Reading the entire Bible

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MacMcCarver said:
I just finished the Book of Numbers and will be starting the Book of Deuteronomy tomorrow.
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Wow! you are so fast! I was stuck forever in Leviticus…
I wondered what you thought of each chapter…
Did you notice right at the beginning of Genesis when God created the world that
water was already moving over a formless wasteland before He said “let there be
light”? Do you have a little summary in your mind of each chapter? Were you
totally shocked by anything you read so far? Did you find the reading enjoyable so
far? I have never seen anyone read so much of the Bible in so little time…
If there is one part you would like to read again when you are done, what would it
be?
 
=LilyM;5332525]It’s probably not best to just start from Genesis and read like a normal book.
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I believe there are some good ‘Bible in a Year’ plans out there (which you can modify to cover the deuterocanonicals and that you can adapt to cover it in two months) that pick out readings out of multiple parts of the Bible that relate to each other.
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***Dear frinds in Christ

As one who has read the bible “cover to cover” may I offer a few insights?

First and of great significance; while timed goals are Admirable, without a foundation of how to read and interpret what you are reading, pretty much makes the entire book “a mystery.”

So began by taking some instruction on how to read and properly interpret God’s Word. The New American and some other bibles give a mini tutorial at the front of the bible, which I encourage you to read.

Next, one should read the bible to gain a fuller, and perhaps a better understanding of who and what we are in relation to our God. For example if you were to be asked to describe the meaning of the entire bible in “one four letter word” would that word not be “love?”

Arch Bishop Fulton Sheen points out that the bible is about God seeking a relationship with humanity, not so much humanity seeking a relationship with God. This is an important perspective to have in reading the bible.

To understand the roles of the OT and the NT is key to understanding it. Basically the OT is primarily historical and Prophetic and leads the reader to the NT. Indeed the OT is incomplete without the NT.

The NT is the fulfillment and perfection of the OT. Therefore, I suggest that read the NT first, which will help one make more sense out of the OT.

Final suggestion; understanding should be the goal, not speed, not completion. Without understanding, you are wasting your time. Pray for guidance before you read and thank the Holy Spirit when you are finished.

Understanding needs to be your goal, and perhaps your only goal:thumbsup:
 
Mac, you strike me as a pretty young person. As an “old codger” I can say, Go for it! There are a lot worse things to do during one’s summer.

However, as one who has done the cover-to-cover thing twice in the past 5 years (NJB with notes) and with a fair amount of experience in reading Scripture over the past 50 or so years, speed reading is not the way to get the most out of the Bible. OTOH, it is a great way to get a general over view and a handle on the difficulties that people have in handling scripture.

Since you have gotten through Numbers you have made the first real hurdle. Numb. has to be about the dullest read in the whole book. Some of the books in the OT read like adventure stories and romance novels. In the NT, Acts certainly is worth a read-through in one go.

Blessings on your project and zeal.
 
cheeto1 said:
Wow! you are so fast! I was stuck forever in Leviticus…
I wondered what you thought of each chapter…
Did you notice right at the beginning of Genesis when God created the world that
water was already moving over a formless wasteland before He said “let there be
light”? Do you have a little summary in your mind of each chapter? Were you
totally shocked by anything you read so far? Did you find the reading enjoyable so
far? I have never seen anyone read so much of the Bible in so little time…
If there is one part you would like to read again when you are done, what would it
be?
Click to expand...
Yeah, it has been fun. I have had summaries as the Baronius Press edition of the venerable Douay-Rheims starts every book and chapter with a summary, written by His Excellency Robert Challoner. I haven’t been shocked by anything yet because I’ve read this part of the Bible before. I actually enjoyed Leviticus. It wasn’t as repetitious as everyone makes it out to be. Numbers was the dullest because of the whole pages of repetition just to give a census of the tribes of Israel. As a student going to seminary in about three years, I will be reading the Bible through again, but as far as private reading goes, I will definitely be reading Genesis many times. It has been the most enjoyable book of the Pentateuch.
 
MacMcCarver said:
I have had summaries as the Baronius Press edition of the venerable Douay-Rheims starts every book and chapter with a summary, written by His Excellency Robert Challoner.
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No, not what strikes someone else, but You. God is speaking to us personally in the
Bible. You say Genesis - fun and entertaining, worth reading again.
Leviticus - interesting with plenty of variety. Numbers - the dullest book so far
How about Exodus?
 
Hi!

Best wishes on your project!

At some point in the future, here’s another approach you might like to try: get a copy of The One Year Bible - Catholic Edition. It’s broken down into daily segments from the Old Testament, Psalms, and New Testament, with each day’s readings taking from about fifteen to thirty minutes. I’ve worked through it four times in the last eight years. The only thing that’s a bit clumsy is that the Deuterocanonical Books (accepted in the Catholic Bible but not the Protestant ones) are grouped at the end (they are also broken into daily segments, at least) so you have to keep two bookmarks.

Still, I found it very useful. It’s great for giving structure to the readings, so even if you’re in a particularly dull section (I thought the technical descriptions of the tent of worship and the divisions of land for the tribes could really benefit from pictures and maps!), you know you’ll be past it soon.

Very best regards,

-Gary P. (in rural northern Illinois near Marengo, between Elgin and Rockford IL)

Gary Plazyk, g_plazyk@ix.netcom.com
Fuzzy Bear Farm
profiles.yahoo.com/g_plazyk
BearCreekMusic.us
KishwaukeeRamblers.com
RavenswoodMorris.org

“Music is too important to leave to the professionals.” -Robert Shaw
 
MacMcCarver said:
Thanks for everyone’s suggestions, but I said I wanted to read the entire Bible this summer and that’s what I want to do. I didn’t set out to go to daily Mass for three years, read the Bible chronologically, or just read the New Testament. I am going to read the entire Bible cover-to-cover. My church doesn’t have a Mass for everyday, so I would miss out anyway.
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I think it’s an admirable undertaking. Even if you only retain a small portion of what you read, you’ve got to start somewhere. Obviously it’s not the only way to read the bible, and taking it slowly and savoring in smaller bites such as at Mass or in a bible study is also good. Some seem to think this is going to be your one and only time you read the bible.

One recommendation is that once you get back into your normal daily routine, try to include some daily reading of scripture as well.

I also recommend Jeff Cavins bible timeline reading plan if you come across it. This gives a chronological view of salvation history using 14 books – mostly from the old testament (Luke and Acts from the NT). You can then see the context in which other books were written and either go back and read them afterwards or read them along with the 14 books.
 
I am in my fifth year of reading the whole bible. The first two times I used a hardcover “Read the Bible in a Year” purchased on ebay. I think it’s called One Year Bible. It is not “the Catholic” bible, but it’s a start. Next two years and now I am using an amazing program online:

oneyearbible.net/members/inside.aspx

It is a free program. Many many translations but not a Catholic translation. But again it’s a start. What’s amazing about it is that it keeps track for you. When done with the day’s reading I click “reading completed” and it automatically advances.

I have emailed them asking for a specifically Catholic translation. But no luck yet. So I dug out the “Catholic” extra books and read for a few minutes at the end of the regular reading each day.

There is a book out there One Year Bible, Catholic Edition: cgi.ebay.com/The-One-Year-Bible-NLT-Catholic-Edition-Good-Book_W0QQitemZ280357698379QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Nonfiction_Book?hash=item41469efb4b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1%7C66%3A4%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A200

but it’s over $50.00. And I do love the online readings, because I can make the font as large as I want, ( I am a seasoned citizen) I can read from any computer, and don’t need to lug a big book around when I go out of town.

I’m sure any bookstore would order the Catholic One Year Bible for you.

I read the bible online each morning with my coffee. For me it’s a great way to start the day. And for the last five months I’ve been going to morning Mass afterwards. Each successive year of bible reading is more enjoyable.

Amazon also sells a Catholic One Year Bible: amazon.com/My-Daily-Catholic-Bible-20-Minute/dp/1592760678/ref=pd_sim_b_2

From Catholic Answers:

In the end, there may not be a need to select only one translation of the Bible to use. There is no reason why a Catholic cannot collect several versions of the Bible, aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each. It is often possible to get a better sense of what is being said in a passage by comparing several different translations.

So, which Bible is the best? Perhaps the best answer is this: The one you’ll read.

oneyearbible.net/members/inside.aspx

Blessings,

Rose in Cleveland, Ohio
 
Congratulations on your goal to read through the entire Bible in 2 months! How far along are you now?
 
I decided to do the same thing starting this past April and I just finished 1 Samuel this morning. I have no timetable but try to do at 5-10 chapters a day.

Being married to a born again Christian with many born again Christian in-laws, having this knowledge of the Bible applied to Catholic faith is priceless.
 
I may actually try that too, but I would begin where I left off on March, which was 1 Samuel I believe. It’ll be an interesting goal to try and finish what’s left of my Bible—and another thing to do during those times I’m just sitting in my room bored.

There are also times I set aside daily for devotion and prayer. This is something I could do.
 
I have read the Bible through in a year several times over the years, each time using a different translation. It’s a wonderful way to get a view of the Scriptures and each time new things jump out at you. You have your whole life to dig deeper, so go for it, you’ll be really glad you did.

Speaking of Leviticus–I used to think it was dreadfully dull and a little weird, but a couple years ago, I did an in-depth study of that book and it was amazing. One of the best studies I ever did.
 
Mac,

Keep with it but slow down! The Lord sees your zeal- he will not be outdone in generosity. Take your time. Here’s a link on Lectio Divina- the type of reading that can transform us: worthabbey.net/bbc/slowly.htm The Word is like water dripping on a rock- at first nothing seems to be happening but gradually the rock softens, our hearts are changed. That being said, there was a saintly English professor when I was an undergrad who insisted that all her students read the entire Bible during the summer before starting at University.

As a young man who’s selected the Douay-Rheims translation, you are probably zealous for orthodoxy, and that’s a good thing too. I try to be orthodox too and have strong reservations about Thomas Merton, his syncretism and immorality. Nevertheless, he has a good chapter in *Mystics and Zen Masters * in which he outlines the ancient order for reading Scripture with the Church. I can’t find my copy right now otherwise I would post the order here. It’s worth looking at and considering. He doesn’t give his sources. My experience is that the Scriptures have a concentric structure (as well as a narrative line). Within this temple-like structure, the Gospels, and especially St John are the Holy of Holies.

I hope this sheds some light on your goal- on what you are doing and why you are doing it. 😉
 
Tybourne said:
Mac,

Keep with it but slow down! The Lord sees your zeal- he will not be outdone in generosity.
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The best reason for reading the Bible more slowly is that there is an indulgence for reading the Bible for 30 minutes each day. Read more slowly - obtain more indulgences.

**• A partial indulgence is granted the Christian faithful who read sacred Scripture with the veneration due God’s word and as a form of spiritual reading. The indulgence will be a plenary one when such reading is done for at least one-half hour [provided the other conditions are met]. **
 
I read the entire bible during a summer break after my sophomore year in college (1975)when I didn’t have a job. There are parts that are tough going, but if you’re committed, you can do it. It’s a great way to get a birds-eye view of the Bible. Since then I’ve read the bible through many times. Daily bible reading is a great habit.
 
Harri_Laaksonen said:
Mac, you strike me as a pretty young person. As an “old codger” I can say, Go for it! There are a lot worse things to do during one’s summer.

However, as one who has done the cover-to-cover thing twice in the past 5 years (NJB with notes) and with a fair amount of experience in reading Scripture over the past 50 or so years, speed reading is not the way to get the most out of the Bible. OTOH, it is a great way to get a general over view and a handle on the difficulties that people have in handling scripture.

Since you have gotten through Numbers you have made the first real hurdle. Numb. has to be about the dullest read in the whole book. Some of the books in the OT read like adventure stories and romance novels. In the NT, Acts certainly is worth a read-through in one go.

Blessings on your project and zeal.
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Leviticus is arguably much more of a slog 🙂 At least there are some dramatic scenes in Numbers - chaps 16 & 22-24 come to mind.​

Here’s hoping the OP gains from his reading :cool:
 
Tybourne said:
Mac,

Keep with it but slow down! The Lord sees your zeal- he will not be outdone in generosity. Take your time. Here’s a link on Lectio Divina- the type of reading that can transform us: worthabbey.net/bbc/slowly.htm The Word is like water dripping on a rock- at first nothing seems to be happening but gradually the rock softens, our hearts are changed. That being said, there was a saintly English professor when I was an undergrad who insisted that all her students read the entire Bible during the summer before starting at University.

As a young man who’s selected the Douay-Rheims translation, you are probably zealous for orthodoxy, and that’s a good thing too. I try to be orthodox too and have strong reservations about Thomas Merton, his syncretism and immorality. Nevertheless, he has a good chapter in *Mystics and Zen Masters * in which he outlines the ancient order for reading Scripture with the Church. I can’t find my copy right now otherwise I would post the order here. It’s worth looking at and considering. He doesn’t give his sources. My experience is that the Scriptures have a concentric structure (as well as a narrative line). Within this temple-like structure, the Gospels, and especially St John are the Holy of Holies.

I hope this sheds some light on your goal- on what you are doing and why you are doing it. 😉
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I love Thomas Merton. He wrote a nice slim book on reading the Bible that is very good for someone who has never delved into it before. It’s called “Opening the Bible”.
 
Two months to devote exclusively to Sacred Scripture…wow!

Must…fight…envy… 🙂

Best of luck to you; there are much worse ways to spend your summer.
 
I saved this information years ago and because of the content on this forum I thought I would share just a bit of what I have saved. Of all things, it has to do with the information that most of us read the Bible so slow that we lose interest in it and never finish. What I will share here is NOT all of it; but just a little bit so you will perhaps be intrigued enough to go to the url to read the rest of it.

kjv-asia.com/read_your_bible_.htm

This booklet is written by a dear saint, Philip Green, who visited Singapore in 1980. He was an elderly man probably in his sixties then. According to my pastor, his life was so transformed by the words of the living God through the many years he spent reading the precious words of God that he was truly a very humble man, unassuming in his ways and his life truly manifested the grace of God in meekness and humility. When most speakers engaged to speak in conferences were put up in hotels, he was housed in an old school building instead.

What is considered good reading? The National Reading Institute reports 200 words a minute poor reading. 250 words a minute is good. 400 words a minute is excellent. If you read less than 200 words a minute the mind wanders off to other things. The mind is a computer that picks up ideas - not words. As long as you get the idea from what you read, a better rate of reading is yours from practice, practice and more practice, reading from a set number of pages an hour, then a few more pages the next day, and gradually move your reading rate up and when you go back a bit in your words per minute, you will still be doing better than when you get started.

For all considerations we will use the slowest rate - 200 words a minute in following paragraphs. This 200 words per minute is not reading, but a suggestion to help you discontinue dragging your reading through the Bible. You can read too fast and you can read too slow - by far the greater percentage of Bible readers read much too slow. This is a bad habit. You will lose interest. You will quit reading your Bible through. Slow reading is why so many people do not and have not read the Bible through in the past.

When you read the Bible at 200 words a minute (about 10 verses), for one hour a day, you WILL read the Bible through in 2 MONTHS or 6 times a year. Are you surprised? Thousands of people are surprised about this.

When you read the Bible at 200 words a minute (and that is slow reading), for only ½ hour or 30 minutes daily, you will read the Bible through in 4 MONTHS or 3 times a year! Are you still surprised?

Someone has written that 2/3 of all Bible books (44 of 66) are small books, AND CAN BE READ THROUGH, each one of the 44, in 30 MINUTES OR LESS! IF two small books are read in 1 hour each day, TWO THIRDS OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE IS READ THROUGH IN ONLY 22 DAYS! IF the remaining 22 longer books are read through, one a day, THE ENTIRE BIBLE CAN BE READ THROUGH IN 44 DAYS or 6 weeks and 2 DAYS! THAT’S

8 TIMES THROUGH YEARLY!
If you READ THE Bible through only once a year - 5 pages daily - you will not remember what you read because your thoughts will not hold together because other thoughts will crowd into the mind, and you are not taking enough of the Word into your mind and heart to do much good.
 
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