Embassy of the Kingdom
Embassy of the Kingdom
The Bible is 66 books. You do not start on page one and read straight through — here is where beginners actually should start.
Start with the Gospel of John, one chapter a day. It was written specifically to introduce Jesus to people who had never heard of Him — “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). Twenty-one chapters, about three weeks at one a day.
Most beginners who start at Genesis and try to read straight through stall out somewhere in Leviticus. That is not a failure of willpower — Leviticus just was not written for a first-time reader. Start where the Bible itself points beginners: the story of Jesus.
John 1-7. Miracles, direct claims, the reactions of the people who actually met Him.
John 8-14. Confrontation with religious leaders, and Jesus preparing His closest followers for what is coming.
John 15-21. His death, His resurrection, and the door left open for you at the end of the book.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”Psalm 119:105
One chapter of John a day. Then, once you finish, these three short books carry you forward:
Free tools that help along the way: YouVersion for reading on your phone, and Blue Letter Bible when you want to dig into a specific word or verse. Both are checked and listed in our directory.
Most beginners who try this stall out somewhere in Leviticus. It's not a bad book, but it's not built for a first-timer. Start with John, then come back to the Old Testament once you have some footing.
Any modern, readable translation is fine to start — the NIV or NLT are especially easy for a first read. You can always compare translations later once you are more familiar with the text.
That is completely normal at the start. Keep reading anyway — understanding builds over time, and free tools like Bible Hub or Blue Letter Bible can help explain a specific verse when you get stuck.