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Where to start reading the Bible: the best first books, and what to save for later

Updated · By the Versiah team

Start reading the Bible with the Gospel of Mark. It is the shortest of the four accounts of the life of Jesus, it moves quickly, and it introduces the person the whole Bible points to. After Mark, read John, then Genesis, some Psalms and Acts, and save books like Leviticus and Revelation until you know the larger story.

The short answer

Start with Mark. Sixteen short chapters, about a chapter a day for just over two weeks. Then read John, Genesis, a handful of Psalms and Acts. By then you will know the main characters and the shape of the story, and the rest of the Bible will make far more sense.

This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 1:1 (BSB)

Mark wastes no time. His first line tells you what the book is about and who it is about.

King James VersionThe beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

Why not just start at Genesis 1?

You can, and Genesis is a wonderful book. The trouble comes later. On a typical read-the-Bible-in-a-year plan, you reach Leviticus within the first month, with its detailed laws about offerings, skin diseases and priestly clothing. Then Numbers opens with a census. Many sincere first-time readers stall right there and quietly give up.

Those books matter. They show how seriously God takes holiness and how he made a way for people to come near to him. But they make much more sense once you know the story they belong to, and especially once you know Jesus, who Christians believe fulfils what the sacrifices pointed toward. So it is wise to read them second, not first.

You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
John 5:39 (BSB)

Jesus told religious experts who knew the Scriptures well that those same Scriptures testify about him. Starting with him helps you read the rest.

King James VersionSearch the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Where to start, depending on what you need

Mark is the best default. But people come to the Bible for different reasons, and it is fine to start where your need is.

If you want...Start withWhy
To meet JesusMarkShort, fast and full of action
To understand who Jesus isJohnLong conversations and the "I am" sayings
Words for prayer or hard daysPsalmsHonest prayers for every emotion
Practical wisdomProverbs31 chapters, one for each day of a month
The beginning of the storyGenesisCreation, the fall, Abraham, Joseph
What happened after JesusActsThe first churches and how the message spread
Encouragement as a new believerPhilippiansFour warm chapters about joy
Assurance and love1 JohnFive short chapters on knowing God
The gospel explained in depthRomansBest read after a Gospel and Acts

If you have tried before and stopped, do not start again where you gave up. Pick the row above that fits your life right now and begin there. Coming back is the whole point, and nothing about an earlier stall counts against you.

If you are carrying something heavy right now, our topical pages gather passages in one place: Bible verses about anxiety, about hope and about new beginnings.

Which Gospel should you read first?

There are four Gospels, four portraits of the same Jesus, each written with a different audience in mind.

  • Mark (16 chapters). The shortest and quickest. The word translated immediately appears again and again. Best first read.
  • Matthew (28 chapters). Written with Jewish readers in mind, full of links to the Old Testament. Contains the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5 to 7).
  • Luke (24 chapters). A careful, orderly account, with many stories found nowhere else: the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the birth narrative most people know from Christmas.
  • John (21 chapters). Different in style from the other three. Slower, more reflective, with long conversations. Many people find it the most moving.

Start with Mark, then read John. Save Matthew and Luke for your next round, when you will enjoy noticing what each one adds.

Before you begin, it helps to read the whole of Mark in one sitting if you can. It takes well under two hours, about the length of a film. You will not catch every detail, but you will feel the pace of the story and see where it is heading. Then go back and read it a chapter a day, slowly, with a notebook.

A first path through eight books

Here is a simple order that gives you the whole shape of the Bible without the usual stall points. At a chapter a day (plus the odd psalm), it takes roughly five months.

  1. Mark (16 chapters): meet Jesus.
  2. Genesis (50 chapters): where the story begins and why it needs rescuing.
  3. Psalms 1 to 30 (a psalm on the side each day while you read the others): learn to pray.
  4. Exodus 1 to 20 (20 chapters): God rescues his people and gives the Ten Commandments.
  5. John (21 chapters): who Jesus is.
  6. Acts (28 chapters): the church begins and spreads.
  7. Philippians (4 chapters): a short letter to see how the first Christians lived.
  8. Romans (16 chapters): the good news explained step by step.

If you prefer a shorter start, our Bible reading plan for beginners gives you 30 days laid out chapter by chapter.

Books to save for later (and why)

Every book of the Bible is worth reading. Some simply reward you more once you have the background.

  • Leviticus and Numbers. Laws and wilderness records that make sense within the story of Exodus and in the light of Hebrews.
  • 1 and 2 Chronicles. They retell much of Samuel and Kings from a different angle. Read Samuel and Kings first.
  • Ezekiel and Daniel 7 to 12. Powerful, but full of visions that need some historical context.
  • Revelation. Deeply hopeful, but written in symbolic, apocalyptic language that is easy to misread without knowing the Old Testament imagery it draws on.

When you do reach these, read them with a good study Bible or a friend who knows them well. Or ask your questions as you go: Versiah answers with the exact verses it draws on, so you can check the context yourself.

How to read your first book

  1. Choose a translation you understand. The Berean Standard Bible and the World English Bible are clear modern options. See which Bible translation is best.
  2. Read one chapter a day. About ten minutes for most chapters of Mark.
  3. Keep a short note. One thing you noticed and one question.
  4. Do not stop when you get confused. Write the question down and keep going.
  5. At the end, read the whole book again in one or two sittings. You will be surprised how much clearer it is.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
Psalm 1:1-3 (BSB)

The Bible begins its book of prayers with a picture of a person who keeps coming back to Scripture: a tree by water that bears fruit in season.

King James VersionBlessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

For a fuller routine, read how to read the Bible for beginners.

Questions people ask

What book of the Bible should I read first?

The Gospel of Mark is the best first book for most people. It is the shortest account of the life of Jesus, it moves quickly, and it introduces the central figure of the whole Bible in 16 short chapters.

Should I start reading the Old Testament or the New Testament first?

Most beginners do best starting in the New Testament with a Gospel, then going back to Genesis. Knowing Jesus first helps the Old Testament make sense, and the Old Testament then deepens how you understand him.

Is it okay to start reading the Bible at Genesis?

Yes. Genesis is a great book and a natural beginning. Just be aware that reading straight on through Leviticus and Numbers is where many people stall, so consider switching to a Gospel after Genesis.

Which Gospel should I read first?

Mark, because it is the shortest and most direct. Read John next for a deeper look at who Jesus is, then Matthew and Luke.

What order should I read the Bible in as a beginner?

A good beginner order is Mark, Genesis, a few Psalms, Exodus 1 to 20, John, Acts, Philippians and Romans. It gives you the big story and the heart of the Christian faith before the harder books.

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