How to Develop a Habit of Daily Bible Reading

1. Buy a Quality Study Bible for Your Daily Bible Reading

Jesus Christ has greatly blessed his church with the teachers (and editors) who contributed to the study Bibles below. These resources will help you fight against biblical illiteracy and fight for a deeper knowledge of God as revealed in the Bible, both in your own and others’ lives.

  1. ESV Study Bible

  2. NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible

  3. CSB Study Bible

The study notes in the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible are the best (though the font sizes in the Bible are a bit small for my eyes), but each of the Bibles listed above is exceptional. I use the CSB version of the Bible when I teach and write (since it is so accessible), but I prefer the ESV for my personal Bible reading and study. It’s hard to go wrong with these resources.

If you teach God’s Word regularly (whether in small groups or other contexts), consider buying two or more of these study Bibles as an investment in your own development as a teacher, which will then immediately benefit those you teach. I don’t know of anything that will improve the quality of your teaching more quickly than using resources like these as part of your preparation.

The printed versions are a bit heavy to carry around, so perhaps you want to buy electronic versions (e.g. Kindle) or simply use the printed versions while you are at home. Or, if you think I am being a wimp, carry them around with you—to church, at the grocery store, while jogging. You can do it.

If you use a quality study Bible for your daily Bible reading (see below), you can easily glance down at the study notes if something you read is unclear to you or if you simply want more detailed information.

2. Select and Follow a Bible Reading Plan

Familiarize yourself with websites that outline various Bible reading plans, like Bible Plan, where you can choose a plan and receive daily emails. Or see here and here. An excellent goal is to read the entire Bible in a year, which takes 15–20 minutes a day. When you finish, make the same goal again—to read the entire Bible one year.

If you are unfamiliar with the Bible, or if 15–20 minutes a day seems overwhelming to you, commit yourself to reading at least one chapter per day of the New Testament (starting in Matthew) and work your way straight through to the end of the Bible. You will finish the New Testament in less than a year.

Regardless of the plan you follow, ask a fellow Christian to follow the same plan—to read the same chapters on the same days as you. Then consider meeting with that person to discuss and pray about what you read.

When I read the Bible, I ask specific questions to help me draw out the text’s meaning. Read the questions in the section on “Bible Intake” in my article How to Develop a Habit of Daily Prayer. The questions are simple, but they will get you started.

Remember that Bible reading and prayer often flow together. God speaks to us through his Word, and then we pray. God speaks some more, and then we pray some more. In that way, although Bible intake and prayer are distinct, we should never artificially separate what God wants to keep together—active communication between the Creator (through his Word) and his creatures.

For Reflection and Discussion

  1. What are the advantages of owning a quality study Bible?

  2. Review point #2 above. What Bible reading plan do you want to follow?

  3. Is there anyone you want to ask to follow the same reading plan with you? If so, who will you ask?