Resources · Bible Study Tools
Bible Reading Plans
Trusted reading plans to help you read through God’s Word: one-year plans such as M’Cheyne’s and MacArthur’s, slower chapter-a-day plans, New Testament and Old Testament plans, and our own Bible in a Year plan, day by day, with a printable checklist.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Getting Started
The Plans
Note: Scripture quotations and verse links on this site use the King James Version (KJV) because it is in the public domain, while most modern translations limit how much can be quoted online. Feel free to read along in the translation of your choice.
30+ Plans
Linked to their official sources
Bible in a Year
Our 365-day plan, day by day
About 15 Minutes
A day for the whole Bible in a year
Printable Checklist
Save, share or print the plan
Getting Started
Why Read Through the Whole Bible?
God Has Spoken
Every Word From God
The Bible is God’s Word, given by inspiration of God and written down by men He chose. Reading all of it lets God speak to us through every part, not only the passages we already know.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Paul says all Scripture, so the genealogies, the laws and the minor prophets are part of what God has given us, as surely as the Gospels and the Psalms.
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He answered, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). A reading plan is simply a way to make sure we take in every word, a little each day.
The Big Picture
One Story, Start to Finish
The Bible tells one story, from creation in Genesis to the new heaven and new earth in Revelation. Reading it all shows how each book fits God’s plan of salvation in Christ.
Read in pieces, the Bible can feel like a collection of separate stories. Read through, it shows one unfolding plan: creation and the fall, God’s promise to Abraham, the law given through Moses, the kings and the prophets, and then the coming of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, the church, and His promised return.
Jesus Himself taught this way on the road to Emmaus: “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Reading the whole Bible helps us see what they saw.
A Daily Habit
Little by Little, Every Day
A plan turns a big goal into a small daily step. Like the Bereans, who “searched the scriptures daily,” a few minutes each day adds up to the whole Bible.
The Bereans “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). The blessed man of Psalm 1 delights in the law of the LORD, “and in His law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2).
The whole Bible takes about 70 to 80 hours to read aloud. Spread over a year, that is roughly 15 minutes a day. Over three years, it is about 5 minutes a day. The best plan is the one you will keep, so choose a pace that fits your life, and begin.
Key Verse
A Lamp and a Light
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Choosing a Plan
Plans at a Glance
Some of the most popular plans side by side. Tap a plan to read more about it and find its official link. The best plan is the one you will keep, so pick a pace that fits your days.
| Plan | Length | Each Day | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan Robert Murray M’Cheyne, 1842 | 1 year (or 2) | 4 chapters | Readers who want the whole Bible, with the New Testament and Psalms twice |
| The MacArthur Daily Bible John MacArthur (Thomas Nelson) | 1 year | OT, Psalm or Proverbs, NT | Readers who would like a printed Bible laid out by day, with short notes |
| MacArthur’s Read-It-Again Method John MacArthur, “How to Study the Bible” | OT yearly; NT about 3 years | OT straight through + one NT book, again and again | Readers who want to know each New Testament book deeply |
| The Navigators Bible Reading Plan The Navigators (Discipleship Journal) | 1 year, 25 days a month | 4 short readings | Busy readers who need catch-up days built in |
| Tabletalk Bible Reading Plan Ligonier Ministries | 1 year | OT + NT | Readers who would like an Old and a New Testament passage each day |
| Chronological Plans Crossway, Blue Letter Bible, BibleGateway | 1 year | About 3 chapters | Readers who want to follow events in the order they happened |
| Genesis to Revelation (Straight Through) Blue Letter Bible, Heartlight | 1 year | 3 to 4 chapters | Readers who like to read in Bible order, cover to cover |
| Five Day Bible Reading Program fivedaybiblereading.com | 1 year, weekdays | Monday to Friday | Readers who want weekends free to catch up or rest |
| One Chapter a Day A simple method anyone can use | About 3¼ years | 1 chapter | New readers, or anyone who wants about 5 minutes a day |
| Two-Year Bible Reading Plan The Gospel Coalition | 2 years | About 2 chapters | Readers who want time to think about what they read |
| 5x5x5 New Testament Plan The Navigators | 1 year, weekdays | 1 chapter, about 5 minutes | New readers starting a daily habit |
| New Testament in Six Months Crossway | 6 months | About 1½ chapters | Readers who want to read the whole New Testament quickly |
| Proverbs Every Month A long-loved habit | 1 month, repeated | 1 chapter | Anyone who wants daily, practical wisdom |
| Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System Grant Horner, The Master’s University | Ongoing | 10 chapters, about an hour | Experienced readers who want to read a lot of Scripture quickly |
Length1 year (or 2)
Each day4 chapters
Best forReaders who want the whole Bible, with the New Testament and Psalms twice
Length1 year
Each dayOT, Psalm or Proverbs, NT
Best forReaders who would like a printed Bible laid out by day, with short notes
LengthOT yearly; NT about 3 years
Each dayOT straight through + one NT book, again and again
Best forReaders who want to know each New Testament book deeply
Length1 year, 25 days a month
Each day4 short readings
Best forBusy readers who need catch-up days built in
Length1 year
Each dayOT + NT
Best forReaders who would like an Old and a New Testament passage each day
Length1 year
Each dayAbout 3 chapters
Best forReaders who want to follow events in the order they happened
Length1 year
Each day3 to 4 chapters
Best forReaders who like to read in Bible order, cover to cover
Length1 year, weekdays
Each dayMonday to Friday
Best forReaders who want weekends free to catch up or rest
LengthAbout 3¼ years
Each day1 chapter
Best forNew readers, or anyone who wants about 5 minutes a day
Length2 years
Each dayAbout 2 chapters
Best forReaders who want time to think about what they read
Length1 year, weekdays
Each day1 chapter, about 5 minutes
Best forNew readers starting a daily habit
Length6 months
Each dayAbout 1½ chapters
Best forReaders who want to read the whole New Testament quickly
Length1 month, repeated
Each day1 chapter
Best forAnyone who wants daily, practical wisdom
LengthOngoing
Each day10 chapters, about an hour
Best forExperienced readers who want to read a lot of Scripture quickly
The Plans · Classic Plans
Two of the Best-Known Plans
Two plans many pastors recommend by name: Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s calendar from 1842, and the reading plans of pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur.
M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan
Robert Murray M’Cheyne, 1842
Length1 year (or 2)
Each day4 chapters
Written by the Scottish pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne for his congregation in Dundee. Each day has four readings, two meant for family worship and two for private reading. In a year you read the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice. Many people read two of the four each day and take two years.
Best for: Readers who want the whole Bible, with the New Testament and Psalms twice
The MacArthur Daily Bible
John MacArthur (Thomas Nelson)
Length1 year
Each dayOT, Psalm or Proverbs, NT
A one-year Bible arranged in 365 daily readings. Each day has an Old Testament passage, a portion of Psalms or Proverbs, and a New Testament passage, all in Bible order, with a short note from John MacArthur and a weekly memory passage. It is printed in the NASB.
Best for: Readers who would like a printed Bible laid out by day, with short notes
MacArthur’s Read-It-Again Method
John MacArthur, “How to Study the Bible”
LengthOT yearly; NT about 3 years
Each dayOT straight through + one NT book, again and again
Read through the Old Testament at least once a year. In the New Testament, read one book at a time, over and over: a short book like 1 John, all of it every day for thirty days. Divide a long book into sections and read each section daily for thirty days (John in three parts of seven chapters takes about ninety days). Alternate short and long books, and you finish the New Testament in under three years, knowing each book well.
Best for: Readers who want to know each New Testament book deeply
The Plans · Bible in a Year
Through the Whole Bible in One Year
Plans that take you through all 66 books in a year, about 15 minutes a day. They differ in the order they read and how many passages they give each day.
The Navigators Bible Reading Plan
The Navigators (Discipleship Journal)
Length1 year, 25 days a month
Each day4 short readings
Each day has four readings from different parts of the Bible, so you read from the Gospels, the Psalms, the Old Testament and the epistles side by side. Only 25 readings are scheduled each month, leaving a few days to catch up. You can start any month.
Best for: Busy readers who need catch-up days built in
The Navigators Book-at-a-Time Plan
The Navigators
Length1 year (or 2)
Each day2 readings
Two readings a day. The first moves through the Bible one whole book at a time, switching between the Old and New Testaments. The second is a chapter from Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon or Isaiah.
Best for: Readers who like to finish one book before starting the next
Tabletalk Bible Reading Plan
Ligonier Ministries
Length1 year
Each dayOT + NT
An Old Testament reading and a New Testament reading every day, finishing the whole Bible in a year. Ligonier offers it free as a printable PDF; the request form asks for your name and contact details.
Best for: Readers who would like an Old and a New Testament passage each day
ESV Daily Bible Reading Plan
Crossway
Length1 year
Each day4 readings
Four readings a day from four lists that run side by side: Psalms and Wisdom Literature; the Pentateuch and the history of Israel; Chronicles and the Prophets; and the Gospels and Epistles. It works with any translation.
Best for: Readers who enjoy variety every day
Chronological Plans
Crossway, Blue Letter Bible, BibleGateway
Length1 year
Each dayAbout 3 chapters
The Bible rearranged so you read events in the order they took place: Job near Genesis, the Psalms of David beside his life in Samuel, the prophets beside the kings they spoke to, and the Gospels woven together. Different publishers arrange a few passages differently.
Best for: Readers who want to follow events in the order they happened
Genesis to Revelation (Straight Through)
Blue Letter Bible, Heartlight
Length1 year
Each day3 to 4 chapters
The simplest plan of all: start at Genesis 1 and read in order to the end of Revelation, about three or four chapters a day. The New Testament comes in the autumn.
Best for: Readers who like to read in Bible order, cover to cover
Blue Letter Bible Plans
Blue Letter Bible
Length1 or 2 years
Each dayVaries
Eight free printable plans: straight through, a blended plan, chronological, historical (the Old Testament in the Hebrew Bible’s order), the Life Journal plan, and Old and New Testament each day, in one-year and two-year versions.
Best for: Readers who want several free printable choices in one place
Five Day Bible Reading Program
fivedaybiblereading.com
Length1 year, weekdays
Each dayMonday to Friday
Readings for five days a week, with the weekend left open to catch up, rest, or read for a Bible class. There is a whole-Bible version and a New Testament version, each on one printable page, free to copy.
Best for: Readers who want weekends free to catch up or rest
52-Week Bible Reading Plan
Shared by Ligonier Ministries
Length1 year
Each dayOne kind of book each weekday
Each day of the week has its own part of the Bible: Sunday the Epistles, Monday the Law, Tuesday History, Wednesday Psalms, Thursday Poetry, Friday Prophecy and Saturday the Gospels.
Best for: Readers who like each day of the week to have its own theme
Bible App and Website Plans
YouVersion, BibleGateway
Length1 year
Each dayOT + NT
Free plans that open each day’s reading for you, track your progress and can send reminders. BibleGateway also offers an Old and New Testament plan by email in the King James Version.
Best for: Readers who read on a phone and like reminders
The Plans · More Than a Year
A Slower Pace: Two or Three Years
Plans for readers who would rather go slowly and think more about each chapter. The whole Bible in two to three years, a few minutes a day.
One Chapter a Day
A simple method anyone can use
LengthAbout 3¼ years
Each day1 chapter
The Bible has 1,189 chapters. Read one a day and you finish in 1,189 days, about three years and three months. Start at Genesis 1, or switch between the Testaments (one Old Testament book, then one New Testament book) so you always have a Gospel or letter not far away. Psalm 119, the longest chapter, can be split over several days.
Best for: New readers, or anyone who wants about 5 minutes a day
Two-Year Bible Reading Plan
The Gospel Coalition
Length2 years
Each dayAbout 2 chapters
The whole Bible once in two years, with Psalms and Proverbs read four times along the way. Most months include a catch-up day. Year one runs from Genesis into Isaiah; year two finishes the prophets and the New Testament.
Best for: Readers who want time to think about what they read
Two-Year Plans From Blue Letter Bible
Blue Letter Bible
Length2 years
Each dayAbout 2 chapters
Two free printable plans: straight through the Bible five days a week, and an Old and New Testament reading each day, both spread over two years.
Best for: Readers who like Bible order at half the pace
M’Cheyne in Two Years
Robert Murray M’Cheyne
Length2 years
Each day2 chapters
Read the first two of M’Cheyne’s four daily readings in the first year and the other two in the second year. Over two years you still read the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice.
Best for: Readers who like M’Cheyne’s plan but want a gentler pace
The Plans · New Testament Plans
Reading the New Testament
A good place to begin, especially for new believers: the life of Jesus, the early church and the letters to the churches.
5x5x5 New Testament Plan
The Navigators
Length1 year, weekdays
Each day1 chapter, about 5 minutes
The New Testament has 260 chapters, and a year has 260 weekdays. Read one chapter each weekday, about five minutes, and use the weekend to catch up or reflect. The plan suggests five simple ways to dig a little deeper each day.
Best for: New readers starting a daily habit
New Testament in a Year
BibleStudyForAll.com, BibleGateway
Length1 year
Each day1 chapter or half a chapter
Read only the New Testament column of our Bible in a Year plan below: one chapter a day, or half of one of the longer chapters, from Matthew 1 on January 1 to Revelation 22 on December 31. BibleGateway also has a New Testament in a Year plan.
Best for: Readers who want a small daily reading every day of the week
New Testament in Six Months
Crossway
Length6 months
Each dayAbout 1½ chapters
The New Testament straight through, in order, in about six months, a short section each day. BibleGateway offers a similar plan in 24 weeks.
Best for: Readers who want to read the whole New Testament quickly
The Gospels in 40 Days
BibleGateway
Length40 days
Each dayAbout 2 chapters
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in forty days. A good plan before Easter, or as a first plan for a new believer.
Best for: Anyone who wants to focus on the life and words of Jesus
The Plans · Old Testament Plans
Psalms, Proverbs and the Old Testament
Plans for the Old Testament on its own, and for two books many believers read again and again: Psalms and Proverbs.
Old Testament in a Year
BibleStudyForAll.com
Length1 year
Each day2 to 3 chapters
Read only the Old Testament column of our Bible in a Year plan below, Genesis 1 on January 1 to Malachi 4 on December 31. Pair it with MacArthur’s read-it-again method for the New Testament.
Best for: Readers who want to follow John MacArthur’s advice to read the OT every year
Proverbs Every Month
A long-loved habit
Length1 month, repeated
Each day1 chapter
Proverbs has 31 chapters, one for each day of a long month. Read the chapter that matches the date (Proverbs 12 on the 12th) and you read the whole book every month. In a 30-day month, read 30 and 31 together.
Best for: Anyone who wants daily, practical wisdom
Psalms in a Month
A long-loved habit
Length30 days
Each day5 psalms
Read five psalms a day, thirty apart: on day 1 read Psalms 1, 31, 61, 91 and 121; on day 2 read Psalms 2, 32, 62, 92 and 122; and so on. On day 30 you reach Psalm 150. Psalm 119 (day 29) can be read in two sittings.
Best for: Readers who want to pray through the Psalms
A Psalm a Day
Crossway
Length150 days
Each day1 psalm
One psalm a day for 150 days. A good companion to a New Testament plan.
Best for: A gentle start, or a second reading alongside another plan
The Plans · More Ways to Read
Faster Plans and Tools
For readers who want to read a great deal more, or to make a plan of their own.
Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System
Grant Horner, The Master’s University
LengthOngoing
Each day10 chapters, about an hour
Ten bookmarks in ten lists (the Gospels, the Law, Paul’s letters, the other letters and Revelation, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms, Proverbs, the history books, the prophets, and Acts). Read one chapter from each list every day. Because the lists are different lengths, the chapters you read side by side are always changing.
Best for: Experienced readers who want to read a lot of Scripture quickly
The Bible in 90 Days
BibleGateway
Length90 days
Each dayAbout 12 pages
The whole Bible in three months, about twelve pages a day. Reading this quickly shows the sweep of the whole story.
Best for: Readers with time for about an hour a day who want the big picture
Make Your Own Plan
Bible Reading Plan Generator
LengthYou choose
Each dayYou choose
A free online tool that builds a printable plan from your choices: which books, how many days, which days of the week, and in what order.
Best for: Readers who want their own start date, length or days of the week
More Plans in One Place
Ligonier Ministries
LengthVaries
Each dayVaries
Ligonier keeps a yearly list of more than twenty free reading plans with links, including a three-year “Every Word in the Bible” plan that reads one chapter at a time.
Best for: Readers who want to compare even more plans
Our Plan
The Bible in a Year, Day by Day
A simple plan for reading the whole Bible in 365 days: the Old Testament once and the New Testament once, a little of each every day, from Genesis 1 and Matthew 1 on January 1 to Malachi 4 and Revelation 22 on December 31.
Two Readings a Day
An Old Testament reading and a New Testament reading every day, both in Bible order.
Even Days
Readings are balanced by length, about 15 minutes a day, so no day is much longer than the rest.
Tap to Read
Every reading opens in the King James Version. Tap a month below to see its days.
January · Days 1–31 · Genesis 1 to Exodus 15–16
February · Days 32–59 · Exodus 17 to Numbers 1
March · Days 60–90 · Numbers 2 to Deuteronomy 25–27
April · Days 91–120 · Deuteronomy 28 to 1 Samuel 3–5
May · Days 121–151 · 1 Samuel 6 to 1 Kings 9–10
June · Days 152–181 · 1 Kings 11 to 1 Chronicles 19–21
July · Days 182–212 · 1 Chronicles 22 to Esther 2–3
August · Days 213–243 · Esther 4 to Psalms 100–104
September · Days 244–273 · Psalms 105 to Isaiah 21–23
October · Days 274–304 · Isaiah 24 to Jeremiah 32
November · Days 305–334 · Jeremiah 33 to Ezekiel 36–37
December · Days 335–365 · Ezekiel 38 to Malachi 1–4
This plan was prepared for BibleStudyForAll.com from the King James Version. Longer New Testament chapters are read over two days. You can start on any date: use the day numbers instead of the dates.
Printable Copy
Printable Bible in a Year Checklist (PDF)
All 365 days with a box to check off each reading, two months to a page, plus a page of tips. It opens in a new tab, where you can save it to your phone or computer, share it, or print it.
Keep Going
Tips for Finishing Your Plan
Begin With Prayer
Ask God to open your eyes to His Word before you read (Psalm 119:18).
Same Time, Same Place
Tie your reading to something you already do each day, like breakfast.
Missed a Day?
Don’t quit. Pick up today’s reading and catch up a little at a time, or just carry on.
Keep a Notebook
Write one thing you learned about God each day, and one question to look up.
Read With Someone
A friend, spouse or small group on the same plan keeps you going.
Listen, Too
An audio Bible on a commute or a walk is a good way to keep up.
One Bible
Read from one translation you understand. See our Bible Translations page.
Check It Off
Mark each day on the printable checklist. Small wins keep you reading.
Questions
Questions About Reading Plans
Which plan is best?
The best plan is the one you will keep. If you are new to daily reading, start small: the 5x5x5 New Testament plan or one chapter a day. If you want the whole Bible in a year, choose a plan with an Old and New Testament reading each day, like our plan on this page or the Tabletalk plan, or M’Cheyne’s plan for the New Testament and Psalms twice.
What if I fall behind?
Everyone does. Don’t try to read a week’s worth in one day. Either pick up with today’s reading and catch up the missed days a little at a time, or simply carry on from where you stopped and finish a few days later. Plans like the Navigators plan and the Five Day plan build catch-up days in.
Can I start in the middle of the year?
Yes. Start on Day 1 whatever the date is, and use the day numbers rather than the dates. You will finish a year from when you began.
What about February 29?
Our plan has 365 days. In a leap year, use February 29 to catch up or to read a favorite psalm.
How long does it take each day?
Our Bible in a Year plan averages about 2,200 words a day, around 15 minutes at a comfortable reading pace. The longest days (such as the day with Psalm 119) take about 20 minutes.
Which translation should I use?
Use a faithful translation you can understand. This site quotes the King James Version, and every reading on our plan opens in the KJV. To compare the major English translations, see our Bible Translations page.
Should I read in order or chronologically?
Both are good. Reading in Bible order keeps each book together as it was written. A chronological plan places events in the order they happened, which helps with the history. Many readers try one plan one year and another the next.
Does listening to an audio Bible count?
Yes. For most of history, God’s people heard Scripture read aloud more than they read it themselves: “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Listening is a fine way to keep up, especially on busy days.
Keep Studying
Related Studies
An overview and outline of every book of the Bible, to read alongside your plan.
How the books of the Bible were written, copied and recognized.
Continue Your Study
Scripture quotations and verse links are from the King James Version (KJV).