How to start reading the Bible

Plenty of people start the Bible in Genesis with good intentions and give up around the laws about tabernacle curtains. That says nothing bad about you. The Bible is a library of sixty-six books, and it has no single plot running from page one to the end, so where you start makes a big difference. This guide gives you a simple plan.

Start with Jesus

Genesis is wonderful, but it's a hard door to come in by. Begin in the Gospel of John instead. John is written in clear language and explains who Jesus is and why he matters. It has twenty-one chapters, and you can read one a day in about ten minutes. Open John 1 and give it a try.

After John, many people move on to Mark, the shortest Gospel, and then Luke. Together the Gospels give you Jesus' story from several angles. Then try Acts, which tells how the first Christians spread the message, and a short letter such as Philippians, which is warm and encouraging.

How the Bible is organized

The Old Testament has 39 books and tells the story of God and his people before Jesus. It holds history, law, poetry such as the Psalms, wisdom such as Proverbs, and the prophets. The New Testament has 27 books. It opens with the four Gospels about Jesus, continues with Acts, then gathers letters written to early churches, and closes with Revelation.

Books are divided into chapters and verses so people can find their place together. A reference like John 3:16 means the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16. On this site you can type that into the Bible search box and go straight to it.

A daily habit that works

You don't need an hour. You need something you can keep doing. Here is a pattern many people find easy.

1. Pick a time and a place. Morning with coffee works for some people and the end of the day for others. Consistency matters more than length.
2. Read a small piece, such as a chapter or even half of one.
3. Ask what the passage says about God, what it says about people, and whether there is anything in it for you to believe or do.
4. Write one line about what stood out, or a question you have.
5. Say a short prayer. "God, help me understand" is enough. Our guide on how to pray can help.

If you miss a day, pick up where you left off. Starting over isn't necessary.

Tips that help

Read in context. A verse pulled from the middle of a chapter can seem to say something different from what it means, so read the paragraphs around it, and when a verse puzzles you, read the whole chapter.

Notice what kind of writing you're reading. A psalm is poetry and shouldn't be read like a legal contract, a letter is a letter, and history is history. Reading each type the way it was meant prevents many misunderstandings.

Expect to be confused sometimes. Some passages are hard even for lifelong students. Mark them and move on.

Try not to go alone. Reading with a friend or a church group makes a big difference, and you can also ask us your questions. A real person will reply.

Use a translation you can follow. On this site we use the World English Bible, a modern English translation in the public domain. It's accurate, readable and free to share. Other good modern translations exist, and many people compare two.

Tools on this site

The Bible reader lets you read any chapter in the WEB, change the text size, and copy a verse with its reference. The search helps when you remember only a few words of a verse. The daily devotional is a fourteen-day series called Meeting Jesus, and each day you get a short reading, a reflection and a prayer by email.

Where to start today

Open John, read chapter 1, and write down one thing you notice. When you're ready, keep going one chapter at a time.