Who says reading the Bible has to be complicated? Sometimes I just want to sit down and read and not have to really think too hard about what I’m reading. I want something simple to understand and to the point. I want to read it at face value.
It’s easy to get caught up in the trap of thinking that every time we sit down to read the Bible, we must dig deep into the Bible until we discover something profound.
Even though I enjoy studying the Scriptures, there are days when I am worn out, and I simply turn to God’s Word to find His rest, comfort, promises, and strength. These are the times I open my Bible to books that are easier to read.
So what makes a book of the Bible easy to read? Depending on who you ask, you most likely will get a different answer every time. Keep in mind, God can use any part of the Bible to speak to anyone at any stage of their faith.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
I have gathered what I believe are some of the easier books of the Bible to read and are easy to grasp onto the message of God’s Word. This truth is woven all throughout the Bible that describes God’s love for us, our deep need for God’s deliverance, and God’s plan to rescue us from sin through the saving grace of His Son (John 3:16).
These books are simple in language and go straight to the heart. Oftentimes, these are the books we advise children, teenagers, or new believers to read, but even life-long, mature Christians desire to keep it simple at times.
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 (ESV)
At the end of a long day, it is soothing to merely be reminded that God‘s “word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ESV), helping me simply walk through life. When I am downcast, tired, and don’t have extra energy, I turn to the books of the Bible that are easy to read, soaking in God’s Word like a warm, comforting bath.
The Gospel, according to Mark in the New Testament, is a top pick for many believers, not only because of its length (16 chapters) but also because it is packed full of action.
In essence, Mark keeps you moving through Jesus’s ministry with the use of one single word throughout the book. The word “immediately” appears 41 times, with the first eleven being in the first chapter.
With a fast-paced narrative and vivid language, Mark engages his readers from beginning to end. In a quick 90-minute read, you will gain an understanding and knowledge of who Jesus is and what it truly means to be one of his disciples.
Some of the highlights you can expect to find in this short book about the most powerful Person to have ever walked this earth are as follows:
The Sabbath Was Made for Man (Mark 2:27-28) - After the Pharisees complained about the disciples “working” on the Sabbath, Jesus flips this tradition upside down, saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (ESV)
The Traditions of Man are Meaningless to God (Mark 7:1-12) - Once again, the Pharisees were upset; this was because Jesus’ disciples were not following the “traditions of the elders” because they ate before washing their hands. Jesus takes this opportunity to debunk traditions that have been set in place by man, saying, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition" (ESV). He continues on, explaining how they have held to their own vain traditions while ironically voiding God’s Word.
What It Means to Follow Jesus (Mark 8:34-38) - While speaking to his disciples and a crowd of people, Jesus explains that in order to truly save their life, they must lose it for the sake of Jesus and the gospel. He digs deep into their thoughts, worries, and fears and teaches them that none of that matters if they forfeit their soul for the ways of the world. Truly, an underlying yet obvious theme throughout Mark is that the ways of man are not the ways of God. In fact, Jesus consistently delivers the message that man’s way is more difficult, less fruitful, and essentially worthless in comparison to God’s way.
How to Be Great in God’s Kingdom (Mark 10:35-45) - Like siblings vying for their parents to tell them which child is their favorite, two of the disciples ask Jesus to be granted permission to sit next to him in Heaven. When the other ten disciples heard this, they were not so happy. In fact, they were downright indignant. Jesus clears up everything when he says, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.” (ESV)
If you are a new believer, this is a perfect place to start reading. After all, once we have been saved, our next step should be to get to know him and learn how to follow him.
Genesis is the very first book of the Bible, located in the Old Testament. It is the book of beginnings. The Greek translation of the word genesis literally means “origin.” I find this definition quite fitting because in this book we find the origins of the world, man, sin, redemption, and God’s chosen people, the Israelites.
I chose this as one of the easier books to read because many of the most popular children’s Sunday school stories are found in Genesis. Stories of God’s great power and how he continues to save us over and over again dwell here.
Some of the more notable and popular stories from Genesis are:
The Creation of Heaven and Earth (chapters 1-2)
The Fall of Man (chapter 3)
Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood (chapters 6-9)
Other less popular stories, but just as important, are:
The story of Lot and how his wife was turned into a pillar of salt (chapter 19)
The story of the Tower of Babel, where the nations became scattered across the earth and different languages originated (chapter 11)
How Jacob stole Esau’s birthright, stirring up trouble in the Middle East that we still see today (chapter 25)
I highly recommend you read Genesis, as it is a great reminder of the continuous struggle of man, good versus evil, and God’s prevailing goodness for those who put their trust in him. Much of why the world is the way it is today finds its roots in Genesis, the great book of beginnings.
The Psalms is a collection of poetry and songs that express man’s devotion to God because of His goodness and faithfulness to us. In fact, many of the passages from this book have been used for inspirational quotes and in some of your favorite praise songs.
King David is the most prominent author of these Psalms, written often during times of distress, times of David’s failure to obey God, or after God delivered him from his enemies. Even though we most likely won’t be hunted by an angry king or giants or be found hiding in a cave any time soon, we can somehow relate to everything David recorded in this book of Psalms.
Whether I am sad, lonely, afraid, depressed, ashamed, broken, or lost, or whether I am full of praise, devotion, and adoration for my God, I can find a psalm for any moment or situation.
Some of my favorite Psalms are:
Psalm 23 - A short psalm that proclaims the confidence we possess when we allow ourselves to bask in God’s care.
Psalm 42 and 43 - These two psalms seem to go together as a pair; they express our deep desire to be in God’s presence, especially after dealing with the trials and hardships of life. They contrast God’s goodness with how dejected we feel when we are not walking close to God.
Psalm 51 - A psalm requesting God’s mercy and forgiveness when we have gone against his will.
Psalm 139 - A psalm that acknowledges God’s great omniscience, with a plea to bring harm on those that are God’s enemies. It’s a great reminder that nothing that happens to us surprises God.
It doesn’t matter where you are in your faith journey; you can always find an encouraging word in the Psalms. If you're looking for a simple daily devotional, look no further than the Book of Psalms. After all, a Psalm a day keeps the devil away!
Other great books that are also easy to read, insightful, and impactful are The Gospel of John, The Book of Ruth, The Book of Job, Proverbs, Ephesians, Philippians, and 1, 2, and 3 John.
Furthermore, the entire Bible was written for us so that we may know God, learn how to follow Him, and discover how to have a relationship with him, and ultimately spend eternity with him. No part of the Bible is off-limits to anyone.
I encourage you to explore the Bible freely and discover God’s message and truth of his love for us. Even consider saying a prayer before you sit down to read, asking God to make the words stand out in bold letters, making it obvious and clear what it is he needs you to know in that moment.
Photo Credit: ©SWN
Jennifer Jabbour resides in the scenic San Diego countryside with her husband, adult son, and teen daughter, and their hilarious English Bulldog. Jennifer has a B.A. in Integrated Business Communications, and is a Go + Tell Gals licensed life coach. Jennifer hopes to use her calling of writing, coaching, and speaking to equip and empower women to clarify their vision and to boldly step forward in response to God's calling on their life, as well as educate and encourage others to experience the abundance of God's goodness when they seek Him first in all that they do. Jennifer is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a photographer, and an avid outdoors-woman. She loves camping, hiking, running, and playing the piano in her free time.
You can keep up with Jennifer on her website https://www.jenniferjabbour.com.