Dave Miller's 2025 Bible Reading Challenge

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Acts 17:16-18:22 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     One of the papers I did in my fourth year of Greek in seminary was on 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. In that passage, Paul says that he entered Corinth determined to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified. It has been assumed by many that this was the result of Paul's "failure" in Athens, in which he attempted to debate with the philosophers in Athens. As the theory goes, he realized his mistake in trying the intellectual approach and entered Corinth determined to preach the gospel...

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Acts 16:1-17:15 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     After splitting from Barnabas, Paul took Silas and went back out on his second missionary journey. Paul headed by to Galatia, where at Lystra he met a young man who would become his key assistant, Timothy. He tried to go first to Asia (Asia Minor - Ephesus and surrounding areas), then to Bithynia, but was redirected by the Spirit both times. Then in a dream, he was called to go to Macedonia. There he planted churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. He moved down the coast ...

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Acts 15 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Irresistible force, meet immovable object! When Saul of Tarsus met Jesus, the passion with which he persecuted the church became the force with which he proclaimed Christ, and nothing was going to stop him, not even his Jewish critics. Paul's first journey was a great success as many Gentiles came to Christ, but he also encountered growing opposition from the circumcision party. He wrote the book of Galatians to forcefully confront their false teachings and to remind the Jewish leaders ...

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Galatians 5-6 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Galatians 5 is one of those mountaintops of the Bible and one of the formative texts for my ministry. It begins with a strong rebuke to the Galatians who had begun so well, being saved by grace, but had now turned toward the law of God to try to live in the flesh. Verse 12 is probably the strongest thing Paul says in any of his letters, wishing those who pushed circumcision and the Jewish law would just go all the way - emasculating themselves. It shows how strongly Paul feels abo...

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Galatians 3-4 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Galatians 3 contrasts the way of the law and the way of grace. Paul confronts the false reliance of the circumcision party on Jewish law and rituals, demanding they come to God through faith and faith alone. Galatians 4 continues the argument of chapter 3, the superiority of grace over the law, but here there is a series of metaphors related to our standing as sons and heirs of God through that grace.  Daily Devotional:   The Curse of the Law It seems a strange statement...

  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2026 This year, we will read the Bible chronologically, as it happened, instead of simply reading from Genesis to Revelation. The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Galatians 1-2 In Bible Gateway, we will link to the NIV this year, though you can choose any version you prefer.  Background:     Figuring out when Paul wrote his other epistles is generally easier than setting a date for Galatians, which has been much debated. The issues have to do with the identity of the Galatians and are likely not of interest to many of our readers - a basic Bible dictionary or encyclopedia would explain those issues for those who wish to go deeper. It seems best to identify the Galatians with the churches Paul visited on his first missionary journey and to place the book sometimes in a...