Short answer: The Bible does not give a daily reading quota, and a person who misses a day has not committed a sin. But for a believer who has a Bible within reach, a settled habit of ignoring God's Word points to a heart problem such as apathy, pride or wrong priorities, and James 4:17 calls knowing the good and not doing it a sin. Reading Scripture is not a box to tick. It is how we hear from God.
In This Article
Some people feel guilty every time they close a day without opening their Bible. Others hardly open one at all and wonder whether it matters. Both groups ask me the same thing: is it really a sin?
People in the pews kept asking me this, and my answer has two sides. I do not want to load you with a rule God never gave, and I do not want to wave away something the Bible treats as essential. Let us look at what Jesus said, what the rest of Scripture says, and how to start again if you have drifted.
Is It A Sin If You Don't Read Your Bible?
Not in the sense of a broken commandment. Nowhere does Scripture say "thou shalt read ten minutes every morning." A new Christian who has never been taught how to read it, a person with a disability that makes reading hard, a believer in a country where Bibles are scarce, and a person who simply had a hard day are not sinning when they miss a reading. For someone who is not yet a follower of Christ, not reading it is not a moral failing in the ordinary sense either.
But for believers who have easy access to Scripture, the picture changes. James puts it this way.
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.
James 4:17 (NIV)
This is what the older writers called a sin of omission, a good left undone. I cover that idea in What Are Sins Of Omission? If you know God has spoken, you have it on your shelf or your phone, and you simply choose not to listen, something is off. The problem is rarely the missing minutes. It is the heart behind them.
What Is Going On In The Heart?
God looks at the heart, because that is where sin begins (see 1 Samuel 16:7). If we avoid the Bible because we are bored by what God has to say, that is apathy. If we avoid it because we think we have heard enough, that is pride. If we avoid it because we are too busy for what matters most, that is wrong priorities. None of these is a small thing, but all of them can be turned around.
There is another group I want to speak to. Some people have been hurt by churches that used the Bible as a club, and certain passages now bring back fear or anxiety. If that is you, you have not failed. Go gently. Start with a good counsellor or a wise pastor, and begin with the passages that comfort, like the Psalms and the Gospels, until the sting fades. God is not angry that you needed time.
What Did Jesus Say About Reading The Bible?
Jesus treated Scripture as the daily bread of the soul. When the devil tempted Him in the wilderness, He answered each time from the Old Testament, and He said that people live by every word that comes from God, not by bread alone (see Matthew 4:4). He also told the religious leaders of His day that the Scriptures point to Him.
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
John 5:39 (NIV)
Notice what He is saying. Reading the Bible is not the goal. Knowing Him is. The leaders studied the text carefully and missed the one it was about. That is the warning for us as well: Bible reading that never leads to Christ is empty, and avoiding it means we lose the clearest picture of Him we have.
Why Does God Want Us To Read His Word?
The Bible is God's word to us, and it is given for our good. Paul tells Timothy what it is for.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
It shows us who God is and who we are. It tells us what sin is and what goodness looks like. It exposes what is in us (see Hebrews 4:12) and guards us against being fooled by the world, our own hearts and the enemy. A believer who stops reading is like a traveler who throws away the map. You might go on for a while on instinct, but you will drift.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
Paul also urged Timothy to work at it and handle it carefully (see 2 Timothy 2:15). Reading the Bible is not about memorising verses or claiming you spent thirty minutes a day. It is about spending time with the God who made you, learning how He thinks, and letting that shape how you live.
Is It Okay To Skip Reading The Bible Sometimes?
Yes, if it is an occasional gap and not a way of life. Every believer has seasons of illness, exhaustion, grief and busyness. God is not tallying missed mornings. What matters is the direction of your life over months and years. Are you moving toward His Word or away from it?
If you have been away a while, here is what I would suggest.
- Start small. A single psalm or one Gospel chapter is enough to begin.
- Pick a regular time that fits your actual life, not an ideal one.
- Begin in the Gospel of John or Mark if you do not know where to start. I explain more in Where To Start Reading The Bible and How To Read The Bible And What Is The Best Order.
- If you are worried about time, look at How Long Does It Take To Read The Bible?
- Choose a translation you can understand. See Which Bible Should You Read? and How To Understand The Bible.
Reading with others helps too. Church and Bible study keep us going on the days we lose interest. For that, see Is Not Going To Church A Sin In The Bible? and for a smaller question some ask, Is Writing In The Bible A Sin? You may find that marking up your Bible makes reading it more of a conversation.
What Gets In The Way Of Reading Scripture?
Most people who stop reading did not decide to stop. They got busy, or it felt dry, or they did not understand what they read, or a phone was easier to pick up. Naming the real obstacle helps. If you are too busy, ask what you are giving your best hours to. If it is dry, try a different book or translation, or read with a friend. If you do not understand it, a good study Bible or a pastor's guidance can open the text up. And if you are weary or sad, begin with the Psalms, which were written by people who felt every one of those things.
A last word on attitude. Do not read to earn God's approval. You already have it if you are in Christ. Read because it is how He speaks, and because you want to know Him better. That changes a duty into a delight.
Can You Be Forgiven For Neglecting Scripture?
Of course. This is a sin the Lord forgives like any other, and the cure is not guilt but a fresh start. Confess it, then open the book.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)
You do not have to catch up or read the whole Bible in a year to make up for lost time. Begin where you are, today. If you want a longer look at forgiveness, see What The Bible Says About Forgiveness Of Sin.
Key Bible Verses About Reading Scripture
- James 4:17: Knowing the good and not doing it is sin.
- 2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is God-breathed and useful.
- Psalm 119:105: God's word lights our path.
- Joshua 1:8: Keep God's Word always on your lips and meditate on it.
- John 5:39: The Scriptures point to Jesus.
- 2 Timothy 2:15: Handle the word of truth with care.
- Hebrews 4:12: God's Word searches the heart.
- 1 John 1:9: Confess, and He forgives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Jesus say about reading the Bible?
Jesus quoted Scripture constantly, told the tempter that people live on every word from God, and told religious leaders that the Scriptures testify about Him (John 5:39). He treated the Bible as essential, and as a path to knowing Him.
Is it okay to skip reading the Bible?
An occasional gap is not a sin. Illness, grief and busy seasons happen. The concern is a lasting pattern of neglect, which may show apathy or wrong priorities. Start again with something small, like one psalm or one Gospel chapter.
Is it a sin if you don't read your Bible?
Not a broken commandment, since there is no set quota. But James 4:17 says knowing the good and not doing it is sin, and a believer who ignores God's Word with easy access to it is neglecting something God wants them to have.
How often should a Christian read the Bible?
The Bible does not set a number. Joshua 1:8 speaks of meditating on God's Word day and night, which points to regular, life-shaping contact with it. Choose a rhythm you can keep, and build from there.
Where should I start if I have not read the Bible in years?
Start with the Gospel of John or Mark, then a few Psalms. See Where To Start Reading The Bible for a simple plan.
