30 Day Bible Reading Plan (Plus 90 Day and 6 Month Options)

Not everyone has a year. Some people need a thirty-day sprint to test whether Bible reading can become a habit before they commit to a full-year plan. Some people have a specific season coming and want to go deep in one book or topic. Some people just work better with short-term goals.

Here is a guide to thirty-day, ninety-day, and six-month Bible reading plans, with specific recommendations for what to read in each timeframe.

The 30 Day Bible Reading Plan: Four Options

Thirty days at three to five chapters per day gives you 90 to 150 chapters, which covers most of the major New Testament books or one large Old Testament book.

Option 1: The Gospel of John in 30 Days. Read one chapter of John each day (John has 21 chapters), pausing the last nine days for review, prayer, and journaling about what the Gospel revealed about Jesus. This is the ideal 30-day plan for new believers or anyone who wants to know who Jesus is.

Option 2: The Psalms in 30 Days. The book of Psalms has 150 chapters. Reading five psalms per day for thirty days covers the entire book. The Psalms cover the full emotional range of human experience and prayer, which makes them an extraordinary thirty-day immersion.

Option 3: Paul's Letters in 30 Days. Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Read three to four chapters per day. This gives you the theological foundation of the New Testament in one focused month.

Option 4: Genesis in 30 Days. Genesis has 50 chapters. Reading two chapters per day with the remaining days for the creation narrative and Exodus 1-20. This option is ideal for people who want to understand the Old Testament foundation before returning to the New Testament.

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us

, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope". Romans 15:4

The 90 Day Bible Reading Plan

Ninety days gives you enough time for a thorough engagement with the New Testament or a focused pass through the major themes of the Old Testament.

New Testament in 90 Days. The New Testament has 260 chapters. Three chapters per day (with five chapters on weekends) completes the New Testament in ninety days. Read in this order: the four Gospels, then Acts, then Romans through Jude, then Revelation. This is the most recommended 90-day plan for new and returning Bible readers.

Old Testament Highlights in 90 Days. Rather than reading the entire Old Testament (which requires a more committed pace), a 90-day highlights plan covers the narrative books (Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings), the wisdom literature (Job, selected Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes), and the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Jonah). This gives a panoramic view of the Old Testament story and theology in three months.

Thematic 90 Day Plan: Prayer. Select all the key passages in Scripture about prayer. Start with the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6). Move through the Psalms of prayer, Hannah's prayer, Elijah's prayers, Daniel's prayers, Paul's prayers in his letters, Jesus's High Priestly Prayer in John 17. This thematic approach is less comprehensive but more focused and often more immediately applicable.

The 6 Month Bible Reading Plan

Six months is enough time to read through the entire New Testament slowly (with two to three months left over for the Old Testament highlights), or to read one major section of Scripture in significant depth.

Old and New Testament Together in 6 Months. Alternate daily readings: one chapter from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. Over six months at this pace, you cover most of the major Old Testament narratives and the entire New Testament.

The Wisdom Literature in 6 Months. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. Reading two to three chapters per day over six months covers all 243 chapters of these books with time for reflection. This is one of the richest six-month investments available for someone who wants to develop a deeper understanding of wisdom, suffering, praise, and human experience through a biblical lens.

"Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do". Joshua 1:8

Choosing the Right Plan for Your Season

If you want to build a Bible reading habit from scratch: Start with the 30-day Gospel of John plan. One chapter per day. Low commitment, high reward.

If you are ready for a more substantial commitment: The 90-day New Testament plan. Fifteen to twenty minutes per day for three months gives you a thorough understanding of the theological center of Christianity.

If you want to understand the whole Bible: A two-year plan that reads the Old and New Testament together, with the New Testament twice. This is the most comprehensive approach for someone willing to commit beyond a single year.

The FaithSpark reading plans at mindgardenpress.com include structured plans you can start today with built-in tracking. Completely free in your browser. Explore everything at mindgardenpress.com/faithspark-app/.