How to Read the Bible Chronologically
Reading the Bible chronologically means reading its passages in the order the events happened, rather than in the order the books appear. For example, most chronological plans read Job during the time of the patriarchs in Genesis, read many Psalms alongside the life of David, and read the prophets alongside the kings they spoke to. A chronological plan usually takes a year at about 3 to 4 chapters a day.
The Bible's books are arranged by type — law, history, poetry, prophecy, gospels, letters — not by date. Reading chronologically helps you see how those pieces fit into one unfolding story.
The usual chronological order of the Bible
Chronological plans differ in their details, but most follow this general outline:
| Period | What you read |
|---|---|
| Creation and the patriarchs | Genesis 1–11, then Job, then Genesis 12–50 |
| Exodus and wilderness | Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (often with Psalm 90, "a prayer of Moses") |
| Conquest and judges | Joshua, Judges, Ruth |
| Saul and David | 1–2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, with many of David's Psalms |
| Solomon | 1 Kings 1–11 and 2 Chronicles 1–9, with Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs |
| Divided kingdom | 1–2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, with prophets such as Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, and Jeremiah |
| Exile | Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, and others |
| Return from exile | Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, Esther, Nehemiah, Malachi |
| Life of Jesus | Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, often woven together in one timeline |
| The early church | Acts, with Paul's letters placed where they were likely written |
| Later letters and Revelation | Hebrews, the letters of Peter, John, and Jude, and Revelation |
A note on dates: Scholars date some books differently — Job, Joel, Obadiah, and several letters, for example — so no two chronological plans agree exactly. Treat any chronological order as a helpful framework, not a precise timeline.
Pros and cons of reading the Bible chronologically
Pros
- You see the story unfold in order, with the context for each book
- Prophets make more sense when you've just read about the kings they addressed
- Many Psalms come alive when read alongside the events they describe
- The Gospels are often harmonized, so you see all four accounts of an event together
Cons
- You jump between books constantly, which can be hard to follow in a printed Bible
- You read long stretches of Old Testament before reaching the New Testament
- Harmonized passages can mean reading similar accounts back to back
Tips for reading the Bible chronologically
- Use a published plan. Several free one-year chronological plans are available, such as the Blue Letter Bible's chronological plan. There are also chronological Bibles that print the text in order.
- Use bookmarks or a Bible app. Since you'll be flipping between books, keep several bookmarks in a paper Bible, or read in an app.
- Keep a record. It's easy to lose your place when a plan jumps around. Log each reading so you can see what you've read and what's left. Research on goal pursuit shows that tracking your progress also makes you more likely to finish.
- Read the overviews. A short introduction to each book helps you get your bearings when a new one appears. Browse all 66 books of the Bible.
Is a chronological plan right for me?
Chronological reading is especially rewarding if you've read the Bible before and want to see the bigger picture. If it's your first time through, you might prefer to start with the New Testament in 90 days or read the Bible in a year from cover to cover. Compare all the options in Bible Reading Plans Compared.
Track your chronological Bible reading
My Bible Log is a free Bible reading tracker that works with any plan and any order. Log what you read on the Today page, and the Bible Books page shows exactly which parts of each book you've covered. It's like the edge of a paper Bible filling in as you read.
Go to My Bible Log overview