By The Water
If you are new to the Bible, don't start at page one and push through — start with the Gospel of John to meet Jesus in his own words, add Genesis for the beginning of the story and a Psalm a day for prayer, and then move to a balanced one-year plan once the habit holds. Reading with chapter summaries alongside keeps the hard parts from stopping you.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”1 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
Why not just start at Genesis 1?
Genesis begins wonderfully — but readers who set out cold from Genesis usually stall in Leviticus, somewhere among the offerings and skin-disease laws, and conclude the Bible is not for them. The Bible is a library of 66 books, not a novel; there is a wiser door in. (When you're ready for the whole shelf, here are the books of the Bible in order.)
A four-step on-ramp
- Weeks 1–3: the Gospel of John. Twenty-one chapters, one a day. John states his purpose plainly: “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ” (John 20:31). You meet Jesus first — which is the point of the whole book.
- Weeks 4–7: Genesis, plus a Psalm a day. Genesis gives you creation, the fall, Abraham, and Joseph — the roots every later book assumes. The Psalm teaches you to pray what you read.
- Weeks 8–10: Luke and Acts. One author's two-volume history: the life of Jesus, then the church he set loose. After this you know the Bible's central story from Eden to the ends of the earth.
- Then: a balanced one-year plan. With the storyline in place, a plan that pairs Old and New Testament daily will carry you through everything else — see how to read the Bible in a year.
Three habits that make it stick
- Small and daily beats long and rare. One chapter every morning outgrows three hours once a month. Jesus' picture of growth is seed, then blade, then ear (Mark 4:28) — incremental by design.
- Read with a guide. The Ethiopian in Acts 8 was reading Isaiah and honest enough to say he needed help. A short chapter summary — what's happening, why it matters, the key verse — is that help on tap. By The Water includes one for every chapter of the Bible, with the first chapter of every book free.
- Write one line back. A sentence of prayer or a question in a journal turns reading into conversation. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
Which translation should a beginner read?
A readable, trustworthy one you'll actually open. The King James Version (KJV) is the classic heard in centuries of worship; the World English Bible (WEB) is a careful modern-English revision in the same family, free of copyright. By The Water ships both offline, and you can switch any time. Don't let translation-shopping delay day one — the Word does its work in any faithful rendering (Isaiah 55:11).
Open the word, not just a definition
By The Water was built for exactly this start: pick At Your Own Pace, open John 1, and a guided insight walks you through what the chapter says, what it means, and the verse to hold onto — free for the first chapter of every book.
Frequently asked questions
Where should a complete beginner start reading the Bible?
The Gospel of John — 21 chapters, one per day, written expressly so readers would believe (John 20:31). Then Genesis with a daily Psalm, then Luke–Acts, then a one-year plan.
How much should a beginner read per day?
One chapter, honestly read, is plenty. Consistency compounds: a chapter a day is the whole New Testament in under nine months. When the habit is solid, step up to a 3–4 chapter one-year pace. Learn more.
Do I need to understand everything as I read?
No — even Peter admitted some Scripture is hard (2 Peter 3:16). Note the puzzle, keep reading, and use a chapter guide for context. Understanding accumulates over passes; it doesn't arrive all in the first.
Is the Bible in the app free to read?
Yes. The complete Bible text (KJV and World English Bible) is bundled offline in By The Water and free, with both reading plans, progress tracking, and reminders. Guided chapter insights are free for the first chapter of every book.