The Bible and prayer
How do I start reading the Bible?
Start with one of the four Gospels, read a little each day and use a modern translation. Mark is the shortest Gospel, and John was written to help people believe.
What the Bible is
The Bible is a library of books written over many centuries. It has two parts. The Old Testament covers the time before Jesus, and the New Testament tells of his life, death and resurrection and the first years of the church. Christians believe that God speaks through all of it.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.
Where to begin
You don’t have to start at page one. The Bible is not arranged like a novel, and beginners who start at Genesis often give up somewhere in Leviticus. Start with Jesus.
- Mark: the shortest and fastest-moving account of Jesus’ life.
- John: an eyewitness account that explains who Jesus is.
- Acts: what happened next, as the first churches began.
- Psalms: prayers and songs for every mood, good to read alongside the others.
A plan for your first weeks
Mark has sixteen chapters. Read one a day and you will have finished a whole Gospel in just over two weeks. Then read John, which has twenty-one. In under six weeks you will have read two complete accounts of Jesus’ life and will have a clear picture of who he is.
Which version?
Choose a modern translation you find easy to read, such as the New International Version (NIV), the English Standard Version (ESV) or the New Living Translation (NLT). Several are published in anglicised editions with British spelling. All of them can be read free online or in a Bible app.
- Bible Gateway, a free website with many translations
- YouVersion, a free Bible app with reading plans
How to read it
Read a short section, perhaps a chapter or less. Before you start, ask God to help you understand. Then ask three questions. What does this show me about God or Jesus? What does it show me about myself? Is there something I should do about it?
But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
When you don’t understand
You will meet passages that puzzle you. Everyone does. Make a note of your question and keep going; often a later passage sheds light on an earlier one. A study Bible, which has explanatory notes at the foot of each page, can help, and so can reading with someone else. Most churches run small groups where people read the Bible together and talk about what it means.
Why it is worth the effort
Jesus said that people need God’s words as much as they need food.
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.