Where Should You Begin Reading the Bible?
Over half of US adults claim to regularly read books. Half of US adults also claim to be Christians. Yet only 11 percent of adults in the United States claim to regularly read the Bible. Why is it that both avid readers and faithful Christians struggle to read the Bible?
One theory is that the Bible—and other pieces of religious literature—are intimidating. Whether someone is familiar with the Bible or not, it can feel overwhelming to look at such a big book and choose a starting point. Learn where you should begin reading the Bible so you can conquer this problem and gain valuable insight.
Old Testament: Genesis, Psalms, or Proverbs
The Old Testament offers rich histories of the Christian faith, as well as helpful encouragement and advice. The first book of the Bible is Genesis, the beginning of the Old Testament. If you’re a reader who likes background knowledge and wants to start at the beginning, Genesis is the book to read. Even if you’ve grown up around Christianity, you can still learn something new from this book.
If you’re looking for encouragement and advice as a Christian or a curious reader, start in Psalms or Proverbs. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, so you can easily read a Proverb a day to start your reading journey through the Bible.
New Testament: Gospels or Epistles
The New Testament offers a lot of information on Jesus—especially in the first four books, which are called the Gospels. John is the most detailed Gospel, so it’s a great place to learn about Jesus for the first time or to grow in your faith.
The men who wrote the Gospels, along with other disciples of Jesus, wrote letters encouraging and correcting locations within the early church. The books that contain these letters are known as the Epistles. People interested in church history or growing their religious faith should try reading an Epistle first; Romans is a great, detailed book to start with.
Bible Adjacent: Daily Devotionals
If you feel that you can’t sit down and read the Bible, but you want to learn more about its contents, you can read Christian books. There are many Bible-adjacent Christian books that quote Scripture so you can read Bible verses without reading the Bible itself.
Daily devotionals often quote short passages from the Bible and use those passages to inspire advice or encouragement for each day. Starting your day with a devotional can give you a sense of calm and confidence.
You should begin reading the Bible with a book that makes sense for you, even if that’s a Bible-adjacent book. If a new Bible can help inspire your reading, we offer premium leather KJV Bibles that you will enjoy reading for years to come. We also offer a wide variety of Christian books, including daily devotionals, if you prefer to start your reading process that way.