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Reading the Bible in two years. The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible divides into the Old Testament (OT), with 39 books of 929 chapters, and the New Testament, with 27 books of 260 chapters, so 66 books of 1189 chapters in total. The reading will take less than two years at 2 chapters per day (Sundays off; reading started 5/24/2020).

Table of Contents

Old Testament

The Books of Moses #Gn #Ex #Lv #Nm #Dt

Historical Books. 1 #Jsh #Jdg #Ruth #1Sam #2Sam #1Kg #2Kg

Historical Books. 2 #1Cr #2Cr #Ez #Neh #Est

Poetical and Wisdom Books #Job #Psa #Prv #Ec #Sol

Major Prophets #Is #Jer #Lam #Ezk #Daniel

Minor Prophets #Ho #Joel #Amos #Obd #Jnh #Mch #Nhm #Hbk #Zph #Hgg #Zch #Mlch

New Testament

Gospels #Mt #Mk #Lk #Jn

Acts of the Apostles #Ac

Epistles #Rm #1Cn #2Cn #Gal #Eph #Ph #Col #1Th #2Th #1Tim #2Tim #Titus #Philemon #Heb #Jms #1Pet #2Pet #1John #2John #3John #Jude

Revelation of St. John the Divine #Rev

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Commentary

Psalm 119

LoL Moments and Rabbit Holes

Jesus’s Best Burns

Glossary

(9/28/2021)

Old Testament

The Old Testament recounts the creation, the rise & history of the Israelites, wisdom & prophecies. The Lord makes a covenant with Abraham & Moses gives the Law. Judges & kings rule Israel. It splits into 2 kingdoms that are exiled. Zion is restored & a Messiah is prophesied. #OT

Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch or Torah)

The Books of Moses describe the creation of the world & the Lord’s covenant with Abraham & Israel. Moses frees the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, gives the Ten Commandment, the Law, festivals, & plans for the tabernacle. He leads them to the promised land. #Gn #Ex #Lv #Nm #Dt

I. Genesis (50 chapters)

Stories of the Creation, Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel (with whom God makes a covenant) are told. Jacob & Leah’s son Joseph is sold into Egypt, rises to power, and brings the Israelites to Goshen from Canaan during a famine. #Gn

II. Exodus (40 chapters) 

Moses, rescued from the Nile, becomes a leader of the Israelites. The Lord visits plagues on Egypt through Moses. The Passover plague of firstborn deaths makes Pharaoh finally expel Israel. The Lord gives  Moses the Ten Commandments & details for making the tabernacle. #Ex

III. Leviticus (27 chapters)

The Lord tells Moses of various types of offerings and sacrifices that are to be made for different offenses. Laws pertaining to diet, sexual relations and cleanliness are ordained. The holidays, including Passover & the Day of Atonement, are prescribed. #Lv

IV. Numbers (36 chapters) 

Numbers, or In the Wilderness, tells the history of Israel moving from Goshen to Gilead, entailing travails & rebellion, duties of the Levites, and various laws & offerings. Also told are stories of Balaam & Balak, whoredom of Moab, War on the Midianites, & arrival at Gilead. #Nm

V. Deuteronomy (34 chapters)

Israel’s travels from Egypt to Gilead, the Mosaic law, festivals, and cities of refuge are recounted and elaborated. Blessings for following the law and curses for violating it are foretold. Moses blesses the tribes and appoints Joshua his successor before dying at Mt. Nebo. #Dt

Historical Books. 1.

These books tell of the conquest of Canaan, Israel’s rule by judges (notably Samuel), Ruth, Kings Saul, David & Solomon, & other kings. Israel is riven by conflict, divided in two, & deported to Assyria & Babylon. #Jsh #Jdg #Ruth #1Sam #2Sam #1Kg #2Kg

VI. Joshua (24 chapters)

Joshua leads Israel to conquer Canaan, killing many kings & taking many cities. The defeat of Jericho (aided by the harlot Rahab) & Ai, and Gibeon’s deception are recounted. The land is divided among the tribes. Cities of refuge are established. Joshua is buried at Shechem. #Jsh

VII. Judges (21 chapters)

The conquest of Canaan continues. This book recounts the tribes’ apostasies and tales of various local leaders (judges). Included are the stories of Ehud, Deborah & Barak, Gideon, the evil Abimelek, Jepthah and his daughter, Samson and Delilah, and civil war with Benjamin. #Jdg

VIII. Ruth (4 chapters)

A man & his wife Naomi travel to Moab with their 2 sons who marry. The men die. Naomi & her daughter-in-law Ruth return to Judah. Ruth gleans fields & gains the favor of her guardian Boaz, who assumes Naomi’s property & marries Ruth. Ruth becomes great-grandmother to David. #Ruth

IX. I Samuel (31 chapters)

Samuel serves Eli, a priest, and becomes judge of Israel. Saul is anointed and made king. David slays Goliath and leads Israel to many victories over the Philistines. Samuel dies. Saul turns against David, who flees to Philistine lands. Saul dies fighting the Philistines. #1Sam

X. II Samuel (24 chapters)

King David of Judah becomes Israel’s king after Saul’s son is killed. David falls in love with Bathsheba & sends her husband Uriah to die. They beget Solomon. Amnon rapes Tamar & is slain by Absalom; all are David’s children. The rebellions of Absalom & Sheba are recounted. #2Sam

XI. I Kings (22 chapters)

David dies. Solomon becomes king, rules wisely, impresses the Queen of Sheba, & builds a temple & palaces. He dies & son Rehoboam is king. Jeroboam conquers all Israel except Judah. Asa becomes Judah’s king &  Ahab Israel’s. Ahab’s wife Jezebel contends with prophet Elijah. #1Kg

XII. II Kings (25 chapters)

After Ahab dies, Israel has many evil kings except Jehu. Elijah dies. Elisha &, later, Isaiah prophesy. The Assyrians conquer Israel & take the people. Judah has good (Hezekiah, Josiah) & evil (Manasseh) kings. Babylon conquers Judah, destroys the temple & takes the people. #2Kg

Historical Books. 2.

The ancestry of David is traced back to the sons of Adam & Eve and the children of Noah. Stories are told of Judah and its kings back to the time of David and Solomon and forward to the Babylonian captivity. The rebuilding of the temple is recounted in Ezra and Nehemiah, and the rescue of the remnants of the Jews of the Babylonian captivity in Esther. #1Cr #2Cr #Ez #Neh #Est

XIII. I Chronicles (29 chapters)

Sons of Seth, Noah, Israel, Saul & David are listed. Duties & names of the Levites assigned as gatekeepers, musicians, & keepers of the temple are given. Saul’s death & the anointing of David as King of Israel are recounted. David prepares for Solomon to build the temple. #1Cr 

XIV. II Chronicles (36 chapters)

Solomon builds and dedicates the temple. After dying, his evil son Rehoboam rules unwisely & Israel is divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel & the Kingdom of Judah. Judah contends with Israel’s evil kings, has good & bad kings, and is taken into captivity by Babylon. #2Cr 

XV. Ezra (10 chapters)

Remnants of Judah, Benjamin & the Levites return to Jerusalem after 70 years captivity. King Cyrus of Persia decrees to rebuild the temple. Work continues intermittently. Ezra witnesses its completion. He cries out against strange wives from foreign lands, who are sent away. #Ez

XVI. Nehemiah (13 chapters)

Artaxerxes’s cupbearer Nehemiah, governor of trans-Euphrates, returns to Jerusalem to help rebuild the temple. The walls around Jerusalem are repaired in the face of enemies. A celebration & reading of Mosaic law is set against strictures on strange wives & Sabbath duties. #Neh

XVII. Esther (10 chapters)

Queen Vashti arouses Xerxes’s displeasure during his reign. Esther is favored by her beauty & intelligence to become queen. Esther helps save the Jews of the Persian empire by appealing to the king to oppose anti-Jewish laws and the evil Haman, supported by Mordecai the Jew. #Est

Poetical & Wisdom Books

The book of Job portrays a righteous man confronting extreme misfortune. The Psalms are hymns of praise to God. Proverbs & Ecclesiastes offer wisdom concerning good behavior and dealing with life’s hardships. The Song of Solomon is a moving lyric of love. #Job #Psa #Prv #Ec #Sol

XVIII. Job (42 chapters)

The Lord has Satan test Job, a perfect & upright man, by destroying his family & property. Naked came I out of my mother’s womb; naked shall I return. His friends comfort him & doubt Shaddai. Elihu rebukes them. The Lord proclaims the grandeur of his creation & restores Job. #Job

XIX. Psalms (150 + 22 psalms)

The psalmist, most likely David, composed and sung the psalms, which are hymns to the Lord of Israel. Many follow a pattern of praise to the Lord, fears of and curses to the wicked, and thanks for the Lord’s blessings. They range from the darkest despair to the greatest rejoicing. #Psa

XX. Proverbs (31 chapters)

The Proverbs, mainly attributed to Solomon, comprise a monument to wisdom that is wry, generous, humorous, profound, and witty. It begins with warnings against strange women and ends with a tribute to virtuous women. The middle sayings gird us on our voyage through life. #Prv

XXI. Ecclesiastes (12 chapters)

This dark philosophic reflection on the human condition, from All is vanity to Fear God & keep his commandments, is a stoic book of worldly wisdom dated c. 300 BC. Accept your common lot—the grave—& enjoy that portion of your labor due you. For everything there is a season. #Ec

XXII. Song of Solomon (8 chapters)

The Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, is religiously infused erotic literature of love. These sensual love poems, ascribed to Solomon c. 1000 BC but put in their present form in the 3rd century BC, could symbolize God’s love for Israel or Christ’s love for the Church. #Sol

Major Prophets

Histories, visions, prophecies & calls to prophecy of the major prophets of Israel—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel & Daniel—are found in these books. Contemporary, end-time, and messianic themes appear. Judah’s exile to Babylon is to purge Israel of its sin. #Is #Jer #Lam #Ezk #Dan

XXIII. Isaiah (66 chapters)

This is Isaiah’s vision during the reigns of Judah’s kings when the Northern Kingdom is exiled to Assyria. Oracles on nations, vengeance to the wicked, salvation for Israel’s remnant, & the coming of a servant from the seed of Judah are foretold. Yahweh is God of all nations. #Is

XXIV. Jeremiah (52 chapters)

 These are Yahweh’s words to Jeremiah during the reigns of Josiah through Zedekiah. The destruction of Jerusalem & Egypt by NkB is foretold. Jeremiah is captured, & released when Jerusalem is burned & looted. He is taken to Egypt with one remnant while Babylon takes another. #Jer

XXV. Lamentations (5 chapters)

Written as acrostics on the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Lamentations of Jeremiah declaim on the destruction of Jerusalem, the people taken into captivity, Zion’s sin, the Lord’s anger, famine, and Virgin daughter Zion. #Lm

XXVI. Ezekiel (48 chapters)

Ezekial prophesied during the years of Jerusalem’s destruction & Judah’s captivity in Babylon. His call to prophesy is recounted. Oracles against Tyre, Egypt, Edom & other nations are made. The wicked are called to repent. A man of bronze measures a vision of the holy city. #Ezk

XXVII. Daniel (12+2 chapters)

Daniel (620-538 BC) was exiled to Babylon when Jerusalem fell & lived into the reign of Darius. His ability to interpret NkB’s dreams fuels his rise, but his piety sends him to the lion’s den. This book chronicles visions, prophecies & events in the life of Daniel. #Dan

Minor Prophets

The minor prophets lived from the pre- to post-exilic periods. The sins of Israel & Judah are denounced. Oracles against nations & people are delivered. The restoration of Zion & a coming messenger & king is promised. #Ho #Joel #Amos #Obd #Jnh #Mch #Nhm #Hbk #Zph #Hgg #Zch #Mlch

XXVIII. Hosea (14 chapters)

Hosea prophesied from the Northern Kingdom as it was being exiled to Assyria. Israel is denounced as a harlot. Her infidelity afflicts the kings, priests & people. Ephraim worships idols & shall be punished. Judah, beware! Samaria will be destroyed, but Israel will grow. #Ho

XXIX. Joel (3 chapters)

The Lord speaks through Joel of an army of locusts destroying the land, the corn wasted, wine failed, the oil dried up. The earth will shake and the heavens tremble. If Israel repents, she will be restored. The nations will be judged at Jehoshaphat. #Joel

XXX. Amos (9 chapters)

The words of Yahweh to Amos, a Judaean shepherd who lived during the times of Uzziah & Jeroboam II: For the sins of Israel, for corrupt rich of Zion & for crimes of other nations, I send destruction. The wicked will be punished, the altar destroyed, the tabernacle restored. #Amos

XXXI. Obadiah (1 chapters)

Little is known about Obadiah. This short book may have been written at the time of Judah’s deportation c. 586 BC, or later, after Jerusalem’s destruction in the 5th century. It is a vision of the fate of Edom, the children of Esau. They will be utterly destroyed. #Obd

XXXII. Jonah (4 chapters)

The word of the Lord comes to Jonah, telling him to go to Nineveh & cry against its wickedness. Jonah flees in a boat, but is thrown overboard to appease the gods during a storm. A fish swallows him & vomits him out on shore. Jonah completes the task the Lord had given him. #Jnh

XXXIII. Micah (7 chapters)

Micah the Morasthite, a contemporary of Isaiah, prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz & Hezekiah. Judgment shall come against the rich, the corrupt judges, prophets and priests of Israel. It will be destroyed, leaving a remnant. A ruler will come from Bethlehem. #Mch

XXXIV. Nahum (3 chapters)

Nahum the Elkoshite (in Galilee) prophesied shortly after the period (c. 732-721 BC) when Assyria sent the Northern Kingdom into captivity. The destruction of Nineveh is foretold. Nineveh was in fact destroyed by civil war & attacks by Babylon, Medes, and Persia c. 612 BC. #Nhm

XXXV. Habakkuk (3 chapters)

Habakkuk prophesied shortly before Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon. The book tells of the burden, that is, punishment & calamities, that are to befall the Jewish people at the hands of the Chaldeans. They in turn will be trampled. A prayer is offered to Yahweh. #Hbk

XXXVI. Zephaniah (3 chapters)

Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah in the years before Judah was taken into captivity. For the sins of Jerusalem and the world, Yahweh will send retribution. Yahweh will rejoice for the righteous and return them from captivity. #Zph

XXXVII. Haggai (2 chapters)

Haggai prophesied in 520 BC (the 2nd year of Darius’s reign), after the remnant of the exiles to Babylon return to Jerusalem. The high priest & governor of Judah are encouraged to rebuild the temple. Then the kingdoms of the heathen will be destroyed & Judah will be blessed. #Hgg

XXXVIII. Zechariah (14 chapters)

The word of Yahweh came to Zechariah during the reign of Darius in the post-exilic period. The people are admonished to repent. Visions are described. A king will come on an ass as a shepherd bringing peace. Jerusalem will be taken & made whole. Nations shall be punished. #Zch

XXXIX. Malachi (4 chapters)

Malachi, meaning messenger, prophesied in the 4th century BC. He inveighed against priests & their corrupt offerings, the sins of the people after exile, & divorce. Those who return to the Lord will be blessed, & a messenger & prophet will be sent. #Mlch

New Testament

The New Testament presents the life & ministry of Jesus Christ. The acts of apostles Peter & Paul giving birth to Christianity are told. Issues of Jewish law, the divinity of Christ, & the moral code of Christians are found in the Epistles. Revelation tells of the end times. #NT

Gospels

 The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John describe Jesus’s birth, ministry, miracles, crucifixion, & resurrection. The Sermon on the Mount gives His new moral code. Jesus comes not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (#Mt5:17). The Word of God is made flesh in Jesus (#Jn1:14). #Mt #Mk #Lk #Jn

I. Matthew (28 chapters)

The story is told of Jesus’s birth, ministry, miracles, divinity, and crucifixion. His revolutionary doctrine is the Sermon on the Mount: turn the other cheek, beware false prophets, love your neighbor. The battle between the elect and the wicked is at hand. #Mt

II. Mark (16 chapters)

John the Baptist cries out in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord. Jesus inspires multitudes by curing the sick, raising the dead, and casting out devils. Jesus’s acts, His teachings in the form of parables, and His crucification & resurrection, are chronicled. #Mk

III. Luke (24chapters)

The final synoptic gospel tells the story of Jesus from birth to ascension, including Satan tempting Christ & the miracle of catching abundant fish. The parables of the rich fool, prodigal son, & poor widow are told. Jesus meets his disciples after the resurrection. #Lk

IV. John (21 chapters)

John, Jesus’s beloved disciple, testifies. Stories are recounted of the marriage at Cana, Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman & curing a blind man, the parable of the shepherd, miracle of the fish, the adulterous woman, and the crucifixion & resurrection. Jesus is of the Father. #Jn

        Acts of the Apostles

V. Acts (28 chapters) 

The Acts recount the ministry of some of the Apostles, the addition of 7 disciples, the stoning of Stephen, & Peter’s revelation of the universal nature of Christ’s teaching. Saul’s road to Damascus conversion & his 4 voyages to spread the faith lead him, now Paul, to Rome. #Ac

Epistles

These letters from Paul & disciples to  early Christian communities proclaim the divinity of Christ, relevance of Jewish law, & proper behavior of Christians. #Rm #1Cn #2Cn #Gal #Eph #Ph #Col #1Th #2Th #1Tim #2Tim #Titus #Philemon #Heb #Jms #1Pet #2Pet #1John #2John #3John #Jude

VI. Epistle to the Romans (16 chapters) 

Written while staying with Gaius in Corinth, Paul says that Jesus Christ is also Lord of the Gentiles. He argues for salvation through faith not works. Christ’s death frees us from sin & physical death. Advice to Christians: be fervent in spirit; be not wise in your conceits. #Rm

VII. I Corinthians (16 chapters)

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians discusses the Spirit of God, being a fool for Christ and a temple of God, and avoiding sexual immorality. Proper church behavior, how to deal with unbelievers, & a moving tribute to love are found here. The dead assume spiritual bodies. #1Cn

VIII. II Corinthians (13 chapters)

Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians instructs them to bear suffering, let the light of God shine through them, & be Christ’s ambassadors. He regrets a past rebuke but has joy for their joy. God loves a selfless giver. Paul laments his weakness, but is strong through Christ. #2Cn

IX. Galatians (6 chapters)

Writing to the Galatians, Paul rejects the idea that one must follow Mosaic law or be circumcised to be Christian. We are slaves before knowing Christ, who redeems us and frees us. The entirety of the law is to love one another as oneself. As you sow, so shall you reap. #Gal

X. Ephesians (6 chapters)

Written around 63 AD when Paul was a prisoner in Rome, this letter speaks of the Holy Spirit, the trinitarian nature of the Deity, and the fulfillment of the Law for both Jews and Gentiles. The second part prescribes the moral and sexual code and duties of Christians. #Eph

XI. Philippians (4 chapters) 

Writing to the Christians at Philippi, Paul expresses joy and serenity while under threat of death. He thanks them for their gifts, and tells them to avoid the sins of the flesh and seek the commonwealth of heaven where our lowly body will become glorious. #Ph

XII. Colossians (4 chapters) 

Written to adelphi of Colossae while a prisoner in Rome, Paul warns them of false doctrine & instructs them on proper Christian behavior. Christ takes away our sins. Avoid sexual immorality, anger, malice & lies. Wives, be subject to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives. #Col

XIII. I & II Thessalonians (5 + 3 chapters) 

These letters provide encouragement to and gratitude for the congregation of Thessalonika. They explore Christ’s second coming, the man of sin appearing before then and how to detect him, and proper Christian behavior. Be not idle—if anyone not work, he should not eat. #1Th #2Th

XIV. I & II Timothy (6 + 4 chapters) 

The Pastoral Letters of Timothy, perhaps written by a disciple of Paul, offer guidance for church leaders and members, including widows, elders, & slaves. Timothy urges them to avoid false doctrines, godless chatter, & to be morally upright. Prepare for the last days. #1Tim #2Tim

XV. Titus (3 chapters)

This personal, pastoral letter from Paul to Titus mirrors the letters to Timothy. It emphasizes duties of church leaders and members, how to deal with elders and youth, and treatment of slaves. It stresses Christian values of humility and hard work through the love of God. #Titus

XVI. Philemon (1 chapter) 

Onesimus, a runaway slave owned by Philemon, is converted to Christianity and falls under Paul’s sway. Paul restores Onesimus to Philemon, appealing that he no longer be a slave but more than a slave. Receive him as myself. #Philemon

XVII. Epistle to the Hebrews (13 chapters)

This anonymous letter argues that Jesus is above the angels, Moses & the prophets. He is part of a priesthood though not a Levite. His sacrifice concludes the Old Testament, beginning the New. The importance of faith is stressed. Jesus is the same yesterday, today & forever. #Heb

XVIII. Epistle of James (5 chapters)

This letter of James echoes the themes of the Sermon on the Mount. Be rich in spirit. Judge with mercy. Faith without works (though not the works of the Mosaic law, as in #Gal) is dead. Be patient and persevere. Control your tongue; it is a restless evil. #Jms

XIX. Epistles of Peter (5 + 3 chapters) 

These Letters of Peter, written c. 64 AD (though authorship is disputed), instruct believers—wives, elders, youth—to live a godly life whose fiery ordeal is redeemed by Christ. The last days will come as a thief in the night. Beware false prophets and the devil. #1Pet #2Pet

XX. Epistles of John (5 + 1 + 1 chapters)

These letters were likely written at the end of the 1st century by the Apostle John. They tell of the three-fold nature of the divine, the Word of Life, light of Jesus, & centrality of love. Warnings about the wicked are given. Perfect love drives out fear. #1John #2John #3John

XXI. Epistle of Jude (1 chapter)

This letter, which tradition says was written by the brother of James & Jesus around 80 AD, warns of false teachers who sow division. Woe unto these scoffers who are like waterless clouds carried about by the winds. Keep yourself spotless before the presence of his glory. #Jude

Revelation

Biblically Accurate Angels Animation, Jonas Pfeiffer (German), https://artstation.com/jonaspfeiffer

XXII. Revelation of St. John the Divine (22 chapters) 

The apocalypse of John is a vision & prophecy of the end times. A throne is surrounded by 4 beasts & 24 elders. Angels of the 7 churches of Asia unseal 7 seals, & 3 woes are revealed. The good glorify God; the evil are cast into fire. The new Jerusalem awaits the righteous. #Rev