### Introduction I used to be [that guy](https://imgflip.com/i/9cjn52) but I am now a Christian. In 2024 I read the bible. I went to Catholic High School and we studied the Bible. Let's just say I wasn't ready to hear it. I also reviewed the Bible in a comparative religions class while I was in the [[Marines]]. Now that I'm ready to hear the good news I thought I'd read all the way through in a year. I think I found a process that worked for me and here it is. I don't want to stand by strong recommendations for why I chose the [ESV](https://www.esv.org/John+3/), I'm not an expert on the matter. From my non-authoritative viewpoint it seems to strike a good balance of approachability and accuracy. You do you, [check this out](https://www.esv.org/about/) or maybe [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne40DYcPlnk). Whatever translation you pick it'll be heretical to someone. ![[bible-in-year.png]] ### Assemble the tools - Download [ESV Bible](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/esv-bible/id361797273) app - It's free, I think you need to create an account with Crossway either online or in the app. - Buy the [ESV Bible](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1433541521?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $50 - This is large print, it's hefty with nice quality, feels like you got something legit in your hands. - Buy [Highlighters](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WSRY8RY?ie=UTF8&th=1) $8 - You can use normal highlighters but these colors are more subdued, neon yellow in a Bible just doesn't look right to me. - Buy [Book Tabs](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LQJ2KXH?ie=UTF8&th=1) $10 - Again, I got some tabs with nice muted colors. It doesn't look too obnoxious sticking out of your Bible. ### Getting setup In the ESV Bible app go to Home -> My Plans -> Digging Deep Into the Bible. This reading plan makes it's way through the Bible from 4 different parts of the Bible. When I first tried to read the Bible I was going to do it cover to cover. To be honest after Exodus I started losing some discipline and it got sort of boring. The Digging Deep Into the Bible plan jumps around so that you have continuity in your reading but you're also sprinkling in the interesting parts with the parts that perhaps aren't so interesting. ### Every day: ~15 minutes of listening to the Bible Do this where and when it makes sense for you. For me it was either while working out in the morning or commuting to work. This will give you about 15 minutes of the bible being read to you from 4 different parts of the bible. - Open the ESV Bible app, if you're not already _home_ click the _home_ tab on the bottom. - You should see at the top _Today's Reading_ and the _Digging Deep into the Bible_. - You should see a red indicator on todays date, click on that, then you'll see the readings from 4 different parts of the Bible, click on the first one. - On the bottom there is a _Listen_ icon, click that, press play and there you go. The app will read the 4 different parts of the Bible for that day. ### Every week: ~1 hour of reviewing You probably need 4 book markers to keep track of where you are. You sit down and you skim all the Bible reading you listened to during the week. I'll be honest, for me I'd quickly zip over things that weren't as interesting like lists of _begats_. Yes I find some parts of the un-erring word of God less interesting than others, I'm a sinner and I need a savior. For the things that I listened to this week that I really thought was interesting I'd read it intently. For things that stand out to me and I wanted to refer back to, I'd highlight it. > [!NOTE]- My approach to highlighting with colors > I'm sure there are other best practices but for me the colors have more to do with the context the verse came to my attention. This seems to work for me. So tan is me reading through the Bible on my own. Blue is verses called out during a [church](https://brave.org/) sermon. Pink are things related to marriage. For things that I think are *very* interesting I'd add a book tab. This would be things like the [Lord's prayer](https://www.esv.org/Matthew+6/) or [Psalm 23](https://www.esv.org/Psalm+23/). ### What now I know more than I did before. I have a sense of accomplishment. I have a Bible that I can thumb through and I see highlighted things that are really cool. For 2025 the plan is to work through [Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life](https://www.crossway.org/books/everyday-gospel-case/). After that I have my eye on [Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology](https://www.crossway.org/books/daily-doctrine-hcj/) but we'll see.