Bible Reading Guide - What Parts in What Order?

[ShelleyMaxwell]

Hello everyone!

So I've gotten settled in, prayed for guidance, and feel ready to start reading the Bible in all seriousness (while applying the suggestions in this thread <i can't="" hyperlink="" things="" yet,="" so="" it's="" chad's="" how="" to="" study="" the="" bible="" guide="">).

But this leaves one question...what order?

I would assume it would be wise to start in the New Testament (I've read the four gospels before at least once), but where, and in what order? How does one tackle the chapters outside the gospels, and the Old Testament?

Luckily I read a lot so it shouldn't take me too long, but I also really want to take in what I'm reading.

Thanks!
Michelle</i>

 

[DanielO]

I would say start with the four gospels, then the epistles of John, from there i would do Acts-Jude, then the 4 gospels and epistles of John again before moving on to the Old Testament. Do not ignore Revelation either, though i feel a basic understanding of the rest of scripture will greatly increase what you get out of Revelation. In general, do not listen to TV preachers, read the Bible and pray to your Father in Heaven for wisdom and understanding, pray for the truth in all things and for God to show you His ways that you may follow in them and not stray from the path He has set you upon.

<DIR>2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Note that the New Testament was not yet published when this was written. The author is here refering to the Old Testament.

Learn the character of God, the things that please Him and the things that He hates so that you may live a life pleasing to your Father in Heaven.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

God bless you.
</DIR>

 

[ShelleyMaxwell]

Thank you for your reply! I picked up a bible for myself from our local bible store (what a great little shop! The shopowner told me a story while I was there that I'll have to look up sometime, something about an angel wrestling a lion I think) and am prepping myself to study. My plan is as follows:

John, Mark, Luke, Matthew, Epistles, Acts-Jude, Gospels and Epistles again, then OT. Sounds feasible!

Luckily for me I don't have TV channels with preaching on them, haha. Just Dog Whisperer and CBC News.

I love my new bible; hardcover with lots of notes and maps, and words of Christ in red. A worthy find.

 

[Peace Seeker]

I like the bible reading plans @ intothyword dot org

Click on the "bible reading plans" button in the left sidebar and it will bring you to a page with numerous different plans to read the bible in a year. Near the bottom of the page is a box with the heading : PDF format Bible Reading Plans.

My favorite is the "GothroughtheBibleinayear" pdf reading plan, because it gives a good mix of the bible each day - the law-prophets,poetry, psalms, epistles, prophecy, etc. , rather than just reading from Genesis to Revelations in order. God bless!

 

[Jaareshiah]

Thank you for your reply! I picked up a bible for myself from our local bible store (what a great little shop! The shopowner told me a story while I was there that I'll have to look up sometime, something about an angel wrestling a lion I think) and am prepping myself to study. My plan is as follows:

John, Mark, Luke, Matthew, Epistles, Acts-Jude, Gospels and Epistles again, then OT. Sounds feasible!

Luckily for me I don't have TV channels with preaching on them, haha. Just Dog Whisperer and CBC News.

I love my new bible; hardcover with lots of notes and maps, and words of Christ in red. A worthy find.

Many feel that starting with "New Testament" or Christian Greek Scriptures is what they should do when beginning to study the Bible in all earnestness. However, starting with the book of Genesis can prove fruitful, for without understanding what happened in the Garden of Eden, it makes no sense as to why Jesus came to the earth to provide "a ransom in exchange for many."(Matt 20:28)

Details and expressions used by the writers of Christian Greek Scriptures have little to no meaning unless there is some sort of grasping the Hebrew Scriptures, commonly called the Old Testament. For example, the apostle Paul explained various features of the Mosaic Law in the book of Hebrews. And unless a Bible student has some sort of understanding regarding these, such as the compartments called in the tabernacle (and later the temple) "the Holy Place" and "the Most Holy" (Heb 9:2, 3), a Bible student may fail in understanding the significance these both have.

Reading of the Hebrew Scriptures (commonly called the Old Testament) provides a basis for understanding the Christian Greek Scriptures, as for instance Daniel 9:24-27, that gives the reason and time frame for the Messiah to arrive, which according to Luke 3:1 occurred "in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar."

Or for example, how will a Bible student understand Jesus words when he scathingly condemned the Jewish religious leaders, especially the Pharisees, telling them that they were wicked, impaling and killing "prophets and wise men and public instructors....that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zech·a·ri´ah son of Bar·a·chi´ah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar", unless it understood who both Abel and Zechariah were and why they were murdered ? (Matt 23:34, 35)