The BEST Ever Chronological Bible Reading Plan

This content may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Learn more at the bottom of this page or read my full disclosure policy.

Sharing This!

Are you wondering about all the hype surrounding Chronological Bible Study is about?

Maybe you’re thinking, “Isn’t chronological order how everyone reads the Bible?” The surprising answer to that question is, no! Oddly enough, this isn’t the case with the Bible. If you’ve read the whole thing through before you’ve witnessed this. It starts at the beginning, and it ends at the end, but the in-between is a whole lot of all over the place.

Since the books of the Bibles aren’t in order when we do open our Bibles to read we don’t typically focus on a singular storyline. Instead, we focus our attention on the various lessons we can learn from different books. But the story of the Bible, the big picture story, is the most and priceless story to ever be recorded. This is why if you haven’t already, you’ll want to make participating in a chronological Bible reading plan a priority.

In this post, we’re going to answer our community’s most common questions about the Chronological Bible. You’ll learn:

• How to read the Bible in chronological order.
• The best Chronological Bibles for each translation.
• And I’ll even point you to our favorite printable chronological reading plan! We’re actually using it right now in our FB Bible study group.

What is A Chronological Bible?

A chronological Bible is a Bible that tells God’s story in a sequence of events from beginning to end. In short, it helps you follow the actual storyline of the Bible. 

Is there a chronological Bible you can actually buy? Yes! There are actually several. Scroll down for a quick list of some favorites or click here for a quick view of each Chronological Bible Amazon pages.

Snag a peak at the pdf Chronological Reading plan here!

Why should we study the Bible in chronological order? The Bible as a whole is one INCREDIBLE story.  From it we learn:

• How we and the earth came to be.
• When and how sin entered the world.
• How sin affects people on earth.
• Why we need a savior.
• How God planned to redeem mankind.

A chronological reading plan offers the context that most Bible reading plans don’t have. You get God’s WHOLE story. If you ask me, that’s a beautiful starting point to a relationship with God. 

What is the chronological order to read in? What are the books of the Bible in order? Scholars have spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the EXACT chronological order of the Bible. There are a couple of books they aren’t settled on but the majority of the order they are in agreement with, but the variations don’t affect the big picture. If you have questions about Bible timelines or the chronological order of Bible books, you’ll love reading through the Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible!

The Physical Bible Vs. the PDF Reading Plan

My first attempt at following a chronological Bible reading plan was a jumbled mess. I downloaded the pdf reading plan (linked above) on the internet (it also doubles as a chronological bible reading plan checklist!), picked up my Bible, and jumped in. It was cool for the first few moments until it came time to navigate through the various parts of the reading.

Start in Genesis. Now flip to 1 Chronicle for two verses. Now back to Genesis. Oops, we forgot something in 1 Chronicle. Oh, yea, and 2 Kings. We will now return to your regularly scheduled programming in Genesis… This actually happens often because, as we touched on earlier, the Bible isn’t written in sequences of events.

It was a lot. I found myself struggling to stay on track. I tried to navigate it using the Bible app on my phone but that wasn’t much better and was a lot more time-consuming.  First-world problems, I know. Sometimes I forget how blessed we are to even have access to so many Bible study tools. Well, when I found out I could get this exact same reading plan in physical book form, I was all over it! 

I have also recently found the same reading plan is now available on YouVersion! So you can read the chronological Bible online and even listen to the chronological Bible audio via the YouVersion App.

For those of you who prefer to study with the printed Bible in hand (y’all are my people), I’m stoked to share my favorite chronological Bible with you!

The BEST Chronological One Year Bible

When I started the One Year Chronological Bible my goal was simply to get it done eventually and in chronological order. I had pretty much planned to fail. So imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks into it, not only am I on track, but I’m aching to get ahead. I don’t have a crazy formula or set of rules for how to read the Bible in a year; but if you want to know what worked for me, this is it. 

The One Year Chronological Bible delivered. What makes this Bible better than any other chronological reading plan?

Side Note: This Journaling Bible follows the same chronological Bible reading plan as the Bible and the pdf above! It’s the Bible I’m using for 2025.

1. The layout! Instead of hopping back and forth between various books of the Bible trying to follow the storyline, the One Year Chronological Bible has all the reading, the entire story, from beginning to end, in order! So you really can just pick it up and start reading which makes it so much easier to focus on the storyline. And also more enjoyable.
2. Simplicity. When it comes to chronological reading Bibles there are a ton of options. Most of them come with additional history, devotional moments, journaling art. And those are all great, but what I wanted most in my Bible was the simplicity and freedom to focus on God’s story; no distractions. That’s exactly what I got.
3. The time commitment. 15 minutes a day. It was rarely ever more than that, which made sticking to it plausible. When I did miss a day, it was easy to get caught up again with the group. 

I also really enjoyed how well the inductive Bible study method works with the chronological study of the Bible. It fills in so many missing pieces! I started keeping this printable Bible Study Questions insert inside my Bible and would work through one or two questions a day and keep my eyes on the “big picture”. It was extremely helpful for comprehension (understanding what I was reading) and retention (actually holding on to what I learned). 

Is It Good to Read the Bible In Chronological Order?

YES! At least once! I don’t say that to add to the legalistic list of things people claim we should do as Christians. I say this because through this venture of reading God’s story as it unfolded the Bible has become so much more alive than it ever has been to me. Where I lacked understanding, I have found answers and reasons. 

Where there was confusion, I found clarity. 

I had the context necessary to bridge the gaps that we see when reading scripture in literary sequence versus sequences of events. The women in my Bible study group have found the same. 

This has become my favorite way to teach and learn the Bible, and I’m not alone. Daily Grace Co created their chronological Bible study, From Eden to Eternity, for the same reason. It’s why Every Woman A Theologian created their Bible In A Year Club. It’s why Dwell Audio Bible included a Chronological Bible reading plan in their app! You Version too! The Bible in context gives us the courage to accept truth we couldn’t accept otherwise. It shows us who God is and teaches us what it looks like to be filled with His Spirt and made in His image. Those truths will change your life! 

Noteworthy Chronological Bibles

Some of these plans are more traditional Bibles, while others cater to Bible journaling creatives, history buffs, and notetakers. Some are at your own pace while others offer specific reading plans. But they all relay the Big Picture Story of God and His love for us in unforgettable ways. Explore them side by side in this Chronological Bible Amazon list!

• Chronological Bible ESV Expressions – This is the Bible our FB group is using to read through the Bible in a year in 2025! It’s an ESV Journaling Bible designed with creative space specifically for notetakers AND 100 artistically lettered Bible verses for readers to color and personalize as they meditate on God’s Words. The cherry on top? You’re still set up to finish the Bible in a year. 

  Find a printable ESV Chronological Bible reading plan here.

• The One Year Chronological Bible NLT – The first chronological Bible I ever used. It follows the same reading plan as the Expressions Bible above. I show the differences between the two of them in this video.   
• The Chronological Life Application Bible – This Bible is unique in that it features special tidbits about history and geography including archeological notes and photographs. So not only are you getting God’s story in order from Genesis to Revelation, you’re getting additional context too. Each new era is introduced via short summary and you can follow the event on a timeline. 
• CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible – This Bible is divided into three different focuses; God’s Plan for All People, God’s Covenant People, and God’s New Covenant People. In a span of 52 weeks, readers work their way through each act in chronological order. This Bible comes in a single-column format (so much easier on the eyes) with plenty of margin space for notetaking, a concordance, and historical maps.
• The Daily Bible (available in multiple translations) – Includes daily devotional-type commentary and is designed to help readers read the Bible in one year.

Printable Chronological Bible Study Resources

Maybe you already have a Bible you love and you’re looking for a reading plan you can print. Here are some options:

• 12 Month Chronological Bible Study Journal by Ladies Drawing Neigh – It includes a monthly reading plan, note-taking pages, tabs for your binder, Bible verse cards, bible coloring pages, a reading checklist. It’s legit.
• 12 Month Chronological Bible Reading Plan – This is the same reading plan as above but without all the extra pages. Perfect for the minimalist Bible study lover!

Come Study the Bible With Us!

So many good options mentioned here! Once you find yours (or while you waiting to decide) come join us in our Bible Study group! It’s always a blast studying the Bible with friends. This group is great for community and accountability. We’d love to have you! We’ll send you an invitation when you sign up for our newsletter at the link below! 

TWEET THIS!The BEST Chronological Bible Reading Plan Share on X