Where to start reading the Bible: the best first book for what you want

For most people, the best place to start reading the Bible is the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of John, because they introduce Jesus, the center of the whole Bible, in a few short hours. But the right first book depends on what you want: Genesis for the big story, Proverbs for daily wisdom, Psalms for prayer, Luke if you're skeptical, and Acts if you want to know how the church began.

The Bible isn't meant to be started at page one like a novel. It's a library of 66 books, arranged by type rather than by date. So instead of asking "what comes first?", ask "what am I looking for?" and start where that's answered most directly.

Below, pick your goal, and you'll get a first book, how long it takes to read, and what to read next. Reading times are computed from the King James Version text at an average adult speed of 238 words per minute.

Choose where to start by your goal

Find the line closest to what you want right now. You can always change direction.

Each goal is explained below, with a link to the book's summary page so you know what you're walking into.

If you want to know Jesus: start with Mark (or John)

Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels and the fastest-moving. It opens with Jesus already an adult and keeps going: healings, parables, conflict, the cross, the empty tomb. In the KJV it has 15,166 words, about an hour of reading in total. One chapter a day takes about four minutes and finishes in just over two weeks.

John is slower and more reflective. Instead of many short scenes, it gives long conversations: with Nicodemus at night, with a Samaritan woman at a well, with the disciples the night before the cross. John even tells you why he wrote:

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Pick Mark if you want the story. Pick John if you want to sit with the questions. Read the Mark summary or the John summary first for two minutes of background.

Whichever Gospel you pick, the app's Bible reader has the full KJV and ASV text, works offline, and lets you highlight and keep notes as you go, so your first questions stay next to the verses that raised them.

If you want the big story: start with Genesis 1–12

Genesis is the right first book if you want to understand the world the rest of the Bible assumes: creation, the first disobedience, the flood, the scattering of the nations at Babel, and God's promise to Abram in chapter 12.

The first twelve chapters take about 31 minutes in total. That's a good stopping point: chapter 12 is where the story narrows from all humanity to one family, through whom "all families of the earth" will be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

From there, read a Gospel to see where the story goes. Then come back for Exodus 1–20, the rescue from Egypt and the giving of the law, about an hour of reading. For background, see the Genesis summary and our overview of the Bible story.

One caution: if you keep reading straight through Genesis into Exodus and then Leviticus, the story slows down a lot. That's not a problem with you. It's why most beginners do better switching to a Gospel after Genesis.

If you're skeptical: start with Luke

Luke is written like a historian's report. He says he has gathered eyewitness accounts and set them down "in order," so that his reader can know "the certainty" of what he was taught:

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 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.

It's the longest of the Gospels, about 1 hour 49 minutes at average speed, and full of details: named rulers, places, dates. It also has many of Jesus' best-known parables, like the good Samaritan and the prodigal son, which only Luke records. The same author wrote Acts, so the two make a natural pair. See the Luke summary.

If you want wisdom for everyday life: start with Proverbs

Proverbs is short sayings about work, money, words, friendship, anger and family. It has 31 chapters, so a simple plan is one chapter a day for a month, matching the date. The average chapter takes about two minutes.

Read Proverbs as wisdom, not as promises. Most proverbs describe how life generally works, which is why some seem to pull in different directions. The book's foundation comes in its first chapter: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7).

After Proverbs, read James. It's five chapters, about 10 minutes, and it's practical wisdom from the New Testament: "be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22). See the Proverbs summary and the James summary.

Quick quiz: Genesis

How long did the rain of the flood fall on the earth?

7 days40 days150 days120 days

What did the LORD count to Abram as righteousness?

His circumcision at 99The tithe given to MelchizedekHis trust in the LORDHis departure for Canaan

What new name does Jacob receive after his wrestling at the ford of the Jabbok?

IsraelEdomBenjaminAbraham

Continue the quiz

There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start free, no card needed.

If you want to learn to pray: start with a few Psalms

The Psalms are prayers and songs, and they cover the whole range of feeling: joy, fear, guilt, anger, grief and thanks. They're the best place to start if you're in a hard season or don't know how to talk to God.

Don't read all 150 at once (about 3 hours). Start with these seven, about 8 minutes together:

• Psalm 1: two ways to live.
• Psalm 23: the Lord as shepherd.
• Psalm 27: courage when afraid.
• Psalm 46: "Be still, and know that I am God."
• Psalm 51: a prayer after failure.
• Psalm 103: thanks for God's mercy.
• Psalm 139: being fully known.

Read one a day, slowly, then pray it back in your own words. Browse more in the Psalms summary.

If you want to know how the church began: start with Acts

Acts picks up where the Gospels end: Jesus ascends, the Spirit comes at Pentecost, and a small group in Jerusalem grows into churches across the Roman world. Its plan is laid out in its first chapter:

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.

It reads like an adventure: arrests, escapes, a shipwreck. And it gives context for the letters, since many of them were written to churches founded in Acts. After Acts, read Philippians (about 9 minutes) or Romans (about 40 minutes). See the Acts summary.

If you want to understand what Christians believe: a Gospel, then Romans

Romans is often called the fullest explanation of the Christian message in the Bible: sin, grace, faith, and life in the Spirit. It's dense, so read a Gospel first so you know the story Paul is explaining. At 16 chapters it takes about 40 minutes, but most people read it more slowly. See the Romans summary.

If you want a short, complete story today: Ruth or Jonah

Not ready for a long book? Read a whole one tonight.

• Ruth (4 chapters, about 11 minutes): loyalty, loss and an unexpected family line that leads to King David. See Ruth and Boaz.
• Jonah (4 chapters, about 6 minutes): a prophet who runs from God, and a God who cares even for the enemy city. See Jonah and Nineveh.
• Esther (10 chapters, about 24 minutes): palace intrigue and courage, in a book that never uses the word "God."

Finishing a whole book, even a small one, builds confidence for longer ones.

Where not to start (yet)

Every part of the Bible is worth reading. Some parts are just much easier once you know the story.

If you do want to read everything in order, that's a valid choice too. Our guide to what order to read the Bible in compares canonical, chronological and blended orders, each with a plan. And BibleProject has free animated overviews of every book, which help a lot before the harder ones.

How to make the first book stick

Picking the right book is half of it. The other half is how you read it.

1. Read the summary first. Two minutes on who wrote it and why saves confusion later. Each book summary on this site covers that.
2. Read one chapter a day, twice. Once for the flow, once slowly.
3. Ask three questions. What does this show me about God? About people? What should I believe or do?
4. Finish the book before you switch. Jumping between books every few days makes everything blur.
5. Test yourself at the end. A few quiz questions show what you kept. Try the Mark quiz or the John quiz.

For the full method and a day-by-day 30-day path, read how to read the Bible for beginners. If you'd like a plan that continues after your first book, see the Bible reading plan for beginners, and for a book you want to go deeper in, how to study a book of the Bible.

When one book has turned into a habit, the app's reading plan carries you through the rest of the Bible at 1 to 5 chapters a day, with a calendar, a streak and a short quiz after each reading.

Frequently asked questions

What book of the Bible should I read first?

Most people should read the Gospel of Mark first. It's the shortest Gospel, with 16 chapters that take about an hour in total, and it introduces Jesus, who is the center of the Bible. If you prefer reflection to action, start with John. If you want the big story from the beginning, read Genesis 1–12 first, then a Gospel.

Should I start reading the Bible with Genesis or Matthew?

Either can work, but many beginners do better starting with a Gospel. Genesis gives the beginning of the story, but reading on into Exodus and Leviticus slows down quickly. Matthew opens with a genealogy and quotes the Old Testament often, which is easier once you know some of it. Mark or John is the gentlest Gospel to start with.

Where should a new Christian start reading the Bible?

A new Christian can start with the Gospel of John, which explains who Jesus is and what it means to believe in Him, then read Acts to see how the first Christians lived, and Philippians or Romans to understand the faith. Add a Psalm a day for prayer. A church small group or mentor makes this much easier.

Should I read the Old Testament or the New Testament first?

For most beginners, the New Testament first, starting with a Gospel. It's shorter (260 chapters against 929) and focuses on Jesus, which gives a lens for reading the Old Testament. But reading Genesis 1–12 early helps, since the New Testament assumes you know about creation, Abraham and Israel.

Is it OK to skip around when reading the Bible?

Yes, especially at first. The Bible is a library of 66 books, and reading the books that answer your questions first is a good way in. The main risk is reading random verses without context. Choose one book, finish it, then choose the next. Later, a full reading plan will help you cover the parts you skipped.

What is the easiest book of the Bible to read?

Mark is often considered the easiest Gospel: short, direct and story-driven. Among short books, Ruth (4 chapters, about 11 minutes) and Jonah (4 chapters, about 6 minutes) are complete, simple stories you can finish in one sitting. Proverbs and James are easy to read in short pieces because they're made of practical sayings.