How Do I Start Reading the Bible?

Maybe you’ve decided you want to learn more about God. Someone told you to read the Bible, so you opened it up and immediately wondered: Where am I supposed to start?

What Is the Bible?

The Bible is actually a collection of 66 books written by different authors over many centuries.

It contains history, poetry, wisdom, letters, prophecy, and accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus.

But together, these books tell one much bigger story:

God created us. God loves us. Sin separated us from Him. And God sent Jesus to bring us back to Him.

The Bible helps us understand who God is, who we are, and how God wants us to live.

Where Should I Start?

If you’ve never really read the Bible before, I wouldn’t recommend starting on page one and trying to read straight through.

Start with Jesus.

The New Testament begins with four books about His life:

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

They’re called the Gospels.

For a first-time reader, a great place to begin is the Gospel of John.

John helps answer some of life’s biggest questions:

Try This Simple 21-Day Challenge

The Gospel of John has 21 chapters.

Here’s a very simple way to begin:

Read one chapter each day for 21 days.

Don’t worry about understanding every sentence. Instead, as you read, ask yourself three simple questions:

Ten or fifteen minutes a day is enough to begin.

What If I Don’t Understand Something?

You won’t understand everything.

That’s okay.

When you come across something confusing, don’t let it stop you. Keep reading.

Write down your questions. Talk with a Christian you trust. Ask a pastor. Look for resources that help explain the historical setting and meaning of a passage.

One resource we recommend is BibleProject. Their videos and illustrations can help you understand the books, themes and overall story of the Bible.

VISIT BIBLEPROJECT →

See What Happened When Christian Hosoi Started Reading the Bible

Sometimes the best encouragement to begin reading the Bible comes from hearing what happened when someone else did.

Christian Hosoi became one of the best-known professional skateboarders of his generation. His life eventually took some dramatic turns, and his story became one of searching for something that fame and success could not provide.

In this film, Christian talks about discovering faith in Jesus and what happened when he began reading the Bible for himself.

As you watch, pay particular attention when he talks about reading God’s Word and the desire he developed to keep learning more.

You Can Ask AI to Help You Understand

There’s another tool available today that previous generations didn’t have.

If you’re reading a verse or passage you don’t understand, you can ask an AI assistant such as ChatGPT to explain it in simpler language.

For example, you could ask:

Or you could ask:

AI isn’t a replacement for the Bible, prayer, church, or wise Christian teachers. But it can be a useful tool for helping you understand unfamiliar words, historical background and difficult ideas.

Talk to God Before You Read

You don’t need special words or a complicated prayer.

Before you begin reading, simply talk to God.

Then start reading.

What If I’m Not Even Sure I Believe in God?

You can still read the Bible.

You don’t have to pretend to believe something you aren’t sure about.

Come with your questions.

Come with your doubts.

You could even begin with a prayer as simple as:

God isn’t threatened by honest questions.

One Verse to Remember

If you’re searching for God, keep searching.

Read. Ask questions. Pray. Learn about Jesus. And give yourself time.

A Simple Place to Begin Today

You don’t need a complicated Bible-reading plan.

Start here:

One chapter. One day at a time.

You may be surprised where those first few minutes lead.