Where Should I Start Reading the Bible?

Introduction: Starting Your Bible Reading Journey

Every follower of Christ eventually asks: “Where should I start reading my Bible?” This is a completely legitimate question. The Bible is 66 books, written across more than 1,500 years by dozens of authors — and opening it for the first time can feel overwhelming.

Whether you are a brand-new Christian or a believer looking to grow deeper in your relationship with God, this guide will give you three proven starting points, a realistic reading strategy, and the best tools available to help you understand what you read.

The most important thing to remember before you begin: we read the Bible not to earn God’s love, check a religious box, or fulfill a ritual. We read the Bible to know and love God — to have our hearts transformed and our lives conformed to the image of Christ.

Quick Answer: The Best Places to Start Reading the Bible

If you are brand new to the Bible, start with one of these three books:

1. The Gospel of John — Best for understanding who Jesus is.
2. The Gospel of Mark — Best for a fast-paced, action-driven narrative.
3. Genesis — Best for understanding the beginning of God’s story.

After completing any of these, follow the reading strategy outlined below to work through the entire Bible.

The Best Starting Point: The Gospel of John

Of all the books in the Bible, the Gospel of John is our top recommendation for anyone starting to read the Bible for the first time. Here is why:

• John presents Jesus clearly and accessibly — his identity as the Son of God, his miracles, his teachings, and ultimately his death, resurrection, and ascension.
• John was specifically written “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God” (John 20:31), making it uniquely evangelistic and foundational.
• The language is more reflective and explanatory than the other Gospels, which makes it easier to understand.
• It provides the picture of Jesus that every other book of the Bible points toward or flows from.

A Real-Life Example

A few years ago, one of the Radical team members had the opportunity to walk through the book of John with a friend named Matthew who had recently come to saving faith in Christ. Over the span of a few weeks, Matthew grew in his understanding of and affection for Jesus in remarkable ways. By the end of their study together, it was clear to Matthew that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity — both truly God and truly man — who covered his sins on the cross. Reading John gave Matthew not just information about Jesus, but a transformative encounter with the Savior.

What You Will Learn in the Gospel of John

• The identity of Jesus as the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1–14).
• Seven miraculous signs that demonstrate Jesus’s divine authority.
• Jesus’s ‘I AM’ statements — the most concentrated claims to deity in all of Scripture.
• The promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life through faith in Christ.
• The full account of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Expert Recommendation

After completing the Gospel of John, we recommend continuing with the Gospel of Mark. Mark moves at a rapid pace and reinforces the narrative of Jesus’s ministry from a slightly different angle — which will deepen your understanding before you explore the rest of the New Testament.

How Much Should You Read Each Day?

One of the most common mistakes new Bible readers make is starting with too ambitious a goal. They commit to reading three chapters a day, fall behind after two weeks, and give up entirely. Here is a realistic, sustainable approach:

Option 1: One Chapter Per Day (Beginner)

If you have little to no experience reading the Bible, start small. Read one chapter of the Bible each day. At this pace, you will develop a consistent habit that deepens over time. Consistency matters far more than volume. One chapter read prayerfully and thoughtfully is worth far more than five chapters rushed through.

Option 2: Five Pages Per Day (Intermediate)

If you want to read the entire Bible in one year, aim for approximately five pages per day. At this pace, you will complete the Bible — all 66 books — within 12 months. This is an achievable goal for most readers who commit to a daily habit.

Option 3: Ten Pages Per Day (Advanced)

For those who want a more rigorous reading schedule, ten pages per day will take you through the entire Bible in approximately six months. This pace is best suited for believers who already have an established daily reading habit and want to immerse themselves more deeply.

Charles Spurgeon, the renowned 19th-century Baptist preacher, once said: “Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” The goal is not speed or volume — the goal is faithfulness, delight, and growing in the knowledge of God.

Essential Tools to Help You Understand the Bible

As you begin reading, questions will inevitably come up that the surrounding text cannot immediately answer. These trusted resources will help you understand the meaning, context, and application of Scripture:

Study Bibles

A study Bible is the single most useful tool for a new Bible reader. It includes notes, cross-references, maps, and explanations alongside the biblical text — giving you context right where you need it without requiring a separate book. Two study Bibles that we highly recommend:

• CSB Study Bible — Clear translation, accessible notes, ideal for new readers.
• ESV Study Bible — Comprehensive, theologically rich, excellent for deeper study.

Bible Commentaries

Commentaries provide book-by-book, passage-by-passage explanations of Scripture from trusted theologians. They are especially helpful when you encounter difficult passages. For beginners, we recommend starting with one or two commentaries rather than building a large library. Recommended series include:

• Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary Series — Accessible and Christ-focused.
• Tyndale Bible Commentary Set — Both the Old Testament and New Testament sets are concise and readable, great for new students.
• Matthew Henry’s Commentary — A classic, available for free online, written in an accessible devotional style.
• John Calvin’s Commentaries — Rigorous Reformed theology, also available free online.

Bible Reading Plans

Rather than opening the Bible to a random page each day, we strongly encourage using an intentional reading plan. A structured plan walks you through all of God’s Word over time and provides accountability and direction. Popular options include:

• The M’Cheyne Reading Plan — Developed in the 19th century by Robert Murray M’Cheyne; reads through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice in two years (two chapters per day).
• The YouVersion Bible App — Free app with hundreds of reading plans at every pace and level.
• The Bible Project Reading Plan — Pairs Scripture with thematic videos that explain biblical context.

Why You Read the Bible: Getting Your Motivation Right

Before you commit to a reading plan, it is worth honestly asking yourself: why am I reading the Bible? Many people come to the Bible with unhelpful motivations — guilt, habit, social expectation, or a desire to accumulate theological knowledge. These motivations will eventually run dry.

Reading the Bible Out of Guilt

Many Christians read the Bible because they feel they are supposed to. They set a daily reading quota for themselves — and when they miss a day, they feel guilty. This is a common trap. God has not placed a specific chapter-per-day requirement on you. Reading out of fear or obligation will make Bible reading feel like a burden rather than a gift.

Reading the Bible to Know and Love God

The right motivation transforms everything. When you come to the Bible seeking to know God more deeply — to understand his character, his promises, and his purposes — the text becomes alive. You are not reading a rule book or a historical document. You are reading God’s self-revelation. He is speaking to you through every page. Approach each reading session asking: “What does this passage reveal about who God is? How does it change the way I think, desire, and act?”

The Right Heart Posture Before Reading

• Pray before you open the Bible: ask God to open your eyes to what he wants to show you.
• Read slowly and reflectively — this is not a newspaper or a social media feed.
• Ask: What does this text say about God? What does it ask of me?
• Journal what you notice — writing helps you retain and apply what you read.
• Bring your questions to a trusted pastor, mentor, or small group.

Reading the Bible in Community

Bible reading is not meant to be a purely private discipline. The church has always been the primary environment for encountering God’s Word. Corporate worship, where Scripture is preached by trained pastors, is ground zero for every Christian’s engagement with the Bible (Ephesians 4:11–15).

Hearing Scripture proclaimed on Sunday creates a greater appetite for reading it throughout the week. Small groups, Bible studies, and one-on-one discipleship relationships further deepen your engagement with the text. When you read the Bible in community, you are more likely to stay consistent, you benefit from others’ insights, and you have a space to wrestle honestly with difficult passages.

Families can also read the Bible together. Parents who read Scripture alongside their children model its importance, and children often notice things in the text that adults overlook — creating shared moments of discovery and growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I start reading the Bible from the beginning (Genesis)?
A: Genesis is foundational for understanding the whole story of Scripture, but it is not the easiest entry point for new readers. Leviticus and Numbers, which follow, can feel like a brick wall. For first-time readers, we recommend beginning with the Gospel of John to establish a clear picture of Jesus before working your way through the Old Testament.

Q: How long will it take to read the whole Bible?
A: Reading five pages per day, you will finish the Bible in approximately one year. At ten pages per day, you can complete it in about six months. Reading one chapter per day will take roughly three years. Choose a pace that feels sustainable and honors the goal of understanding, not just completion.

Q: What Bible translation should I use?
A: For new readers, we recommend the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) or the English Standard Version (ESV) — both are accurate, readable, and widely respected. The New International Version (NIV) is also a solid choice for accessibility. Avoid paraphrase versions as your primary study Bible.

Q: What if I don’t understand what I’m reading?
A: This is completely normal. Use a study Bible for in-text notes, consult a commentary for deeper explanation, and bring your questions to your pastor or a mature believer. Remember that even experienced theologians encounter passages they wrestle with. Confusion is part of the learning process.

Q: Is there a right time of day to read the Bible?
A: The best time is the time you will actually do it consistently. Many people find morning works well because it centers their day around God’s Word before other demands compete for attention. Others find evening more sustainable. Experiment, and then protect that time like an appointment.

Q: Do I need to read the Bible every single day?
A: Consistency matters more than perfection. Missing a day does not disqualify you — grace and the next morning’s reading do. Aim for daily engagement, but do not let one missed day derail your entire habit. The goal is a long-term relationship with Scripture, not a perfect attendance record.

Conclusion: Begin Where You Are

No matter where you are in your relationship with the Lord — whether you are opening the Bible for the first time or returning to it after a long absence — the invitation is the same: come and read. You do not need a theology degree or years of church experience. You need a willing heart and a desire to know the God who made you, loves you, and speaks to you through every page of Scripture.

Start with the Gospel of John. Read one chapter a day. Get a study Bible. Join a community of believers who are reading alongside you. And trust that the same God who inspired every word of the Bible is also at work in you as you read it.