Where Do I Start Reading the Bible?

 

The answer to the question in the title of this blog is really twofold. There’s a super simplified, obvious answer, and then there’s the answer that I typically give people when they genuinely ask me this question. And trust me, as a pastor, I get this question all the time from people who aren’t that familiar with the Bible or are new to the faith. It’s a legitimate question that I think a lot of people would benefit from hearing an answer to so that they can feel more confident in getting started reading the Bible for themselves. 

The first, and most obvious answer to this question, is simply anywhere. The entire Bible is God’s Word, so it stands to reason that it doesn’t matter where you read, as long as you do! No matter what book, chapter, or verse you are reading, God can and does speak to you as long as you honestly spend time reading and reflecting on that passage. Now, with that being said, I understand that if you are a new believer, or if you aren’t that familiar with the Bible, you probably won’t want to start off with the book of Revelation, or Leviticus. It’s not that those books aren’t important, they are a part of God’s Word, so they are as vital to the overall message of Scripture as any other, it’s just that those books can be hard to wade through and confusing for people not “fluent” in Scripture, so to speak. But, in general, it doesn’t matter where you start reading, as long as you do!

The actual answer I give people when they ask me this question (because often people are genuinely curious about what books of the Bible they should read first) is that they should start off with Mark, John, James, and Jonah. I realize that these four books are arbitrary and they don’t hold any special significance in the grand scheme of things, but, in my opinion, they are great for newer believers or newer readers because they are all focused on the gospel and Christian living. Mark and John are two different, but very interesting takes on the life of Jesus and the message of the gospel, James gives practical, hard-hitting direction for living a Christian life, and Jonah is a classic story of the Old Testament that beautifully paints a picture of the gospel! 

Like I said earlier, it really doesn’t matter where you start reading the Bible, as long as you start. However, if you are somewhat new to the Bible or to Christianity in general, I would recommend starting with books like Mark, John, James, and Jonah. Those will give you a great foundation built on the gospel and give you some direction for moving forward in the Christian life. The most important thing is that you are desiring to read the Bible! Don’t lose that desire!