29 August 2011

The Sweep of the Bible in Two Weeks

If a freshman in college or stay-at-home mom or aspiring deacon or friend from work or anyone else asked me how they might get a rough grasp of the macro-storyline of the Bible in a few weeks, I'd send them not to any secondary resource but to the Bible itself for a reading plan that might look something like this.

Week 1
Sunday - Genesis 1-3
Monday - Genesis 12-17
Tuesday - Exodus 1-3, 12
Wednesday - Exodus 14, 19-20
Thursday - Joshua 23-24; Judges 1-2
Friday - 1 Samuel 8, 16; 2 Samuel 7, 11; Psalm 105
Saturday - Isaiah 7, 9, 11, 35, 52-53, 65
Week 2
Sunday - Jeremiah 30-33; Ezekiel 36-37, Zechariah 9; Malachi 3-4
Monday - Matt. 1:1; Mark 1:1-15; John 1:1-18; 5:39-46; Luke 24
Tuesday - Mark 14:1-16:8
Wednesday - Acts 1-2; 13:13-49
Thursday - Rom. 1:1-6; 16-17; 3:9-31; 5:12-21; 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-23
Friday - Heb. 1:1-4; 10:19-12:2
Saturday - Revelation 1; 20-22
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11 comments:

  1. keithTuesday, 30 August, 2011

    I read the Bible through in three weeks back in February 2004. It was life changing.

    I then did it in four months the next year and six months in 2006.

    There is no substitute for reading God's word (all of it) to learn about God.

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  2. Stephen SheadTuesday, 30 August, 2011

    Love this post! I have to say, my first inclination would have been to lend them a good macro-storyline-of-the-Bible book. Thanks for challenging me on that one.

    I thought this deserved to be a more-than-one-comment post :)

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  3. Yancey ArringtonTuesday, 30 August, 2011

    Dane, once again, your post is incredibly helpful for those who desire to understand the Bible as more than just a collection of assorted stories with Jesus somewhere towards the end. Please continue helping move people (including me)in a direction where Christ is the sum and spectrum of all things.

    ...for the Bible tells me so.

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  4. hbTuesday, 30 August, 2011

    I enjoy reading in overview mode several times a year as well - it's good to keep your eye on the over-riding narrative. Here's a 100 'essential' passages reading plan I am working through right now: http://www.ststephenschurch.net/e100/e100_planner.pdf

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  5. Dane OrtlundTuesday, 30 August, 2011

    Keith, thanks. We'll try to get you a medal.

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  6. EmmanuelTuesday, 30 August, 2011

    That list could also be turned into a sermon series, or bible study.

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  7. The Schindel SixWednesday, 31 August, 2011

    Thanks for sharing this! I'll be trying this out starting tomorrow.

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  8. BenThursday, 01 September, 2011

    I love the idea behind this. I am curious, however, about your reasoning behind choosing these passages.

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  9. Larry LazarusFriday, 02 September, 2011

    Sounds like a great plan, thanks for sharing. Also, wondering why you set it up to read the account of the resurrection in Luke 24 before reading the crucifixion account?

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  10. spaceloomFriday, 02 September, 2011

    I think you should add psalms to every reading. I also added 1 Cor 13 which I think is critical (well, everything is critical!):
    Week 1
    Sunday - Psalm 90
    Monday - Psalm 105
    Tuesday - Psalm 106
    Wednesday - Psalm 19
    Thursday - Psalm 44
    Saturday - Psalm 73

    Week 2
    Sunday - Psalm 51
    Monday - Psalm 16
    Tuesday - Psalm 88
    Wednesday - Psalm 2
    Thursday - Psalm 14
    Friday - Psalm 110
    Saturday - Psalm 144

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  11. Laws of prosperityWednesday, 19 October, 2011

    Nice information, many thanks to the author.I agree with your thought.Thank you for your sharing.

    School of prophets

    ReplyDelete