Which Gospel Should You Read First?

Someone told you not to start at Genesis. Fair enough. So you turn to the New Testament, and there are four Gospels in a row, and nobody said which one.

The advice online splits between Mark, because it is short, and John, because it says who Jesus is. Both are good answers. Here is how to choose between them, what each of the four actually costs in minutes and mornings, and a finish date you can put on the fridge.

The short answer: Mark if you have stalled before, John if you want the question put plainly

If you cannot decide, read Mark. It is the shortest of the four, about an hour of reading in all, and no chapter takes more than seven minutes. If you have started before and stopped, a book you can finish beats the "best" one.

If you want the question of who Jesus is put to you directly, read John. It says so itself.

That matches the advice in where to start reading the Bible: a Gospel first, John or Mark for most people. This post counts what each Gospel costs and ends with a finish date you can write down.

And if your church is reading one Gospel this year, or suggests one to new members, that is a good reason to pick it.

The four Gospels at a glance: what each one is built to do

The four are not copies. They are four voices on one life, and each one signals what it is for.

• Mark opens with a title line: "The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1, NIV). Luther Seminary's Enter the Bible summary of Mark notes how often the word "immediately" shows up, and says it expresses the urgency of Jesus' journey to the cross. The same course's introduction to Mark counts the Passion Narrative as one-third of the book.
• John states its aim near the end: "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, NIV). Luther Seminary's summary of John points to its simple pictures, such as light and shepherd, as an easy way in that keeps opening up the longer you stay.
• Matthew begins with a family tree: "This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1, NIV). Those two names tie Jesus to Israel's story at once. The Enter the Bible summary of Matthew says it builds on Mark with a special emphasis on Jewish Scripture, and it holds the Sermon on the Mount.
• Luke explains its method: "I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught" (Luke 1:3-4, NIV). Its Enter the Bible summary notes that Jesus tells many parables in Luke, and that the book runs from the birth announcements to the ascension.

Who wrote each one, and when, are questions for scholars; Luther Seminary's courses lay out the usual views.

What each one costs: chapters, words, minutes and mornings, counted

Most answers online give round numbers with no translation or reading speed. So we counted. The figures below come from the per-chapter word counts in BlessUp's own year plan, using the same method as how many words are in the Bible.

Mark is about an hour. Without its longer ending it is 13,569 words, about 62 minutes. The average chapter is under four minutes, which is why a ten-minute reading holds any chapter of Mark, even chapter 14 at 1,492 words.

John is about 85 minutes, which is nine or ten mornings at a year plan's pace. Matthew and Luke each take under two hours; Luke has the longest average chapter, at 4.5 minutes.

All four together are 89 chapters and 78,379 words, about 5 hours 56 minutes. Crossway's reading infographic puts the four Gospels and Acts at about 10 hours; our count for the same five books is 100,847 words, about 7.6 hours. The gap comes from the reading pace each one assumes, not from the text.

Who each Gospel suits, and the case for Matthew and Luke

Mark, if you have stalled before. Sixteen chapters is a goal you can see the end of. But short is not simple. Luther Seminary's introduction to Mark traces a theme through the whole book: the disciples keep failing to understand. You may feel the same. Read it once for the story, and do not stop at every puzzle.

John, if you want the question put plainly. John is less a timeline than a long look at who Jesus is. Our chapter guide to the Gospel of John walks through its shape.

Matthew, if you know some Old Testament or want to see how it connects. Dr. Matthew Dudreck of Reformation Bible College made this case on Ask Ligonier in October 2020. He said there is "no really wrong book to start with," and that he would start a new Christian with Matthew, because it keeps showing Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament hopes and makes clear what the kingdom is. He was answering a question about study, not a first read-through.

Luke, if you want the fullest account and want to keep going. Luke has the birth stories, many parables, and a careful order. It also has a sequel. Acts opens, "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach" (Acts 1:1, NIV). Same author, same reader. Luke then Acts is 52 chapters of one story.

Before you start: Mark's ending, Matthew's genealogy, and the parts you can skim

Mark's ending. Mark 16:8 reads: "Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid" (Mark 16:8, NIV), and many Bibles print a note right after it. Luther Seminary's introductory notes on Mark explain that the most reliable manuscripts end there, and that verses 9 to 20 were added early in the church's history. Most Bibles still print them. Nothing is wrong with your Bible.

Matthew's genealogy. Matthew 1 opens with a list of names. It matters, but on a first read it is fine to skim it and slow down at the birth story.

The overlap. Matthew, Mark and Luke share a lot. Luther Seminary's summary of Matthew describes it as adapting and adding to Mark. That is why we do not suggest reading all four back to back on a first pass. Finish one, read something else, then come back for the next.

Your start date: a chapter a day, and what to read next

One chapter a day, every day. Two a day halves the time. Put it on the fridge.

Miss a day? Pick up at the next chapter. The finish date moves by a day, nothing more.

When you finish, read a second Gospel if you want to; Mark then John is a common pairing. If you want a map for the rest of the Bible after that, a guide to the main orders for reading the Bible lays out the options side by side.

We are app builders, not pastors, and we say so. A passage that troubles you is a good thing to take to someone at your church.

Frequently asked questions

Which Gospel should a beginner read first?

Mark or John suits most first readers. Read Mark if you have started and stopped before: it is 16 chapters and about an hour in all. Read John if you want the question of who Jesus is put to you directly.

How long does it take to read the Gospel of Mark?

About an hour. Mark is 13,832 words in the Berean Standard Bible, which is 63 minutes at 220 words a minute. The longest chapter, 14, takes 6.8 minutes. At a chapter a day it is 16 days.

Should I read Mark or John first?

Either is a good first Gospel. Mark, about an hour in 16 chapters, suits a reader who wants to finish something. John, about 85 minutes in 21 chapters, suits a reader who wants the question of who Jesus is first.

What order should I read the four Gospels in?

There is no single right order. Finish one Gospel first, then read something else before the next, because Matthew, Mark and Luke overlap heavily. Mark then John is a common pairing, and Luke leads straight into Acts, which the same author wrote for the same reader.

Why does my Bible have a note at the end of Mark 16?

The most reliable manuscripts of Mark end at 16:8, and verses 9 to 20 were added early in the church's history. Most Bibles still print them with a note explaining this. The note is normal and nothing is wrong with your Bible.

Do I need to read the Old Testament before the Gospels?

No. Many readers start with a Gospel. Matthew leans on the Old Testament most, but you can follow any of the four without background and pick up the connections later.