UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE It s Easier than You Think! Bible Reading Plan

UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE It s Easier than You Think! Bible Reading Plan This Bible-reading plan is designed to be used with the series, Understanding the Bible. By following the plan you will be able to derive maximum benefit from the monthly seminars. The plan commences on April 1 st and moves at a relatively slow pace (slightly faster in the first 9 months). Many of the Bible-in-a-Single-Year plans are well-constructed, but the majority of participants tend to fall behind and drop out. It s better to read a little less and take in more. So, here is the suggested plan (till the end of the year), alongside an outline of the seminar sessions. Date Seminar Readings March 25 th A Strategic Grasp of the Whole Bible Readings commence on April 1 st April 22 nd Genesis Genesis and some psalms and proverbs May 27 th Exodus Exodus and some psalms and proverbs June 24 th Leviticus Leviticus and some psalms and proverbs July 22 nd Numbers Numbers and some psalms and proverbs Aug. 26 th Deuteronomy Deuteronomy and some psalms and proverbs Sept. 15 th Matthew Matthew and some psalms Oct. 28 th Mark Mark and some psalms Nov. 25 th Luke Luke and some psalms Dec 2 nd John John and some psalms The more detailed plan follows over the page, but first I need to mention six matters. 1. Difficult and/or Offensive Passages You will come across some passages that you find puzzling and others that may even seem offensive. Occasionally one just has to ascertain what the Bible teaches and leave it at that for the time being. You are free to discuss any of these matters with us at any time. Often an answer or at least some elucidation comes as we read further or begin to understand the cultural milieu better. By all means, we need to look at the material and ask some serious questions, but first we need to try to enter the world of the original recipients and understand what is actually being recounted or taught. 2. Psalms and Proverbs I am including Psalms and Proverbs with the readings for this year (the Pentateuch and the Gospels). Occasionally, there is a thematic tie-up, but usually there is not. Later in the survey, we will look at these two fascinating books. Right now, just enjoy reading them. Ponder the proverbs and use the psalms worshipfully. You will not always feel as the psalmist felt. That s fine; just appreciate the emotion of a person pouring out their grievance or lamentation to God or exulting in his goodness. Some of the proverbs will sound a little strange to us. Think about the

wisdom contained in them, but do not try to build a doctrinal system on them (they were not given for that purpose). As an anthology, they may seem disjointed (some are grouped ) but, for the most part, you will be reading them one by one. Psalm 119. In April we will work our way, eight verses at a time, through the longest Psalm (and, indeed, the longest chapter) in the Bible. You may have wondered about the Hebrew letters that appear at the beginning of each stanza. This is an acrostic psalm. In other words, each verse in the first stanza of eight verses commences with an Aleph (the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet), each verse in the next stanza with Bet (the second letter), and so on, right through the Hebrew alphabet. Imagine doing that! We can only admire the literary skill of the psalmist and appreciate the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Despite the literary artistry, the psalm certainly does not feel stilted. By the way, this is not the only acrostic passage in the Bible. 3. Lists and statistics In the Pentateuch, we encounter some genealogies and census statistics. You could painstakingly read each line and try to pronounce every name because these lists are part of Scripture. Or you could simply skip over them. I suggest that you skim them rather than skip them altogether. 4. Chapter Divisions For the most part, we are going with the chapter divisions in the Bible. These do not always come in the right place. On occasion, you may feel that you want to read on because you are absorbed in the section/story and want to finish it. That s fine; you will have broken no laws -. The idea is to simply stay in touch. By covering the chapters in the plan, you will be in sync with the seminars and will cover the necessary reading. 6. Occasional Repetition Here and there I have included a reading that you will have done previously. This is usually to highlight a theme or to summarize a section. 2

3 April May June 1 Gen 1:1-2:3; Psa. 19 1 Exod 1-2; Prov 3 1 Lev 1; Prov 11:1-8 2 Gen 2:4-3:24; Psa 8 2 Exod 3-4; Prov 4 2 Lev 2; Prov 11:8 3 Gen 4-5; Psa 1 3 Exod 5-6; Prov4 3 Lev 3; Prov 11:9-13-21 4 Gen 6-8; Psa 119:1-8 4 Exod 7-8; Prov 5 4 Lev 4:1-5:13; Prov 11:22-31 5 Gen 9-10; Psa 119:9-16 5 Exod 9-10; Prov 6:1-19 5 Lev 5:14-6:13 6 Gen 11; Psa 119:17-24 6 Exod 11:1-12:30; Psa 32 6 Lev 6:14-30; Prov 12:1-12 7 Gen 12-13; Psa 119:25-32 7 Exod 12:31--13:16; Psa 114 7 Lev 7:1-10; Prov 12:13-28 8 Gen 14; Psa 119:33-40 8 Exod 13:17--14:31; Psa 103 8 Lev 7:11-38; Prov 13:1-8 9 Gen 15-16; Psa 119:41-48 9 Exod 15:1-21; Prov 6:20-35 9 Lev 8; Prov 13:9-25 10 Gen 17; Psa 119:49-56 10 Exod 15:22-16:36 10 Lev 9:1-10:20 11 Gen 18-19; Psa 119:57-64 11 Exod 17; Prov 7 11 Lev 11; Psa 2 12 Gen 20-21; Psa 119:65-72 12 Exod 18; Prov 8 12 Lev 12; Psa 3 13 Gen 22; Psa 119:73-80 13 Exod 19-20 13 Lev 13:1-46; Psa 4 14 Gen 23-24; Psa 119:81-88 14 Exod 21:1-22:15; Prov 9 14 Lev 13:47-59; Psa 5 15 Gen 25-26; Psa 119:89-96 15 Exod 22:16-23:19 15 Lev 14; Psa 6 16 Gen 27; Psa 119:97-104 16 Exod 23:20-24:18 16 Lev 15; Psa 7 17 Gen 28-29; Psa 119:105-112 17 Exod 25 17 Lev 16; Heb 9 18 Gen 30-31; Psa 119:113-120 18 Exod 26-27 18 Lev 16 (Repeat); Heb 10:1-18 19 Gen 32-33; Psa 119:121-128 19 Exod 28 19 Lev 17; Psa 10 20 Gen 34-36; Psa 119:129-136 20 Exod 29 20 Lev 18; Psa 11 21 Gen 37-38; Psa 119:137-144 21 Exod 30-31 21 Lev 19; Psa 12 22 Gen 39-40; Psa 119:145-152 22 Exod 32 22 Lev 20; Psa 13 23 Gen 41; Psa 119:153-160 23 Exod 33-34 23 Lev 21; Psa 14 24 Gen 42-43; Psa 119:161-168 24 Exod 35:1-36:7 24 Lev 22; Psa 15 25 Gen 44-45; Psa 119:169-176 25 Exod 36:8-36:38 25 Lev 23:1-22; Psa 16 26 Gen 46; Psa 62 26 Exod 37-38; Prov 10:1-11 26 Lev 23:23-44; Psa 17 27 Gen 47; Prov 1:1-7 27 Exod 39--40; Prov 10:12-32 27 Lev 24; Psa 18 28 Gen 48; Prov 1:8-19 28 Gen 3, 12:1-3; 28:10-22 28 Lev 25; Prov 14:1-12 29 Gen 49; Prov 1:20-33 29 Gen 46:1-7; 50:22-26 29 Lev 26; Prov 14:13-22 30 Gen 50; Prov 2 30 Exod 3:1-10; 12:31-42 30 Lev 27; Prov 14:23-35 31 Exod 19:1-8; 34:1-7

4 July August September 1 Num 1; Psa 20 1 Deut 1; Psa 42 1 Matt 1; Psa 50 2 Num 2; Psa 21 2 Deut 2-3; Psa 84 2 Matt 2; 2 Sam 11 3 Num 3; Psa 22 3 Deut 4; Psa 43 3 Matt 3; 2 Sam 12 4 Num 4; Psa 23 4 Deut 5; Psa 44 4 Matt 4; Psa 51 5 Num 5-6; Psa 24 5 Deut 6-7 5 Matt 5; Psa 52 6 Num 7; Psa 25 6 Deut 8; Psa 45 6 Matt 6; Psa 53 7 Num 8; Psa 26 7 Deut 9; Psa 46 7 Matt 7; Psa 54 8 Num 9; Psa 27 8 Deut 10; Psa 47 8 Matt 8; Psa 55 9 Num 10; Psa 28 9 Deut 11; Psa 48 9 Matt 9; Psa 56 10 Num 11; Psa 29 10 Deut 12; Psa 49 10 Matt 10; Psa 57 11 Num 12; Psa 30 11 Deut 13; Prov 19:1-12 11 Matt 11; Psa 58 12 Num 13-14; Psa 31 12 Deut 14; Prov 19:13-29 12 Matt 12; Psa 59 13 Num 15; Psa 33 13 Deut 15; Prov 20 13 Matt 13; Psa 60 14 Num 16; Psa 24 14 Deut 16; Prov 21:1-14 14 Matt 14; Psa 61 15 Num 17-18 15 Deut 17; Prov 21:15-31 15 Matt 15; Psa 62 16 Num 19-20; Psa 35 16 Deut 18; Prov 22:1-16 16 Matt 16; Psa 63 17 Num 20; Psa 36 17 Deut 19; Prov 23:1-18 17 Matt 17; Psa 64 18 Num 21-22 18 Deut 20; Prov 23:19-35 18 Matt 18; Psa 65 19 Psalm 78 19 Deut 21; Prov 24:1-16 19 Matt 19; Psa 66 20 Num 24; Psa 37 20 Deut 22; Prov 24:17-34 20 Matt 20; Psa 67 21 Num 25; Psa 38 21 Deut 23; Prov 25:1-17 21 Matt 21; Psa 68 22 Num 26; Psa 39 22 Deut 24 --25 22 Matt 22; Psa 110 23 Num 27; Psa 40 23 Deut 26; Prov 25:18-26:11 23 Matt 23; Psa 69 24 Num 28-29: Psa 41 24 Deut 27; Prov 26:12-28 24 Matt 24; Psa 70 25 Num 30; Prov 15:1-15 25 Deut 28; Prov 27 25 Matt 25; Psa 71 26 Num 31; Prov 15:16-33 26 Deut 29; Prov 28 26 Matt 26:1-35; Psa 72 27 Num 32; Prov 16:1-11 27 Deut 30; Prov 29 27 Matt 26:36-75; Psa 73 28 Num 33; Prov 16:12-33 28 Deut 31: Prov 30:1-14 28 Matt 27:1-31; Isa 52:13-53:12 29 Num 34; Prov 17:1-11 29 Deut 32; Prov 30:15-33 29 Matt 27:32-66; Psa 22 30 Num 35; Prov 17:12-28 30 Deut 33; Prov 31:1-9 30 Matt 28; Psa 16 31 Num 36; Prov 18 31 Deut 34; Prov 31:10-31

5 October November December 1 Mark 1; Psa 74 1 Luke 3:1-38; Psa 107 1 John 4:1-54 2 Mark 2; Psa 75 2 Luke 4:1-30; Psa 108 2 John 5:1-15; Psa 137 3 Mark 3: Psa 76 3 Luke 4:31-5:32; Psa 109 3 John 5:16-47; Psa 138 4 Mark 4:1-34; Psa 77 4 Luke 5:33-6:16; Psa 110 4 John 6:1-24; Psa 139 5 Mark 4:35-5:20; Psa 79 5 Luke 6:17-49; Psa 111 5 John 6:25-59; Psa 140 6 Mark 5:21-43; Psa 80 6 Luke 7; Psa 112 6 John 7:1-53 7 Mark 6:1-56; Psa 81 7 Luke 8:1-39; Psa 113 7 John 8:1-20; Psa 141 8 Mark 7:1-8:13; Psa 82 8 Luke 8:40-9:17; Psa 114 8 John 8:21-58; Psa 142 9 Mark 8:14-30; Psa 83 9 Luke 9:18-10:24; Psa 115 9 John 9 10 Mark 8:31-9:13; Psa 85 10 Luke 10:25-37; Psa 116 10 John 10; Psa 143 11 Mark 9:14-29; Psa 86 11 Luke 10:38-11:32; Psa 117 11 John 11; Psa 144 12 Mark 9:30-50; Psa 87 12 Luke 11:33-12:59; Psa 118 12 John 12:1-19 13 Mark 10:1-16; Psa 88 13 Luke 13; Psa 120 13 John 12:20-50 14 Mark 10:17-31; Psa 89 14 Luke 14; Psa 121 14 John 13 15 Mark 10:32-52; Psa 90 15 Luke 15; Psa 122 15 John 14 16 Mark 11:1-26; Psa 91 16 Luke 16; Psa 123 16 John 15 17 Mark 11:27-12:12; Psa 92 17 Luke 17-18; Psa 124 17 John 16 18 Mark 12:13-27; Psa 93 18 Luke 19:1-27; Psa 125 18 John 17; Psa 145 19 Mark 12:28-44; Psa 94 19 Luke 19:28-20:19; Psa 126 19 John 18:1-27; Psa 146 20 Mark 13; Psa 95 20 Luke 20:20-47; Psa 127 20 John 18:28-19:15; Psa 147 21 Mark 14:1-26; Psa 96 21 Luke 21; Psa 128 21 John 19:17-42; Psa 148 22 Mark 14:27-42; Psa 97 22 Luke 22:1-62; Psa 129 22 John 20; Psa 149 23 Mark 14:43-65; Psa 98 23 Luke 22:63-23:25; Psa 130 23 John 21; Psa 150 24 Mark 14:66-15:15; Psa 99 24 Luke 23:26-56; Psa 131 24 Isa 9:1-7; Luke 1:1-25 25 Mark 15:16-41; Psa 100 25 Luke 24:1-35; Psa 132 25 Isa 11:1-16; Luke 1:26-80 26 Mark 15:42-16:8; Psa 101 26 Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1:1-11 26 Isa 42:1-9; Luke 2:1-20 27 Mark 16:9-20; Psa 102 27 John 1:1-18; Psa 133 27 Luke 2:21-52 28 Luke 1:1-38; Psa 103 28 John 1:19-51; Psa 134 28 Matt 1 29 Luke 1:39-80; Psa 104 29 John 2:1-25; Psa 135 29 Matt 2 30 Luke 2:1-20; Psa 105 30 John 3:1-36; Psa 136 30 Matt 3 31 Luke 2:21-51; Psa 106 31 Mark 1