How Long Does It Actually Take to Read the Bible?

approximately 74 hours and 28 minutes

 

I’ve been working through a study on the book of Hebrews & was challenged to read it all the way through each week, for the duration of the study OR to read it at least five times.

I accepted this challenge & as I began, I learned that the book only takes 45 minutes to read. That is so doable! 45 minutes out of my entire week. On some days, I did it in 2 days, giving myself about 20 minutes. It got me thinking…

  • How long does it take to read other books of the Bible?

  • How long would it take to actually read the entire Bible?

  • Instead of having a checklist of the books of the Bible to cross off as I read each one, what if I approached it differently through time?

For example: If it takes 3.5 hours to read Genesis, I could divide & designate that time accordingly in my week to read it, knowing I’d actually finish it!

For just 30 minutes per day, the book of Genesis could be read in 7 days.

For 15 minutes per day, Genesis could be read in 2 weeks.

Here’s your kind reminder that you can read the Bible if you want to read it. We just have to make the time.

In the words of Jen Wilkin, “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know.”

My hope is that we can reorient the way we think when it comes to reading the Bible. It’s not rocket science. If anything, may this offer a new perspective that will help you re-engage or get to it! Let me know your plan! Have you read through the entire Bible? How did you do it?


The facts:

  • There are 66 books in the Bible.

  • 40 out of 66 books can be read in less than an hour. Interesting!

  • The average American spends approximately 3-4 hours watching TV & 5-6 hours on their phone. WOAH.

  • Less than 30% of christians will ever read the entire Bible. This is so sad to me. We’ve got to work on this, people.

  • Someone who engages in the Bible 4 or more times in a week is…

    • 407% more likely to memorize scripture

    • 228% more likely to share their faith with others

    • 60% drop in feeling stagnant in their spiritual life

    • 40% drop in bitterness within relationships

    • 32% less likely to be angry

    • 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness

… of course, there’s more.

BUT WOW.


minutes required per day to read the whole bible:

2 years — 6M

1 year — 12 M

6 months — 25 M

3 months — 50 M

1 month — 2H 29M


The List + The time it takes to read each book of the Bible:

  1. Genesis – 3.5h

  2. Exodus – 3h

  3. Leviticus – 2h

  4. Numbers – 3h

  5. Deuteronomy – 2.5h

  6. Joshua – 1.75h

  7. Judges – 1.75h

  8. Ruth – 15m

  9. 1 Samuel – 2.25h

  10. 2 Samuel – 1.75h

  11. 1 Kings – 2h

  12. 2 Kings – 2.25h

  13. 1 Chronicles – 2h

  14. 2 Chronicles – 2.5h

  15. Ezra – 40m

  16. Nehemiah – 1h

  17. Esther – 30m

  18. Job – 1.75 h

  19. Psalms – 5h

  20. Proverbs – 1.75h

  21. Ecclesiastes – 30m

  22. Song of Solomon – 20m

  23. Isaiah – 3.75h

  24. Jeremiah – 4h

  25. Lamentations – 20m

  26. Ezekiel – 3.75h

  27. Daniel – 1.25h

  28. Hosea – 30m

  29. Joel – 12m

  30. Amos – 25m

  31. Obadiah – 4m

  32. Jonah – 8m

  33. Micah – 20m

  34. Nahum – 8m

  35. Habakkuk – 9m

  36. Zephaniah – 10m

  37. Haggai – 7m

  38. Zechariah – 40m

  39. Malachi – 11m

  40. Matthew – 2.5h

  41. Mark – 1.5h

  42. Luke – 2.5h

  43. John – 2h

  44. Acts – 2.25h

  45. Romans – 1h

  46. 1 Corinthians – 1h

  47. 2 Corinthians – 40m

  48. Galatians – 20m

  49. Ephesians – 20m

  50. Philippians – 14m

  51. Colossians – 13m

  52. 1 Thessalonians – 12m

  53. 2 Thessalonians – 7m

  54. 1 Timothy – 16m

  55. 2 Timothy – 11m

  56. Titus – 7m

  57. Philemon – 3m

  58. Hebrews – 45m

  59. James – 16m

  60. 1 Peter – 16m

  61. 2 Peter – 10m

  62. 1 John – 16m

  63. 2 John – 2m

  64. 3 John – 2m

  65. Jude – 4m

  66. Revelation – 1.25h

To answer the question of today’s post: It takes approximately 74 hours & 28 minutes to read the entire Bible. However, I can’t help but think we will be reading this for a lifetime. Because once we pick it up, we’re not going to want to put it down.

If we were to replace the time we spend on social media or watching, if we committed to reallocating 30-50 minutes each day to read the Bible, we could finish it in 3-6 months!

Here’s to waking up 30 min earlier or spending 30 min after the kids go to bed. I’m challenging myself & all of us to steward the Bible well. Let’s make effort. It’s worth it.


Related: Time Well Spent: Managing the time we’ve been given well + a worksheet to help us manage the 168 hours we have in a week.