Bible in a year (or less!)

[pinksheepbeep]

Hi everyone

I've tried to follow the bible in a year app 3 or 4 times but never managed to stick with it beyond a few months. I'd really love 2024 to be the year I finally read the bible all the way through and wondering whether I try the app again - and somehow persist - or whether I should just accept that method doesn't work for me and follow a different plan.

Any advice from those who've successfully read their way through the bible would be greatly appreciated 😊

Thank you!

Forgive my ignorance please but in what way is Catholic Bible and CofE Bible different? I grew up in various denominations, not in England though, and am familiar with different translations of the Bible (new English, good news, NIV, living Bible etc) but wasn't aware of there being a specific Catholic version. Are the differences big?

Best of luck with Numbers :)

Is Numbers the endless lists of begats? Must admit I rather skimmed that one.

Although in the NT it's worth doing a comparison of the 2 begat lists for David->Jesus. (And having a good think about the penultimate name.)

The Catholic Bible has 7 extra books in, so is longer.

@NoBinturongsHereMate it's as most of the apps etc are designed to be done in one year. There's loads of bibles printed to be read in a year as well.

I blame Leviticus personally. The year gives you a nice target for daily reading, you’re getting on well with nice narrative books at the start and then you hit Leviticus.

it's as most of the apps etc are designed to be done in one year.

That's confusing the method with the goal. Surely the point is to read the book, not to use the app strictly as designed. You're much more likely to accomplish a task if you are clear about what you are doing and why than if you focus on the how.

If I didn't finish within a year I'd just keep going, I certainly wouldn't scrap it and start again!

Day 1, who's listened/read already? Do you have a time of day planned for it? I listen with my morning cuppa tea, which is why I struggle with longer episodes.
My commute isn't long enough to listen on, and I don't have the focus to listen after work so this is the best time for me.

I once did the Bible in 90 days plan! It worked out at about 13 chapters a day and because I'm an avid reader, it felt achievable. It was pretty tough at times but got there in the end.

However, I have just started the Chronological Reading Plan on the Youversion app. Not sure if link sharing is allowed but if you search for it in the app, it'll pop straight up.

The Bible in a year with Nicky gumbel is pretty good. There's an express option which I find makes it more manageable to keep up it going on busier days

I just saw this posted on another forum. I think it is potentially useful for all sorts of situations.

Bible Reading Plan Generator

I restarted catechism in a year. Going to try and listen every day. I'm currently 18 days behind on last year's effort and gaining now. No need to rush through the end section as I'm happy to listen to today's podcast as well as finishing off last year's slowly.

I find the habit of listening has become ingrained when I'm in transit. I like to listen to Fr mike in the car. I'm going to have to listen in bed at the start of the day like I did with bible in a year. I set my clock earlier to do it first thing.

I like the beginning of the year and try not to fall behind in the early part of the year!

I have read the Bible cover to cover but it took about 18 months-2 years. I literally bought a real Bible and actually highlighter and highlighted each book in the Table of Contents as I read it. I made sure I had an easy translation (NLT) as some of the OT was tough going. As I was reading the Book of Numbers, for example, I was thinking, what on earth is this all about but it kind of came together when I was reading Hebrews in the NT.

Not everything needs to be read in chronological order but it helps to get the OT in some kind of timeline. Doing it the analogue way was the best way imo as I felt motivated by the highlighting and could pick and choose where and when I left off.

Haha, see above.

I don’t think Numbers is all that dry. The opening bit is and there’s another bit in the middle/early second half as well, but it’s OK once you get through those bits (I think).

I stared reading Numbers in the KJV and that made my brain break so I switched to the NLT and it wasn't that bad, but felt pointless to me at the time. I might actually reread it !

The problem I've found in the past is that once I get a few days behind (which ALWAYS happens), it's really hard to catch up.

But this Five Day Bible reading plan gives a couple of days off each week, which might help avoid that.

I found my way helped avoid that sense of missing a few days and feeling demotivated. I remember I had half an hour to wait for so.ething so read the book of Ruth on my phone then highlighted it on my physical Bible when I got home. There are short books I the Bible which help when you feel short on time. If I knew I was working towards ticking off a title, I felt more inclined to keep chipping away.

Personally I don't like little snippets from several books and would rather work through a book at a time. I did get really fed up when reading one of the final books of the OT, thinking , 'oh not this again! Israel rebel, God gets angry, then they come back to God and all is forgiven!' Then I realised, oh I've got the point!

😆
Quite.

Oh that last bit is very sweet. Thank you for sharing 😊

I got it eventually 😀

I managed to read the whole Bible by researching the word count, starting with the shortest books of the old and then new testament, and working up. It was great being able to tick so many off in a short space of time.
Dedicate 30 to 45 mins before bed and you'll get there before you know it.

Tried to do it in a year but similarly tailed
off and got behind, was determined to finish it in the year so myself and a few friends did a book a day for a few months instead and was SO SO MUCH better. Yes some days alot of reading/ or listening in car on way to work but we all found the more intense challenge and short time frame much much easier ! Also use the bible project videos after/ before each book. So maybe set yourself a new/ Old Testament challenge shorter term instead

Well done for your efforts. 3/4 months of deliberate Bible reading every year is great. You must be making good progress so not starting from Genesis every time. Hope you find something that works. I am also following suggestions with interest.

I fall to sleep at night listening to the Bible being read. I try and take it up the following night at the point at which I must have fell asleep the previous night. It's much easier to get through the, let's face it, more boring bits when there are lots of names and begetting, etc. I find it easier to listen than to read.