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How to Start Reading the Bible as a First-Timer

· 9 min read

The simplest way to start reading the Bible is to begin with one of the Gospels, such as Mark or John, and read a short passage each day. You do not need to start at page one, read for an hour, or understand everything. This guide covers where to begin, how the Bible is put together, how much to read, how to make sense of it, and what to do when it gets hard or you fall behind.

Where should a beginner start reading the Bible?

Most first-timers do best by starting with a Gospel, one of the four accounts of the life of Jesus. Mark is the shortest, with 16 fast-moving chapters, and John, with 21 chapters, was written so readers would come to trust Jesus. Christians of every tradition see Jesus as the center of the whole Bible, so meeting him first gives you a lens for everything else. John says plainly why his book exists:

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

John 20:30–31 · BSB

John 20:30–31 is the author’s own statement of purpose, and a good reminder of what the Bible is for: it is not mainly a puzzle or a rulebook but an invitation to know God.

Starting at Genesis and reading straight through is possible, but many people stall somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers, where the laws and lists are hard going without background. After a Gospel, good next steps are Acts (the story of the early church), Genesis (the beginnings), and Psalms (prayers you can pray yourself). Then read more widely from there.

How is the Bible organized?

The Bible is not one book but a library, written by many authors over many centuries. It has two main parts: the Old Testament, the Scriptures of ancient Israel, and the New Testament, written after Jesus by his early followers. Christians hold that through all these human writers God speaks to his people:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 · BSB

2 Timothy 3:16–17 roots Scripture in God himself and gives it a practical purpose: shaping people for the good they are called to do. In other words, the goal of reading is not just information but a changed life.

Inside the library are different kinds of writing: history, law, poetry, wise sayings, prophecy, biographies of Jesus, and letters. Reading a psalm like a news report, or a letter like a poem, leads to confusion, so it helps to notice what kind of book you are in.

Traditions differ on the exact contents. Protestant Bibles have 66 books. Catholic Bibles have 73, including books such as Tobit, Sirach and the Maccabees, and Orthodox Bibles include these and a few more. If you belong to a church, it makes sense to use the Bible your community reads.

Which Bible translation should I read first?

The best translation for a beginner is one you can understand and will actually open. Translations fall roughly along a line: some stay very close to the wording of the original Hebrew and Greek, while others put the meaning into natural modern speech. Word-for-word versions are good for careful study; meaning-for-meaning versions are often easier for a first read-through.

A study Bible, with short notes, introductions to each book and maps, can be a big help when you hit unfamiliar names and customs. Catholic readers will want an edition approved by the Church, and Orthodox readers can ask their parish which edition it uses. Do not let the choice stop you: any reliable modern translation is enough to begin.

How much of the Bible should I read a day?

For most beginners, one chapter or about ten to fifteen minutes a day is plenty. Reading a little every day does far more than reading a lot once in a while. The Bible itself pictures this kind of steady habit as something that slowly makes a person strong:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Psalm 1:1–3 · BSB

Psalm 1:1–3 ties a fruitful, steady life to a habit of returning to God’s teaching again and again. Trees do not grow overnight; they grow by drinking steadily. Your reading can work the same way.

Pick a time you can keep, such as with morning coffee, on your lunch break or before bed, and tie it to something you already do. If a chapter feels like too much, read half. If you would like a ready-made schedule, our separate guide to a Bible reading plan for beginners lays out options for different amounts of time.

How do I understand what I am reading?

Start by asking God for help. Many Christians begin with a one-line prayer, asking him to open their eyes to what he wants them to see. The psalmist prays in this spirit, describing God’s word as guidance for the next step:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105 · BSB

Psalm 119:105 is a picture worth keeping for beginners: you do not need to see the whole road, only enough light for the next step. Understanding grows the same way, a little at a time.

After you read, try three simple questions. What happens or what is said here? What does this show me about God or about Jesus? Is there something to trust, thank God for, or do today? Write one sentence in a notebook or on your phone if that helps you remember.

Read in context. A verse sits inside a paragraph, a chapter and a whole book, so read the verses around it before deciding what it means. When you are unsure, it is fine to leave the question open for now.

What to do when the Bible gets confusing or hard

Every honest reader hits hard places: long genealogies, detailed temple laws, strange visions, and stories of violence that are troubling to read. Feeling confused is normal, and you are in good company. In Acts, an Ethiopian official reading Isaiah is asked if he understands it, and his answer is refreshingly honest:

So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Acts 8:30–31 · BSB

In Acts 8:30–31 the official is not embarrassed to need a guide; he makes room for Philip beside him. Asking for help was not a failure; it was the way forward.

So when you get stuck, write the question down and keep going. Skim lists of names, and save detailed passages for later if they are stopping you. Look at the notes in a study Bible, ask a pastor, priest or a Christian friend you trust, or bring it to a small group. Some questions take years to answer, and some remain mysteries, but most things in the Bible become clearer as you read more of it.

Remember that the Bible often describes things it does not approve of. A story told honestly is not always a story held up as an example. Asking what the wider book and the whole of Scripture say about an event usually helps.

Should I read the Bible alone or with others?

Both. Time alone with Scripture lets you listen and pray at your own pace, and reading with others keeps you going and catches what you miss. The early Christians in Berea were praised for how they read:

Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.

Acts 17:11 · BSB

Acts 17:11 holds up the Bereans because they combined two things beginners often think are opposites: openness and careful checking. And they did it as a community.

Many churches, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox, run Bible studies or reading groups. Even one friend who agrees to read the same chapter each day and send a text about it can make a real difference.

What if I miss days or lose motivation?

You will miss days. Almost everyone does. The answer is not guilt but simply starting again, today, without trying to catch up on everything you missed. The Bible speaks of God’s kindness meeting us again and again:

Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!

Lamentations 3:22–23 · BSB

Lamentations 3:22–23 was written amid real grief, and its hope is not that things went well but that God had not given up on his people. That mercy covers a broken reading streak too.

If motivation fades, change something small: switch to a different book, try listening to an audio reading, read at a new time of day, or read a single psalm. The goal is not a perfect record but a growing friendship with God.

A simple way to start reading the Bible today

Open to Mark chapter 1. Before you read, pray something like: God, I am new at this. Please help me understand what I read and show me who Jesus is. Then read the chapter slowly, which takes about ten minutes.

After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. “The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!” As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Mark 1:14–17 · BSB

When you finish, pick one moment that stood out to you, perhaps Jesus calling the fishermen or healing someone, and ask what it shows you about him. Write one sentence about it. Tomorrow, read Mark chapter 2, and keep going a chapter a day. In a little over two weeks you will have read a whole book of the Bible, and you will have a habit to build on.

Questions people ask

Can I listen to the Bible instead of reading it?

Yes. For most of history, people heard Scripture read aloud far more often than they read it themselves. Audio Bibles are a good option on a commute or when your eyes are tired, and listening while following along in the text can help you focus.

How long does it take to read the whole Bible?

Reading about three to four chapters a day takes roughly a year, which is how many one-year plans are built. There is no rush, though; reading a smaller portion carefully is better than racing through and remembering little.

Do I need to be a Christian to read the Bible?

No. Anyone can read the Bible, and many people start out simply curious. Reading with an open mind and honest questions is a good way to find out what it says for yourself.

Is a devotional the same as reading the Bible?

Not quite. A devotional usually offers a verse or short passage with someone’s reflection on it, which can be encouraging. It works best alongside reading whole chapters of the Bible itself, so you hear each passage in its own context.

What if I don’t feel anything when I read the Bible?

That is common and not a sign you are doing it wrong. Many Christians describe Bible reading as slow growth rather than a daily emotional high. Keep reading, keep praying, and pay attention to how it shapes your thinking and choices over time.

Written with AI help and reviewed by Miguel Ridruejo Mendoza before publishing. Bible quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is in the public domain. How we write.

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