You've determined to start reading the Scriptures. Great! ...but where to start? There are dozens of books and over 1,000 chapters you could begin reading. Each of them has much to offer, but which are the easiest to read for someone new to the Scriptures?
Here are a few recommended starting points:
John- one of the easiest gospels to read (21 chapters)
I, II & III John- three short letters to new believers with deep truths (7 chapters)
Mark- another easy to understand gospel that focuses on the story of Jesus (16 chapters)
Acts- the story of the early church (28 chapters)
James- a practical letter discussing the Christian life that faith brings about (5 chapters)
Galatians- a short book focusing on grace (6 chapters)
Philippians- a letter focusing on joy and humility in the midst of trials and struggles (4 chapters)
If I were to recommend a pattern, I'd start here:
John- Start here because it's the basic story of Jesus and the gospel.
Acts- Move right into the next book in your Bible and discover the early church.
Romans- Take a giant leap into the teachings of the gospel. Paul details how sin, grace and faith play a role in the gospel story.
From there I'd head to the Old Testament and begin reading the book of Psalms, as well as Proverbs. Once you've tackled these books, you'll be well on your way to a healthy devotional life.
“A final recommendation relates to how much you read at a time. Too many people get discouraged because they attempt to begin reading 3, 4, 5 or more chapters every day. That’s a worthy endeavor, but focus on quality not quantity your first few weeks reading Scripture. I’d rather read one chapter and understand it than rush through 3 or 4 chapters to say I read them. Our goal is to be changed by what we read, not impressed by how much we’ve read.”