The Protestant Bible has 1,189 chapters. Divide that by 365 days and you get just over 3 chapters a day: about 15 to 20 minutes of reading. That’s less time than most of us spend scrolling before bed. Here’s a simple month-by-month plan to read the entire Bible in one year.
The month-by-month plan
About 99 chapters a month, in book order:
| Month | Reading |
|---|---|
| January | Genesis 1 – Leviticus 9 |
| February | Leviticus 10 – Joshua 11 |
| March | Joshua 12 – 1 Kings 6 |
| April | 1 Kings 7 – 2 Chronicles 29 |
| May | 2 Chronicles 30 – Psalm 17 |
| June | Psalm 18 – Psalm 116 |
| July | Psalm 117 – Isaiah 14 |
| August | Isaiah 15 – Jeremiah 47 |
| September | Jeremiah 48 – Jonah 2 |
| October | Jonah 3 – Luke 17 |
| November | Luke 18 – 2 Corinthians 11 |
| December | 2 Corinthians 12 – Revelation 22 |
For Catholic readers: the Catholic Bible has 73 books, including Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach and Baruch, plus additions to Esther and Daniel. Fit them into lighter months like June, or read 4 chapters a day.
Rather mix Old and New Testament?
Plenty of people quit in Leviticus or Numbers. An alternative is 2–3 Old Testament chapters + 1 New Testament chapter every day. You’ll finish the New Testament in about 9 months and can use the rest of the year to reread Psalms and Proverbs, so there’s always something lighter next to the harder parts.
7 tips to keep going
- Same time every day: ideally first thing in the morning.
- Fell behind? Don’t restart. Jump to today’s reading and catch up a little on weekends.
- Use a translation you understand. For study, a Bible with notes helps a lot.
- Write down one line a day: the verse that stood out most.
- Audio Bibles count. Listening on your commute beats skipping.
- Read with someone: a friend, your spouse or a small group keeps you on pace.
- Ask for understanding first: a 10-second prayer changes how you read.
How long does each book take?
Some books fit in a single day (Ruth, Jonah, Philemon, Jude). Psalms takes almost two months in this plan. Knowing that keeps you from getting discouraged: there are long seasons and quick ones.
Start today, not January 1
The plan works from any starting day: just count 12 months from today. For encouragement along the way, see 12 Bible verses for hard days and Psalm 91 explained.