We’re a few days into 2024 and you may find yourself in a familiar position.

You’ve committed to read the Bible regularly this year, but you’re already a day or so behind. Or maybe you’re still up to date, but a lack of past perseverance lingers in your thoughts.

With those two things in mind, I’d like to make a few suggestions for your Bible reading this year.

First, relax.

There is not a verse in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt read through the entire Bible each year.” Reading the Bible in a year is a worthy goal, but Bible reading plans were created for man, not man for Bible reading plans.

Second, take it slowly.

If you haven’t developed a consistent Bible reading routine, then don’t first jump into the deep end. Start by reading a chapter a day or set a timer to read for fifteen uninterrupted minutes. Then, increase your reading time or chapter volume as your routine develops.

Third, once you’ve developed your reading habit, let me recommend a reading plan that I’ve followed for years.

When I was saved at nine years old, my grandfather took me to the Baptist Book Store (yep, I’m that old) and bought a new Bible for me. That Bible suggested a reading plan using three bookmarks. The three bookmarks began in Genesis, Job, and Matthew. In eighteen months, by reading a chapter a day in each section, the entire Old Testament would be read once and the New Testament twice.

I’ve modified that system for my current reading plan. First, the three bookmarks begin at the same place. Second, I follow the Old Testament plan by reading one chapter in each section. Third, however, I don’t follow the order of our English Bibles when reading the New Testament.

I read the New Testament in this order:

• Matthew, Hebrews, James
• Mark, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude
• Luke, Acts, Romans through Philemon
• John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Revelation

This plan does a few things. First, it staggers the Gospels so that I am reading them throughout the year rather than in only the beginning months. Second, this plan follows the New Testament thematically.

Matthew, Hebrews, and James are written with a Jewish audience in mind.

Mark, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude are related in two ways. Church history tells us that Mark’s Gospel is closely associated with Peter’s teaching. So, reading Mark and Peter’s epistles together makes sense. Also, Jude and 2 Peter are connected through similar themes and content.

Luke and Acts were both written by Luke to Theophilus. They function like two volumes of the same work.  And, since the ending of Acts focuses on Paul, it works well to read all the Pauline epistles after Luke and Acts.

And of course, John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation were all written by the Apostle John.  

I’ve used this system for a long time, and it hasn’t grown stale. If you’re looking for a different approach to your current plan, give this one a try.

Whatever plan you choose, take it slowly and build consistency.