READ the Bible in 2021

Are you looking to develop a habit of daily Bible reading? A good Bible reading plan can help you grow as a follower of Christ and help you be intentional to stay committed to a regular cadence of reading, studying and applying God’s Word to your life. But our goal is not just to have boxes to check off. Our goal is to connect to the One who inspired the words of this Book, grow in our faith and understanding of His Word, and to be equipped to serve Him with our whole lives. A reading plan that keeps God’s Word in front of you in a systematic and consistent way is a tool that God can use powerfully in your life.


Below, we have compiled a list of Bible reading plans we recommend, along with some basic descriptions and links to access those plans. So take some time to read about each plan, consider your specific needs, desires, and commitment level, and then choose a plan to commit to today!

Bible Reading Plans

  • The Discipleship Journal Reading Plan - Read through the Bible in one year by reading from four separate places in the Scriptures every day, which will help you better grasp the unity of the Scriptures, as well as enjoy the variety of four different viewpoints. To prevent the frustration of falling behind, which most of us tend to do when following a Bible reading plan, each month of this plan gives you only 25 readings. Since you'll have several "free days" each month, you could set aside Sundays either not to read at all or to catch up on any readings you may have missed in the past week or use the final days of the month to study the passages that challenged or intrigued you. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Discipleship Journal Reading Plan")
  • The Book-At-A-Time Reading Plan -This plan is a variation of the Discipleship Journal Plan with only two readings for each day. The first reading alternates between Old and New Testament books, giving you three or four chapters a day and the Gospels are spread throughout the year.The second reading takes you through a chapter or so of the wisdom literature and Isaiah. Combined, these readings will take you through the entire Bible in one year. To prevent the frustration of falling behind and to provide some reflection time, each month consists of only 25 readings. You’ll have several days each month to meditate more deeply on something that was significant to you in the past week, to catch up on missed readings, or to revisit favorite passages. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Discipleship Journal's Book-at-a-Time Reading Plan")
  • The Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan - This highly used plan takes you through the Old Testament once and the Psalms and New Testament twice over the course of a year. There are four readings a day from different sections of Scripture, which can help you see the unity of the Scriptures. While this is a critical aspect of Bible Study, some find it difficult to jump from chapter to chapter rather than reading through a book at a time. One helpful feature of this plan is that you can complete the plan over two years by reading the first 2 columns in year one and the second 2 columns in year two. DOWNLOAD 1-YEAR PLAN HERE. DOWNLOAD 2-YEAR PLAN HERE. (the 2-year plan is available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Two-Year Bible Reading Plan-Volume 1 & 2")
  • The One-Year Chronological Reading Plan - Have you ever tried reading the Bible and gotten bogged down in certain parts, like the prophets? This reading plan makes sure you understand where all the prophets come in the Bible’s overarching story. It puts the Psalms in their context as well and helps you see how the Bible fits together to tell one big story that points to Jesus Christ. The strength of this reading plan is that it takes you through the Bible at a leisurely pace over the course of a year, helping you see the Bible’s big story. The only weakness in this plan is that, due to the New Testament being so much shorter than the Old Testament, you won’t get into the New Testament books until the last quarter of the year. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "The One Year Chronological Bible"). For a variation that is structured around a 5-day weekly schedule that goes though the Old Testament chronologically along with New Testament readings each day, then check out the 5-Day Bible Reading Plan. DOWNLOAD HERE. 
  • The Foundation 260 Plan - This plan highlights foundational Bible passages every believer should know. The plan is for believers to read one or two chapters a day for five days each week, with an allowance for weekends off. The two off-days a week are built in so you may catch up on days where you’re unable to read. In order to digest more of the Word, the F-260 encourages believers to read less and to keep a journal that helps you understand and apply God’s Word. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "F260 Bible Plan")

  • The Bible Project Plan - This plan was developed by the Bible Project which has is know for creating short-form animated videos to help you understand Scripture. This plan takes you through the entire bible in one year. The scriptures are divided up into sixteen “parts” and organized in semi-chronological order. You’ll read two or three chapters a day, and sometimes skim through larger portions that contain genealogies, census information, etc. One Psalm is listed each day for you to slowly pray through, making its words your own and by the end you’ll have prayed through the book of Psalms 2.5 times. Each day you come to a new book of the Bible there will be a a short animated video on The Bible Project website about that book’s design and message and what to look for as you read. You can also sign up to have those videos emailed to your inbox. In addition to videos regarding books of the Bible, you will find theme videos relating to several topics that appear throughout Scripture. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "BibleProject- the Bible")


  • The Two-Year Plan - This plan takes you through the Bible at a much slower pace and allows you to spend more time with each part of the Bible. This is the option you should choose if you want to spend considerable time meditating on and savoring God’s Word as you go as you work through both the Old and New Testament. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Two-Year Bible Reading Plan-Volume 1" & "Two-Year Bible Reading Plan-Volume 2"). You can even get a 3-Year plan HERE.
  • 5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan - Read through the New Testament in 5 days a week, 5 minutes a day. DOWNLOAD HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Discipleship Journal's 5x5x5 Reading Plan)
  • New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs - Read the entire New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs in one year. DOWNLOAD HERE.

Additional PLANS

Are you looking for a challenge or even a specific focus? Here are a few plans you might consider:


  • Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System - This plan definitely takes discipline, but it is worth it. By reading ten chapters a day, in the course of a year, you’ll read the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters four to five times, the Old Testament wisdom literature six times, the Psalms at least twice, Proverbs and Acts a dozen times, and the Old Testament history and prophetic books about one and a half times. There is purpose to Professor Horner's system, so take time to read his explanation using the "DOWNLOAD HERE" link before diving in. DOWNLOAD HERE.  (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Prof. Horner's Bible Reading System")

  • Buckle-Up Plans - Read the Bible cover to cover in 2 or 3 months as you see the big picture of God’s great story unfold before you. DOWNLOAD 60-DAYS HERE or HERE. DOWNLOAD 90-DAYS HERE. (available on the YouVersion Bible App as "Power Read the Bible in 60 Days with Jeff Anderson")
  • Systematic Theology Study Bible Reading Plan - Read and study through some key theological topics over the course of 30 days. DOWNLOAD HERE.
  • Bible Reading Checklist - Read through the Bible at your own pace. You can use this simple chart to track your reading as you work your way through Scripture. DOWNLOAD HERE
  • The YouVersion Bible App can be downloaded for Android and iOS. They have so many different reading plans in their system, so feel free to brows through what they have and find a plan that is perfect for you. CLICK HERE
  • The Read Scripture App can also be downloaded for Android and iOS. This  app makes it easy for you to spend quality time reading the Bible daily while learning how to read it with contextual videos from The Bible Project. CLICK HERE