Most years I try something different with regard to my Bible reading plans and/or devotional reading. Late last year I came across a website that suggested reading the Old Testament in the order as it exists in the Hebrew Bible. The site provides reasons why this approach makes sense.
In essence the Hebrew Bible divides Scripture into three components: Law/Torah, Prophets, Writings.
| Torah | Prophets | Writings |
|---|---|---|
| ___________________ | ___________________ | ___________________ |
| Genesis | Judges | Psalms |
| Exodus | 1 Samuel | Job |
| Leviticus | 2 Samuel | Proverbs |
| Numbers | 1 Kings | Ruth |
| Deuteronomy | 2 Kings | Song of Solomon |
| Joshua | Isaiah | Ecclesiastes |
| Jeremiah | Lamentations | |
| Ezekiel | Esther | |
| Hosea | Daniel | |
| Joel | Ezra | |
| Amos | Nehemiah | |
| Obadiah | 1 Chronicles | |
| Jonah | 2 Chronicles | |
| Micah | ||
| Nahum | ||
| Habakkuk | ||
| Zephaniah | ||
| Haggai | ||
| Zechariah | ||
| Malachi |
The above books contain 929 chapters. I’m currently reading at a pace of three chapters a day so this should take around 10 months to complete. I did start a week into the New Year, and there may be days I read less or nothing.
I thought I’d try something a little different with the New Testament, too. I’ve opted to read the Gospels and Acts as contained in the standard Bible, then Paul’s writings in something approaching the order they were written 1. I’ll follow this up by reading the remainder of the letters and Revelation in something approaching date order with the same proviso re: Paul’s writings.
| History | Paul’s Letters | Other Writings |
|---|---|---|
| ___________________ | ___________________ | ___________________ |
| Matthew | 1 Thessalonians | James |
| Mark | 2 Thessalonians | Hebrews |
| Luke | Galatians | 1 Peter |
| John | 1 Corinthians | 2 Peter |
| Acts | 2 Corinthians | 1 John |
| Romans | 2 John | |
| Philemon | 3 John | |
| Colossians | Jude | |
| Ephesians | Revelation | |
| Philippians | ||
| 1 Timothy | ||
| Titus | ||
| 2 Timothy |
The New Testament contains 260 chapters so that represents around 8 1/2 to 9 months of reading at a chapter a day pace.
Another thing that is different is that I’m reading from the Revised Standard Version. I was given that Bible by my paternal grandparents on the occasion of my confirmation in 1980. The last time I read through the Bible (2022 and 2023) I used the ESV. I had been intending to use my NKJV this year, but RSV it is.