Survey the Bible in one year, reading only 15 verses a day!
Download a PDF of the plan:
Beginners’ Bible Reading Plan
What parts of the Bible will I read? Readings are included from every book of the Bible. This plan includes about 4,472 key verses out of 31,103 verses in the whole Bible. (That’s over 14% or 1/7th of the Bible.) Passages are arranged mostly in chronological order, with 8 months of Old Testament readings and 4 months in the New Testament.
How were the verses chosen? Passages were chosen that (a) trace the big story of the whole Bible with some of its central themes, (b) reflect the literary and topical diversity of the Bible, and (c) avoid some potentially embarrassing “adult content.”
Who should use this reading plan? I created this guide for my 5-year-old, who is an eager reader. (She has been thoroughly puzzled by some of the passages she’s read—such as Ezekiel 1. That’s okay. I’m puzzled by some of the same passages!) But this plan is equally well-suited for several kinds of adults—those new to the Bible, slower readers, or anyone who wants to survey highlights of the Bible at a pace that gives plenty of time for meditation. This plan does not take the place of plans that cover the whole Bible.
What is the suggested reading schedule? There are 25 readings each month, averaging less than 15 verses a day. Each monthly handout can be completed by following one of these suggested schedules: (1) Read 6 days a week until finished; (2) Read 5 days a week plus do one 5-reading day each month. Since you use a new handout each month, you will be alerted at the end of each month if you are falling behind. And should you fall behind, readings are short enough that you can easily read two a day until you catch up.
When can I begin? There are 12 reading guides—one for each month. Months are unnamed on the handouts, so you can begin any time of the year. Why not start today?
Here are the readings for the first month:
I have planned many times to read the Bible through from cover to cover. My time is running out and I have never made it through. I am 76 years old and will be 77 before the year is over. Please pray for me as this is something I must do. The Bible is not new to me. I sat at my mother’s feet and she read to us. I cannot explain it but I want to learn exactly what Jesus wants me to do.
God bless you as you read, Kay! May your heart and mind be stirred by the words of God.
This was strange to me. It came from my memories. But it is something I must have forgotten about. It looks like could have written it as everything fits. The name, the age and the whole written paragraph. It has stirred something inside me that I truly believe is God. However this came about thank you. I am now 77 but before the end of the year on Christmas Eve I will be 78. Pray for me.
I am thinking about creating a self-published adult coloring book with scriptures. Would I be allowed to include your reading plan if I reference this as the source?
http://dwightgingrich.com/my-resources/beginners-bible-reading-plan/
Lola, I would like to hear more about your plans for your coloring book. Can you tell me more in an email? (You can use the contact page on my website.) Blessings!
I want to learn the bible I want to study gods word
Hi.
I’ve been looking for this kind of Bible reading guide. I will use this as a guide for our Bible study groups.
Good! May God bless you as you share it with your groups.
Thank you for this. We use the Swedish Method of Bible study and I was looking for a guide that will fit this method. I enjoy this method and so I teach it to others (specially to unchurched students). However I had difficulty suggesting a guide the groups can use. Hopefully your guide will be a blessing.
Great! If you have any feedback after using it for a while on how it might be improved, feel free to let me know. God bless!
Hi,
Do you sell the Bible reading plan for children in a devotional type journal?
Hi Wilma,
No, I don’t. But that’s a good idea. Would you find that useful? Meanwhile, I guess you could just print out the PDFs I’ve posted and journal in another notebook. God bless, and thanks for taking time to ask!
Don’t you have paper copies of the reading plan. I can’t read what’s posted here
Jenetta, you should be able to read the plan here, then print your own copy: http://dwightgingrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Beginners-Bible-Reading-Plan.pdf
I am sorry, I have not created an already-printed version to sell.
Thanks for putting this together. I encourage people to read the Bible. However, I am conscious of the fact that sometimes the first step is overwhelming. This provides a ramp up to reading the Bible.
I’m glad if you find this reading plan helpful, Charlie. Thanks for letting me know you found it!
Wow… I’ve been looking for a way of getting Bible reading plan like this for a long time… Its really a blessing to me. Thanks for compiling this, more grace.
Pls which Bible version will be preferable and best understanding for beginners?
Praise God if this plan is a blessing for you!
One of the best Bible translations for the average reader is the NIV (New International Version). It is usually very readable both for adults and children. The CSB (Christian Standard Bible) is also good.
If you need something even easier to read, you could use the NLT (New Living Translation). The NLT isn’t as good for careful Bible study, but it usually explains the meaning of the Bible clearly and correctly.
Thank you for creating this! A sister and I are using it this year (2022).
Excellent, and thanks for letting me know. May you be blessed as you read!
You’re welcome! I forgot to mention that I rediscovered this resource from listening to your guest appearance on That Jesus Podcast. 🙂 Blessings!
Good to know. I’m glad that appearance wasn’t entirely in vain. 🙂