9 Ways to Commit to Read the Bible in 2023!
Our mission is to get you excited about reading the Bible, after all. From reading plans to podcasts, we've got you covered.
Happy New Year!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted here unfortunately. We get busy. We get preoccupied. We get distracted and it takes away from the things that we know we should be doing. Like making time to post here.
Or taking time to read the Bible everyday.
My pastor likes to say, “If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.”
Luckily, today there are a ton of options to keep you on track with your goal of reading the Bible this year.
1. 5 Day Bible Reading Plan
5 Day Bible Reading offers a free downloadable PDF schedule that’s designed to get you through the Bible in 1 year, by reading just 5 times a week. Here’s an excerpt from their site about the reasons they set it up this way.
The Five Day Bible Reading Schedule’s secret is that you only have to read five times a week, not every day. This allows time for catching up, taking a day off, read other parts of the Bible to prepare for Bible class, etc. Read the entire Bible or just the New Testament – it’s your choice and it is easier than ever to accomplish!
In 2009 we completely revised the Five Day Schedule to make it easier to complete, fit the readings into their proper chronology more accurately, and better balance the readings up so no one day is too burdensome. It also has been re-formatted to be easier to read and use. All this contributes to daily Bible reading being do-able and practical. The Schedule fits on a standard sheet of 8.5″ x 11″ (letter) paper.
2. The One Year Bible
When I finally read the Bible for the first time, I downloaded The One Year Bible on my Kindle. Granted, it took me 3 years to get through it but I did eventually get through it.
This structure worked well for me because the book was already separated day by day. The Kindle app saved my place, so I didn’t have to worry about bookmarks. I could read on a Kindle device or just use the app on my phone to read as I was going to bed, when I might have been wasting my time browsing social media otherwise.
Every day, you get a little bit of Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs and this structure can be very beneficial. You’ll hit certain books that can be tougher to get through on their own. By keeping your day a little more varied it does a good job of keeping focus.
3. The Bible Recap Podcast
It’s 2023. There are a lot of ways to get information and podcasts are a very simple way to work the Bible into your day. The Bible Recap podcast was recommended to me earlier this year by a friend of mine on Facebook. Tara doesn’t read the Bible to you, but instead provides 5-10 minute episodes every day that recap, discuss and help you understand the reading for that day if you’re following along.
While we certainly recommend you do the reading yourself, even the recap alone goes a long way. The short format is easy to fit in a short commute and Tara is an excellent guide along the way.
If you've ever closed your Bible and thought, "What did I just read?", this podcast is for you! In about 8 minutes a day, we’ll give you a summary and highlight reel of that day's Bible reading from our 1-year chronological plan.
One additional benefit to their structure is that the episodes are organized in chronological order. There are events which are referenced in multiple places, entire books that cover event chronology while other books will dive deep into the specifics. Following the material in chronological order keeps everything in context as you study it.
This podcast just started it’s 5th year and is very well put together as a guide.
4. Word of Promise - Dramatic Bible Reading
This one was strongly recommended to me by a friend as an excellent companion resource. It offers an immersive reading experience, with dramatic audio reading as the text is highlighted right in front of you to follow along.
I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks like an incredible way to stay fully engaged in the reading. Word of Promise includes apps for every platform too.
5. The Bible in a Year Podcast from Ascension
If you are looking for a podcast that will actually read the entire Bible to you over the course of a year, The Bible in a Year podcast may be for you. It will be read to you and discussed from a Catholic perspective.
In The Bible in a Year podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz guides you through the entire Bible in 365 episodes. Using an exclusive reading plan rooted in The Bible Timeline (a ground-breaking approach to understanding salvation history developed by Biblical scholar Jeff Cavins) you won’t just read the Bible … you’ll finally understand how all the pieces fit together to tell an amazing story that continues in your life today!
The episodes are longer, which should be expected for a full reading. If you have a longer commute, it might be exactly what you’re looking for.
6. The Bible from 30,000 Feet
I was halfway through a men’s Bible study using this book when Covid hit and I really can’t say enough good things about it. Skip covers each section of the Bible with an overview, historic context, things to look for and an in depth guide along the way.
The first time I read the Bible, I didn’t have any type of guidance with me. I was just reading the words and taking in as much as I could. After reading it once, subsequent study and church discussions brought out so many things that I’d missed along the way. The Bible from 30,000 Feet will make sure you don’t miss much. The insight and attention to detail is fantastic.
You could read the book on it’s own, but it works best as a companion to reading the Bible yourself. If I were going to choose an approach to read the Bible for the first time today, this is definitely the method that I would utilize. It adds wonderful perspective.
7. YouVersion
Probably the most well know Bible app out there is YouVersion, which offers multiple translations, reading plans, videos, supporting material and subject guides. You can even find plans like The One Year Bible and The Bible Recap which we discussed above right there inside the app. There are many other Bible in a year plans you can find if you search as well.
It’s a wonderful resource to always have the Bible at your fingertips.
UPDATE: After this was initially posted, several people recommended this reading plan on YouVersion from the Bible Project - One Story that Leads to Jesus. It was recommended enough that I felt it important addition to this post.
8. The Life Application Study Bible
Sometimes the best approach is just to open a copy of the Bible and start reading. I’ve become a big fan of the Life Application Study Bible, personally. Each book of the Bible comes with a an overview, historical context and timeline as well as excellent footnotes, discussion excerpts about specific figures or events and cross references to topics referenced in other books of the Bible.
It’s the Bible that I use personally and it has always been a trusted resource. I find myself sitting in church and reading the various footnotes around whatever we’re studying in a given day quite often, because the context it provides is very interesting.
There’s also no group more committed to getting the Bible in people’s hands than The Gideons International, who not only donate and distribute Bible’s but also provide a free reading calendar.
9. Join a Bible Study
Studying the Bible with others brings consistency and accountability. You may want to consider joining a study at your local church or even finding a D-Group in your area specifically geared toward covering the Bible in a year. Check it out!
You can do this!
Reading the Bible for the first time is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Everyone experiences it a little differently. As one pastor told me, reading the Bible is like looking in a mirror.
I hope you can commit to push through. Don’t get discouraged if you get behind or off pace. Remember, it took me 3 years to read a 1 year Bible.