Lisa notes

2-Year Bible Reading Plan {Updated}

By LisaNotes December 26, 2022 Bible 72 Comments

Do you struggle to finish a 1-year Bible reading plan?

Trying to squeeze all 66 books of the Bible into 12 months of reading is no easy task, especially if you don’t want to just speed through.

Here’s an alternative option:

Use this 2-year Bible reading plan instead.

2 Year Bible Reading Plan

  • 5 days a week (no weekends)
  • Alternate 2 weeks in the Old Testament/1 week in the New Testament
  • No dates; start anytime
  • Take several weeks off per year as needed (total schedule=95 weeks)
  • Basic chronological order within each Testament
  • Psalms and Proverbs sprinkled throughout

With this plan you only read 5 days a week and take the weekends off. Two weeks in the Old Testament alternate with one week in the New Testament. The blocks aren’t dated so you can start anytime. You can also skip days here and there and still finish on time. Or read straight through and finish in less than 2 years.

I created this two-year plan based on a chronological timeline of the Bible, with the exception of Psalms and Proverbs, which are interspersed throughout the plan.

If you try it, let me know what you think.

We should never have to rush as we read through the Bible. We benefit more from a steady, smooth pace.

Reading the testimonies of others’ encounters with God can awaken us to our own encounters with God.

(not dated, so start anytime)

Download the plan here.

* * *

Do you have a daily Bible reading plan you like? Please share in the comments.

republished from the archives

72 thoughts on “2-Year Bible Reading Plan {Updated}”

  1. Lynn D. Morrissey

    Thanks, Lisa, I copied it. I love reading the Bible through in a year (or two) for the full sweep of it, and reading it all in context. I started reading a One-Year bible, b/c I had never done that. Admittedly, it’s handy, but then difficult to find passages, so I always have a “regular” Bible at hand. One year, I read a chronological Bible that truly put things in order, in context. I have also read a two-year Bible (same format as the one-year, but less to read). I love Dr. RC Sproul’s ministry’s plans. They give you lots of options. Bottomline, we need to be in God’s Word, however we do it, prayerfully, soulfully, faithfully. Thank you so much for sharing!
    Happy New Year!
    Lynn
    https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/?fbclid=IwAR04Z2qH-yzEG_mIOR_6oBZYfV6pk4agN32uKYzkMyolIDZDF6P6ioCnJbs

    Reply ↓
  2. Lynn D. Morrissey

    Lisa, is basically the only difference in your two plans that one alternates between Testaments, and the other doesn’t? Pls. advise.
    L

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      They both alternate between the Testaments, but the newer one is more chronologically correct within each Testament. In the end you still read everything through one time, just in a slightly different order. 🙂

      Hope you had a great Christmas, Lynn! And Happy New 2019 to you!

      Reply ↓
        1. LisaNotes Post author

          Lynn,
          I do it vertically. I won’t be starting the new plan myself until around April. I still haven’t finished up my last series; I got behind when my grandbaby was born. I typically journal on one verse per day from my readings, so when I wasn’t home with my journal, I paused my reading, too, as if it’s all or nothing. Mistake. It took a couple months before I finally realized: even if I can’t journal, I can still read. And when the season is right, I’ll return to journaling.

          Reply ↓

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  9. Lesley

    This looks like a great plan, Lisa! I have done a one-year plan before and it is a lot, especially if you don’t just want to skim through it. I love that your plan is chronological – it helps a lot to get a sense of the big picture and how it all fits together. Lately I’ve been using the plans at She Reads Truth which tend to go through a book of the Bible in about a month, but I was thinking I should read through the whole Bible again at some point so I will remember your plan.

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  11. Jill Foley

    Thank you for this! I’ve done the one year plan many times, and this past year I took the year off. I wasn’t excited about starting again, because I know how daunting it can be to keep up. But this plan…taking up to 2 years…this is doable!

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  14. Laura Thomas

    Such a great idea, Lisa! I’ve attempted the 1-year thing before and end up feeling the pressure and guilt steals the joy! I’ve been using the Read Scripture app from The Bible Project most days, and I really enjoy it. Thanks for sharing. ? Stopping by from #raralinkup

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  15. floyd samons

    I’m closing in on another cover to cover reading of the Bible.

    I have to admit that I’ve stalled severely this time around.

    I’ll use this as my encouragement and reminder to get back to it!

    Reply ↓
  16. Anonymous

    This is an excellent Bible reading plan. Thank you for laboring over creating it. I started this plan just over a year ago and was able to finish it today!

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      That’s so exciting! Thanks for sharing about finishing the reading plan. And congratulations on reading through the Bible. It brings such rewards to listen for God’s voice through the stories.

      Reply ↓
  18. Wolfie

    Thrilled to have found this as I need time to consider deeply and pray through Scripture. I love that you allow for NT alternating and any start date. Started today!

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Awesome! I pray that you will have a fruitful journey through the scriptures. I use this schedule again and again and have been blessed each time I read through the Bible. God is always revealing something fresh.

      Reply ↓

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  22. Andrew

    Hi Lisa,

    I intend to use this plan with my church members to read through the Bible for the next two years. As most of them are Chinese, may I have your permission to translate it into Chinese?

    Reply ↓

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  27. Duane C Farrington

    Duane
    I’ve been looking for a 2 year Bible reading plan for some time could find one I understood. I have a problem understanding yours also. Does one block equal one day? I would like to get some old testament and some new testament each. Is it best to read vertically or horizontally.
    I really want to get reading with a 2 year plan. Thank you for all the work you put into this plan.

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Each block, which has 5 readings, represents 5 days. The plan alternates between two weeks reading in the Old Testament with one week reading in the New Testament. Read vertically so that you stay in sequence. Hope you find a plan that works well for you!

      Reply ↓
  28. Bill Craig

    I would love to get another copy of the previous version. Mine has been marked up as I’ve read through it enough times that it’s difficult to keep track of where I am anymore.

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  29. elaine

    i absolutely love this reading plan! i’m not rushing through just to check off the box…. i can actually read it slower and enjoy what i’m reading. you said the OT and NT readings kind of coincide….. is that right? or can I just go through the OT (skipping the NT weeks) and then circle back and read the NT? (so far, I’ve been reading it the way you have it on the pdf)

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Glad you are enjoying the reading plan! I’ve used it for years now and haven’t grown tired of it yet. No, there is no coinciding between the OT and NT readings. They’re laid out as they are just to mix it up.

      So you could definitely read all the OT chapters first, then go back and catch all the NT chapters if you want to.

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  31. J

    I will be starting this soon with a friend. I’m very excited to find a 2 year plan that doesn’t include weekends and allows some Grace periods as well… it really reduces the stress around completing the plan! Quick question towards the end of the plan it says finish OT one day and and NT the other. What should I read that day? I’m a little confused. Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I’m glad you’ll be starting the plan with a friend. What a great way to do it! I’ve been doing the plan on repeat for several years now and it always works nicely for me to have the extra grace too. 🙂 You can just take a break on the days when you end the OT and end the NT as a celebration! Blessings to you on this journey.

      Reply ↓
  32. Colin Richards

    Thanks you Lisa, just downloaded, i fully agree with your comments, reading the bible in one year, does not really give you the time to meditate and digest what you have read.

    Will give this a try…

    Every Blessing

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  33. Lisa

    Hi! Excited to start this! I’ll be doing with quite a few family members and friends! I’m trying to print it out but it’s almost like the writing is in gray or something, it’s barely visible, if not unreadable. I tried printing something else to see if it was my printer but that printed excellent. Any advice? Or do you have a different version by chance? Thank you!!

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  35. Casey Hahn

    Just found this plan! Very excited to finally find a plan that allows for grace! Do you mind emailing me a copy so I can print it out? If not, no worries ,I’ll figure it out. Thank you

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  37. Patti Gardner

    I have tried the Bible in a Year before, but I discovered early on that the pace was too intense for me. This is definitely more doable, but it still may be too intense for me. I have downloaded the plan, but I may end up just reading through the New Testament in 2023. (I found a 5 day a week plan for reading the NT in a year).

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Reading through the New Testament in 2023 is a lovely plan, Patti! I like to take my time when I read the New Testament too and soak in the words a little longer there.

      Reply ↓
  38. Donna B Reidland

    This looks like a great plan, Lisa. I have thought about going to a different plan but always go back to a one-year plan. Perhaps it works for me because I don’t get legalistic about it. If I get behind, even if it takes a while to catch up, I don’t sweat it. But I can definitely see the value in a slower pace.

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I agree with you, Donna: not getting legalistic about it is important to me, too. I stopped my reading plan for a few weeks this December as I switched over to Advent readings instead. It’s all good. 🙂

      Reply ↓
  39. Stacey Michelle Blanks

    I just found your site with a 2 year plan. I find the one year is too fast and I’m not able to soak in the Word. I like to stop and research things that don’t make sense to me. I also like to make notes and place in my Bible. Thank you for this chronological list! Blessings!

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      One year is too fast for me, too, Stacey. It sounds like you really like to dig in; that’s awesome. Two years might be too quick too when there is so much to explore. 🙂

      Reply ↓
  40. David

    In 2022 I feel like my reading plan was blown out of my hands, and I abandoned it in the storm — though I found a daily reading app and held that to me. I will return to the plan this week, starting with Isaiah. My Old Testament is actually a Jewish Tanakh, so the ordering is different, but the plan is basically: Jan-Jul prophets; Aug women; Sep-Dec poetry & proverbs.

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I have a friend who uses a daily reading app and she loves it. I’ve never tried that but I can see how it could be very valuable. I love the uniqueness of your plan!

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  41. Jason Hartzell

    Hi, I love your 2 year Bible reading plan and have gotten several people involved in following it starting now, this week. Several people have explained they’re poor with reading written text. YouVision’s Holy Bible app has many plans listed in hat individuals have created. Have you made one in this creative space? I’m curious because I’m he ability to listen and read would help so many. Thank you for your great plan! God bless

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Glad you like the plan, Jason! I use it again and again every two years myself, usually choosing a different translation each time. I looked again at YouVersion today to see if I could add the plan there, but they’re not accepting outside input at this time. Too bad because I would like to listen to it there myself without having to input the chapters each day.

      Reply ↓
  42. Bonnie

    Lisa, thank you so much for this beautiful plan. I just printed it! I have done the chronological one year, regular one year Bible reading plans a couple times each, but it felt very very rushed. I think this 2 year plan will allow me to linger and do things more mindfully. I also love that it is a 5 days a week plan! I love taking the weekend off from a plan and just soaking church in. Thanks again for this beautiful plan!

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  43. Steve

    Lisa, I noticed this is a Bible reading plan of the 66 books. Does this mean it is a Protestant Bible as the Catholic Bibles have 73 books.
    thank you

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      You are correct, Steve. This is only a plan for the Protestant Bible. I hope there is a comparable plan available somewhere for the Catholic Bible if that’s the one you’re reading.

      Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Hi Judith. Start at the top left, then go down the whole first column. Start next at the 2nd column from the left, and go all the way down again. Hope that helps!

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  46. Patti Gardner

    Hi, Lisa! I was Googling 2-year Bible reading plans, and when I saw yours, I said to myself, “I know Lisa. How cool that she has a Bible-reading plan.” This looks very doable. Thanks so much!!

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      It’s always fun to bump into friends online in unexpected ways! 🙂 I’m glad you found the plan, Patti, and I hope it works well for you if you use it. It’s been marvelous for me. I’ve worked with it several rounds, again and again (although sometimes I take 3 years instead of 2 to finish).

      Reply ↓

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