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Is Reading The Bible A Formidable Task?

There are some folks who are afraid to begin reading the Bible, because it seems such a formidable task. However, do you know that there are only four books in the New Testament that take over an hour to read?

In fact, there are several New Testament books that can be read in five minutes or less by the average reader. The New Testament has been read aloud publicly in fifteen hours and twenty-five minutes. The Old Testament can be read by a moderately rapid reader in as little as thirty hours.

Although the Bible consists of sixty-six books, many of these books are briefer than a chapter in a secular novel.

Depending upon the level of reading capability, the following is an approximate time for reading each book of the New Testament:

• Matthew (28 Chapters) — 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Mark (16 Chapters) — 45 minutes.
• Luke (24 Chapters) — 1 Hour, 25 minutes.
• John (21 Chapters) — 1 Hour, 15 minutes.
• Acts (28 Chapters) — 1 hour, 45 minutes.
• Romans (16 Chapters) — 45 minutes.
• 1 Corinthians (16 Chapters) — 45 minutes.
• 2 Corinthians (13 Chapters) — 35 minutes.
• Galations (6 Chapters) — 15 minutes.
• Ephesians (6 Chapters) — 15 minutes.
• Philippians (4 Chapters) — 10 minutes.
• Colossians (4 Chapters) — 10 minutes.
• 1 Thessalonians (5 Chapters) — 12 minutes.
• 2 Thessalonians (3 Chapters) — 5 minutes.
• 1 Timothy (6 Chapters) — 15 minutes.
• 2 Timothy (4 Chapters) — 10 minutes.
• Titus (3 Chapters) — 5 minutes.
• Philemon (1 Chapter) — 1 minute.
• Hebrews (13 Chapters) — 35 minutes.
• James (5 Chapters) — 12 minutes.
• 1 Peter (5 Chapters) — 12 minutes.
• 2 Peter (3 Chapters) — 5 minutes.
• 1 John (5 Chapters) — 12 minutes.
• 2 John (1 Chapter) — 1 minute.
• 3 John (1 Chapter) — 1 minute.
• Jude (1 Chapter) — 1 minute.
• Revelation (22 Chapters) — 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Looking at the above times, we can plainly see that reading the New Testament is not a formidable task. Neither is the reading of the Old Testament, if an individual follows a daily reading plan.

Dear reader, there’s no better time to start reading the Bible than today! (Acts 17:11). And yes, we can understand it! (Ephesians 1:15-18; Ephesians 3:1-4; Ephesians 5:17).