For those of you who have read the Bible through:
How many times have you read the Bible through?
Do you have any suggestions for those who have not?
Do you have any encouragement (not criticism!!) for us?
I have read English Bibles over 50 times. Twice in French, and some of the NT in Hebrew and most of the OT in Greek. I am also starting to read the Bible in German, but only a few chapters so far.
My suggestion is to get a plan and keep track! Whether it is an internet plan, or a piece of paper you check daily, or a plan on paper you check off as you read it, keep it close and do it!
I used to read 3 chapters of the OT a day, plus one of the NT. Then I added a Psalm a day. Now, I read 3 chapters of the NT in English, not counting a chapter a day in Greek (more or less! The really long chapters I divide up!)
But the 3 OT + 1 NT gets you through the whole Bible in a year. Another good plan my husband and I have followed (and he still uses) is Read the Bible for Life. It is in chronological order, which I found to be an interesting read. Here is a link:
Read the Bible for Life
One thing is to buy and read a book about the Bible. Something that explains genre and historical background. George Guthrie’s book “
Read the Bible for Life” is a good simplistic introduction. “
Read the Bible for All Its Worth” by Gordon Fee, is an excellent and slightly more advanced level of Bible introduction. I’ve literally never seen an introductory Bible course that didn’t recommend the second one.
The other thing I would recommend, is do not stop, because you are bogged down. Things like the begats in 1 Chronicles go on forever. A good study Bible (I am currently using HCSB, but ESV also had good footnotes), can help explain the reasons things go back and forth, and why the geneologies are so important. I understand in Hebrew, all the names mean something, and it does not come through in English.
A lot of people get bogged down in Leviticus. Well, keep reading, and remember that the laws were written to the Levitcal priests, and yes, God did have reasons for them. There are general principles you can pull out of Leviticus, but maybe a first time read through is not the time to do it?
Another thing that helps me is to underline passages that stand out. If something really speaks to me, I write it out in a journal, and explain what it means to me. Sometimes I memorize the passage. This helps just reading, become a devotional!
Read the Bible in modern English! Then, you will not get bogged down in trying to figure out the meanings of the words in an archaic form of English! ESV, NIV, HCSB, NET are some good, more formal translations. (Some may not want to include, NIV, I realize!) Read in a language you understand, instead of something flowery, that doesn’t make as much sense!
I was going to start something like this, glad you did first!