New to faith
Never Read the Bible? Start Here: 21 Days in the Gospel of John
John has 21 chapters. Read one a day for three weeks and you will have met Jesus in His own words. A plan, a method, and answers to the questions people are shy to ask.
If you gave your life to Jesus at Gage Park, or you have just started wondering who He is, someone has probably told you to read the Bible. Then you opened it at page one, hit a long list of names somewhere in Genesis, and quietly closed it again. You are not the first.
Here is a better place to start: the Gospel of John. It was written so that people would believe in Jesus and have life in His name — the author says so near the end. It has 21 chapters. Read one a day and in three weeks you will have walked with Jesus from the first page to the empty tomb.
- Chapters in John
- 21
- Chapter a day
- 1
- Weeks to finish
- 3
- Is enough
- 10 min
Why start with John?
The Bible is a library, not a single book, and you do not have to read a library in order. John is one of four accounts of Jesus' life — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — and it is the one most focused on the question everything else depends on: who is Jesus?
It is also full of real people meeting Him: a religious leader who comes at night with questions, a woman at a well with a complicated past, a man blind from birth, a grieving family, a friend who doubts. You will probably recognise yourself in at least one of them.
The method: three questions
Read the chapter once, slowly. Then ask three questions and answer them honestly — in a notebook, in your phone, or out loud.
What does this show me about Jesus? What does it show me about me? What is one thing I will do or pray today because of it?
That is the whole method. You do not need a commentary or a theology degree. If something confuses you, write the question down and keep going; a lot of questions answer themselves a few chapters later, and the rest are perfect for a conversation with a pastor or a Christian friend.
Week 1: Who is this?
Day 1 — John 1: The Word who was with God and was God becomes flesh and lives among us. The first disciples meet Jesus.
Day 2 — John 2: Water becomes wine at a wedding in Cana, and Jesus clears the temple.
Day 3 — John 3: Nicodemus comes at night and hears that he must be born again. This is where John 3:16 lives.
Day 4 — John 4: A Samaritan woman at a well meets the one who offers living water — and tells her whole town.
Day 5 — John 5: A man who had been an invalid for 38 years is healed beside the pool of Bethesda.
Day 6 — John 6: Jesus feeds five thousand people and says, “I am the bread of life.”
Day 7 — John 7: At the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus invites anyone who is thirsty to come to Him and drink.
Week 2: What He offers
Day 8 — John 8: A woman is brought to Jesus to be condemned and leaves forgiven. “I am the light of the world.”
Day 9 — John 9: A man born blind receives his sight and will not stop telling people about it.
Day 10 — John 10: “I am the good shepherd.” The shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
Day 11 — John 11: Jesus weeps at the tomb of His friend Lazarus, then calls him out alive. “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Day 12 — John 12: Mary pours perfume on Jesus' feet, and He rides into Jerusalem to cheering crowds.
Day 13 — John 13: Jesus washes His disciples' feet and gives them a new command: love one another.
Day 14 — John 14: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.
Week 3: Why He came
Day 15 — John 15: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Staying connected to Jesus is the whole point.
Day 16 — John 16: Jesus prepares His friends for His leaving and promises their grief will turn to joy.
Day 17 — John 17: Jesus prays — for Himself, for His disciples, and for everyone who would believe through them. That includes you.
Day 18 — John 18: Jesus is arrested, Peter denies Him three times, and Pilate asks, “What is truth?”
Day 19 — John 19: The crucifixion. “It is finished.”
Day 20 — John 20: The empty tomb. Mary Magdalene meets the risen Jesus, and Thomas's doubts meet nail-scarred hands.
Day 21 — John 21: Breakfast on the beach. Jesus restores Peter and tells him, “Follow me.”
If you miss a day
You will. Do not start over and do not give up — just read the next chapter. This is not a test you can fail. It is time with Jesus, and He is not keeping score.
After day 21
Read John again — it will be a different book the second time. Or read Mark, the shortest Gospel, then the book of Acts to see what happened to Jesus' friends next. Psalms is a good companion for praying; read one alongside your chapter.
Most of all, do not read alone forever. Find a church and a few people who will read with you. Faith grows best around a table.
Said yes at Gage Park?
Your next honest step
Reading John is one step. Telling someone, finding a church and, if you have not yet, being baptized are the others.
"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
— John 20:31
Keep growing
Next steps for new believers — and anyone walking with one.
Questions people ask
Where should a beginner start reading the Bible?
Start with the Gospel of John. It focuses on who Jesus is, it was written so that people would believe in Him, and its 21 chapters can be read one a day in three weeks.
How many chapters are in the Gospel of John?
The Gospel of John has 21 chapters. Reading one chapter a day takes three weeks.
What is a simple Bible study method for new Christians?
Read a chapter slowly, then ask three questions: What does this show me about Jesus? What does it show me about me? What is one thing I will do or pray today because of it?
Which Bible translation should I read?
Choose a modern, readable translation such as the NIV, NLT, CSB or ESV. The best translation is the one you will actually read. Free Bible apps let you compare them.
What should I read after the Gospel of John?
Read John a second time, or read Mark and then Acts to see what happened after Jesus rose from the dead. Pair your reading with a Psalm for prayer, and find a church to read with.