Job is read toward the beginning of the year since Job lived before Moses. Ruth is found along with the accounts of Judges but Esther is found almost at the end of the Old Testament readings when the nation of Israel had been exiled. The Psalms are interspersed throughout the period of the kings, but I also get to read Moses’ Psalm 90 along with his history. David’s Psalms are read after reading about his history, but the Psalms written by Asaph and other psalmists are read later and the theme of each Psalm is coordinated to an account that may have inspired the psalmists. The writings of the prophets are also found along side the events of their day as recorded in the historical books.
The Gospels are harmonized, and that is so helpful to me. It’s hard to read through the gospel accounts four times as is done traditionally, but this way brings each event to life. The book of Acts is interspersed with the epistles to the churches so that I get to read how the early churches were planted along with the corresponding epistle written to that church. The pastoral epistles are read near the end of the year since Paul wrote those while in Rome where he died. Then the Apostle John’s books are at the very end because he was the last of the apostles and with his writing of Revelation, the Bible was complete.
There are a lot of good Bible Reading apps that can be very convenient, but some may like a printable schedule that you can keep in your favorite Bible. Someone in our church asked for a chronological schedule, and as I looked there were none that I could find that had a printable list with check boxes to keep track of progress. So I created one.
I hope this is helpful to you as we approach the new year. This schedule has no dates on it, so you can start anytime and progress for 365 days.
You can download the printable schedule here.
(It’s in brochure format, so you can fold it in thirds and use it as a bookmark. Updated December 2022.)
If you wish to really saturate your day with God’s Word, use my dad’s Morning, Noon, & Night Bible Reading schedule. It will take you through the New Testament once a month! I think this year, since I normally read the New Testament twice in the year, I’m going to do more! Since I’m not sure I can do the New Testament 12 times, I’d like to shoot for at least 3 times. So, in addition to my Old Testament reading using my Chronological schedule above, but adding a couple of New-Testament-in-a-month sessions using dad’s Morning & Evening schedule.
Will you join me? Please keep in touch and let me know how you are progressing with your Bible reading.
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