30 Minutes Bible Reading Plan 2026
“Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” 2 Tim 2:1
Jan 1-15 Poetry Psalm 22
Jan 16-31 Gospels Mathew 15:21-17
Feb 1-14 Gospels Matthew 18-20:19
Feb 15-28 Pentateuch Genesis 12-14
March 1-15 Pentateuch Deuteronomy 4:44-7
March 16-31 Gospels Matt 26-28
April 1-15 Church History Acts 1-2
April 16-30 Books of History Joshua 23-24
May 1-15 General Epistles I Peter 1-3
May 16-31 General Epistles I Peter 4-5
June 1-15 Books of History Ruth 1-4
June 16-30 Poetry Psalm 90
July 1-15 Church History Acts 3-5
July 16-31 Major Prophets Isaiah 52-54
August 1-15 Major Prophets Ezekiel 36-37
August 16-31 ChurchEpistles Ephesians 1-3
Sept 1-15 Church Epistles Ephesians 4-6
Sept 16-30 Minor Prophets Joel
Oct 1-15 Minor Prophets Amos
Oct 16-31 Pastoral Epistles I Timothy 1-3
Nov 1-15 Pastoral Epistles I Timothy 4-6
Nov 16-30 Apocalyptic Revelation 18-19
Dec 1-15 Apocalyptic Revelation 20-22
Dec 16-31 Poetry Psalm 26
Daily Habits:
Pray. Surrender to God’s will. Ask for understanding.
Read. With a pen in hand. Underline and write questions.
Write. Commit thoughts to paper.
Pray. Adoration. Repentance. Thanksgiving. Intercession.
Day 1 Read
Read the passage at a normal pace in a literal translation (NKJV, ESV, NASB). What is this text about? What is powerful in this passage? Underline and write it down.
Day 2 Re-read in a different translation
Choose a different translation. If you speak a second language, read it in a different language. What else is there that you missed yesterday? Write a prayer of adoration, confession, thankfulness, petition, or intercession.
Day 3 Re-read in a paraphrase translation out loud
NIV, The Message, or NLT. Read it out loud with the dramatic emphasis you think it deserves. What emotion is in this text? Joy? Anger? Urgency? Enthusiasm? What did you see in the idea-for-idea translation that you missed before? Write it down.
Day 4 Background Study: Author and Audience
What does the text itself tell us about the author? (All Scripture has both a human author and heavenly author.) What does the text itself tell us about the audience? What does the text tell us about the authors purpose in writing?
Day 5 Discover the Structure
How would you break down the passage in parts? Pay attention to words of transition like “therefore” and “so” and nevertheless”. How do these parts connect to one another? Give a title to each section.
Day 6 Identify Key Words
What theological words are in the text? What difficult-to-understand words are in the text? What words are repeated? Look up some of these words in www.blueletterbible.com and write down its original word, its synonyms, its usages in other passages of the Bible, and its meaning. What do these key words tell us about the message?
Day 7 Summarize
Write a brief summary in your own words to each section. Make sure to use the key words in the passage in your summary. Write a summary of the whole passage in 4 sentences or less. Finally, write a one sentence summary of the passage.
Day 8 Memorize
Based on the structure, what do you think is the key verse(s) of the passage? Choose between one and three verses. Write down these verses somewhere accessible (3x5 card) and begin to memorize.
Day 9 Gospel Reflection
How does this passage relate to the gospel? How does this passage relate to the work of Christ in all of its forms?
(1 Eternal past, 2 incarnation, 3 life and ministry, 4 death, 5 burial, 6 resurrection, 7 ascension, 8 present work of intercession, 9-10 future reign)
Day 10 Extended Prayer/Songs
What songs and hymns do you know, have you heard, or can you find that express the ideas in this passage? Find them, sing them, pray them. Write a poem, a song, a chorus and a few verses, for a potential song.
Day 11 Personal Application + commitments
What is the appropriate response from God’s Word in this text? What specific application is there in your life? What commitments do you want to make at this point?
Day 12 Share with others
Meet with someone in the church for breakfast or coffee and share with each other what God taught you from this passage. Pray with one another according to His Word.