Old Testament in a Year
Old Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan
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Two Page PDF with 2025 Calendar Schedule
Last year, I completed a New Testament in a Year reading plan. As I was reading, it raised a lot of questions for me about the Old Testament. This year I plan on reading through the entire Old Testament. If you are interested in joining me, you can download the PDF reading plan.
How it is Structured
Each day you will have a reading from the Old Testament, in the order it appears in your Bible. The Psalms and Proverbs have been pulled out and distributed through the whole year. This is to break up the monotony of some of the books in the Old Testament, and to give some lighter reading during some of the books that are hard, heavy or confusing.
The reading is divided up so you are reading roughly the same amount each day. But, there are some days where you have more reading for the sake of keeping the books together, especially towards the end in the Minor Prophets.
Before You Start Your Old Testament Reading Plan
Pray over your reading plan before you start. It is helpful to write prayers like this down. If you journal, write it in your journal. Or, write out the prayer on a piece of letter paper, fold it up, and tape it inside of your planner or journal. Use the prayer below as a starting place to talk to God about the time you want to spend with Him and why you chose this plan.
Dear God,
I am setting a goal to read the Old Testament in one year. Please be with me as I read. Keep me coming back to Your Word. Remove obstacles that might prevent me from completing this reading. God, help my eyes to see Your truth and story clearly. Grow my appetite for quiet time, and draw me back to this place over and over. When things are good and when things are bad, when I am tired and when I am busy, meet me in the Bible. Thank You for Your grace and peace.
In Your Name,
Amen
Tips for Success
Track Your Progress
Use the downloadable progress tracker at the top of this page. Or, keep it simple and write out check boxes on a notepad or sticky note and put it some place you will see it daily.Write It Down
If you use a paper planner, I suggest putting the verse reference in your planner. You can also use this as a way of tracking your progress by checking it off. You can also set it as a task or event in your digital calendar, with the verse for that day.Make a Plan
Think about your day and routines. What would be the best time for you to do your quiet time during this reading plan? Recognizing times that would be good to read your verse for the day in advance will help you stay on track. I recommend choosing something earlier in the day, so you can reflect on the verse through out your day.Set an Alarm
If you plan on doing your reading at a specific time, set an alarm/reminder on your phone or computerLocation Isn’t Important
I love the idea of doing a long, reflective early morning quiet time while the sun rises and I sit in a rocking chair taking in nature. This idea, while beautiful, is not realistic on a day to day basis for me. Doing any quiet time is better than doing no quiet time. Doing quiet time in a house that is loud, is better than doing no quiet time. Don’t be afraid to sneak it in while you are waiting in your car, when the oven is heating up, or right before you go to bed. Letting go of a specific idea of what quiet time should look like is part of how you make it a routine and not just a dream.
Old Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan
Due to the length of this reading plan, I have only included the readings for the first few weeks here. The full plan can be found in the PDF at the top of this post.
Week 1
Day 1 - Genesis 1-3, Psalms 1
Day 2 - Genesis 4-7, Proverbs 1:1-7
Day 3 - Genesis 8-11, Psalms 2
Day 4 - Genesis 12-15, Proverbs 1:8-19
Day 5 - Genesis 16-18, Psalms 4
Week 2
Day 1 - Genesis 19-21, Psalms 5
Day 2 - Genesis 22-23, Proverbs 1:20-33
Day 3 Genesis 24-26, Psalms 6
Day 4 - Genesis 27-28, Proverbs 2:1-5
Day 5 - Genesis 29-30, Psalms 7
Week 3
Day 1 - Genesis 31-33, Psalms 8
Day 2 - Genesis 34-36, Proverbs 2:6-15
Day 3 - Genesis 37-38, Psalms 9
Day 4 Genesis 39-41, Proverbs 2:16-19
Day 5 - Genesis 42-43, Psalms 10
What to Read Next
If you are looking for another reading plan, there are more linked below.
More Reading Plans:
