260 'n 2010
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1 chapter a day If you’re not currently reading the Bible, start with one chapter a day. This reading plan will take you through all 260 chapters of the New Testament in one year, one chapter per day, five days per week. Quickly, here’s how we organized the reading.
- Start with the Gospel of Luke and Acts. Luke wrote them both—with Acts picking up exactly where the Gospel of Luke left off. You could say these books are Luke—Volumes I and II.
- Then, read all of Paul’s letters—in the order he wrote them. Galatians after his 1st Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14), 1 & 2 Thessalonians during his 2nd Journey (Acts 16-18), 1 & 2 Corinthians and Romans during his 3rd Journey (Acts 19-20), Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians as a prisoner in Rome (Acts 28), Titus and 1 Timothy after his release, and finally 2 Timothy during his final imprisonment—just before his martyrdom.
- Next, read the Gospel of Matthew, followed by Hebrews and James. All three were written to mainly Jewish audiences, and James has much in common with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
- Then, read the Gospel of Mark, along with 1 & 2 Peter and Jude. Mark was a close associate of Peter, gleaning much of his Gospel material from him. Jude has much in common with 2 Peter.
- Finally, read the works of the Apostle John—the Gospel of John, 1, 2, & 3 John, and then Revelation.
5 days a week Determine a time and location to read one chapter a day for five days a week. We’ve scheduled the reading for Monday - Friday. It’s best to have a consistent time and quiet place where you can regularly meet with the Lord. Spend Saturday and Sunday reviewing and reflecting upon the week’s reading.
Record your thoughts Keep a pen and paper ready to capture God’s insights. Consider the value of coming to the end of 2010 and being able to say, “Not only did I read the New Testament this year, but I also recorded some thoughts on every chapter along the way.” We recommend a Moleskin 5.25 x 8.25 in. Cahier Large Ruled Journal (80 lined pages). It fits inside the front cover of most Bibles, and if you divide each page by four you can record your simple thoughts and insights about every chapter in the New Testament in one easy place—with room to spare. Your thoughts might be content-based (simply recording the contents of each chapter), application-based (recording what you believe God is calling you to be or do), prayer-based (simply writing down a brief prayer to God prompted by your reading), or a combination of all. Make the journal simple. Make it your own. Read the Scriptures prayerfully. Read meditatively. Read for patience, comfort, hope, and mission—and record your thoughts. If you do, you won’t regret it!
Suggested Supplemental Reading
- Clarifying The Bible by Mitch Maher
- On the New Testament (A Book You Will Actually Read) by Mark Driscoll
- What the Bible is All About by Henrietta Mears
- How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
- An Introduction to the New Testament by D. A. Carson, Douglas Moo, and Leon Morris
- Three NT Books for Kids: The Very First Christmas, The Very First Easter, and The Very First Christians by Paul Maier
- Another for the Kids: The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm