How to Read the Bible (for the First Time)

The Bible is many things: a store of wisdom and knowledge, a light for the path, a balm for the soul.

But let’s face it: the Bible can also be intimidating!

For one thing, it’s big: Depending on the translation, we’re talking upwards of 725,000 words — that’s nearly 10 novels put together! And it’s not just big, it’s dense. Even if you’re not put off by the word count, the Bible is a lot more complex than a simple, straightforward story.

As soon as you decide to read the Bible, you’re faced with lots of questions: Which version should you read? What order should you read it in? And as you go deeper, the questions only continue: When did all these things take place? How should you interpret difficult or seemingly contradictory passages? Do you really have to read all those genealogies?

If you’ve ever wanted to read the Bible, but didn’t know where to start — or if you did start but dropped off somewhere around Leviticus — this post is for you. It will walk you through a step-by-step process for choosing a Bible, setting goals, and building a study habit — plus, how to handle challenging sections so they don’t derail your entire journey.

Whether this is your first time picking up a Bible, or you’re a lifelong Bible aficionado looking for a fresh approach, I hope you’ll find what you need to deepen your engagement with God’s Word.

Step 1: Choose a Version

The first choice you’re going to have to make when you set out to read the Bible is which translation you’re going to read it in.

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew (the Old Testament) and Greek (the New Testament), with a few portions (such as part of Daniel) in Aramaic. So unless you can read all those languages, you’re probably going to want to read it in English.

The good news is, there are lots of English versions readily available to you. The bad news? There are lots of English versions readily available to you. Since John Wycliffe first translated the Bible into English in the 14th century, dozens more have appeared — mostly in the last hundred years.

The King James Version (KJV) and New King James Version (NKJV)

The most famous English Bible is of course the King James Version (1611). The KJV has endured as one of the bestselling Bibles — indeed, best-selling books — in the world, every year, for over 400 years, thanks to its attention to beautiful, majestic language that was designed specifically to be read aloud in worship.

However, the English language has changed a lot over those four centuries — and so has our knowledge of Biblical languages. Unless you are already familiar with Shakespearean or Elizabethan English grammar — or reading the Bible primarily for its historical/linguistic impact — the KJV is probably not the best place for a new Bible reader to start. You’ll find lots of lovely phrasing — but you’re also likely to feel lost and discouraged pretty quickly.

If you’re committed to the KJV but want something a little closer to today’s English, you might want to try the New King James Version (NKJV), completed in 1982, which preserves the poetry and diction of the KJV while updating the language to remove archaic terms like “thee” and “thou.”

Word-for-Word or Thought-for-Thought?

When it comes to choosing a Bible version, the main decision for you to make is between formal equivalence or functional equivalence.

• Formal equivalence — also called word-for-word translation — tries to preserve the exact form of the Hebrew and Greek originals as closely as possible in today’s English, even if it sounds a little awkward, confusing, or old-fashioned. This also includes keeping idioms like “gird your loins” that we might not understand.
• Functional equivalence — or thought-for-thought translation — instead tries to clarify the intended meaning of the Bible by rendering it in more natural-sounding modern English, even if it means making some adjustments to its original style and grammar.

There’s no right or wrong answer here. In general, if you’re of a more scholarly, traditional persuasion, you’ll probably gravitate toward formal equivalence. If you’re looking for a more easily understandable, natural reading experience, you’ll likely be better off with functional equivalence.

Examples of Top Bible Versions

The most popular English Bible version worldwide is the New International Version (NIV), most recently updated in 2011. The NIV is also among the most balanced translations, striving equally for accuracy and readability.

Another popular balanced translation is the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), updated in 2020, the official translation of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Some top formal equivalence Bible versions include:

• New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition (NRSVUE), 2021 — especially popular among mainline Protestants and academics.
• English Standard Version (ESV), 2001 — especially popular among conservative Evangelicals.
• New American Standard Version (NASB), 2020 — the most literal translation.
• New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), 2011 — generally preferred by Catholics.

Top functional equivalence translations include:

• New Living Translation (NLT), 2015 — most popular functional equivalence Bible.
• Common English Bible (CEB), 2011 — preferred by mainline Protestants.

There are also many paraphrases of the Bible available (such as the Living Bible and the Message). These can be interesting ways to engage the Bible from a new perspective, but given how far they often depart from the original text, they are not recommended for your first Bible.

Important Note for Catholic and Orthodox Readers

When it comes to choosing a version for Catholic and Orthodox readers (as well as some Anglicans and Lutherans), it’s important to ensure it contains the Deuterocanonical books, also known as the Apocrypha.

These are the “intertestamental” (i.e., between the Old and New Testament) books that were included in the Greek Septuagint used by the early church, but later rejected by most Protestant reformers — and therefore not included in most Protestant Bibles.

Catholics can find many Protestant translations with added Apocrypha by looking for “Catholic Edition” (sometimes noted as CE) after the version abbreviation. If you want to play it safe, the only full texts the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has officially approved are the NRSVCE and NABRE, but others are available as well.

It’s a little more complicated for Orthodox, because nearly all English translations are done from the Masoretic (Hebrew) Old Testament rather than the Septuagint. Your best bets are likely the English Septuagint translations published by Oxford or Lexham, or the Orthodox Study Bible, which uses the NKJV with newly translated portions where the Septuagint text differs.

Still Having Trouble Deciding?

For more guidance, read our in-depth guide to choosing a Bible version that’s best for you.

On the other hand, one of the advantages of a tool like Bible Gateway is that it allows you to easily read the same passage in multiple versions, side by side. This can be a great way to familiarize yourself with various translation styles. Eventually, you’ll likely find yourself defaulting to one or two favorites.

Step 2: Choose a Bible

Once you’ve chosen a version to focus on, it will be time to choose a copy of the Bible itself. In general this is a much easier choice: While there are a dizzying array of Bibles available on the market — and they differ widely in quality — you’ll know pretty quickly which ones you like the feel of.

Unless you want a Study Bible — which I highly recommend. More on that below.

Types of Bibles

First, here’s a brief overview of the types of Bibles you’ll likely encounter at your local (or online) bookstore:

• Standard Bibles: The name says it all — these are your standard, regular-sized reading Bibles.
• Thinline Bibles: As the name implies, thinline Bibles are thinner, lighter, and slightly more compact than your standard Bible. The pages are usually thinner and the font and/or margins might be smaller. A bit easier to carry, a bit harder to read.
• Compact/Pocket Bibles: Unless you’re a nephilim, no full-length Bible is actually going to fit in your pocket. But these Bibles come remarkably close with super-thin pages and super-small text that remains surprisingly (miraculously?) readable.
• Large Print/Giant Print Bibles: Moving in the opposite direction, large or giant print Bibles expand the font and page size for easier readability, especially for the elderly or vision-impaired. Not very portable, though.
• Premium Bibles: Fancy, expensive Bibles usually with genuine leather covers (the interior pages are generally the same as standard or thinline Bibles). You’ll pay a lot for them, but they’ll last forever, and there’s really nothing like the feel of those velvety leather covers.
• Study Bibles: These include tons of additional resources like book introductions, topical articles, verse notes, maps, and more to deepen your reading experience. They can be overwhelming, but I recommend them — see below for why.
• Devotional Bibles: Like Study Bibles, but with notes and prompts specifically designed to encourage prayer and contemplation as you read.
• Journaling Bibles: These have extra space in the margins for making notes (or doodling).
• Bible Apps: These are apps (like Bible Gateway) that allow you to read the Bible on your mobile device, typically in a variety of translations and with additional personalization features like highlighting, note-taking, and verse favoriting. There’s no more compact Bible than your smartphone!
• Audio Bibles: Just like an audiobook, but it’s the Bible. Most translations have audio versions available. They can get pricey to buy in full, but there are apps like Bible Audio that (similar to reading apps) give you a selection of Bible versions for free or a few dollars a month.

Why I Recommend Study Bibles

OK, I’ve said a few times that I recommend Study Bibles for most readers, and here’s why.

As a new Bible reader, you’re likely to become confused or overwhelmed quickly. Won’t a ton of extra material just make you more overwhelmed?

Well, no. A good Study Bible — and it is important to choose the right one — will guide your reading by filling in missing context (like who wrote each book and when), clarifying confusing passages, and providing historical background.

And of course, Study Bibles are just as good for longtime Bible readers (and even scholars). As you grow in your faith and understanding, the huge amount of information in them (and wide variety of types available) ensures you’ll always have more to learn, contemplate, and pray about. Think of it as a miniature seminary on your bookshelf.

Do you need a Study Bible to appreciate Scripture? Absolutely not. God’s Word stands on its own. But a quality Study Bible can be immensely helpful as a guide throughout your Bible journey. They’re popular for a reason!

Best Beginner Study Bibles

Here are a few Study Bible recommendations for beginning Bible readers:

• Version-Specific Study Bibles: Most Bible versions have a proprietary study edition, often compiled by (or in association with) the translators, that provide a nice balanced approach. This includes the NIV Study Bible, NKJV Study Bible, ESV Study Bible, NLT Study Bible, and CEB Study Bible.
• Beginner Study Bibles: There are many Study Bibles specifically designed to guide you into the text as a beginning Bible reader, such as the Starting Place Study Bible and Quest Study Bible.
• Practical Use Study Bibles: Devotional or practical Study Bibles like the Life Application Bible help you apply what you’re reading to your daily life.
• Daily Reading Bibles: They’re not exactly Study Bibles, but the Daily Scripture Bible or Max Lucado’s Grace for the Moment Bible provide guided reading for every day of the year, which can be helpful for sticking to your habits and goals (see below).

For more recommendations, including for more advanced Bible readers, see our full post on Study Bibles for every type of reader.

Tips for Choosing Your Bible(s)

It will probably come as no surprise that I’m a Bible maximalist. Why have just one Bible when you could have many?

In truth, with so many options between translations, types, and formats, it’s easy to get carried away. Owning lots of Bibles won’t bring you deeper into God’s Word: only reading them will.

That said, it can be helpful to have a few editions (ideally in different translations, in case you want to compare) for use in different settings or situations.

Here’s what I recommend to best equip yourself for the journey:

1. Pick a Study Bible — probably just one for now — for the reasons outlined above.
2. Get a non-Study Bible — standard, thinline, compact, large print, journaling, whatever you like — for a more portable option, or for when you want to read without distraction.
3. Install a Bible app on your phone. Personally, I prefer to read the Bible in hard copy — but ever since downloading Bible Gateway, I’ve been able to replace social media or news doomscrolling with a few minutes of Bible reading when I’m waiting or need a break.
4. Optional: If you like audiobooks, get an audio Bible instead of or in addition to the Bible app.

Step 3: Develop a Reading Plan — and Set Goals

So, you’ve got your Bible (or Bibles) in your favorite translations and you’re ready to dive in. Great! There’s just one more step I strongly recommend first: establish a reading plan, and set reading goals.

After all, just like any other habit — prayer, contemplation, exercise — starting out is easy. Sticking with it is harder. And just like any other habit, consistency is key.

Having a preset roadmap for your reading is crucial for establishing that consistency.

There are two parts to this step. The first is picking an approach; the second is determining a cadence.

Ways to Approach the Bible

There are many different ways you can approach reading the entire Bible, the most common of which are: canonical order, chronological order, and OT/NT concurrent.

• Canonical Order: This is simply reading the Bible in the order established by the early church, starting with the historical books, then wisdom books, then prophets, and then into the New Testament.
• Chronological Order: Another option is reading the books chronologically, which is surprisingly complicated, because many books overlap (and sometimes we don’t know when they were written or take place). But it can be done, and can be both a fascinating way to see the evolution of Israel’s history and relationship with God, as well as a fun way to break up long chunks of history/prophecy and help keep them both fresh.
• OT/NT Concurrent: Another popular way is to combine daily readings from the Old Testament with shorter readings from the New Testament so you can see how they relate and interact, and diversify your reading experience.

Whichever option you go with, it’s common to read one Psalm per day (and sometimes a few verses of Proverbs), which has the double benefit of framing your daily reading with a Biblical prayer and breaking up the repetitiveness of reading all 150 Psalms at once if you are going straight through.

Establishing a Reading Schedule

Once you’ve decided on how you want to approach your reading, it’s time to set a reading schedule and goals. The most common approach is to read through the entire Bible in one year, but if that feels too daunting, there are two-year plans available as well.

You can set your own reading schedule by taking the number of pages in your Bible and dividing by the number of days you want to read (e.g., 365 in a year, or about 260 if you want to skip weekends).

But rather than reinventing the wheel, you’d probably be better off using an already-existing reading plan. Many are widely available. Bible Gateway has over a dozen reading plans — including chronological, OT/NT, 90-day, and more — and we’ll email you reminders, too (if you want).

You can also sometimes find plans in the back of your Bible (especially in Study Bibles).

Or for a fully guided experience you can opt for a daily-reading Bible, such as the Daily Scripture Bible (available in NIV and NASB) or Max Lucado’s Grace for the Moment Bible (NKJV). Similar options are available in a few other versions, but not all, so you’ll have to check for one in your chosen translation.

Important Things to Understand About the Bible

As you embark on your Bible reading journey, there are a few things you should keep in mind. These will help to guide and inform your reading, especially when you’re struggling with a complex, confusing, troubling, or just plain boring passage.

You Are Reading a Translation

The Bible was written roughly between 4,000 and 2,000 years ago in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. No part of it was written in English. In fact, “English” as a language didn’t even exist back then!

Whenever you crack open your Bible, you should always keep in mind that, no matter what you’re reading, it is a translation. It’s not the original.

Now, that doesn’t mean your translation isn’t accurate. In most cases, Bible versions are produced by dozens of scholars working for years and building upon the previous work of hundreds of other scholars going back hundreds of more years. Any choice they make, they make it carefully, thoughtfully, and intentionally. You can trust your Bible.

That said, any translator will tell you that most languages don’t map perfectly on to one another. And that’s all the more true when comparing ancient and modern languages. Most words and phrases can be translated multiple ways and still be accurate. That’s why we have so many Bible translations in the first place!

Any time you encounter a sentence or passage that you find confusing or uncomfortable, try checking it out in another translation (or several). It might help shed light on the different possible meanings of the text.

Watch Out for Paratext

“Paratext” is every part of the Bible (or any other book) that isn’t the content itself. In the Bible, that’s quite a lot!

Some of it is obvious — like version or book introductions, notes and articles in your Study Bible, or translators’ footnotes.

But some of it is much more subtle. Most readers don’t realize, for instance, that chapter and verse numbers are not part of the original Bible. They were added about 500 years ago by Bible translators and publishers after the invention of the printing press, to make cross-referencing easier.

And they certainly do! But they also introduce artificial breaks and interruptions that aren’t there in the original texts. In fact, in ancient times, they didn’t use paragraphs — they barely used punctuation at all — so each book of the Bible was simply one long scroll of unbroken text.

There are Bibles you can purchase (such as the new NIV Lectio Bible) that attempt to recreate this experience by stripping out chapters, verses, and section headings. It can be a deeply immersive and powerful reading experience. But I wouldn’t recommend it for your first or only Bible.

There’s a good reason those paratexts were introduced, after all. They make the Bible immensely easier to read, reference, study, and share. But even so, it’s worth remembering as you go that they are additions — not part of God’s Word as it was first written.

Hermeneutics, aka ‘What Did I Just Read?’

“Hermeneutics” is a technical term for the theories and methods of Biblical interpretation. Throughout history, readers of the Bible — Jews, Christians, and others — have approached the text in many different ways. The Bible even interprets itself in different ways!

Ancient and medieval readers, for instance, often looked for “typology” or “anagogy” — hidden ways the Bible predicts future events, such as the coming of Jesus or the end times. Post-Reformation, modern readers have become increasingly interested in the historical situation and origins of the Bible.

As you’re just setting out on your reading journey, you don’t need to know the intricacies of this history. (Like reading in the original languages, this is not beginner-level: it’s a thing people get PhD’s in.)

But you should be aware that it is an ongoing conversation — even among traditional, orthodox Christians — and the plainest meaning of a passage isn’t always the only way it should be understood. Jesus himself, of course, famously preferred teaching in parables.

Once again, if you’re perplexed by a passage you’re reading (or even if you’re not!), that’s a great opportunity to do some deeper digging, such as in your Study Bible, and see what different scholars and theologians have said about it.

Other Advice to Guide Your Bible Reading

At this point, you should be well on your way to becoming a regular Bible reader! Before you get too far, though, I have just a few more pieces of advice for you to consider.

Rule #1: Don’t Get Discouraged!

Above all, don’t get discouraged! If you’ve noticed one theme of this article, it’s probably that. I started out by saying that the Bible is intimidating. But even those who go in energized and excited often run aground somewhere around Leviticus, or maybe Numbers — in fact, it’s become something of a cliché among pastors and Bible teachers.

There are different ways of dealing with those long-slog passages. One of them, as I suggested above, is to use it as an opportunity to do some research — read your Study Bible, explore resources in Bible Gateway Plus, and maybe find some amazing insights you had no idea about. (Hint: there’s more to the endless genealogies than you might think.)

But ultimately, if you’ve run into a place where your only options are to stop reading or skip ahead — by all means, skip ahead. Maybe skim a section.

The entire Bible is holy — every word. But that doesn’t mean every word will speak to every reader every time they read it. Far from it! Over the course of your lifetime, different parts will mean different things to you at different stages — and that’s OK. That’s one of the things that sets it apart (“set apart” is the original meaning of the Hebrew word for “holy,” by the way) as Scripture: its depth is literally infinite.

So if something isn’t working for you right now, no matter which way you turn it, don’t be ashamed to set it aside. Move on to the next section. You can always return to it later.

Take Notes

If you do set something aside, be sure to note it down — maybe just draw a big question mark in the margin. Better yet, write down what’s bothering you about it. Sometimes the simple act of taking a note can help you understand something better.

But don’t stop there! Take notes on your favorite passages, too. Highlight them, underline them, or — if (like me) you can’t bear the thought of marking up your precious books — use a separate journal. Or a journaling Bible. Or just use Bible Gateway.

We are called to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), and wrestling with Scripture is one of the ways we do that. Writing down thoughts and reactions — positive or negative or mystified — is a great way to engage with the Bible. It helps you have an ongoing conversation with the Lord through his Word, as you return to it again and again over the years. And, as a bonus, it will be doubly meaningful if you someday choose to pass it on to your children or another loved one.

Do a Group Bible Study

Another — possibly even better — way to wrestle with Scripture is together. While reading a Study Bible is a great way to go deeper into the text on your own, doing a Bible Study with a group can help surface ideas and perspectives you never would have encountered by yourself.

Indeed, the Bible was meant to be read in community. Jesus preached to crowds; Paul addressed most of his letters to “the assembly” in various regions. At a time when written works were exceedingly expensive and few people were literate, the primary way people received the Word was orally, either read aloud or told from memory.

Today, thanks to vernacular translations, the printing press (not to mention Internet), and much better education systems, most of us can read the Bible for ourselves — and that’s a huge blessing. But the advantages of doing so in Christian community are manifold.

Talk to Your Pastor

If there isn’t a Bible Study group already meeting at your church, it’s always a great idea to consult with your pastor about difficult passages, or even just general themes and ideas. God has called them explicitly for the purpose of tending to his flock — and that means you!

Besides, they generally have a lot of additional training and education on the Scriptures, and can point you in the right direction.

If you don’t have a church or pastor you trust on these issues — now’s a great time to go and get one. How to choose a church is whole other topic, but just like with Bible versions, the best advice I can give is to try some out. Go to local congregations, get a feel for them, see what they’re doing in your community, how they approach the Gospel, and how welcoming they are. Chances are, you’ll know it when you find it.

Stuck? Try Something Else

When all else fails and you just can’t bring yourself to sit down and read the Bible — but still want to build a relationship with God — maybe it’s time to try something different.

Personally, I’m a theology nerd, so I like to start with reading a church theologian, who tend to reference the Bible a lot, so then I go and read the referenced Bible passages. Or you can simply pray about it: talk to God, tell him where you’re stuck, and ask him to open the way. You can also try commentaries, devotionals, discussion groups, even board games!

To those who knock, the door will be opened (Matt. 7:7).

Conclusion: Happy Reading!

We at Bible Gateway truly believe the Bible is for everyone. Even so, we understand it can be intimidating to approach for the first (or even hundredth) time. But it doesn’t have to be.

I hope this guide has given you the resources you need to get started — or restarted, or just reenergized — on your Bible reading journey. Stay tuned to this space for lots more content to guide you on your way!