I’ve just finished reading the bible in its entirety, and I’m feeling pleased. Like eating an elephant, the bible is best consumed one small bite at a time, spread over a long period to aid digestion. For me this meant a three year plan of short daily readings.

I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it, although I confess to finding the meaning of some parts less clear than others. Anyone who says the bible is full of lists of things we shouldn’t do, or boring repetition (eg “Rupert begat Olga, and Fred begat Britney…”), clearly hasn’t read much of it. The action, drama, wisdom and positively encouraging bits far outweighed any seemingly mundane bits. It was also interesting to see what the bible doesn’t say - many assumptions about what the bible tells us don’t appear to be based on what is actually in it.

Here are some things I learned about the challenging but rewarding task of reading through the whole bible:

1. Some form of reading schedule is almost essential

Not many people have the self-discipline to read the whole bible by just reading bits whenever the motivation strikes, like reading a novel, and ticking off when each book is read. I tried that, but after 20 years had only managed 75% of it, in a very stop-start fashion. To get through the whole thing in a reasonable time, a reading plan with an end-date provides the necessary structure and motivation.

2. A daily reading habit is easier to stick to than one less regular

There are many bible reading plans on the internet - most involve reading every day, but some schedule readings for 6 days each week, or weekdays only, or you could set your own interval. For most people a reading habit is easier to form and maintain if it is repeated every day rather than on some days but not others. Of course there will always be days when it just doesn’t happen, but by making it part of a daily routine it’s less likely to be forgetten. Reading during breakfast worked well for me - I was a captive audience while eating, and breakfast is something I remember to do each day!

3. A three year plan may be more realistic than a one year plan for many people

Most bible reading plans are designed to be completed in one year. While it’s great to aim high, I’ve heard many stories of people starting a one year reading schedule, falling behind and failing to catch up, then giving up. The bible’s 1189 chapters mean an average of 3.25 chapters per day over one year - it may not sound like much, but if you miss a few days the backlog can quickly mount up. Also the bible is full of meaning and subtleties which deserve much more than a quick scan. Over three years, the average of about one chapter per day is easier to keep up with (or catch up with), and the more relaxed pace makes it easier to savour each bite.

Various reading plans can be found by typing “bible reading plan” into Google, perhaps adding “3 year” to the search if you want to follow the long but very achievable route. Some plans use a mixture of old and new testament readings each day (for variety), while others finish one part before starting another (like the one I’m using, here). Some take you through in chronological order (which differs from the printed sequence), while others follow different sequences for different purposes. If you don’t have a bible, you can read it online, or have daily readings e-mailed to you. The choices are many!

Like any good book, a repeat reading reveals things that were missed the first time, and so I’ll be starting all over again on January 1st with a different translation, read in a different order. It’s the time of year for making new resolutions, so why not join me?