Effective Strategies and Plans for Daily Bible Reading
Speaking broadly, there are two approaches to daily Bible-reading: reading for intimacy or reading for familiarity. Intimacy with the Bible comes by slow, meditative reading that focuses on small portions—deep study of books, chapters, and verses. Familiarity with the Bible comes through faster reading of larger portions—the entire sweep of the biblical narrative. Both are perfectly good approaches to the Bible and Christians thrive on a healthy mixture of the two.
The 5 Day Bible Reading Program
My favorite daily Bible-reading plan is the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. It has several features I especially appreciate. For instance, it is a familiarity plan that covers the entire text of the Bible over the course of the year. It is also a 5-day plan. A benefit of a 5-day plan (as opposed to a 7-day plan) is that there is less chance of falling far behind. At 5 days per week it is far more doable than at 7 days—there is always a chance to catch up.
Comparison of 5-Day Bible Reading Plans
You can choose between different styles of the 5-day program to suit your study needs:
| Plan Type | Description | Reading Time |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Day Chronological Bible Reading Plan | Follows the events in the Bible in a chronological timeline. This helps set the events in their historical context. | Avg 15 min |
| 5 Day Traditional Bible Reading Plan | The way to read through your Bible in one year! It only takes an average of 15 min of reading a day and you get weekends off. | Avg 15 min |
As noted, the chronological version is a pseudo-chronological plan that covers the text of the Bible in the order the events happened. For example, the Psalms come at appropriate moments in the life of David, and the books of Kings and Chronicles are read in harmony. This takes out the guesswork and nurtures a more consistent, daily walk with God.
Deepening Understanding Through Word Studies
While familiarity is important, word meanings are also very vital! The Bible was first written in Hebrew and Greek. Translations are not perfect because languages are so different, and the English words that we read in our modern translations can represent two or more different words in the original languages. This is why it’s a great idea to do a Biblical word study.
Word study can seem very intimidating, but fortunately, we have so many resources for solid Biblical research and understanding right at our fingertips. You do not have to be an expert at languages to gain some deep insight into what God is speaking through His word. However, there are important points to remember:
- Words in any language can have varying meanings.
- Read the verses and paragraphs around the verse you are studying so that you can understand the concepts and ideas within its context.
- Word meanings are determined by their context, and this is very important!
We also need to ask God for discernment, wisdom, and insight as we read and study His word. Discovering places online where I can easily access the meanings of words from the original languages has been so insightful and fascinating.