Bible Reading Plan

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Bob Sorge’s Bible Reading Plan

I want to tell you about my Bible reading plan because it works so well for me.

I target four places in Scripture to read each day: Psalms/Proverbs, Old Testament, Gospels, and Epistles. There are tremendous benefits to reading in different places at the same time, which I discuss in Chapter 20 of my book, Secrets of the Secret Place.

First, I decide how far I want to get in each section annually. Then, by counting the number of pages that my Bible has for each section, I do the math to figure out how many pages I need to read daily to meet my reading goal.

You can decide to read through a certain section of Scripture once a year, twice a year, once every two years, or whatever you want. I will explain below how far I personally try to get in each section annually, but that’s just my own way. You can adjust the math according to your own goals.

Let me explain my personal reading goals in all four sections.

Psalms/Proverbs. I like to read through this section of Scripture roughly once a year. I enjoy praying real slowly through these books, so my pace is relaxed. Sometimes I’ll get through a Psalm in one day, and in some cases a Psalm will take me several days to finish. There are no quotas to meet. The point isn’t to meet a reading quota but to engage vibrantly with the Lord in prayer.

Old Testament. I aim to read through the entire Old Testament once a year and here’s my strategy. I take the page count of my Old Testament, subtract the number of pages in Psalms and Proverbs, and then divide the remainder by 300. This gives me roughly the number of pages I read daily in order to read the entire Old Testament in a year. By dividing by only 300 instead of 365, I am giving myself the leeway of missing a reading 65 days in a year. 

Gospels. I like to read through the Gospels (Matthew to John) twice each year. So I take the total number of pages in my Bible for the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and divide that page count by 150. That gives me the rough number of pages I should read daily in order to read through the Gospels twice each year. That also assumes that I’m reading only 6 days a week.

Epistles. I like to read through the Epistles twice each year. By Epistles, I mean the books from Acts to Revelation. I take the page count from Acts to Revelation, divide it by 150, and that’s how many pages I read 6 days a week.

I use electronic bookmarks or paper clips to mark my progress.

Why do I read only 6 days a week? Because on Sundays I lay aside my reading plan and become spontaneous. On Sundays, I read anywhere I want. Sunday is my day to roam and just read anywhere at all, whether little or much.

I love this reading plan and I hope it works for you. I realize it’s not for everyone, however. For example, it doesn’t work for my wife. If you’d like to check out some alternatives, below are some links to visit. God bless you as you dive into God’s word! –Bob

A variety of Bible Reading Plans can be found at these sites:

  • See ReadingPlan by James H. Price in the iTunes Store. You can progress through the plan at your own rate.