How to Read Through the Bible in 90 Days or Less

Last fall I randomly heard someone saying they were reading the Bible in 90 days. And, for whatever reason, I thought I can do that, I should do that!

I have no idea why I thought that. I had never even successfully read through the Bible in an entire year before.

That was approximately October 8th and I decided to read the Bible before the year was up, so it was a little less than 90 days.

I found a reading schedule online and did some extra readings for the first few days so I could catch up and I ended up finishing the plan before the year was over.

I have now also read through the Bible in a “year” (okay, it was ten  months), and I realized that reading through the Bible at a quicker pace somehow works for my personality and reading style (I do read a lot).

So, I decided I wanted to read it in 90 days again.

My original plan was to start on January 1st but then after Christmas the Advent reading I was doing was over, so I figured, why not start early?

After a few days of reading twenty chapters a day I decided to make a reading plan for myself.

It was at this point that I realized that if I continued at the rate I was reading at I wouldn’t read the Bible in 90 days.

I would read it in 60.

Oops!

But I’ve been successfully reading my twenty chapters a day so why stop now?

Because I had a hard time finding a good reading plan I thought I would make my own to share and also share some some thoughts and tips.

WHY READ THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS (OR LESS)?

Honestly, I actually prefer slowly studying the Bible and dissecting a word or two each day but there are some benefits from reading the Bible through at a faster rate.

First, it helps you to remember that the Bible is all one overarching story. It’s a good reminder that it’s not just a compilation of unrelated Sunday School stories.

It shows that God had a plan from the beginning and you can really see His hand at work when reading through it as though it’s one book.

Second, different things jump out at me than when I read it more slowly. Because I’m reading 15-20 chapters a day it’s easier to connect some of the dots from chapter to chapter, as opposed to just reading a couple chapters or verses each day.

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

Did you know that the chapters in the Bible have an average of only 26 verses? When I think about it that way it seems so doable! (Plus, I find the Old Testament harder to read through and I get that read at the beginning when I am still excited about the plan so that works well.)

There are a few thing I have found that work best for me when trying to read through the Bible quickly:

#1 Read an Easier Version

So, when I study the Bible I usually use the ESV or CSB version but when I am trying to read it at a faster pace I like to use an easier version. I use the NLT. It’s not the most literal of translations so it doesn’t make a great study Bible but it is a bit paraphrased so it flows nicely for reading it like a story.

#2 Read First Thing in the Morning

I have found what works best for me is to read right away. It’s not always peaceful, there are interruptions, kids waking up, asking for breakfast, dirty diapers for the toddler . . . It usually takes me about an hour to read through. It’s a commitment, but seriously, there are other things I do for an hour a day and this is much more important.

#3 Don’t Get Behind

This goes hand-in-hand with number two. I make sure I read first thing in the morning so I don’t forget or get behind. If you do happen to get behind or forget a day, just continue reading the day you should have read. So what if you read it in 61 days or 92 days? Just reading through the Bible is the actual point here.

#4 Leave Your Bible Out

If you feel like you are going to forget or you started reading the Bible in the morning but didn’t get it finished, my best advice is to leave your Bible out. The more visible it is, the more likely you are to remember and read it. If possible I prefer to leave mine on the table (not always the best idea with a toddler around though), that way I can’t do much without remembering to finish my chapters for the day.

FREE BIBLE READING PLANS

If you want to read the Bible in 60 days or 90 days I made some free printable reading plans with checkboxes for you.

I was able to find some reading plans online that fit into the 60 or 90 days but they would stop in the middle of a chapter or there would be like six verses left in a book but that would be saved for the next day. That just seemed weird.

So, I did my best to split it into 15 chapters a day for the 90 day plan and 20 chapters a day for the 60 day plan. There are a few times where reading an extra chapter or two would complete the book so I added those in, and vise versa where you will read a chapter or two less.

You can download the printable reading plans here.

Are you going to read through the Bible in 60 or 90 days this year? If so, I would love it if you leave a comment below and let me know!