30-day Bible reading challenge: read Luke and Acts in a month, with a daily check-in question
Take the 30 day Bible reading challenge: Luke and Acts in a month, about 7 minutes a day, with one check-in question per day and an answer key with verses.
In this article
A 30-day Bible reading challenge is a commitment to read a set portion of Scripture every day for a month. This one covers the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, 52 chapters written by the same author, in about 7 minutes a day. Each day ends with one check-in question so you know the reading actually stuck. The answer key, with verse references, is at the bottom.
Luke and Acts make an ideal month. Together they tell one continuous story, from the birth of John the Baptist to Paul preaching in Rome, and both books are addressed to the same reader, Theophilus. You'll meet Jesus in the first 15 days and watch his followers carry his message from Jerusalem outward in the second 15.
The challenge is simple: read the day's chapters, answer the question from memory, then check yourself. No special Bible needed, no sign-up, no download.
The rules of the 30-day Bible challenge
- Read the day's chapters in one sitting. About 7 minutes on average at an adult reading speed of about 238 words per minute (British Psychological Society summary). The longest day (Luke 10–11) is about 10 minutes; the shortest (Acts 28) is under 4.
- Answer the check-in question without looking. Say it out loud or write it down.
- Check the answer key. If you missed it, find the verse and reread the paragraph around it.
- Write one sentence about what the reading showed you about God. Optional, but it's what turns a challenge into a habit.
- Missed a day? Don't double up. Read today's portion and catch up on the weekend.
Luke explains why he wrote, and it's a good reason to read carefully:
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
If you want a daily reminder, a streak and an automatic quiz after each reading, the app turns this challenge into a routine.
The 30-day challenge: daily readings and check-in questions
| Day | Read | Check-in question |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke 1 | What did Zacharias (Zechariah) write on a writing table when asked to name his son? |
| 2 | Luke 2–3 | How old was Jesus when he stayed behind in the temple in Jerusalem? |
| 3 | Luke 4–5 | Which prophet's book was handed to Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth? |
| 4 | Luke 6 | Where did the man who "digged deep" lay the foundation of his house? |
| 5 | Luke 7 | Whose faith made Jesus say he had not found so great faith, "no, not in Israel"? |
| 6 | Luke 8 | What was the name of the synagogue ruler whose daughter Jesus raised? |
| 7 | Luke 9 | About how many men were fed with five loaves and two fishes? |
| 8 | Luke 10–11 | In Jesus's parable, who stopped to help the man who fell among thieves? |
| 9 | Luke 12 | What did the rich fool plan to do with his barns? |
| 10 | Luke 13–14 | How many years had the woman Jesus healed been bowed together? |
| 11 | Luke 15–16 | How many sheep did the shepherd leave to look for the lost one? |
| 12 | Luke 17–18 | Of the ten lepers who were cleansed, how many came back to give thanks? |
| 13 | Luke 19–20 | What kind of tree did Zacchaeus climb to see Jesus? |
| 14 | Luke 21–22 | According to Jesus, what would not happen that day before Peter denied him three times? |
| 15 | Luke 23–24 | To what village were two disciples walking when the risen Jesus joined them? |
| 16 | Acts 1–2 | About how many people were added to the church on the day of Pentecost? |
| 17 | Acts 3–4 | What was the name of the temple gate where the lame man sat? |
| 18 | Acts 5–6 | Which husband and wife lied about the price of their land? |
| 19 | Acts 7 | At whose feet did the witnesses lay their clothes when Stephen was stoned? |
| 20 | Acts 8–9 | What was the name of the disciple in Damascus sent to Saul? |
| 21 | Acts 10–11 | In what city were the disciples first called Christians? |
| 22 | Acts 12–13 | What was the name of the girl who came to the door when Peter knocked? |
| 23 | Acts 14–15 | In which city were Barnabas and Paul called Jupiter and Mercurius? |
| 24 | Acts 16–17 | What did Lydia of Thyatira sell? |
| 25 | Acts 18–19 | What was the trade of Aquila and Priscilla, which Paul shared? |
| 26 | Acts 20–21 | Which young man fell asleep and fell from a window while Paul preached? |
| 27 | Acts 22–23 | What citizenship did Paul mention to stop a scourging? |
| 28 | Acts 24–25 | To whom did Paul appeal his case? |
| 29 | Acts 26–27 | How many people were on the ship in Acts 27? |
| 30 | Acts 28 | What was the name of the island where the shipwrecked crew came ashore? |
Total: 52 chapters. The days are balanced by length, which is why some days have two chapters and others have one. Day 30 is the shortest, so you have time to look back over the month.
Weekly reflection questions
Once a week, take five extra minutes with one of these. They work well for a small group, too.
| End of | Reflection question |
|---|---|
| Week 1 (day 7) | Luke 4:18 quotes Isaiah about good news to the poor. Who receives good news in Luke 1–9? |
| Week 2 (day 14) | Luke 15 has three stories about lost things. What do they say about how God sees people who wander? |
| Week 3 (day 21) | In Acts 1:8, Jesus names Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Where has the story reached by Acts 11? |
| Week 4 (day 28) | Paul faces mobs, trials and prison. What keeps him going, according to his own speeches? |
| Day 30 | What one change will you keep from this month? |
Acts 1:8 is the outline of the whole book:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Answer key
Try to answer from memory first. Every answer comes straight from the KJV text of that day's reading.
| Day | Answer | Verse |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "His name is John" | Luke 1:63 |
| 2 | Twelve years old | Luke 2:42 |
| 3 | Esaias (Isaiah) | Luke 4:17 |
| 4 | On a rock | Luke 6:48 |
| 5 | A centurion's | Luke 7:2-9 |
| 6 | Jairus | Luke 8:41 |
| 7 | About five thousand | Luke 9:14 |
| 8 | A Samaritan | Luke 10:33 |
| 9 | Pull them down and build greater ones | Luke 12:18 |
| 10 | Eighteen years | Luke 13:11 |
| 11 | Ninety and nine (99) | Luke 15:4 |
| 12 | One, a Samaritan | Luke 17:15-17 |
| 13 | A sycomore tree | Luke 19:4 |
| 14 | The cock (rooster) would not crow | Luke 22:34 |
| 15 | Emmaus | Luke 24:13 |
| 16 | About three thousand | Acts 2:41 |
| 17 | Beautiful | Acts 3:2 |
| 18 | Ananias and Sapphira | Acts 5:1 |
| 19 | Saul's | Acts 7:58 |
| 20 | Ananias | Acts 9:10 |
| 21 | Antioch | Acts 11:26 |
| 22 | Rhoda | Acts 12:13 |
| 23 | Lystra | Acts 14:8-12 |
| 24 | Purple (she was "a seller of purple") | Acts 16:14 |
| 25 | Tentmakers | Acts 18:3 |
| 26 | Eutychus (from the "third loft") | Acts 20:9 |
| 27 | Roman | Acts 22:25 |
| 28 | Caesar ("Cesar" in the KJV) | Acts 25:11 |
| 29 | 276 ("two hundred threescore and sixteen souls") | Acts 27:37 |
| 30 | Melita (Malta) | Acts 28:1 |
How did you do? If you got 25 or more right without checking, you read closely. If you got fewer than 15, don't worry: the questions are about details, and remembering details takes practice. Our guide on how to remember what you read in the Bible has techniques that help.
Why a daily check-in question helps
Reading without any check is easy to do on autopilot. You can finish a chapter and not remember who was in it. A single question at the end of each reading changes that, because you start reading for something.
There's a memory principle behind it, too. Psychologists call it the testing effect: long-term memory improves when you spend part of your learning time pulling information back out of memory, rather than just rereading it. You don't need a big quiz. One question a day is enough to make you read with attention.
The Bereans were commended for checking what they heard against the Scriptures "daily" (Acts 17:11). A daily question is a small version of the same habit.
Ways to do the challenge
On your own. Pick a time and keep it for 30 days. Morning works for many people because nothing has interrupted the day yet.
With a friend. Text each other the check-in answer every day. Whoever answers first gets bragging rights. If you both use Bible Academy, you can add each other as friends, see each other's weekly streak and send a word of encouragement on the day one of you slips.
As a church or small group. Start on the 1st of the month, meet each week to discuss the reflection question, and celebrate on day 30. Before you start, watch the free BibleProject overview videos for Luke and Acts together in the app, or read our Luke book summary and Acts book summary.
For beginners. This challenge is a good first step if you've never read a whole book of the Bible. If 7 minutes a day sounds like too much, start with one of our Bible reading plans for beginners at about 5 minutes a day.
After the challenge. Keep going with the rest of the New Testament. Our New Testament reading plan has 30, 60, 90 and 260-day versions, and our guide on how to stay consistent reading the Bible helps the habit outlast the month.
The 30-day challenge in Bible Academy
Bible Academy's reading plan takes you through the whole Bible at 1 to 5 chapters a day, with a calendar, a streak and your progress. After each reading you get a short quiz, and every answer is explained with the verse it comes from: the same check-in idea as this challenge, done automatically. The quiz path also covers every book, chapter, character and story at your level.
Many moments in this challenge have their own story pages with a quiz, like Zacchaeus, Pentecost and Paul's shipwreck. For a quiz every day after the challenge ends, see our guide to a daily Bible quiz.
Ready for a warm-up before day 1? Try three questions on Luke:
Quick quiz: Luke
To whom does Luke dedicate his Gospel?
Luke writes that it seemed good to him to set everything down “in order, most excellent Theophilus.” Luke 1:3
To whom does an angel announce the Savior’s birth on the very night Jesus is born in Bethlehem?
Shepherds were keeping watch over their flock by night when the angel told them: “unto you is born this day… a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:8–11
Which tree does Zacchaeus climb to see Jesus?
Being short, Zacchaeus “ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him.” Luke 19:4
There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start free, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 30-day Bible reading challenge?
A 30-day Bible reading challenge is a month-long commitment to read a set portion of the Bible every day. This version covers Luke and Acts, 52 chapters, in about 7 minutes a day, with one check-in question per day and an answer key with verse references so you can check what you remember.
What should I read for a 30-day Bible challenge?
Luke and Acts are an excellent choice: they're written by the same author to the same reader (Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1), tell one continuous story, and fit neatly into 30 days at about 1,670 words a day. Other good options are Mark and John (37 chapters) or Psalms and Proverbs.
Can a beginner do a 30-day Bible reading challenge?
Yes. This challenge takes about 7 minutes a day and starts with the life of Jesus, which is where most beginners do best. The check-in question gives each reading a clear goal. If 7 minutes feels like too much, a 30-day plan through Mark and John takes about 5 minutes a day.
How long does it take to read Luke and Acts?
Luke and Acts together are about 50,200 words in the KJV. At an average reading speed of about 238 words per minute, that's about 3.5 hours in total, or about 7 minutes a day over 30 days. Luke is the longer of the two by word count, though Acts has more chapters (28 versus 24).
What if I miss a day of the Bible challenge?
Don't read two days at once on a weekday. Read today's portion, and use a weekend to catch up on what you missed. If you fall more than a week behind, it's fine to simply extend the challenge; finishing on day 35 is far better than stopping on day 12.
How do I do a Bible reading challenge with my church?
Pick a start date (the 1st of a month is easiest), share the reading table, and ask everyone to answer the daily check-in question in a group chat. Meet once a week to discuss that week's reflection question, and mark day 30 together. Everyone reads the same chapters, so conversations start from a shared place.