A thread for people who are reading the Bible straight through

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Tis_Bearself

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I am reading all the way through the Bible for the second time. The first time was a few decades ago so I figure it is time for a refresher.

Thought I would start a thread to chat with anyone else who might be doing the same thing. I’m up to the middle of Numbers (reading Leviticus concurrently with Numbers as Leviticus is not the most exciting Bible book to read, but I didn’t want to just leave it out entirely as my reading plan suggested). Where are you up to?
 
I’m doing the same thing but I started at the other end.

I’ve read Revelation and the 7 Catholic epistles thus far.

Gonna read Hebrews today.
 
I started reading the Bible straight through this year, and was really enjoying it.
Now I’ve missed so many days, I feel really discouraged 😦
 
Don’t be discouraged. Today is a new day, you can just pick up where you left off.

I generally read for 30 minutes at a time because that is the amount to get a plenary indulgence. I do it about 3 times a week and say a prayer before and after. I read the text out loud and then after finishing each chapter I read the footnotes silently before moving to the next chapter.
 
I started to do that last year, and then I started skipping around. Did actually make it through Numbers and Leviticus, though! 😀

I really should try again.
 
I’m using this daily reading plan from the Coming Home Network and am up to the beginning of Judges/ end of Galatians (which means nothing since I’m not reading the NT in order). I wanted to finish it all by Easter… and am beginning to realize it probably won’t work. Overall the read’s useful and enjoyable and good luck to y’all attempting it.
 
When I find myself getting bored, I will go read a more exciting section for one session. I’ll be happy when we get on to the stories of Samuel, Saul and David though. Moses was more interesting when Cecil B. Demille was scripting him.

One thing I am trying to do though is look for insight in the boring or bothersome sections. Like, ask myself what purpose this section is serving. The long descriptions of sacrifices for example when they go through what animals must be brought, how exactly they are killed, what the priest does with the blood, what he is wearing, whether he waves the offering or burns it and can he eat it and where and by what time, etc. Today at Adoration it dawned on me that those people in the OT had to go through all of this labor-intensive and costly sacrifice ritual on a regular basis and even then they did not get to be directly in the presence of the Lord as they couldn’t go all the way in to the inmost room, only the priest went there; and even the priest was only allowed to be in the holiest part of the Lord’s dwelling at certain times, after going through all kinds of rituals.

And yet now here Jesus just sits in a monstrance on the altar and we only need to go inside and spend time during the hours when the chapel is open. God makes it so easy on us and we do not have to worry about being struck dead from being in Jesus’ physical presence. Jesus must really love us very much to just come and sit with us and not expect us to donate 1000 dollars or kill a lamb on the doorstep before we can be in his presence.
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
One thing I am trying to do though is look for insight in the boring or bothersome sections. Like, ask myself what purpose this section is serving. The long descriptions of sacrifices for example when they go through what animals must be brought, how exactly they are killed, what the priest does with the blood, what he is wearing, whether he waves the offering or burns it and can he eat it and where and by what time, etc.

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I think all these rituals helped people to understand that the fear of the Lord is the start of wisdom, and through trusting in the Lord we find our faith.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite were faced with the dilemma of obeying all the rituals of cleanliness; or helping the wounded man. It seems they chose to keep to their laws and rituals which came from God - Jesus.

Yet the priest and the Levite were made out to be the bad guys for obeying their laws. It seems that Jesus is saying we should attend to people’s physical needs first, then we should go through all the religious rituals to make ourselves clean after.

I read through the Bible in a couple of years, then I start again, I am reading Sirach at the moment.
 
Reading it through for the first time. I’ve been at it for a while… need to speed things up.
 
Good luck. I managed it- it took me about a year and a half to do so, but I did it. I tried doing it front to back, but when I signed up for a Bible class in college, that idea went out the window, for the most part. But I did read the Pentateuch before getting to that class.

As Brittany said, you’ll get confused if you read the Bible as it is. I’m still suffering confusion from the Old Testament. I read it in the order the Bible puts them, and I still have no idea which prophets came before another, and how long (and when) they were around.
 
Yeah, it’s a little confusing. I’ve been at it for about two years and I’m only up to Esther. I’ve been trying to develop a nightly reading habit, but adding new routines is difficult >_>
 
My reading plan is a little weird, but it works for me. I break up my reading into three parts a day: one page from the New Testament, two pages from the Wisdom books in the OT (Psalms, the Prophets, etc…) and two pages from the rest of the OT. All in all it’s about five pages a day, which I find pretty manageable.

So when I started my plan, I read the first two chapters of Genesis, the first two pages from the Psalms, and the first page of Matthew. Then I just went forward from there. I’m now almost finished with Leviticus, on the last page of Proverbs, and half way through Luke’s Gospel. At this rate I think it’ll take me about six to nine months to read the whole thing.

Like I said, this plan doesn’t work for everyone, but for me it’s good because I like the variety. If I don’t really get anything out of one section of readings, I’ll usually find something valuable in another.
 
I’m also going through it for the second time. I do it in order, starting at Genesis and ending at Revelation. I don’t use a Bible reading plan or anything like that-- I just do it from start to finish. The genealogy is the hardest part to read through. Leviticus 1-9 is tough, too. Frankly, you just have to force yourself through it. Otherwise you won’t be getting the whole counsel of God.
 
Eric_Hyom said:
It seems that Jesus is saying we should attend to people’s physical needs first, then we should go through all the religious rituals to make ourselves clean after.
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Yes, he indicates this over and over. For example, also when some people are eating dinner without having ritually washed first and the Pharisees are getting upset over it and Jesus doesn’t agree with them, as usual.
 
I read it through, it was a good exercise, but now i approach my readong of scripture thematically, l’ve found it far more fulfilling and enlightening.
 
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That’s interesting. I am doing this again partly because I get frustrated by the “thematic” approach used in the Mass readings. To me it feels very fragmented, though I understand why it is done that way for Mass so there can be a daily “lesson” on one theme. I find I can understand and appreciate the themes running through the Bible more when I read sequentially and in context.
 
It is recommended that if one is new to the Bible, one must at least read it through from cover to cover at least once. Repeating it would be better, to get an overview of its content. Then use the Bible regularly, daily is better, as word of God to inspire us.

I have been on the latter for many years. I am using the mass daily and Sundays readings for daily reflection on the word (it helps to prepare for the mass anyway), but also when necessary go to specific Bible passages, for extra perspective or using them for teaching/speaking materials.

God bless.
 
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