Ways of Reading the Bible by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
So you want to read the Bible? That’s great!
But where do you begin? And how do you proceed?
Since the Bible is not like most other books, simply starting at the beginning and trying to read all the way to the end (from Genesis to Revelation) is probably not the best way to proceed for most people. If you attempt this, you might find the books of Genesis and Exodus rather familiar and/or interesting, but you'll probably get confused by Leviticus, may get bored plowing through Numbers, and might quit even before finishing Deuteronomy.
If you are a Christian, you might be tempted to skip the Old Testament and jump right into the Gospels. But this also is not the best approach, since you might be disturbed by the many discrepancies between the four Gospels, bewildered by the complex theology of Paul’s letters, confused by the imagery of Hebrews, and again quit before you get to the end of Revelation.
So how should you go about reading the Bible? No one plan is best for everyone, but different people might find various methods helpful, especially since each reader may have a vastly different goal (spiritual, academic, social, etc.) in reading the Bible. Thus, some people may choose to read short selections from the scriptures daily or weekly, following the Lectionary or liturgical cycle of their Church. Others might wish to follow a one-year plan (or a multi-year plan) for reading every book of the Old and New Testaments, but not necessarily in biblical order. Still others will want to read one biblical book at a time in depth, either on their own, or with the help of commentaries, or in a Bible Study group, or in an academic course.
By now there are many resources, both online and in print, which can help you read, pray, and/or study the Bible. This webpage is not intended to be comprehensive, but merely to provide some suggestions and resources, especially for your own spiritual nourishment or small prayer groups. Below is also an introduction to Lectio Divina, an ancient method of reading and praying with the scriptures that is being rediscovered today.
Plans for Choosing Which Biblical Texts to Read
1) Liturgical/Lectionary Approach:
Many people find it good to read the short biblical selections that are used at daily and/or Sunday Mass, as found in the Lectionary for Mass.
Readings for daily and Sunday Masses are available on the US Catholic Bishops’ website: http://www.usccb.org/nab/
To help guide you, several Catholic publishers put out monthly and/or seasonal booklets with the liturgical readings, along with commentaries, prayers, and/or study aides:
Catholic Scripture Study - brief weekly studies on the current liturgical readings; various other resources and helpful links; by Vince Contreras
The American Bible Society also produces an annual Daily Bible Reading Guide, suggesting one short reading per day (partly following the liturgical calendar, but not always).
Some people want to read the whole Bible from beginning to end (from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation).
Such plans require reading thirty or more minutes each day, or one or more chapters each day, throughout the year.
This is probably not the best method for beginners, since the Old Testament (OT) is so long and many parts of it are quite difficult;
but it could be a good practice for people who are already familiar with much of the Bible, and wish to see how it all fits together.
Various plans for reading the whole Bible in one or more years are available in print or online:
Daily Scripture and Catechism Devotional – a downloadable brochure of a one-year plan that anyone can begin at any time, with four readings suggested for each day: two selections from the OT, one from the NT, and one from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; by the "Coming Home Network"
Most other online reading plans and printed "One-Year Bibles" are based on Protestant editions of the Bible, which do not include the Deuterocanonical books considered canonical by Catholics and Orthodox Christians (for explanation of the differences, see my Comparative Chart of Various Editions of the Bible).
The One-Year Bible OnLine - four readings suggested for each day: one each from the OT, the NT, the Psalsms, and the Proverbs (from Tyndale House Publishers)
Zondervan Bible Reading Plan - suggests a variety of different "reading plans" for beginning, intermediate, and advanced readers of the Bible; see esp. their "Three-Track Plan": Track 1 provides a brief introduction to the Bible; Track 2 covers a sample 186 chapters of the Bible; Track 3 is a three-year plan for reading the entire Bible (again, the Protestant OT, not including the Deuterocanonical books); some of this material is also online at ChristianBook.com
3) Christo-centric Approach:
One could also read one biblical book at a time, but focusing on Jesus and seeing the relation of all the books to Jesus.
Begin with one of the Gospels, for the basic story about Jesus (start with Mark, the oldest & shortest Gospel).
Then read some NT letters, followed by another Gospel; then the Acts of the Apostles, and more NT letters; then also some OT books, to learn about the history, culture, and theology of the Jewish people.
You may want to read OT or NT books around the time when they occur in the Lectionary for Mass (see above).
There are many good published commentaries on each book or section of the Bible, to help guide your study and reflection:
40 for God.com - downloadable podcasts of the New Testament, from the American Bible Society
The Bible in 90 Days (not including the Deuterocanonical Books) - a church-based program, from Zondervan
Bible Reading Tips - from the "Bible Resource Center" of the American Bible Society
A Brief Introduction to Lectio Divina:
Overview:
Lectio Divinais a "Vital Encounter with the Lord"
It is not just "Bible Study," nor a mere religious discussion based on the scriptures.
It is meant to be enlivening, existential, transformative, and uniting.
Lectio Divina is not just for monks and religious, but for all believers; it can be done by individuals or in groups:
Individuals: use and adapt Lectio Divina flexibly to one’s own needs and style
Groups: provide a regular pattern to build openness and trust in a community
“The Church in America should give high priority to prayerful reflection upon the Sacred Scripture by all the faithful. This Bible reading, accompanied by prayer, is known in the tradition of the Church by the name Lectio Divina, a practice that should be encouraged among all Christians.” (John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, 1999, p. 31)
Lectio Divina Process: (flexibly adapt the following steps, as needed, for individuals and groups)
Reading (lectio) – hearing God’s Word in the Bible as I/we read it aloud
What does the biblical text say?
Meditation (meditatio) – reflecting on the meaning of the text that I/we have read
What is God saying to me/us through this text?
Prayer (oratio) – speaking with God in praise, thanksgiving, contrition, and petition
What do I/we say to God in response to this text?
Contemplation (contemplatio) – listening to God more quietly in the silence of our hearts
How does this text make me/us feel in my/our relationship with God?
Action (actio) – letting the encounter concretely affect our daily life and work
in the world
How will I/we change what I/we do today in response to hearing this text?
Prayer Framework:
All extended prayer experiences, including Lectio Divina, could be enhanced by a few simple steps of Preparation and Conclusion:
Preparation
Choose an appropriate time and place for your period of prayer.
Become aware that you are always in the presence of a loving God.
Thank God for creating you, loving you, adopting you as God's own child.
Ask God for an increase in faith, hope, love, or any other grace you may need.
Main Prayer Period
Use whichever style or method you have chosen for your prayer: Lectio Divina, Meditation, Contemplation, Centering Prayer, etc.
Keep in mind that prayer, at its core, is relationship and communication with God; so it involves both speaking and listening to God.
Conclusion
As you end your prayer period, reflect on what you have just experienced (key thoughts, feelings, interior movements).
Thank God for giving you this time and opportunity to encounter and communicate with God, your loving Father.
Speak aloud a short concluding prayer, such as the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, a prayer by your favorite saint, etc.
Decide or recall when and where you will pray the next time, so you can look forward to another encounter with God.
Resources:
Encounter with the Bible / Encuentro con la Biblia:
Manual to implement the Lectio Divina in your Parish (2005) - a bilingual publication; available from the American Bible Society: Ministerios Latinos.
Encounter with the Bible: Lectio Divina method, Pratice Book / Encuentro con la Biblia: Método Lectio Divina, Libro de prácticas (2007) - also from the ABS.
– contains 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year plans; by Carmen Rojas (only in print, not online)