You do not need to solve every difficult question before you begin. Start with a Gospel, read a short passage in sequence and bring your questions back to the text and to people you trust. Use this pathway at your own pace.
Scripture Trove editorial · Updated
Start with Mark 1 and continue through the book. Ask what happens, what it shows about Jesus and how people respond. Read the passage first, then use the overview or verse-by-verse commentary when helpful. You do not need to read every commentary tier.
Avoid lifting out an isolated sentence. Notice the surrounding paragraphs, speaker, audience and place in the book. Distinguish what the text says, how a commentator explains it and how you might respond today. It is fine to leave a question open.
Return to creation and humanity’s rebellion, then explore the new life described in the New Testament. These starting points give orientation without replacing continuous reading. The 52-week reading plan offers a longer route through the Bible.
Ask a mature Christian or church companion to read with you. Make room for uncertainty, disagreement and honest questions. Public small-group materials can help you explore faith, while listening, prayer and personal companionship remain important.
Choose a passage that meets your present questions, then continue through its book.