How to Choose a Bible Reading Plan: 8 Best Plans

The start of a new year always gets me excited to start off strong in Bible study. But how to choose a Bible reading plan that fits with our schedule and needs? I’ve updated this post with even more of my favorite Bible reading plans to help you get started.

These Bible reading plans cover a range of types like chronological, topical, one-year and printable plans; a range of media like print, audio and visual; and those that work well individually and for families.

Read-The-Bible-In-A-Year Reading Plans

I was in my forties when I first read the Bible through in a year. I had no idea how powerful it is to grasp the full sweep of God’s story. It was also eye-opening to come across popularly-quoted scriptures in context and find that some were often taken out of context and while others were more compelling in their full context.

Reading through the whole Bible gives us the full counsel of God’s Word because we don’t get to skip passages or books. Despite years of Bible study, I discovered verses and stories I’d never encountered when I read through the entire Bible the first time.

I’ve now read through the Bible multiple times, using different plans. These are my recommendations.

1. Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible Plan.

The Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan, is what first hooked me on reading the Bible in a year and remains one of my favorite one-year plans. Rather than read straight through the Bible (and get bogged down in Leviticus or the Minor Prophets), readings provide four passages in four different books of the Bible each day. You’ll read from the Old and New Testament each day, and cover the Psalms and Gospels twice through the year.

• Daily commitment of about 20-25 minutes
• Read in one sitting or break into morning and evening readings
• Alternately, use two passages for personal study and two for family reading

2. Chronological Bible Reading Plan.

Want to connect the dots between the historical narratives of the Old Testament and the psalms and prophecies? Or discover where Paul’s letters to the churches fit in with his travels outlined in Acts?

A chronological Bible reading plan lets you read scripture in the order it happened. You can use a digital plan with your current Bible, but I highly recommend getting a Bible specially laid out in chronological order like this CSB one-year chronological Bible. I also like the New King James chronological study Bible.

• Entire Bible read through the year
• Daily commitment of 20-25 minutes

3. The Bible Recap.

The Bible Recap provides a 365-day chronological reading plan through the Bible along with daily application. It’s a great way to deepen your daily reading and even feel like you’re part of a community as you read through the Bible.

Find the Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible here as well as a study guide and many other resources. (You can also get the Bible Recap on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.)

• Multiple resources to deepen your study
• Daily commitment of 9-12 minutes in addition to Bible reading

4. 90-Day Bible Reading Challenge.

This is the plan I’m starting on January 1st! While it seems a bit formidable to read the entire Bible in three months (please send chocolate!), I can’t wait to immerse myself in the full arc of God’s story. I’ll also avoid falling off-plan as my schedule shifts through summer and a new school year.

Find the 90-Day Bible Reading Challenge here.

• Read the entire Bible in 3 months
• Daily time commitment: undetermined; I’ll report back after I finish!

Focused Bible Reading Plans

5. 100 Days with Christ Bible Reading Plan.

Once I’d read the whole Bible through several years in a row, I became curious about focusing on the gospels. I developed a Bible reading plan to read all four gospels chronologically. For years, I studied the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John independently. But reading all four gospels chronologically revealed connections and insights I’d never seen when I’d studied each gospel independently.

Now, more than 20,000 people have downloaded the free 100 Days with Christ Bible reading plan. This plan walks chronologically through all four gospels to study Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. It’s an incredible way to follow Jesus as he taught and healed and bring together details of his life and ministry like never before.

It’s especially meaningful to do from January through Easter, but makes an excellent gospel reading plan to start any time. Get your free 100 Days with Christ Bible Reading Plan sent to your inbox here.

• Harmonizes all four gospels with unique details of stories and parables each gospel writer shared.
• Daily commitment of 20-25 minutes

6. Gratitude Bible Reading Plan.

This Bible reading plan grew out of my own need to see God’s goodness after my husband died and life didn’t feel good. I knew theologically that God was good, but I was desperate to see his goodness was for me, even in the hardest pain.

This Gratitude Bible reading plan is a free 30-day reading plan to dig into what God’s Word says about thankfulness, help us root out an attitude of ingratitude and cultivate a life of daily thanks.

• 30-days in and out study
• Daily commitment of 5 minutes
• Subscribe to get your free Gratitude Bible reading plan here.

7. Daily Proverbs.

This reading plan may look simple but it leaves a deep impact. Since Proverbs has 31 chapters, the entire book can be covered in a month by reading one chapter each day.

On the first day of each month, read Proverbs 1, on the second day of the month, read Proverbs 2 and so on. Repeat monthly. This Bible reading plan is great for families since the proverbs give us God’s wisdom and principles for relationships, money, work, emotions and more.

• No printable or digital reading plan needed
• Daily commitment of 5-10 minutes
• Use modern translations to help study the meaning of the proverbs

8. Grief Bible Reading Plan.

So many of those who come to my site find their way here because of loss. In addition to my book, Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart, I’ve created many resources to help if you’re navigating grief.

One resource is the free printable 31-Day Scripture Writing Plan on Grief. Using this scripture plan, you can read, copy and journal through me of the Bible’s most comforting scriptures for grief. Get a beautiful copy of this scripture writing plan in grief here.

Whichever Bible reading plan you choose, may your Bible study reveal God more profoundly and cultivate your faith more deeply so that you surrender more fully than ever before.