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:
Genesis – 3.5h
Exodus – 3h
Leviticus – 2h
Numbers – 3h
Deuteronomy – 2.5h
Joshua – 1.75h
Judges – 1.75h
Ruth – 15m
1 Samuel – 2.25h
2 Samuel – 1.75h
1 Kings – 2h
2 Kings – 2.25h
1 Chronicles – 2h
2 Chronicles – 2.5h
Ezra – 40m
Nehemiah – 1h
Esther – 30m
Job – 1.75 h
Psalms – 5h
Proverbs – 1.75h
Ecclesiastes – 30m
Song of Solomon – 20m
Isaiah – 3.75h
Jeremiah – 4h
Lamentations – 20m
Ezekiel – 3.75h
Daniel – 1.25h
Hosea – 30m
Joel – 12m
Amos – 25m
Obadiah – 4m
Jonah – 8m
Micah – 20m
Nahum – 8m
Habakkuk – 9m
Zephaniah – 10m
Haggai – 7m
Zechariah – 40m
Malachi – 11m
Matthew – 2.5h
Mark – 1.5h
Luke – 2.5h
John – 2h
Acts – 2.25h
Romans – 1h
1 Corinthians – 1h
2 Corinthians – 40m
Galatians – 20m
Ephesians – 20m
Philippians – 14m
Colossians – 13m
1 Thessalonians – 12m
2 Thessalonians – 7m
1 Timothy – 16m
2 Timothy – 11m
Titus – 7m
Philemon – 3m
Hebrews – 45m
James – 16m
1 Peter – 16m
2 Peter – 10m
1 John – 16m
2 John – 2m
3 John – 2m
Jude – 4m
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.