Most of us don’t actually read the Bible.
Sure, we might read the “Verse of the Day” or follow along with a devotional or even review our notes from last Sunday’s sermon, but when it really comes down to reading it like a book, we fall flat.
And if you’re anything like me, you probably own several copies in various translations and price points, all collecting dust on our shelves.
We know we’re supposed to read the Bible. We even want to read it. But a lot of the time it gets pushed to the side with our busy schedules and we chalk it up to “reading it one day.” As if it’s only a history book that doesn’t offer insight into our current situations. Like, how in the world does King David relate to me getting my kids to school on time?
But the problem is much deeper than poor time management and the busyness of life. It’s how we have been taught to interact with Scripture.
Scripture Is More Than Inspirational Quotes
I grew up going to church, I grew up memorizing verses, I knew the stories of the Old Testament, I can still envision the felt board from Sunday School class in all of its brilliance. But when it came to reading the Bible for myself, I would often open up to a random verse, sit and think through it, close the book and then hope that it stuck in some way throughout the day. Does that sound familiar?
We have been treating Scripture like a collection of inspirational quotes for too long. The Bible is one unified story. It’s a narrative. Not a one sentence dopamine hit for the day.
So why do we read it that way?
Why don’t we read it like we would other books?
Is it because we don’t like reading?
Is it because we don’t understand the historical background so we can’t figure out how it relates to our life in 2025?
Or maybe it’s because we’ve never been taught how to read it.
How Did the First Christians Read Scripture?
Ancient Jewish rabbis and early Christians understood the importance of reading Scripture in large portions at a time, not just one verse here and there. (And not just because “verses” as we know them didn’t even exist until the Middle Ages!)
Most of the New Testament consists of letters that the author was writing to specific churches dealing with specific problems. They wouldn’t have cherry-picked a sentence and sat with their congregation to contemplate it. No, they would have read the letter as a whole, as anybody would do.
We’ve lost this.
It takes 14 minutes to read all of Philippians.
- 19 minutes to read Ephesians.
- 57 minutes to read Romans.
- 6 minutes to read Titus.
- 16 minutes to read 1 John.
These are letters that we should feel comfortable learning to read in one sitting.
And if nobody has taught you to read the Bible in large portions before, let me be your guy.
Join Me as I Read the Entire New Testament — Live
This December 27-29, I’m going to read the entire New Testament on YouTube Live, over the course of three days, seven hours per day. Yes, the whole thing. Not because I’m some great theologian or holier than thou, but because I want to show you that it’s possible. And I want you to see that the Bible isn’t as intimidating as we make it out to be.
Now is three days ambitious? Absolutely. But what I’ve realized is that when you show someone what’s truly possible, something shifts within them. Is it going to be easy? Absolutely not. But we can do hard things. I want you to fall in love with Scripture to see how your life plays a part in this living story.
I also believe that something incredible happens when we experience Scripture in large portions rather than verse-by-verse. Something that I can’t explain. But maybe I can guide you to it.
So join me on this journey together through the New Testament. Pop in for five minutes or five hours. I’ll be starting at the genealogy in Matthew and reading all the way to John’s final “amen” in Revelation three days later. I couldn’t think of a better way to close out the year.
Let’s see what happens.
Did you miss Zach’s live 3-day reading of the New Testament? Don’t worry — that was just the beginning. You can still catch it on YouTube here:
And be sure to pick up a copy of Zach’s bestselling book, The Bible, Simplified, to guide your Bible reading throughout 2026 and beyond.
Or, read it on Bible Gateway Plus! Start your free trial today to begin reading the biblical text right alongside Zach’s clear, accessible summaries and explanations of how each book fits into the whole story of Scripture. Get a preview with this FREE 5-day reading plan!
Zach Windahl is an author and content creator focused on helping people grow in their faith. He is the author of several books, including The Bible Study: A One-Year Study of the Bible and How It Relates to You. He lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife, Gisela. You can connect with Zach on social media at @ZachWindahl or at www.ZachWindahl.com.
