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Where to Start Reading the Bible: A Beginner's Guide

By Shahzaib Malik · Updated October 2026

The Bible is not one book but a library of 66 books written over many centuries, in different styles: history, poetry, law, letters, prophecy and biography. That is why opening it at page one and reading straight through is the plan that most often fails. This guide gives you a practical starting point, a realistic timeline and a few habits that keep beginners going.

Do Not Start in Genesis and Push Through

Genesis is a strong opening, with creation, Abraham, Joseph and some of the most familiar stories in Scripture. The trouble comes later. Leviticus and Numbers contain detailed laws and censuses, and many first-time readers stall there around week three. Those books matter, but they are easier to appreciate once you know the larger story they sit inside.

A better plan is to begin with the life of Jesus, then return to the Old Testament with context. If you would still like a taste of Genesis, read only the first twenty-five chapters or so and then move on. You can browse single chapters with the random verse from Genesis page.

A Sensible Reading Order

Mark. The shortest Gospel, fast-paced, with 16 chapters. It moves quickly from Jesus' baptism to the cross and empty tomb.
John. Slower and more reflective. It explains who Jesus is and why that matters. You can sample it first through random verses from John.
Acts. The story of the first Christians after Jesus' resurrection, and a natural sequel to the Gospels.
Romans. The most systematic letter in the New Testament. Go slowly; it rewards rereading.
Genesis, then Exodus. Now the Old Testament's opening stories will connect to what you have read.
Psalms and Proverbs. Read a little of each every day, alongside whatever else you are reading.
Luke and Matthew. Two more accounts of Jesus' life, each with its own emphasis, to round out the Gospels.

After that, you can go wherever your questions lead: the rest of the New Testament letters, the history books from Joshua to Kings, or the prophets such as Isaiah. A list of every book with a short description is on the Bible books page.

How Long Does It Take?

Most people read aloud at roughly 150 words a minute, and a little faster silently. The whole Bible runs to something like 780,000 words in English, depending on the translation, which works out to about 70 to 80 hours of reading. Spread over a year, that is around 15 to 20 minutes a day. Plans that move through both testaments in 12 months are common for exactly this reason.

The same arithmetic gives you shorter goals. Mark takes about two hours in total, so reading one chapter a day finishes it in just over two weeks. The New Testament alone is about a quarter of the text and fits comfortably into three or four months at a gentle pace.

Do not let the total discourage you. Finishing Mark in a month is a real accomplishment, and finishing one book teaches you more than half-finishing five.

Pick a Translation You Can Follow

Choose a version whose language you will actually read. The King James Version is beautiful and historically important, but its seventeenth-century wording slows many beginners down. The World English Bible is a modern-English translation in the public domain, and it is a good choice if you want clear wording without paying for a copy. This site offers both so you can compare the same verse side by side. Whatever you choose, stay with it for a few weeks before switching, so the names and phrases become familiar.

Mistakes That Derail Beginners

Reading too much at once. Three chapters on day one feels productive and is often exhausted by day five. Start with one chapter or ten minutes.
Treating every verse as a standalone slogan. A verse sits inside a paragraph, a chapter and a book. When a verse puzzles you, read the paragraphs before and after it.
Ignoring genre. Poetry in Psalms uses imagery and exaggeration on purpose. Proverbs are general observations, not guarantees. Narratives report what happened, which is not always an endorsement of what people did. Ask what kind of writing you are reading.
Skipping the questions. Confusion is normal. Jot down what you do not understand and look it up later, or ask someone in a church or study group.
Giving up after a missed day. A gap does not cancel your progress. Pick up at the next chapter, not the beginning.

Where a Random Verse Fits In

Reading in order gives you context, and nothing replaces that. But a random verse can be a useful companion to it. A single verse each morning, such as the verse of the day or one from the main Bible verse randomizer, introduces you to parts of Scripture you would not reach for months, and it gives you something short to think about on days when you do not have time for a chapter.

Use it to explore, then follow up. When a verse catches your attention, open the Bible to that chapter and read the whole passage. Ask who is speaking, who is being addressed and what comes just before. Used this way, a random verse is a doorway into a book, not a substitute for walking through it.

A Simple First Month

Here is a modest plan you can start tomorrow. In week one, read one chapter of Mark a day. In week two, continue Mark. In week three, finish Mark and begin one Psalm each evening. In week four, start John. By the end of the month you will have read most of two Gospels and about a dozen Psalms, which is a better foundation than many people get from months of scattered reading. Keep a short note each day with one sentence on what stood out. When the month ends, look back at those notes and decide what to read next.

The best reading plan is the one you will keep. Start small, stay consistent and let curiosity do the rest.