Read the Bible in a year: chapters a day and 25 reading plans

How many chapters a day to read the Bible in a year

A one year plan is a total split across the days, the same shape as a 365 day challenge: you fill the year one reading at a time.

• Read 3 chapters a day, and 4 on 94 of the days: all 1,189 chapters in 365 days.
• Read 4 chapters a day and finish the whole Bible in about 10 months (298 days).
• Read 5 chapters each weekday and take weekends off: done in about 48 weeks.
• Read 23 chapters a week, on the days that suit you, and check the total each Sunday. 52 weeks covers all 1,189.
• Read 100 chapters a month. 12 months is 1,200, a little more than the whole Bible.

Read the Bible in 6 months, 90 days or 3 years

A shorter plan means more chapters a day, so pick the length from the time you really have, and break the big number into small parts.

• Read the whole Bible in 6 months: 7 chapters a day for 170 days.
• Read the whole Bible in 90 days: 13 chapters a day, and 14 on 19 of the days.
• Read the Old Testament in a year: 929 chapters, 2 or 3 a day.
• Read 2 chapters a day and finish the whole Bible in about 20 months.
• Read 1 chapter a day from Genesis to Revelation: 1,189 days, a little over 3 years.

Bible reading plan for beginners: start with one part

A first plan can be one part of the Bible, sized to fit a month, like these 30 day challenge ideas.

• Read the New Testament in 30 days: 260 chapters, about 9 a day.
• Read the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in 30 days: 89 chapters, about 3 a day.
• Read 1 chapter of Proverbs a day for a month: 31 chapters, one for each day of a 31 day month.
• Read the 150 Psalms at 1 a day, in about 5 months.
• Read the New Testament in a year: 5 chapters a week, on weekdays, for 52 weeks.

What order to read the Bible in: ways to plan it

The order changes what you read each day, not the total. Whichever way you pick, you still count chapters toward the same 1,189.

• Front to back: read from Genesis to Revelation, in the order the books are printed.
• Chronological: follow a plan that puts the chapters in the order of the events they tell, and count each day's reading.
• Mixed: read some Old Testament, some New Testament and one Psalm each day.
• New Testament first: read its 260 chapters, then go back to Genesis for the other 929.
• One book at a time, in any order you like: tick off each of the 66 books as you finish it.

Bible reading challenge ideas for a group or a family

Reading the same chapters as someone else gives you a shared count. For prayer and other quiet goals beside the reading, there are more in spiritual goals.

• Read the same 3 chapters a day as a friend, and share one thing you noticed each Sunday.
• Read the Gospel of Mark as a family: 16 chapters, one each evening for 16 days.
• As a group, split the 66 books between you and add everyone's chapters toward 1,189.
• Read the book of Acts in 4 weeks: 28 chapters, one a day.
• Keep one catch-up day each week, like Saturday, for any chapters you missed.

How many chapters are in the Bible?

Most Protestant Bibles have 66 books and 1,189 chapters: 929 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New Testament. Psalms has the most chapters, with 150. Catholic Bibles have 73 books, so a Catholic plan has more chapters to read. Use the total from the plan you follow.

So the answer to "how many chapters a day" is a division: the chapters, over the days you have. 1,189 over 365 days is about 3.3 a day. Over 182 days it is about 6.5. Over 90 days it is about 13.2.

Chapters are not all the same length, so some days take longer than others. Counting chapters is still the simplest way to know where you are: on day 100 of a one year plan, you should be near chapter 326.

How to track a Bible reading plan

Write down how many chapters you read each day, and keep a running total. A review of 138 studies found that people who monitored their progress reached their goals more often, and the effect was larger when the progress was recorded.

If you fall behind, the plan is not lost. Add one extra chapter a day for a while, or use a catch-up day, since what you are filling is the total. Reading also holds better when it hangs on something you already do, like a chapter with your morning coffee, an idea from reading goals.

A picture that fills a little with every chapter you log shows the year adding up, and many people find that seeing it grow can help them keep going. In Chaltra, set the target to the chapters in your plan and log each day's reading. A challenge of up to 30 days, like the New Testament in 30 days, is free. A longer one, like a full year, needs Premium.

Frequently asked questions

How many chapters a day do I need to read to finish the Bible in a year?

About 3 or 4. Most Protestant Bibles have 1,189 chapters, so read 3 chapters a day and 4 on 94 of the days. If you read 4 every day, you finish in about 10 months.

How long does it take to read the whole Bible?

It depends on your pace. At 1 chapter a day it takes 1,189 days, a little over 3 years. At about 3 a day it takes a year, at 7 a day about 6 months, and at 13 or 14 a day about 90 days.

What is a good Bible reading plan for beginners?

Start with one part, not the whole book. The four Gospels in 30 days is about 3 chapters a day. The New Testament in a year is 5 chapters a week. Once that feels easy, try the whole Bible.

Should I read the Bible in order or chronologically?

Either works. Front to back follows the printed order, and a chronological plan follows the order of the events. Pick one and keep it, since the total number of chapters is the same.

What if I fall behind on my Bible reading plan?

Keep going from today. Read one extra chapter a day until you catch up, or keep one catch-up day each week. There is no need to start again from Genesis.