The Bible, the foundational and sacred text of many cultures and religions across the globe, contains a wealth of stories, wisdom and guidance. But for many around us, the bulky size of the book can be intimidating leading to the question: how long does it take to read the Bible?
Whereas the answer may vary depending on the individual reading speed and motivation, this article will explore the average time commitment and explore different approaches to reading the Bible. We will also be giving tips in order to make your journey meaningful and enriching.
In this article, we will also be giving you ideas on how long does it take for an average reader and why it is important to read this sacred script. Lets get started with the article.
Table of Contents
Why should you read Bible?
The Bible, a collection of ancient texts, is read by billions across the globe because it stands as a beacon of faith, wisdom and guidance in the modern world. For centuries, its words have inspired billions and influenced countless cultures and religions across the globe.
It has inspired individuals, shaped societies, and offered solace in times of hardships. But apart from its cultural and historical importance there lies a fundamental question even before the moot question ‘how long does it take to read the bible’ that is why we, should in the 21st century, engage with this centuries old sacred text?
1. Unmasking the divine after reading the Bible
It has been accepted by biblical scholars that Bible is the word of God just like Quran. Therefore, it is the primary source for understanding the God`s words, nature and purpose. By moving across its pages we encountered the stories of creation, redemption and love, thus giving us a deeper perspective and understanding of the divine plan and our place within it.
The knowledge and understanding of the Bible creates a sense of connection and belonging with the God by allowing us to experience our presence in this world. Pondering on the language of scriptures and meditating on the word of God has also been expounded in the article How to Meditate on the Word of God
2. Navigating life`s labyrinth from the path of Bible
Going through the Bible, one get to know the human experiences at various point of time and space by reading about their stories of triumph and tragedies, wisdom and folly. Reading these stories gives us invaluable insights into the human conditions of the time, learning from mistakes of others and finding guidance for our journey of transformation. Whether we are facing personal challenges or seeking meaningfulness in life, reading the Bible provides priceless wisdom and pragmatic advice.
3. Cultivating moral and ethical compass
The sacred text of Bible provides moral compass and offers guidance on moral and ethical principles. Bible promote values such as love, compassion, justice, forgiveness, thus guiding our actions towards a more just and compassionate society. By reading the scripture and integrating these values into our lives we will contribute to the betterment of society and producing a more just world.
4. Engaging in Comfort and hope
When you start reading the Bible you will get to realize that it is filled with stories of courage, wisdom and provides guidance even in the darkest of the moments. The Bible offers a message of hope and comfort in times of extreme difficulties.
The ancient stories reminds us that even in the most difficult times, God`s love and presence remain constant. It offers us strength and solace and reminds us that in this world we, humans, are never truly alone in our struggles.
5. Engaging in a conversation across time
As we mentioned in the above passages that Bible is filled with stories of people of ancient times. The purpose of these stories is to connect us to a vast community of individuals who have engaged with the words of Bible throughout history.
By diving into its stories and teachings, we take part in a conversation that transcends time and space. This sense of belonging and connection to a wider community creates a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.
It should be kept in mind that reading Bible is not an ordinary read like any worldly books. Engaging with the Bible is not just an intellectual experience but it is a transformative experience.
As we move on to read the words of Bible and reflect on its meanings, we are challenged to examine our own lives, beliefs and values. Engaging with Bible offers a sort of self-reflection exercise which can lead to profound personal growth thus helping in transforming our lives.
Significance of reading the Bible?
Some might ponder why take the time to read the Bible while we can productively engage with any other reading or job to make some profits or enjoy our time. But hold on we will tell you why you should read it before you are gone.
In fact, the Bible is considered as words of God and it is an invitation to embark on a journey of discovery, transformation, and connection. By opening the pages of Bible you would encounter countless stories of past with the help of which you can understand the divine, its complexities, and foster a moral compass. In its priceless wisdom, it offers a message of hope where one finds solace and comfort. Therefore reading through the pages of the Bible, one connects itself to the wider humanity.
Studies have shown that reading Bible have cured depression and anxiety because it contains a wealth of stories and abundance hope. Therefore, whether you are seeking for spiritual growth, ethical principles or a deeper understanding of humanity, the Bible offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration ready to be explored. So, get up take the time and start reading and you will witness a personal transformation in your life that you never ever imagined before.
Things You Must know before reading the Bible
There are basic things that you need to keep in mind before starting reading Bible. It will also give you an idea on how long much time you should give to the reading of Bible as an average person.
How long does it take to read the Bible: Material Factors?
This is very important step to be remembered because it can give you a time frame for you to successfully go through the entire Bible. The numerical data is not random and we have inserted this data after doing a thorough research.
On average, a person reads about 200 words per minute. Although this number may vary up to 500 words per minute. Some around us are a slow reader so their reading speed might be 100-150 words per minute. It is also important to keep in mind that the words in Bible may vary depending on the translation you choose.
Nevertheless, one study make an estimation that the New American Standard Bible (NASB) has almost 807,361 words. By doing simple math, it turns out that it could take about 67.3 hours to read this mentioned version of Bible from page to page which makes about 3 days of non-stop reading.
- Keep in mind that the Old Testament in the NASB has about 622,771 words. By doing a simple math, it would take about 52 hours to read the entire testament.
- While the New Testament is significantly shorter that the old one. It has 184,590 words meaning it would take only 15 hours for the average person to read.
- If your goal is to read the entire Bible in a month (30 days), then you need to read the Bible for 2 hours and 15 minutes each day.
- If you want to go through the entire Bible in a year then make a reading plan by picking 2-3 chapters each day. You only need to read for about 11 minutes a day to execute the one year plan perfectly.
In the following lines, we will break down the reading times for each of the 6 sections of the Bible:-
It is important to note down that this is a rough estimate on how much time each book can take from you. However this is subject to modification because it varies from man to man.
How to Read the Entire Bible – Methods & Tips
For the convenience of the readers; several practices have been explained below which could help you in undertaking the reading of the bible in comparatively less time.
Start by reading the Gospel if you are new
According to a well-researched blog “all about god”, it is reported that if you have never read Bible then the best way to start is by reading the Gospels: it has Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. The important point is that these four books focus on the story of Jesus and His teachings.
These are the first 4 books in the New Testament. Why they recommend this is because the story of Jesus and His teachings are very enticing and it has the ability to attract the reader to further read the Bible.
Read the Epistles and Writings to learn worshiping God
One of the main purpose to read the Bible is to know and understand the words of God and learn the ways how to worship God. If you are eager to learn then start reading the Epistles. It comprises the Romans, Ephesians, and Philippian`s books. While reading these books, it is certain that you will learn how to live your life and how to worship God.
It is important to worship God because worshipping is the purpose of life. Your actions should be in accordance with the sacred texts of God. Also start reading books from Writings such as Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. These books have a lot of wisdom that can inspire generations on the journey towards God.
Read the creation story in the Genesis book
This is one of the important book to read if you want to know God and His teachings. The book of Genesis describes the story of how God created the universe. This story is really important for everyone to know about because this says a lot about our place in the world.
Furthermore, this book delves deep into the impact of sin on the world. Continue reading the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) because this will help you in learning about the ancient spiritual figures and the foundations of Judeo-Christian beliefs.
Learn about the Jesus` role in Christianity
If you belong to a Christian family and you have no knowledge about Jesus and his teachings. Then it is important to study the Prophets. The books of Prophets such as Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Daniel. These books discuss the role of Jesus in Christianity and the coming of the Messiah. These books also shed light on the return of Messiah and the God`s plan for humanity. It is a good read and will help you understand much more about Christianity.
Reading times for each book of the Bible
Now we are sure you must be confused how much time should you give to each book of the Bible? You do not need to worry about this because in the following lines we have got you covered. There are about 66 books in the Bible and have created a time frame for you to go through it so that you can easily devote time to each book.
But keep in mind that the following estimates are in accordance with New American Standard Bible:-
- Genesis: 3 hours
- Exodus: 2 hours and 40 minutes
- Leviticus: 2 hours
- Numbers: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Deuteronomy: 2 hours and 20 minutes
- Joshua: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Judges: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Ruth: 15 minutes
- 1 Samuel: 2 hours
- 2 Samuel: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- 1 Kings: 2 hours
- 2 Kings: 2 hours
- 1 Chronicles: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- 2 Chronicles: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Ezra: 40 minutes
- Nehemiah: 55 minutes
- Esther: 30 minutes
- Job: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Psalms: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Proverbs: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Ecclesiastes: 30 minutes
- Song of Solomon: 30 minutes
- Isaiah: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Jeremiah: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Lamentations: 20 minutes
- Ezekiel: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Daniel: 1 hour
- Hosea: 30 minutes
- Joel: 15 minutes
- Amos: 30 minutes
- Obadiah: `3 minutes
- Jonah: 5 minutes
- Micah: 15 minutes
- Nahum: 5 minutes
- Habakkuk: 10 minutes
- Zephaniah: 10 minutes
- Haggai: 10 minutes
- Zechariah: 30 minutes
- Malachi: 10 minutes
- Mathew: 2 hours
- Mark: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Luke; 2 hours
- John: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Acts: 2 hours
- Romans: 50 minutes
- 1 Corinthians: 50 minutes
- 2 Corinthians: 30 minutes
- Galatians: 15 minutes
- Ephesians: 15 minutes
- Philippians: 10 minutes
- Colossians: 10 minutes
- 1 Thessalonians; 10 minutes
- 2 Thessalonians: 5 minutes
- 1 Timothy: 10 minutes
- 2 Timothy: 10 minutes
- Titus: 5 minutes
- Philemon: 2 minutes
- Hebrews: 30 minutes
- James: 12 minutes
- 1 Peter: 12 minutes
- 2 Peter: 10 minutes
- 1 John: 15 minutes
- 2 John: 1 minute
- 3 John: 2 minutes
- Jude: 3 minutes
- Revelation: 1 hour
Keep in mind that this is a rough estimate and it can vary depending on the speed of the reader. Therefore you don’t have to stick to these estimates, however, we hope this might prove helpful for you.
Conclusion
Every human being in today`s modern world belong to a kind of religion. Just like other religions, Christianity is based on the sacred teachings in the Bible. However, one gets confused on how much time it would take to read this entire Bible.
In this article, we have collected researched based data to enlighten that if you are an average reader and your reading speed is around 200 words per minute then it should not take more than 70 hours. However, this may vary for different individuals.
In an effort to find out the answer to the question ‘how long does it take to read the bible’ we have gathered a rough estimated data which you can use to your benefit. It is important to note down that reading Bible is one of the best thing that you should do because it can help in your spiritual and moral growth. Moreover, get up, make a plan and start reading the Bible and it would not take more than 3 days to get through it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you read the Bible in 40 days?
Of course, you can read the Bible in 40 days. If you want to read the Bible and you are a good reader then it should not take more than 3 days but it depend on you. You can make a monthly plan or 40 days plan to read the entire Bible.
Can you read the whole Bible in 3 months?
Yes, it depends on your speed and your plan. If you are planning to read Bible in 3 months then divide the books of the Bible into chapters into each day.
Can I read the Bible in 2 months?
Yes you can read the Bible in two months. There are about 66 books of the Bible. Divide these books by 2 months (60 days) and you will get a number. Now you have to read that part every day so that you can complete reading the whole Bible in 2 months.
Is it realistic to read the Bible in a year?
For some, it might not be realistic but if you have a passion and a proper plan to read it in a year then it is possible for you. Divide the books by a year. Then make a time every day to read that portion. In this way you can complete reading the whole Bible.
Can I read the Bible in 3 Days?
Yes, it is possible to read the entire Bible in 3 days. According to research data, The New American Standard Bible has 807,361 words which mean it could take 67.3 hours to read. You can do it by reading non-stop for three days.
