There I said it.
And reading the Bible for the first time can be extremely intimidating and confusing. There are thousands of translations and many different starting points. Not to mention the Bible is packed with much insight and thought-provoking topics. I wrote this guide for people who do not know where to start, it is just my opinion and not meant to argue against any other plans.
Translations:
Translating the Bible is no easy task because the original language does not always correlate with the transcribing language. As I mentioned, there are a lot of different English versions of the Bible. I put my top three below.
NIV (New International Version) This version was translated by over 100 scholars from the best original text. It is easy to understand and retain.
NLT (New Living Translations) The goal of this version is to convey the meaning of the original text, it is not translated word for word but phrase by phrase. It was written in a way the common reader will be able to understand.
NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) As of May 2021, this is known as the most accurate English translation of the Bible because it takes the original text as “literal as possible.”
Study Bible:
Both the NIV and NLT have excellent study bibles you can buy and I have personally used both. They are extremely helpful in understanding what scripture means and are worth the investment. In the end, I will have links where you can purchase one if you would like! They are just like a normal Bible but with explanations of what the passages mean. They even have introductions to each book so the reader will know the author, time period, original audience, and why it was written. One very important task to note when reading the Bible is understanding the context in which it was written. Who was the author and who were they speaking to? What was that particular time period like? All of those questions are crucial when interpreting scripture and study Bibles can explain that to the reader.
Where to start:
There is no wrong way to start but there certainly are ways that are more recommended. Starting with the Gospels is the traditional way to read the Bible. There are four gospels, Mathew Mark, Luke, and John at the beginning of the New Testament. All tell the story of Jesus’s life but through the different perspectives of the author. I would say out of all the gospels start with John, this book goes through the life, miracles, and ministry of Jesus. However, feel free to start with any of them because they all go through the basics of our faith.
After reading John I would recommend reading the book of James also found in the New Testament. The Book of James was written to teach Christians how to live and act. It was not meant to set rules but set how to mimic Christ as we follow him. The author talks about what it means to have genuine faith. Once you understand what Christ did for us in John, you can now know what it means to live for God in the book of James.
Then I would recommend reading Galatians. This book was written by Paul to correct false teaching in the church. In our world today there is A LOT of false teaching going on and this book teaches the reader how to respond to that and how to recognize it.
After you have read John, James and Galatians then I would start at the beginning in Genesis and read through the entire Bible.
Reading Plans:
Reading plans are a great way to keep you accountable and organize how to read. There is plenty of one-year and two-year plans to read through the Bible. I will link at the end a website that has plans you can follow. If you decide to get a study Bible some have plans included as well. Remember, it is not a race and it is more important you retain the information than read fast to get through it. I would even say to split longer chapters in half to better understand the information if that fits for you. Reading the Bible takes time, some people dedicate their entire life to study (in-depth) one book of the Bible. Show yourself grace while keeping yourself accountable to a friend or a plan that will help keep you on track.
Other thoughts/tools:
Journals: You can get a journal and write or draw things that stick out to you, some bibles even have space for this!
Commentaries: They are a way to have another person's perspective of what scripture means. I was told to have 2-3 sets to compare and make sure they line up together. However, they are not necessary to have when reading through the Bible for the first time but I wanted to link some below in case someone had questions or wants to invest in a set. With that said, it is necessary to have commentaries when you are going to be teaching and preaching scripture.
Bible studies: You may have a bible study you want to read as you go through the whole bible or certain books. These Bible studies can have questions for you to answer to help scripture relate to your own life and make it applicable to what’s going on with you. They can also include personal stories and ties into other scripture.
Although all of these tools can help us when reading the bible, know that above all the only thing you really need is a ready and willing heart. Pray before and after reading the word, ask God to reveal to you what the scripture means through his wisdom, this is not the time to rely on your own knowledge but God’s. Ask a trusted friend or mentor when you have questions and know you are not alone if you are confused. Scripture can be hard to understand but you are taking a leap to try and better grasp who God is through his word is which is an incredible task and I am praying for you. Let me know if you have any questions.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Links:
Study Bibles:
NIV:
NLT:
Reading plans:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/dailyreading/index.cfm (Scroll down to see all the different plans they offer)
Commentaries sets I like:
Bible Studies I use:
Sources: NLT Study Bible and Bible gateway.
