I’ve been part of a group at my local church where the goal is to read the Bible in a year through daily readings and then meet once a week to talk about what we’ve read. Like many Christians, I’ve tried reading the Bible before—but failed miserably every time.
I knew I loved going to church on Sunday mornings, and I knew I loved God, but I always had an excuse for why I couldn’t read the Bible.
Here were my top three:
1. “I’m just too busy.”
2. “It’s too hard to understand.”
3. “It’s too long—I’ll never get through it anyway.”
Sound familiar? I think a lot of us who’ve tried to read the Bible have used at least one of these. And that’s okay. I’m not here to make you feel bad—believe me, I’ve been there too.
But here’s what I can say for sure:
Reading the Bible has changed my life.
It’s made me a better Christian, a better husband, a better father—and just a better person overall. And I truly believe it can do the same for you.
So let’s take a look at those excuses one by one, and I’ll share what I’d tell myself if I could go back in time.
I’m just too busy.
Honestly? You’re not wrong. Life is busy. It never really slows down.
But here’s the thing—what if it only took 10 to 15 minutes a day? Could you carve out a little time you’d normally spend scrolling your phone, watching TV, or checking emails—and give that time to God instead?
Most people read at around 200 to 250 words per minute. The reading plan in this article averages about 2,000 to 2,500 words a day. So for most of us, that’s just 15 minutes. That’s it.
And if reading isn’t your thing? The Bible app can read it out loud to you. You can listen while driving, cooking, or getting ready for the day. So even with a full schedule, it’s more doable than you think.
It’s too hard to understand.
You know what? I totally agree. The Bible can absolutely be confusing at times no matter which translation you’re reading. There are still moments when I find myself thinking, “What in the world did I just read?”
But here’s what I’ve learned: fully understanding it isn’t the point—at least not at first. It’s okay to feel confused sometimes. The goal of reading the Bible, especially on your first full pass through, is simply to get God’s Word in you.
Think of it like laying a foundation. You’re taking in the big picture, the stories, the themes—the heart of God’s Word. Then later, on another read-through, you can go back and dive deeper. Study it. Ask questions. Join a Bible study. But don’t let confusion stop you from starting.
Too many people give up because they don’t understand everything right away. Don’t let that be you. I promise you’ll get more out of it than you expect. And with just a small daily reading, like the plan in this article, you’ll have time to actually reflect and let it sink in.
It’s too long—I’ll never get through it anyway.
I get it. When you first open a Bible, it can feel like a mountain. The pages are thin, the text is tiny, and the book itself? Massive. It’s easy to look at it and think, “There’s no way I can get through all of this.”
But here’s the truth: you absolutely can, especially if you take it one day at a time.
The plan in this article breaks it down into manageable daily readings, and if you stick with it, you’ll finish the entire Bible in just 365 days. That’s one year. Not forever. And trust me—time flies faster than you think.
Before long, you’ll hit the halfway point and think, “Wait… how did I get here already?” It’ll feel so good to realize how far you’ve come. What once looked overwhelming will become a daily rhythm.
So don’t let the size scare you off. Just start. Give it a real chance and you might surprise yourself.
What does the Bible tell us about reading the Bible? Well, it doesn’t specifically say “read the Bible daily,” but it does have this verse from 2 Timothy that I really like:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NIV)
This verse reminds us that all Scripture has value and is inspired by God. It’s meant to shape our lives and guide us in all the good things we do.
If you’re ready to get started, you can generate your 365-day Bible reading plan below.
Most reading plans divide the Bible evenly by chapters, but I didn’t want to go that route. Chapters vary a lot in length, and I wanted each day to feel more consistent—so I based this plan on word count, not chapter count.
To keep things readable and avoid stopping in the middle of a chapter, some days might end up slightly longer or shorter than others. But overall, this approach comes pretty close to giving you the same reading time each day.
Why read straight through?
It goes back to what I mentioned earlier—your first time through the Bible should be about consuming God’s Word from start to finish. My goal with this plan is to make the process as simple and approachable as possible.
The easiest way to do that is to start at Genesis 1 and finish at Revelation 22.
There’s absolutely a time and place for deeper study, reflection, and even jumping around between books. But for a first full read-through, I believe it helps to follow the natural flow of Scripture. Once you’ve completed it, you can go back and dive deeper into the parts that spoke to you.
Of course, if you have the time and desire to study while you read, go for it! I’m not here to stop anyone from going deeper—I just want to give you something simple and sustainable.
I hope this article encouraged you, and I hope the generator below is a helpful tool for your journey.
If you’d like to save your plan, you can do so by clicking the Print button and choosing the “Save as PDF” option on your device—whether you’re on mobile or desktop.
God bless you, and enjoy your reading journey.