It’s no secret that reading the bible is intimating and can be overwhelming, but what is a secret is that I didn’t even know how to pronounce Psalm when I first saw the word. Yes, I had to look up the proper pronunciation (insert face palm emoji)! For anyone else in the same boat, I’ll save you the effort. Simply, just drop the “p.” While everyone else may have learned that lesson in 4th grade, I guess I’m still over here learning the basics to life, like starting over in a relationship (sigh!).
Now, back to the bible:
“Where do I start?”
“Then, after I start where do I go from there?”
“Do you just read it cover to cover? Are the books in chronological order?”
Well, I’ve since understood that there are tons of translations to the bible. My bible is the New International Version, but there are versions out there that are translated even more for the layman, and even less for those whose brains are more sophisticated. Although I’m sure some lovely people could vehemently argue that certain translations are more accurate than others, if you’re not studying Theology, I’m sure any version you settle on will be able to accurately convey Jesus’s love for you and make you aware of all of His sacrifices so that our sins can be forgiven. Since I still struggle to understand all of Shakespeare’s plays (gasp, I know), I need something a little more refined! In other words, bring on the synonyms!
Next, where to start. Let’s just say, don’t just open it and start reading or you’ll be overwhelmed. And don’t just flip it open and read it haphazardly.
Some passages built upon others so the context is important, and then some books are much easier to comprehend than others. Yes, within the bible (which is a book) there are multiple other books, broken down between the Old Testament (written long before Jesus was born) and the New Testament (written about Jesus and what it means to follow Him).
For the most part, the order that I’m sticking to is as follows, although I do bounce around a little bit as inspired by the subject index in the back:
- Genesis and Exodus
- John
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Acts
- Romans through Jude
- Joshua through Job
- Isaiah through Malachi
- Leviticus through Deuteronomy
- Revelation
When it comes to the New Testament, I’m simply going to go in order as they appear.
I pray you will be encouraged to read it. But, don’t just read it to read it; reading the bible shouldn’t be a bucket list activity. You should only read it when you’re ready and when you’re in the proper mindset, because it’s a book that will change your life…if you let it.
