Bible Reading Plan Calculator
Enter how many minutes a day you can read, or the date you want to finish, and see what it takes to read the Bible cover to cover. The numbers come from real word counts, not a rule of thumb.
Plan a read-through
Behind on a plan? Catch up without cramming
On a 365-day plan, enter the day you have reached and when you want to finish. Uses the Bible and reading speed chosen above.
How the numbers are worked out
The calculator divides the total words in the Bible by your reading speed. The word counts are the ones BlessUp's own reading plans are built from, and a normal silent reading pace is taken as 220 words a minute.
| Canon | Total words | Words a day (365 days) | Minutes a day | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protestant | 724,811 | 1,986 | 9.0 | about 55 |
| Catholic | 828,590 | 2,270 | 10.3 | about 63 |
| Orthodox | 879,155 | 2,409 | 10.9 | about 67 |
Two cautions. Word counts vary a little between translations, so treat the result as close, not exact. And reading speed is personal: poetry and genealogies read slower than narrative. If the plan feels rushed, choose the slower speed and let the date move.
For the reasoning behind these figures, see how long it takes to read the Bible in a year and how many words are in the Bible. If you have fallen behind, what to do when you miss a day is the gentler companion to the catch-up numbers, and how to actually finish a Bible reading plan covers the habit side.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to read the whole Bible?
The Protestant Bible is about 724,811 words. At 220 words a minute that is roughly 55 hours of reading, or about nine minutes a day for a year. The Catholic canon (828,590 words) takes about 63 hours and the Orthodox canon (879,155 words) about 67 hours.
How many minutes a day does it take to read the Bible in a year?
About 9.0 minutes a day for the Protestant canon, 10.3 for the Catholic canon and 10.9 for the Orthodox canon, at 220 words a minute. A slower reader at 150 words a minute needs about 13 minutes a day for the Protestant canon.
What if I am behind on my Bible reading plan?
Use the catch-up calculator on this page. Enter the day of the plan you have reached and the date you want to finish, and it gives the minutes a day that gets you there. You do not have to make up missed days all at once; spreading them over the time left usually adds only a minute or two a day.
Genesis to Revelation, about nine minutes at a time. BlessUp sets out each day's reading and holds your place.
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