Bible Reading Plans
Bible Overview
Old Testament Sampling
The following readings will give you a good overview of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). These may be read concurrently with the New Testament Overview. You will continue to see the harmony between the two testaments. We suggest that, as you begin a new book, also read the book introductions (if your Bible contains them) and/or the book info from our Bible Book Study Guide. We've also added an OT at a Glance Guide to give you a quick overview of the Old Testament.
| Genesis 1-4 | Creation; Fall of Man; Cain & Abel |
| Genesis 6-8 | The Flood and the Rainbow |
| Genesis 11:1-9 | Tower of Babel; the Languages |
| Genesis 12:1-9 | Call of Abram (Abraham) |
| Genesis 15 | Abrahamic Covenant |
| Genesis 19 | Sodom & Gomorrah |
| Genesis 22:1-19 | Abraham Tested |
| Genesis 25:19-34 | Jacob & Esau |
| Genesis 27-28 | Jacob’s Blessing & Dream at Bethel |
| Genesis 29:14-30 | Jacob’s Wives |
| Genesis 32:22-32 | Wrestling Match with God |
| Genesis 33 | Jacob Meets Esau |
| Genesis 33 | Joseph’s Dreams; Joseph Sold into Slavery |
| Genesis 39 | Joseph & Potiphar’s Wife |
| Genesis 41 | Pharaoh’s Dreams; Joseph’s Promotion |
| Genesis 42-45 | Family Reunion |
| Genesis 50:15-26 | Death of Joseph |
| Exodus 1-3 | Birth of Moses; Burning Bush |
| Exodus 11-12 | the Tenth Plague; The Passover; the Exodus |
| Exodus 13:17 - 14:31 | Crossing the Red Sea |
| Exodus 19:1-8 | Covenant Offered to Moses at Mt Sinai |
| Exodus 20 | the Ten Commandments |
| Exodus 32 | the Golden Calf |
| Leviticus 16 | Day of Atonement (foreshadows Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross) |
| Leviticus 23 | Feasts and Festivals (Jewish Holy Days) |
| Numbers 9 | the Passover; the Cloud and Pillar of Fire |
| Numbers 11 | Provisions in the Desert |
| Numbers 13-14 | Scouting the Promised Land |
| Deuteronomy 6 | the Shema (Hear O Israel) |
| Deuteronomy 8 - 9:1-6 | Do Not Forget the Lord; Not Because of Israel’s Righteousness |
| Deuteronomy 28 | Blessing and Curses |
| Deuteronomy 34 | Death of Moses |
| Joshua 1-3 | God’s Instructions to Joshua; Spies; Crossing the Jordan |
| Joshua 6-7 | Walls of Jericho |
| Joshua 10:1-15 | the Sun Stands Still |
| Joshua 23-24 | Rest from War; the Covenant Renewed; Death of Joshua |
| Judges 6-7 | Gideon |
| Judges 13 | Birth of Samson |
| Judges 16 | Samson and Delilah; Death of Samson |
| Job 1-2 | Job’s Testing |
| Job 38-39 | the Lord Speaks |
| Job 42 | Restoration |
| 1 Samuel 1:1-20 | Birth of Samuel |
| 1 Samuel 3 | Call of Samuel |
| Psalms 1-2 | Orphan Psalms |
| Psalms 8 | the Creator |
| Psalms 19 | Natural Revelation |
| 1 Samuel 16 | Samuel Anoints David |
| Psalm 23 | Shepherd’s Song |
| 1 Samuel 17 | David and Goliath |
| 1 Samuel 24 | David Spares Saul’s Life |
| Psalms 37 | Godly Wisdom; Justice to Prevail |
| 2 Samuel 2:1-7 | David Anointed King of Judah |
| 2 Samuel 6-7 | Celebration; God’s Promise to Build David a House |
| Psalms 103 | God’s Love and Compassion for His People |
| Psalms 105 | God’s Faithfulness thru History |
| Psalms 150 | Praise the Lord |
| 2 Samuel 11-12 | David and Bathsheba; Nathan Rebukes David |
| Psalm 51 | David’s Confession |
| Psalm 139 | God Examines the Heart |
| 1 Kings 1:29-40 | David Makes Solomon King |
| 1 Kings 2:1-12 | Death of David |
| Psalms 84 | Heavenly Dwelling |
| 1 Kings 3 | Solomon Asks for Wisdom |
| Proverbs 4 | A Father’s Wise Advice |
| Proverbs 10, 13, 15 | Solomon’s Wisdom |
| Ecclesiastes 3 | A Time for Everything |
| Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 | The Conclusion of the Matter |
| 1 Kings 8 | Dedication of the Temple |
| 1 Kings 12:1-24 | the Nation Splits (the northern tribes usually referred to as Israel, the southern tribes as Judah, but sometimes Israel can refer to both nations) |
| 1 Kings 17-18 | Elijah and the Widow; Battle of the Gods |
| 2 Kings 2:1-14 | Chariot of Fire |
| 2 Kings 6:1-23 | an Army of the Heavenly Hosts |
| Micah 6 | the Lord’s Case Against Israel |
| 2 Kings 17 | Exile of Israel (Northern Tribes) |
| Hosea 1, 3 | What it’s Like to Be God |
| Joel 2 | Day of the lord |
| Jonah 1-3 | a Fish Story; God’s Concern for All Nations |
| Isaiah 6 | Call and Commission of Isaiah |
| Isaiah 25 | Praise to the Lord |
| 2 Chronicles 32 | God Saves Jerusalem; Hezekiah |
| Jeremiah 2 | Judah Forsakes God |
| Jeremiah 15 | Angry and Just God |
| Jeremiah 23:1-8 | the Righteous Branch |
| Jeremiah 15 | Angry and Just God |
| Jeremiah 31 | Future Restoration of Israel (Israel and Judah) |
| Zechariah 8 | Future Restoration of Israel (Israel and Judah) |
| Habakkuk 1:1-11 | Debate with God |
| 2 Chronicles 36:15-23 | Fall of Jerusalem; Proclamation to Return |
| Ezekiel 1-3 | the Nation in Exile; Ezekiel’s Call and Visions |
| Ezekiel 37 | Resurrection of Israel Prophesized |
| Daniel 1-3 | Exiled in Babylon; a Dream; the Fiery Furnace |
| Daniel 6 | the Lion’s Den |
| Ezra 1 | Return to Jerusalem |
| Ezra 3 | Rebuilding the Temple |
| Nehemiah 1 | Nehemiah’s Prayer |
| Nehemiah 8 | Ezra Reads the Law |
| Malachi 4 | the Day of the Lord |
| Isaiah 40 | Comfort for God’s People |
| Isaiah 9:1-7 | To Us a Child is Born |
| Isaiah 11:11-12 | Branch from Jesse (David’s Father); Song of Praise |
| Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 | the Suffering and Glory of the Servant |
| Isaiah 55 | Invitation to the Thirsty |
New Testament Overview
The following readings will give you a good overview of the New Testament. We suggest that, as you begin a new book, also read the book introductions (if your Bible contains them) and/or the book info from our Bible Book Study Guide. We've also added an NT at a Glance Guide to give you a quick overview of the New Testament.
| Luke 1-2 | Birth of John the Baptist; Birth of Jesus |
| John 1:1-18 | The Word (Jesus) Becomes Flesh |
| Mark 1-5 | Jesus’ Miracles; the Twelve Apostles; Parables |
| John 3 | Ye Must Be Born Again |
| Matthew 5-7 | Sermon on the Mount |
| Mark 6 | Jesus Sends out Apostles & Walks on Water |
| Matthew 13 | Parables |
| Matthew 18 | Parables |
| Luke 12 | Parables; Do Not Worry; Watchfulness |
| Luke 15-16 | Parables; the Lost Son; the Shrewd Manager, Rich Man in Hell |
| Luke 18 | Parables |
| John 6 | Bread of Life |
| John 10 | the Shepherd and His Flock |
| Mark 8-9 | Peter’s Confession; Jesus Predicts His Death; the Transfiguration; |
| Mark 11-13 | Triumphal Entry; Parables; Signs of the End |
| Matthew 25 | the Ten Virgins; the Sheep and the Goats |
| John 14-16 | Final Teaching to the Apostles; Promise of the Holy Spirit |
| John 17 | the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus |
| Matthew 26-28 | Peter’s Denial; Jesus Betrayed and Arrested; Trial and Death of Jesus; Resurrection; the Great Commission |
| John 20-21 | Jesus’ Post-Resurrection Appearances; Jesus Reinstates Peter |
| Luke 24 | Jesus Appears to Disciples; the Ascension |
| Acts 1:1-11 | the Ascension |
| Acts 2 | Pentecost; Peter’s Sermon |
| Acts 4:1-22 | Peter and John before the Sanhedrin |
| Acts 5:17-42 | the Apostles Persecuted |
| Acts 7 - 8:1 | Stephen’s Speech (great summary of Israel’s history); Stoning of Stephen the first Christian Martyr |
| Acts 9:1-31 | Saul’s Conversion |
| Acts 10 | Peter and the Gentiles |
| Acts 12:1-17 | Peter’s Escape from Prison |
| Acts 15:1-35 | Council at Jerusalem |
| Acts 16:16-40 | Paul and Silas in Prison |
| Acts 17-18 | Paul’s Missionary Journeys |
| Acts 25-28 | Paul’s Arrest, Trials and Travel to Rome |
| Galatians 2-3 | Paul Accepted by the Apostles; the law and Legalism |
| Philippians 2 | Imitating Christ’s Humility |
| Colossians 1 | the Supremacy of Christ |
| Romans 1:18 - 2:16 | God’s Wrath and Judgment |
| Romans 3 | No One Righteous; Only by Faith |
| Romans 5 | Justified by Faith |
| Romans 6-8 | Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ; Struggles with Sin; Life thru the Spirit |
| Romans 12-13 | Practical Advice |
| 1 Corinthians 1:18 - 2:16 | Wisdom of God vs Wisdom of Man |
| 1 Corinthians 13 | Paul’s Description of Love |
| 1 Corinthians 15 | the Resurrections |
| 2 Corinthians 5 | Our Heavenly Dwelling; Ministry of Reconciliation |
| Ephesians 2 | Alive in Christ; |
| Ephesians 6:10-20 | the Armor of God |
| 1 Thessalonians 4 | Living to Please God; the Coming of the Lord |
| 1 Timothy 1 | Warnings Against False Teachers; the Lord’s Grace |
| 1 Timothy 4 | Instructions to a Young Preacher |
| 2 Timothy 2-3 | Paul’s Final Instructions to Timothy |
| Philippians 3 | Pressing Toward the Goal |
| Hebrews 1 | the Superiority of Christ |
| Hebrews 2 | Jesus made Like Us |
| Hebrews 4:14-16 | Jesus - Our Great High Priest |
| Hebrews 10 | Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All (Fulfillment of OT sacrificial system) |
| Hebrews 11 | Faith Hall of Fame |
| Hebrews 12 | Discipline and Warnings |
| James 1 | Walk the Walk |
| James 4 | Submit to God; Boasting |
| 1 Peter 1 | a Living Hope; Be Holy |
| 2 Peter 1 | Being Productive; Prophecy of Scripture |
| 2 Peter 3 | Day of the Lord |
| Jude | Contend for the Faith |
| 1 John 1 | Walking in the Light |
| 1 John 3-4 | Children of God; Love One Another |
| Revelation 1 | Like a Son of Man |
| Revelation 2-3 | Letters to the Churches |
| Revelation 4-5 | the Throne in Heaven; Worthiness of the lamb (Jesus) |
| Revelation 12 | Woman and the Dragon |
| Revelation 20 | Satan’s Doom; Final Judgment |
| Revelation 21-22 | the New Jerusalem; the River of Life; Jesus is Coming |