- Soldier of Christ Jesus: 2 Tim. 2; 2 Tim. 3
- Paul in Rome: Acts 28
- The Sacrifices of Christ: Heb. 9; Heb. 10
- The Great Cloud of Witnesses: Heb. 11; Heb. 12
- Walking in the Light: 1 John 1; 1 John 2
- The Vision: Rev. 1
- The 7 Churches: Rev. 2-3
- The Throne: Rev. 4-5
- The Great Multitude: Rev. 7
- Rejoicing in Heaven: Rev. 19-20
- The New Heaven and New Earth: Rev. 21-22
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.