Short answer: Reading the whole Bible out loud or silently takes roughly 50 to 90 hours, depending on how fast you read and which translation you use. Most people finish in a year by reading about 10 to 12 minutes a day, or three to four chapters. The New Testament alone is only about 18 to 20 hours, and nearly half of the 66 books can be read in under half an hour each.
In This Article
Nearly half the books of the Bible can be read in less than thirty minutes, and about twenty-three of them in under twenty. That is roughly the length of one episode of a Netflix show. Most of us lose more time than that scrolling in the morning, so finding room for Scripture is far more possible than it feels.
People in the pews kept asking me how big a commitment this really is. Here is the arithmetic, book by book, and then the plans that fit different lives.
How Many Hours Does The Whole Bible Take?
The answer depends on one number: how many words you read per minute. The King James Version runs a little over 783,000 words, and other translations differ somewhat from that, so treat the totals below as close estimates rather than exact figures.
| Reading Speed | Whole Bible | Per Day For A Year |
|---|---|---|
| 250 words a minute (quick silent reading) | About 52 hours | About 9 minutes |
| 200 words a minute (average) | About 65 hours | About 11 minutes |
| 150 words a minute (slow, reading aloud) | About 87 hours | About 14 minutes |
Audio Bibles tend to land in the same range, and the exact figure varies by narrator and translation. If you want a number to hold on to, think of it as around 70 hours, a bit less than two full work weeks of forty hours.
The Old Testament makes up roughly three quarters of the text and the New Testament the rest. That is why the New Testament feels so manageable. If you are choosing between translations, my thoughts are in Which Bible Should You Read?
Can You Read The Bible In A Year?
Yes, and this is the most common way to do it. There are 1,189 chapters, so a little over three chapters a day finishes the book in twelve months. Put in minutes, reading only 12 minutes a day will carry you through the entire Bible within a year. If you read the New Testament by itself, 6 minutes a day completes it in about six months.
Most one-year plans mix the Testaments each day, so you might read a bit of Genesis, a Psalm and a chapter of Matthew in one sitting. That variety keeps the long stretches of law and genealogy from stalling you in February. A chronological plan works differently, arranging the readings in the order the events happened. Either is fine. The best plan is the one you will still be following in the spring.
If you miss a few days, do not start over. Pick up where you left off. The Bible was never meant to be a streak you protect; it is a conversation you return to. Scripture speaks of the person who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it, and I read that as a steady habit rather than a perfect record:
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
Psalm 1:2 (NIV)
Can You Read It In 40 Days Or A Week?
You can, but these are very different commitments.
In 40 Days
At an average pace the Bible works out to about an hour and a half to an hour and three-quarters a day for forty days. That is demanding but doable if you set aside a morning hour and a second sitting in the evening. People often choose forty days at the start of a season such as Lent or after a major life change. Forty is a number tied to testing and preparation throughout Scripture, and you can read more in What Does The Number 40 Mean In The Bible? and in our guide to biblical numbers.
In A Week
To read the whole Bible in seven days you would need roughly seven to nine hours a day, every day, with little else in your schedule. Some people have tried it as a retreat or a challenge. I would be careful here. The point of reading Scripture is to be changed by it, and a marathon pace turns the Bible into a task to finish. If a week is all you have, I would suggest reading one Gospel and one letter slowly instead.
Whatever pace you choose, remember what the Bereans were praised for. It was not speed. It was attention:
they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Acts 17:11 (NIV)
How Long Do Individual Books Take?
Here are approximate reading times for each book. They assume a steady pace and will run longer if you stop to take notes. Some books are paired because they were originally one scroll.
| Old Testament | Time | New Testament | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 3.5 hours | Matthew | 2.5 hours |
| Exodus | 3 hours | Mark | 1.5 hours |
| Leviticus | 2 hours | Luke | 2.5 hours |
| Numbers | 3 hours | John | 2 hours |
| Deuteronomy | 2.5 hours | Acts | 2.25 hours |
| Joshua | 1.75 hours | Romans | 1 hour |
| Judges | 1.75 hours | 1 Corinthians | 1 hour |
| Ruth | 15 minutes | 2 Corinthians | 40 minutes |
| 1 and 2 Samuel | 4 hours | Galatians | 20 minutes |
| 1 and 2 Kings | 4.25 hours | Ephesians | 20 minutes |
| 1 and 2 Chronicles | 4.5 hours | Philippians | 14 minutes |
| Ezra | 40 minutes | Colossians | 13 minutes |
| Nehemiah | 1 hour | 1 Thessalonians | 12 minutes |
| Esther | 30 minutes | 2 Thessalonians | 7 minutes |
| Job | 1.75 hours | 1 Timothy | 16 minutes |
| Psalms | 5 hours | 2 Timothy | 11 minutes |
| Proverbs | 1.75 hours | Titus | 7 minutes |
| Ecclesiastes | 30 minutes | Philemon | 3 minutes |
| Song of Songs | 20 minutes | Hebrews | 45 minutes |
| Isaiah | 3.75 hours | James | 16 minutes |
| Jeremiah | 4 hours | 1 Peter | 16 minutes |
| Lamentations | 20 minutes | 2 Peter | 10 minutes |
| Ezekiel | 3.75 hours | 1 John | 16 minutes |
| Daniel | 1.25 hours | 2 John | 2 minutes |
| Hosea | 30 minutes | 3 John | 2 minutes |
| Joel | 12 minutes | Jude | 4 minutes |
| Amos | 25 minutes | Revelation | 1.25 hours |
| Obadiah | 4 minutes | ||
| Jonah | 8 minutes | ||
| Micah | 20 minutes | ||
| Nahum | 8 minutes | ||
| Habakkuk | 9 minutes | ||
| Zephaniah | 10 minutes | ||
| Haggai | 7 minutes | ||
| Zechariah | 40 minutes | ||
| Malachi | 11 minutes | ||
A few things stand out. Psalms is the longest single book at about five hours, but you were never meant to read it in one sitting; it is a songbook. The shortest letters, Philemon and 2 and 3 John, take two or three minutes each. A first-time reader can read Mark, which is the quickest Gospel, in an afternoon. Beginners who want a starting place will find a fuller route in How To Read The Bible.
These numbers also explain why the Old Testament feels harder. Its history and prophecy books are long and the setting is far from our world. If that is you, slow down and use a study Bible. See What Is A Study Bible?
What Reading Plan Works Best?
The plan that works is the one that fits your actual life. Here are the shapes I would point people to.
- The twelve-minute year. About three chapters a day, mixing Old Testament, Psalms or Proverbs, and New Testament. Good for steady habit-builders.
- New Testament first. Six minutes a day finishes the New Testament in roughly six months. Good for newer believers.
- The 40-day push. About ninety minutes a day. Good for a season of focus.
- One book at a time. Read a short letter like Ephesians or James every day for a week. You will notice more by the fifth reading than the first.
- Listen on the commute. Audio is a real way of taking in Scripture, and the early church heard the Bible read aloud far more than it read it silently.
Pair whichever plan you choose with a few minutes of quiet afterward. Ask what the passage says, what it tells you about God, and what you are to do. Understanding matters as much as finishing, and How To Understand The Bible gives a simple method. And if you worry that a missed day is a sin, I address that gently in Is Not Reading A Bible A Sin?
One more thing. Paul told Timothy why this effort pays off:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
Key Bible Verses About Reading Scripture
- Joshua 1:8: keep God's Word on your lips and meditate on it day and night.
- Psalm 1:2: the blessed person delights in God's law and thinks on it constantly.
- Psalm 119:105: God's Word is a lamp for the path ahead.
- Acts 17:11: the Bereans examined the Scriptures every day.
- Colossians 3:16: let the message of Christ live richly among you.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17: all Scripture is God-breathed and equips us for good work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read the Bible in 1 week?
Technically yes, but only if you can give it seven to nine hours a day at an ordinary reading speed. That is a full-time job. A rushed week gives you a feeling of accomplishment and very little retention, so I would not recommend it unless you have a rare stretch of free time.
Can you read the Bible in 40 days?
Yes, and many people do. At a normal pace it works out to about an hour and a half to an hour and three-quarters a day. Forty is a number of testing and preparation in Scripture, which is one reason it appeals. See What Does The Number 40 Mean In The Bible?
How many chapters a day do I need to read the whole Bible in a year?
The Bible has 1,189 chapters, so about three or four chapters a day will finish it in a year. Psalms and the short letters go quickly, and the long chapters of Numbers or Ezekiel go slowly, so think in minutes rather than chapters.
How long does it take to read the New Testament?
At a steady pace the New Testament takes around 18 to 20 hours. Six minutes a day finishes it in about six months, and twenty minutes a day finishes it in a couple of months.
Is it better to read the Bible fast or slow?
Both have a place. Reading fast helps you see the whole story and how the books connect. Reading slowly helps you understand and obey a passage. Most people do best with a steady daily plan and an occasional slow week on one book. How To Read The Bible covers the order I suggest for beginners.
