What order should I read the Bible in?
For a first read, start with a Gospel. To read the whole Bible, mix the Old and New Testaments each day: it keeps the long Old Testament (46 hours) from crowding out the New (14 hours).
| Order | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In order, Genesis to Revelation | Seeing how the Bible is put together | Leviticus, Numbers and the genealogies come early, where many readers stall. |
| Old and New Testament side by side | Most people reading the whole Bible in a year | You hold two or three stories at once. |
| Chronological | Following the story as it happened | The order is approximate; some books are hard to date. |
| Gospels first | First-time readers | You will come back to the Old Testament later. |
Whole Bible: about 61 hours of reading in any order.
Questions
What order should I read the Bible in?
For a first reading, start with a Gospel (Mark or John), then Acts, then Genesis. To read the whole Bible, a plan that mixes Old and New Testament each day is the easiest to keep up.
Is it better to read the Bible chronologically?
It helps you follow the history, for example reading the prophets alongside the kings they spoke to. It is not better for everyone; some find the canonical order easier to keep track of.
Is the Bible in chronological order?
No. It is grouped by type: law, history, poetry, prophets, Gospels, letters. Job, for example, is set in the time of the patriarchs but placed after Esther.