There’s no resource we can offer you that will impact your life more than the Bible, the very Word of God. It’s the story of God. The story of redemption and how a great, holy, and just God sacrificed his only son to bring his people back into relationship with himself. The Bible pierces our hearts — teaching us, correcting us, and training us in holiness. However, many find it difficult to read the Bible at all, let alone daily. In fact, most people struggle with knowing how to read the Bible.

Hopefully these tips can help you on your way to spending more and more time reading God’s Word:

• Read in a place that is relatively free from distractions. It’s hard to read in front of the TV or in a room full of people.
• Be consistent. Read every day. The more you read, the more you will understand and enjoy what you are reading.
• Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help you know and understand what the passages you read actually mean. The Spirit is our translator and teacher (Ephesians 1:17-18; 3:14-19, 2 Corinthians 3:14-16; 4:6).
• Use a version of the Bible that is both accurate to the original text and understandable in English. Suggestions are the English Standard Version (ESV), the New International Version (NIV), the New Living Translation (NLT), the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), and the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Try to stay away from The Message, which, though it may be a bit more understandable, is a paraphrase and not an actual translation of the original text. If you must, read The Message alongside the ESV or NASB. All of these Bible versions can be found online at BibleGateway.
• If you’ve never read the Bible, start with one of the Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
• Don’t be afraid to underline or write notes in your Bible or in a journal. If you don’t understand something, write it down and ask one of your parents, ministers, or youth leaders — someone you know is knowledgeable in the Bible.
• Ask yourself “W” and “H” questions. Who is the author/audience? When was the passage written? What is the context, i.e. what happens before/after the passage you are reading and how does it fit with the overall message of the book it is written in and the Bible as a whole? How does this passage apply to the original intended audience, to the church as a whole, and to me as an individual?
• To answer some of your questions, you may need a good study Bible (we recommend the ESV Study Bible), Bible dictionary, and/or Bible concordance.
• Read and discuss with others!

Bible Reading Plans

While not everyone will find these useful, we want to pass along two resources that may help you in your daily reading. These are Bible reading plans that will help take you through the Bible. What we like about them is that you are reading from a variety of books each day. You are not just reading three chapters from just Luke or two chapters from just Numbers (although there is nothing wrong with that!).

Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System
Ten chapters from ten different books each day

Read through the Bible in Two Years
Two chapters from two different books each day