How to read the bible part 2: THE INTENTION
what is my intention?
There are many reasons we might choose to read the Bible. And, unlike many other books, the intention we have for reading can change the way in which we read.
Maybe you’ve opened your Bible because the Holy Spirit put a verse on your heart during a worship session, and you want to get the full context, read it over, and pray through it. This isn’t a scheduled Bible reading, but a time prompted by the Lord Himself. So you may read a few verses over and over, allowing the Spirit to inform them; you may read one chapter; or you may end up reading a whole book of the Bible.
Another reason you might choose to read the Bible is because you’ve decided to do a deep-dive study on one book. Maybe you’ve read Deuteronomy before, for example, but you don’t feel confident giving a synopsis of the book or you didn’t fully understand certain parts of it. So you decide to read a bit of Deuteronomy each morning, consulting some outside sources when you’re not sure what parts of the text are really getting at and taking notes along the way.
Maybe you’ve decided to read the Bible all the way through from beginning to end, like via a “Challenge” such as the 90-Day Bible Challenge. Reading the Bible this quickly often means that you don’t have enough time or room to really soak everything in, but it offers a great way to see the “big picture” of God’s amazing story and how it all points to Jesus. Or maybe you’ve prayed about what to read, and felt called to read 1st Corinthians a few times, letting the Holy Spirit show you new things each time.
If it’s your first time reading the Bible, it may seem obvious to just start from the beginning… but this isn’t necessarily the “best” way to read the Bible.
where should i start?
So… where should you start?
Well, firstly, there is no correct or incorrect book of the Bible to start reading, necessarily. Every Word is a good Word, given to us by God to help us to know Him better and understand our purpose in His world.
Ross Haselhorst says it well: “The typical experience of reading the Bible [from beginning to end] usually results in the following: no problem reading through the first two books, Genesis and Exodus, but by the time Leviticus and Numbers are reached, most people bog down in the seemingly pointless details of genealogies, instructions and rules concerning just about everything. At this point, many people give up on reading the Bible, feeling that it is just not relevant to their lives. But, this is not the way to read the Bible!”
The order we recommend reading the Bible for ultimate clarity and understanding is:
1. John
2. Philippians
3. Hebrews
4. Genesis
5. Exodus
6. Psalms
7. Romans
8. Matthew
After reading these books, you will have a reasonable grasp of what the Bible is all about. Now, to go on, read:
Isaiah
Mark
Ecclesiastes
Hebrews
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
Ephesians
Job
Philippians
First and Second Samuel
Colossians
First and Second Kings
First and Second Corinthians
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Galatians
Song of Solomon
First and Second Thessalonians
Jeremiah
First and Second Timothy
Lamentations
Daniel
James
The rest of the New Testament
The rest of the Old Testament
should i read supplementary material?
In a word: yes! Absolutely. Supplementary material is going to help you to unpack and understand context, compare different commentaries, and gain life-changing insight that the Bible is meant to provide.
Here are some great websites and apps to help with your reading:
BibleHub is a great resource that lets you look at a variety of translations of the same text side by side, while also pulling up some notes from study Bibles and cross-references. You can also find commentaries on each verse.
Logos is an iOS and Android app that allows you to look up Biblical passages and commentaries.
Devotional books, theological books, and other Christian books will also reference and unpack Scripture, and are always great to read alongside and in tandem with the Bible.
Of course, any book outside of the Bible has room for error, and it is always important to practice discernment and wisdom when it comes to choosing books to read and consult (2 Peter 2:1-3).
For some excellent books that we recommend for unpacking and understanding the Bible and in your walk with Jesus, head here.