Where to Start Reading the Bible Again: A Simple Plan

If you want to start reading the Bible again and keep changing your mind about where to begin, try the Gospel of Mark. Read one short section at a time, keep your place, and continue from there next time. You can use the first-week sequence below without committing to a whole-Bible deadline.

You may have read the Bible before but lost your rhythm. Even if you have read it cover to cover, you can return more slowly, one section at a time. Perhaps you open one book, wonder whether another would be better, and switch before you get very far. This guide offers one manageable Christian reading route for that situation. It can also help if you are opening the Bible for the first time.

Why choose Mark for this route?

Mark is a Gospel: an account centred on Jesus. Its opening introduces Jesus and moves into his baptism, the beginning of his ministry, and the calling of followers. Later, the account reaches his crucifixion and the announcement at the empty tomb that he has risen. Mark 1, Mark 15, Mark 16:1–8

With 16 chapters, Mark gives this exercise a clear beginning and a manageable book to work through. Choosing it here is a practical recommendation, not a claim that every Christian must follow this order. American Bible Society offers another route, beginning with Luke and then John. If you already have a helpful reading plan with your church or study group, you can keep using it.

Starting with Mark also leaves room to explore the wider Bible later. Even its opening points back to the prophets, so notice where it refers to earlier Scripture rather than treating this one book as the whole story.

Get ready without making the setup another project

Use a Bible you can follow, in print or on a screen. Ask someone in your church about a translation if you are unsure. American Bible Society recommends choosing understandable wording and seeking help with unfamiliar names and background. How do I start reading the Bible?

Choose a place to keep one short note: a notebook, a bookmark, or a note on your phone. Write the passage you will read next. That gives you a starting point each time you return.

You might begin after breakfast or before bed. Pick an ordinary moment you can revisit, and allow enough time to read a section thoughtfully. You can shorten the section when you need to.

A first-week reading sequence

These seven readings follow the opening of Mark in order. Treat the day numbers as reading sessions; they do not have to fall on seven consecutive dates.

If a session is too long, divide it across two sittings. Keep the same place in the sequence. After session seven, your next passage begins at Mark 4:21; you can continue through Mark in similarly sized sections.

Read, notice, and keep one question

Begin by reading the whole selected passage. Then try three short notes:

1. Observation: What happens, or what does the speaker say? Write a sentence that stays close to the text.
2. Context: Who is speaking, to whom, and in what situation? Look at the surrounding passage before deciding what a line means.
3. Question: What do you want to understand better? Keep one specific question to explore or discuss.

Crossway’s Bible-study guidance explains why the surrounding verses and a book’s wider setting matter. 14 Principles for Studying the Bible

For example, after Mark 2:1–12, you might note that Jesus forgives the man’s sins, some scribes object to his words about forgiveness, and the man is healed. A question could be: “Why does forgiveness cause disagreement here?” That question arises from this particular scene; it gives you something concrete to investigate.

You can finish with a short prayer about what you have read. If finding prayer words is difficult, our guide to praying when you don’t know what to say offers a starting point.

What if you miss a day or want to switch books?

Return to the next unread section. For this exercise, you do not need to restart Mark or read several sections to catch up. The sequence is a tool for keeping your place, not a scorecard.

If another book catches your interest, write its name on a “read later” list. Then continue your chosen route for a little longer before changing it. You can review the plan after the first seven sessions and decide whether the pace needs adjusting.

That is a suggestion for reducing repeated decisions, not a rule against reading elsewhere. You can still follow a passage discussed at church or explore a question when it comes up. If you want to keep a note of that message, use our simple sermon notes template.

What if a passage is difficult?

Slow down and name the difficulty. Is a word unfamiliar? Do you need historical background? Is the teaching itself challenging? Those questions may need different kinds of help.

Read the verses around it, check any notes your Bible includes, and take the specific reference to a trusted Christian or church leader. You can record what remains unresolved rather than forcing a quick explanation. American Bible Society also distinguishes the translation from the added commentary in a study Bible; the notes are a help to examine, not another part of Scripture.

When you reach Mark’s ending, you may encounter a note about manuscript differences. Keep that note in view and ask for an explanation. This short reading route does not settle that textual question. Mark 16 and its notes

Your next step

Open Mark 1:1–13 today. Read it slowly, write one observation and one question, and leave a note that your next reading is Mark 1:14–28. You now have a place to return to.

Prepared with AI assistance. Scripture references and passage summaries were checked against the World English Bible Classic, which is in the public domain. Translation information. The reading sequence and note-taking exercise are optional editorial suggestions.

Featured image: AI-generated editorial illustration.