The Best Chronological Bible Reading Plan

…for reading the Bible in Chronological order in 2023!

If you are searching for chronological Bible reading plans then you need to know they are not all the same! You may be wondering why a Bible in chronological order could be different if they’re all supposed to follow the biblical timeline. Well, here is the big news… they don’t all follow the Bible timeline. Keep reading to find out what is the best way to read through the Bible chronologically or check out our favorite chronological Bible reading app.

Approaches for Biblical Timelines

When a plan is created for reading the Bible chronologically there are several different philosophies used for constructing the order. Some plans focus on the order the events occurred. Others use the order in which the books were understood to be written. Since the ordering of both of these can be disputed, we have lots of variations on chronological Bible reading plans. To further add to the mix, some of the best Bible reading plans combine the Old Testament timeline with parallel New Testament passages.

Should you read the Bible using a chronological plan?

Reading the Bible chronologically is all about understanding its message in the context of the over-all Bible story. For instance, when reading the Bible in chronological order you will read the Psalms David wrote in the context of what was happening in his life. So Psalm 51 will get paired with 2 Samuel 12 which shed great light on his repentance after sinning with Bathsheba. An example of this can be seen by reading day 366 and 367 of this plan. Likewise, Amos gets placed around 2 Kings 14 and 15 which helps you understand the time period of what was going on in Israel and Judah when he prophesied (click here to read Amos and 2 Kings together).

Downsides do exist when using some chronological Bible reading plans. The biggest issue is that they break up the Bible books so much that you lose the context of the book itself. This happens because the plans are trying to maintain the narrative of the Bible timeline across several books. One particular chronological Bible reading plan that fixed this problem was created by Bible Study Together. Their plan purposefully leaves certain books of the Bible together if they felt like breaking them up removes the context in which they are written.

Bible Context on Steroids

Are you looking to read the Bible in chronological order? If so, chances are you want to better understand the context of how the whole Bible fits together. Most chronological Bible reading plans do this to some degree. The plan created by Bible Study Together takes this to a whole new level. This reading plan puts the Old Testament timeline in chronological order. Then it inserts New Testament parallel passages alongside the Old Testament chronology. The result is that you get to see how the Old Testament is explained and fulfilled in the New Testament while you daily read through the Bible. All this is done without breaking up the context of Paul’s letters so that you can still follow his logic. Examples include the story of Abraham and Isaac and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. If you are looking to better understand the context of the Bible, Bible Study Together’s Chronological Cross-Reference Bible Reading Plan is the best one for you!

Lots of Reading Plan Options

When considering which chronological Bible reading plan you want to use, you should consider what reading tools accompany it. Bible Study Together offers the broadest set of accompanied resources keyed specifically toward their plan. They have high-quality glossy booklets with the whole reading plan, printable pdf study journals with open-ended questions about each day’s reading, and an impressive Bible reading app. The app is more than just a Bible reading tool with a built-in audio Bible, it also features prayer tools for daily prayer, and a whole social private groups feature so you can pray and read the Bible with your friends. No matter how you like to read, Bible Study Together has you covered.