Bible in a year reading plan: a 52-week KJV plan with 2027 dates
A free Bible in a year reading plan with 2027 dates: Old and New Testament every week, balanced to about 9 minutes a day in the KJV. Print it or use the app.
In this article
- How this plan works
- How to split each week into days
- The 2027 Bible in a year plan (52 weeks)
- Where you'll be each quarter
- Before you start: five tips that help you finish
- Starting late, or on a different date?
- How this plan compares with other one-year plans
- Why read the whole Bible in a year?
- Using this plan with Bible Academy
- Frequently asked questions
A Bible in a year reading plan takes you through all 1,189 chapters in 365 days, about 3.26 chapters a day. The 52-week plan below, dated for 2027, pairs an Old Testament portion with five New Testament chapters each week, and balances the Old Testament by length, so every week takes about an hour of reading in the KJV, or roughly 9 minutes a day.
Most one-year plans split the Bible by chapters. That sounds fair, but chapters aren't equal: Psalm 117 has 33 words and Psalm 119 about 2,450, by our count. So chapter-based plans swing between 2-minute days and 20-minute days. This plan splits the Old Testament by actual reading length instead.
You can print the table, check off each week, and start on January 1, 2027, or on any other day. If you'd rather not print anything, there's also an app option at the end.
How this plan works
This is a blended plan. Every week you read in both testaments:
- New Testament: 5 chapters a week. The New Testament has exactly 260 chapters, and 52 times 5 is 260. That's one New Testament chapter on each of five days. You'll read Matthew in January and February and finish Revelation in December.
- Old Testament: about one-fiftieth of the reading each week. The Old Testament has 929 chapters, but they vary widely in length. We split it at chapter breaks so each week has roughly the same number of words (about 10,400 to 13,400 words, about 11,750 on average).
The result: some weeks have 11 Old Testament chapters (long ones in Kings or Ezekiel) and some have 43 (short psalms). But the time it takes stays steady, around an hour a week.
All counts come from the King James Version text in our app. Reading times use an average adult silent reading speed of 238 words per minute, from a 2019 meta-analysis by Marc Brysbaert. If you read aloud or slowly, add about a third.
Prefer an app to a printout? Bible Academy's reading plan gives you a calendar, a streak and a short quiz after each reading.
How to split each week into days
The table gives you a week at a time, which makes it flexible. Here's how week 1 splits into seven days:
| Day | Date | Old Testament | New Testament | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fri, Jan 1 | Genesis 1–3 | Matthew 1 | about 11 |
| 2 | Sat, Jan 2 | Genesis 4–6 | Matthew 2 | about 10 |
| 3 | Sun, Jan 3 | Genesis 7–9 | Matthew 3 | about 9 |
| 4 | Mon, Jan 4 | Genesis 10–12 | Matthew 4 | about 9 |
| 5 | Tue, Jan 5 | Genesis 13–15 | Matthew 5 | about 11 |
| 6 | Wed, Jan 6 | Genesis 16–17 | (none) | about 5 |
| 7 | Thu, Jan 7 | Genesis 18–19 | (none) | about 8 |
A simple rule for every week: divide the Old Testament portion into seven roughly equal parts, and read one New Testament chapter on five of the seven days. Or, if your weekends are busy, read everything Monday to Friday. Either way, finish the week's row before the next one starts.
The 2027 Bible in a year plan (52 weeks)
"Minutes" is the total silent reading time for the whole week, in the KJV.
| Week | Dates (2027) | Old Testament | New Testament | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 1–7 | Genesis 1–19 | Matthew 1–5 | 63 |
| 2 | Jan 8–14 | Genesis 20–31 | Matthew 6–10 | 63 |
| 3 | Jan 15–21 | Genesis 32–46 | Matthew 11–15 | 72 |
| 4 | Jan 22–28 | Genesis 47–50, Exodus 1–12 | Matthew 16–20 | 68 |
| 5 | Jan 29–Feb 4 | Exodus 13–26 | Matthew 21–25 | 65 |
| 6 | Feb 5–11 | Exodus 27–39 | Matthew 26–28, Mark 1–2 | 70 |
| 7 | Feb 12–18 | Exodus 40, Leviticus 1–13 | Mark 3–7 | 69 |
| 8 | Feb 19–25 | Leviticus 14–25 | Mark 8–12 | 70 |
| 9 | Feb 26–Mar 4 | Leviticus 26–27, Numbers 1–9 | Mark 13–16, Luke 1 | 73 |
| 10 | Mar 5–11 | Numbers 10–22 | Luke 2–6 | 72 |
| 11 | Mar 12–18 | Numbers 23–36, Deuteronomy 1 | Luke 7–11 | 80 |
| 12 | Mar 19–25 | Deuteronomy 2–14 | Luke 12–16 | 66 |
| 13 | Mar 26–Apr 1 | Deuteronomy 15–28 | Luke 17–21 | 65 |
| 14 | Apr 2–8 | Deuteronomy 29–34, Joshua 1–10 | Luke 22–24, John 1–2 | 78 |
| 15 | Apr 9–15 | Joshua 11–24 | John 3–7 | 67 |
| 16 | Apr 16–22 | Judges 1–13 | John 8–12 | 72 |
| 17 | Apr 23–29 | Judges 14–21, Ruth, 1 Samuel 1–2 | John 13–17 | 64 |
| 18 | Apr 30–May 6 | 1 Samuel 3–17 | John 18–21, Acts 1 | 69 |
| 19 | May 7–13 | 1 Samuel 18–31, 2 Samuel 1 | Acts 2–6 | 65 |
| 20 | May 14–20 | 2 Samuel 2–15 | Acts 7–11 | 69 |
| 21 | May 21–27 | 2 Samuel 16–24, 1 Kings 1–2 | Acts 12–16 | 67 |
| 22 | May 28–Jun 3 | 1 Kings 3–13 | Acts 17–21 | 68 |
| 23 | Jun 4–10 | 1 Kings 14–22, 2 Kings 1–3 | Acts 22–26 | 67 |
| 24 | Jun 11–17 | 2 Kings 4–15 | Acts 27–28, Romans 1–3 | 65 |
| 25 | Jun 18–24 | 2 Kings 16–25, 1 Chronicles 1–4 | Romans 4–8 | 64 |
| 26 | Jun 25–Jul 1 | 1 Chronicles 5–21 | Romans 9–13 | 62 |
| 27 | Jul 2–8 | 1 Chronicles 22–29, 2 Chronicles 1–8 | Romans 14–16, 1 Corinthians 1–2 | 59 |
| 28 | Jul 9–15 | 2 Chronicles 9–26 | 1 Corinthians 3–7 | 62 |
| 29 | Jul 16–22 | 2 Chronicles 27–36, Ezra 1–4 | 1 Corinthians 8–12 | 60 |
| 30 | Jul 23–29 | Ezra 5–10, Nehemiah 1–9 | 1 Corinthians 13–16, 2 Corinthians 1 | 64 |
| 31 | Jul 30–Aug 5 | Nehemiah 10–13, Esther, Job 1–6 | 2 Corinthians 2–6 | 58 |
| 32 | Aug 6–12 | Job 7–34 | 2 Corinthians 7–11 | 60 |
| 33 | Aug 13–19 | Job 35–42, Psalms 1–31 | 2 Corinthians 12–13, Galatians 1–3 | 60 |
| 34 | Aug 20–26 | Psalms 32–69 | Galatians 4–6, Ephesians 1–2 | 60 |
| 35 | Aug 27–Sep 2 | Psalms 70–105 | Ephesians 3–6, Philippians 1 | 61 |
| 36 | Sep 3–9 | Psalms 106–148 | Philippians 2–4, Colossians 1–2 | 61 |
| 37 | Sep 10–16 | Psalms 149–150, Proverbs 1–24 | Colossians 3–4, 1 Thessalonians 1–3 | 57 |
| 38 | Sep 17–23 | Proverbs 25–31, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon | 1 Thessalonians 4–5, 2 Thessalonians | 57 |
| 39 | Sep 24–30 | Isaiah 1–22 | 1 Timothy 1–5 | 56 |
| 40 | Oct 1–7 | Isaiah 23–42 | 1 Timothy 6, 2 Timothy | 60 |
| 41 | Oct 8–14 | Isaiah 43–63 | Titus, Philemon, Hebrews 1 | 55 |
| 42 | Oct 15–21 | Isaiah 64–66, Jeremiah 1–13 | Hebrews 2–6 | 58 |
| 43 | Oct 22–28 | Jeremiah 14–29 | Hebrews 7–11 | 64 |
| 44 | Oct 29–Nov 4 | Jeremiah 30–42 | Hebrews 12–13, James 1–3 | 58 |
| 45 | Nov 5–11 | Jeremiah 43–52, Lamentations 1–3 | James 4–5, 1 Peter 1–3 | 62 |
| 46 | Nov 12–18 | Lamentations 4–5, Ezekiel 1–16 | 1 Peter 4–5, 2 Peter | 60 |
| 47 | Nov 19–25 | Ezekiel 17–29 | 1 John | 58 |
| 48 | Nov 26–Dec 2 | Ezekiel 30–43 | 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation 1–2 | 63 |
| 49 | Dec 3–9 | Ezekiel 44–48, Daniel 1–6 | Revelation 3–7 | 56 |
| 50 | Dec 10–16 | Daniel 7–12, Hosea, Joel 1–2 | Revelation 8–12 | 61 |
| 51 | Dec 17–23 | Joel 3, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk 1–2 | Revelation 13–17 | 62 |
| 52 | Dec 24–31 | Habakkuk 3, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi | Revelation 18–22 | 62 |
A few notes on the table:
- Spring brings the history books. Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Samuel are full of stories. If you've ever stalled in Leviticus (weeks 7 to 9), keep going: the pace picks up.
- Late summer is the Psalms. Weeks 33 to 37 cover the whole book of Psalms, up to 43 chapters in a single week. Don't let the chapter count scare you; most psalms are short.
- Fall is the prophets. Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel take weeks 39 to 49. An overview video before each book helps enormously here.
- Christmas week ends with Revelation 18 to 22 and the last of the minor prophets, including Malachi.
Where you'll be each quarter
| By the end of | Old Testament | New Testament |
|---|---|---|
| March (week 13) | Through Deuteronomy 28 | Matthew, Mark, Luke 1–21 |
| June (week 26) | Through 1 Chronicles 21 | Gospels, Acts, Romans 1–13 |
| September (week 39) | Through Isaiah 22 | Through 1 Timothy 5 |
| December (week 52) | Malachi | Revelation |
Before you start: five tips that help you finish
- Pick your daily slot now. Nine minutes fits into a morning coffee, a commute or a lunch break. Our guide on how to read the Bible in a year has more on building the habit and the places most readers stall.
- Preview each new book. A one-page summary and a short video make long or unfamiliar books much easier. Before week 7, read our summary of Leviticus. Before week 39, read the Isaiah summary.
- Keep a tracker visible. Print this page, or use our printable Bible reading tracker, and check off each week.
- Check what you remember. At the end of each book, try a quick quiz. Here's one for Genesis, which you'll finish in week 4:
Quick quiz: Genesis
How long did the rain of the flood fall on the earth?
“The rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.” The hundred and fifty days are the time the waters prevailed upon the earth (7:24). Genesis 7:12
What did the LORD count to Abram as righteousness?
“He believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” This comes before circumcision, which does not appear until chapter 17. Genesis 15:6
What new name does Jacob receive after his wrestling at the ford of the Jabbok?
“Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast struggled with God and with men.” Edom is Esau’s nickname (36:1). Genesis 32:28
There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start free, no card needed.
- Decide your catch-up rule. Most people miss some days. The light weeks (like weeks 39 and 41, at about 55 minutes) are good catch-up weeks. Our guide for when you've fallen behind on a Bible reading plan has more options.
Starting late, or on a different date?
You don't have to start on January 1. Use the week numbers instead of the dates: start at week 1 on any day you like, and read one row a week. You'll finish 52 weeks later.
If you want to start mid-year and still finish by December 31, you'll need to read more each week. For example, starting in February with 48 weeks left means reading 52 rows in 48 weeks, roughly one extra row every 12 weeks, or about 10 minutes a day instead of 9. The table in how many chapters a day to read the Bible in a year shows the daily load for other timelines.
How this plan compares with other one-year plans
| Plan type | What you read each day | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| This plan (blended, length-balanced) | An OT portion plus one NT chapter on most days | Even daily time; the Gospels in January | Two bookmarks |
| Cover to cover | Genesis to Revelation in order, about 3 to 4 chapters | Simplest to follow | No New Testament until about October |
| Chronological | Passages in the order events happened | History and prophets fit together | Plans differ on dating; lots of jumping |
| M'Cheyne (1842) | Four readings a day | NT and Psalms twice a year | Heavier load |
If the order of events matters most to you, see our chronological Bible reading plan. For a seasonal start, our Bible reading plan for 2027 covers New Year options.
Why read the whole Bible in a year?
Reading the whole Bible lets you see the story Scripture tells from beginning to end, the promises in Genesis and their answer in the Gospels, the kings and the prophets who spoke to them, and the letters that explain what Jesus did. Reading only favorite passages can't show you that.
God told Joshua to keep the book of the law close every day, not just once:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
And the believers in Berea were praised for doing exactly this kind of daily, careful reading:
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
You can read more about them in our story of the Jews of Berea who examined the Scriptures. A one-year plan is one practical way to search the Scriptures daily.
Using this plan with Bible Academy
The table on this page is free to use on paper. If you'd like an app to handle the tracking, know one thing first: Bible Academy's reading plan doesn't load this exact table. You pick a pace of 1 to 5 chapters a day, and it takes you through all 66 books, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses with a calendar, a streak and your progress. Choose 3 chapters a day, adding a fourth on some days, for roughly a one-year pace, or 4 a day to finish in about 10 months.
After each reading there's a short quiz, and every answer is explained with the verse it comes from. You can read in the KJV or the ASV, offline, with highlights and notes, and watch the free BibleProject overview video before each book. You can also browse all 66 book summaries on our site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Bible in a year reading plan?
The best plan is the one you'll keep. A blended plan, with some Old Testament and some New Testament each week, gives variety and puts you in the Gospels from the first day. This plan also balances the Old Testament by length, so each week takes about an hour in the KJV. Cover-to-cover and chronological plans are good alternatives if you prefer reading in order.
How many chapters a day is a one-year Bible reading plan?
About 3.26 chapters a day, because the Bible has 1,189 chapters. In this plan, you read five New Testament chapters a week (one on each of five days) plus an Old Testament portion that varies from 11 to 43 chapters a week depending on chapter length. That keeps the daily time at about 8 to 11 minutes of silent reading in the KJV.
How long does a Bible in a year plan take each day?
About 9 minutes a day of silent reading, on average, in this plan. Each week takes between about 55 and 80 minutes, averaging about 64, based on our word count of the KJV text and an average adult reading speed of 238 words per minute. If you read aloud, pause to reflect or take notes, plan on 12 to 15 minutes a day.
Can I start a one-year Bible reading plan in the middle of the year?
Yes. Ignore the dates and use the week numbers: start at week 1 on any day and read one row a week, and you'll finish 52 weeks later. If you want to finish by December 31 anyway, read slightly more than one row a week, about one extra row for every 12 weeks, and use the lighter weeks to catch up.
Is this Bible reading plan for the KJV only?
The reading times are calculated from the King James Version, but the plan works with any translation, because chapter numbers are the same in almost all English Bibles. Modern translations may take slightly more or less time per week. The American Standard Version of 1901, for example, has a word count very close to the KJV's.