Read the Whole New Testament in a Year

Sanctify them in the Truth; Your Word is Truth. – John 17:17

At the age of 19, Jonathan Edwards  resolved “to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.”  Now that’s a worthy resolution!

I have a challenge for you, should you choose to accept it. Do you?  Its ok if you didn’t agree to yet, Jesus does of course tell us “to consider the cost.” So here it is.

Read the Whole New Testament in 2022.  I even provide this  Scripture Reading Plan to help you do so.

It is astonishing that most Christians have not read the whole New Testament, let alone the whole Bible.  If Scripture is what Christians say it is, how can we not devour it daily?  In its pages we are told to Eat this Book!  (Ezekiel 3)

My intention is not to guilt you into reading the Bible.  That wouldn’t do any good, and it wouldn’t be pleasing to your Father in Heaven to read his grace, blessing and love begrudgingly.  But rather, my hope is to convince you that the most profitable thing you can do in the New Year is to read the Scriptures regularly and I even equip you to do so, in the hopes that you’ll make it a habit that you long for, as much as your morning coffee or other habit you do daily. For it is more “precious than gold and sweeter than honey” (Psalm 19).

As Christians we believe the Bible is the very Word of God- Not simply, words about God. It is The Word of God.  It is God’s letter to us. It is how we know Him and His instructions for us.  It holds the secret of life.  It contains our only hope. That hope is the Gospel of Jesus Christ by which women and men are saved and called into God’s Family. From Cover to Cover the Bible is about Christ.  And by its own testimony and our own experience we know that :

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

As such, I can think of no better New Year’s Resolution than for Christians who don’t have a regular Scripture reading plan to have one.

The Plan I offer you has you read the whole New Testament this year.  It includes weekly readings from the Old Testament too.

Why Not Read the Whole Bible?

Indeed!  Go for it. A good friend of mine, Pastor Tom Brown of Covenant Grace Greensboro, wrote this article which contains multiple reading plans for 2022.  Since 1 size doesn’t fit all, there may be a good plan in there for you.

However, in my experience, plans to read the whole Bible in a year can get frustrating fast since they require reading multiple chapters every day, which doesn’t take into account that you may have other Scripture reading you want to do, Bible Studies to prepare for, and other devotional works on Scripture that you want to read which help you to reflect on small bites of the Word of God.  And once you fall behind its really difficult to catch back up.

If that describes you, this plan is a little more manageable. You will read one chapter each day (allowing you to read other parts of Scripture as you like).  And remember, a Chapter in Scripture is only a page or two.

What About the Old Testament?

Before an objection is raised suggesting that I am devaluing the Old Testament.  People at Meadowview know that I preach at least 4 months of the year out of the Old Testament (Aug – Dec).  EVERY YEAR.  Some years it could be 7 months.    I absolutely love the Old Testament and showing how it is a part of Redemptive History and how it relates to the fullness of Revelation in Jesus Christ.  Perhaps next year I’ll write a “Read the Whole Old Testament in a Year Plan.”  This year, I offer a plan to read the New Testament, with a Survey of the Old Testament scattered in every week.

How it Works

This plan doesn’t read the New Testament books strictly in order, but rather spreads the 4 Gospels out throughout the year and follows each Gospel with other NT books that relate in a particular way to the Gospel just read. Each week also has Old Testament Readings.

Again, Scripture Reading Plan -rev– Print it, and Check off the chapters as you read.

Outline:

• 7 Chapters/week (read each day or on the same day)
  • 5 New Testament Chapters/week
  • 1 Old Testament Chapter/week
  • 1 Psalm or Proverb/week

How the New Testament is Arranged in this Plan:

• Gospel of Luke
  • Then – Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians
• Gospel of Mark
  • Then – Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
• Gospel of Matthew
  • Then – Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Jude
• Gospel of John
  • Then – 1^st John, 2^nd, John, 3^rd John, Revelation

How the Old Testament is Arranged in this Plan:

• A Survey of the Old Testament from Genesis to the Prophets
• 1 Chapter each week
• You can read on the same day as a NT Chapter or read them on their own day.

How the Psalms & Proverbs are Arranged in this Plan

• They aren’t! Pick 1 each week from either book and write it on the chart.
• Read on its own day, or the same day as another reading.

Closing Exhortation

I pray you are blessed by this. If you resolve to read the Holy Scriptures this year, seeking to hear from our Father by the Spirit of His Son, I know you will be.  And Remember:

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, Having Been Given By Inspiration of God, Are the All-Sufficient and Only Rule of Faith and Practice, and Judge of Controversies.– Charles Hodge

And Again:

What Do the Scriptures Primarily Teach?

The Scriptures Primarily teach what man is to believe about God and what God requires of Man. – Westminister Shorter Catechism Q 3

Here’s a Class I did with this Encouragement