The Bible Reading Plan

Readings for January 2:

First, from Genesis Chapter 1 verse 24 to Chapter 2 verse 7. Follow that by reading from Joshua Chapter 2 verse 8 to Chapter 3 verse 6. Follow that by reading from Ruth Chapter 1 verse 19 to Chapter 2 verse 12; and lastly Matthew Chapter 2 verses 1 to 15

You can read the passages below. If you're looking to read for a different day or want to use your own Bible, then here’s the entire year’s plan as a list. Enjoy!

For certain interesting words:

Section 1

Genesis 1:24-2:7

15 verses

Genesis Chapter 1

24God said, "The earth produces living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind;" and so it was.

25God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.

26God said, "We make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.

28God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." 29God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.

30To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green plant for food;" and so it was.

31God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, day six.

Genesis Chapter 2

1The heavens, the earth, and all their vast array were finished.

2On day seven God finished the work he'd done; and he rested on day seven from all the work he'd done.

3God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all the work of creation which he'd done.

4This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that ForeverOne God made the earth and the heavens.

5No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no vegetation of the field had yet sprung up; for ForeverOne God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground, 6but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole surface of the ground.

7ForeverOne God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Section 2

Joshua 2:8-3:6

23 verses

Joshua Chapter 2

8Before they had laid down, she came up to them on the roof; 9and she said to the men, "I know that ForeverOne has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

10For we have heard how ForeverOne dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

11As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for ForeverOne your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.

12Now therefore, please swear to me by ForeverOne, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token; 13and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death." 14The men said to her, "Our life for yours, if you don't talk about this business of ours; and when ForeverOne gives us the land, we will deal kindly and truly with you." 15Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.

16She said to them, "Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way." 17The men said to her, "We will be guiltless of this your oath which you have made us to swear.

18Behold, when we enter the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you let us down by. You shall gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.

19It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.

20But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you have made us to swear." 21She said, "According to your words, so be it." She sent them away, and they departed. She tied the scarlet line in the window.

22They went, and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but didn't find them.

23Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun; and they told him all that had happened to them.

24They said to Joshua, "Truly ForeverOne has delivered into our hands all the land. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us."

Joshua Chapter 3

1Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They lodged there before they passed over.

2After three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of ForeverOne your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall move from your place, and follow it.

4Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Don't come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way before." 5Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow ForeverOne will do wonders among you." 6Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people." They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

Section 3

Ruth 1:19-2:12

16 verses

Ruth Chapter 1

19So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was moved about them, and [the women] said, "Is this Naomi?" 20She said to them, "Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

21I went out full, and ForeverOne has brought me home again empty; why do you call me Naomi, since ForeverOne has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth Chapter 2

1Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

2Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor." She said to her, "Go, my daughter." 3She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, "ForeverOne be with you." They answered him, "ForeverOne bless you." 5Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, "Whose young lady is this?" 6The servant who was set over the reapers answered, "It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.

7She said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she stayed a little in the house." 8Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Don't go to glean in another field, and don't go from here, but stay here close to my maidens.

9Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven't I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from what the young men have drawn." 10Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?" 11Boaz answered her, "It has fully been shown me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn't know before.

12May ForeverOne repay your work, and a full reward be given you from ForeverOne, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

Section 4

Matthew 2:1-15

15 verses

Matthew Chapter 2

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2"Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him." 3When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the AnointedOne would be born.

5They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, 6'You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.'" 7Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

8He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him." 9They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was.

10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of ForeverOne appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." 14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by ForeverOne through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

The Bible text is a minor adaptation of the WEB to include nuanced meanings of particular ancient words for placenames, God and others of special interest.
In general square brackets:[] are used to indicated words not found in the original text.
They also indicate the 5 books of the Psalms, and the letters in Psalm 119;
and a few passages considered by some to be of questionable authenticity, marked with an asterisk(*).