Bible Basics
New to the Bible? You do not need to catch up on everything at once. Backwoods Bible gives you one verse a day, in the King James wording, with plain English beside it. This page is the map for when you want the bigger picture.
Where should I start reading?
If you are brand new, start small. A chapter is plenty. These four books are friendly doors into the rest:
- The Gospel of John — who Jesus is, in stories and plain sayings.
- Psalms — prayers and songs for fear, thanks, anger, and hope.
- Proverbs — short wisdom for work, words, money, and neighbors.
- Genesis 1–11 — the beginning of the world, people, and trouble.
A steady little bit beats a heroic weekend. Read one chapter of John, and one Psalm or a few Proverbs, and then stop while you still want to come back. Today's verse is a fine place to begin this morning.
How is the Bible put together?
The Bible is a library, not one long book by one author. It holds 66 books, written over many centuries, in two main parts.
Old Testament — 39 books
- Law (Genesis–Deuteronomy): the beginning, and God's covenant with Israel.
- History (Joshua–Esther): Israel as a people, in the land and in exile.
- Poetry and wisdom (Job–Song of Solomon): worship, suffering, and everyday sense.
- Prophets (Isaiah–Malachi): God's messages when the people wandered.
New Testament — 27 books
- Gospels (Matthew–John): the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
- History (Acts): the first churches after Jesus rose.
- Letters (Romans–Jude): teaching and encouragement for Christians.
- Prophecy (Revelation): a vision of Jesus and the world made new.
Chapters and verses were added later so people could find a sentence again. “John 3:16” means the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16.
Old Testament and New Testament
“Testament” means a covenant — a binding promise between God and people. The two parts tell one story. The old promise prepares the way. The new promise shows how Jesus fulfills it.
Old Testament
- Written before Jesus was born.
- Mostly the story of God and Israel.
- Includes the law given through Moses.
- Points ahead to a coming Messiah, a Savior.
- First written mostly in Hebrew.
New Testament
- Written after Jesus rose from the dead.
- Centers on Jesus and the people who followed him.
- Explains how Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets.
- Says salvation is open to every nation, not only Israel.
- First written in Greek.
Both parts are Scripture. You do not throw out the Old Testament once you love the New. You read the beginning so the ending makes sense.
Why it feels hard sometimes
If a page confuses you, that does not mean you are bad at this. The Bible is old, and it was written for people in another place.
- Distance. The newest books are about two thousand years old. The oldest are older than that.
- Language. It was written in Hebrew, a little Aramaic, and Greek. The King James Version is English from 1611, so words like “thee,” “ye,” and “charity” need a translation into the English you speak. That is what the Plain English section is for.
- Many kinds of writing. Laws, family stories, poems, letters, and visions do not all work the same way.
- It asks something of you. Some of it is meant to comfort you. Some of it is meant to stop you. Both can feel heavy.
What helps
- Keep the King James text, and let a plainer translation sit beside it when you want one. The New International Version and the New Living Translation are common choices.
- Start with John, a Psalm, or a Proverb before you take on Leviticus or Revelation.
- Read with someone else when you can. A kitchen table is enough.
- A study Bible with short notes at the bottom of the page is a fair tool, not cheating.
- The main news is clear even when a detail is not: God loves the world, and he sent Jesus so people can be forgiven and live with him.
A 30-day starter plan
One passage a day. Read it slowly. If you miss a day, pick up at the next number. You are not behind.
- John 1:1-18 — The Word became flesh
- Psalm 23 — The Lord is my shepherd
- Genesis 1 — Creation
- Matthew 5:1-16 — The Beatitudes
- Romans 8:28-39 — More than conquerors
- Proverbs 3:1-12 — Trust in the Lord
- John 3:1-21 — Born again
- 1 Corinthians 13 — The love chapter
- Genesis 6:9-22 — Noah and the ark
- Matthew 6:5-15 — The Lord's Prayer
- Philippians 4:4-13 — Rejoice in the Lord
- Psalm 139:1-18 — Fearfully and wonderfully made
- John 14:1-14 — The way, the truth, and the life
- Isaiah 40:28-31 — Those who wait on the Lord
- Exodus 20:1-17 — The Ten Commandments
- Luke 15:11-32 — The prodigal son
- Romans 12 — A living sacrifice
- Psalm 1 — Blessed is the one
- John 15:1-17 — The vine and the branches
- James 1:19-27 — Doers of the word
- Genesis 12:1-9 — The call of Abraham
- Matthew 7:24-29 — The house on the rock
- Galatians 5:16-26 — The fruit of the Spirit
- Psalm 51 — Create in me a clean heart
- John 21:15-19 — Feed my sheep
- 1 John 4:7-21 — God is love
- Luke 10:25-37 — The good Samaritan
- Hebrews 11:1-16 — The faith chapter
- Psalm 121 — My help comes from the Lord
- Revelation 21:1-7 — A new heaven and a new earth