We’re about a week into the New Year, and I hope that if you have New Year’s resolutions, that you haven’t broken them yet. If you have goals that you want to accomplish this year, I hope that you are on your way to achieving them.
One of the goals that I try to accomplish every year is to read through the Bible. I like to start in Genesis in January and then read through to Revelation by the end of December. I don’t always succeed, but I have finished in the last couple of years. Last year I read the Bible in Spanish (I’ll probably review that Bible on a different date). This year, I plan on reading the Bible in English again, using the American Patriot’s Bible.
I’ve had this Bible for several years now, and have read through it a couple of times already. This hardback version of the Bible has held up pretty well (as you can see, there’s only some minor wear to the dust jacket). I’ve packed it on vacations, have taken it places, and it’s still holding up pretty well.
The version that I have is the New King James version of the Bible, but an old-school King James Version of the American Patriot’s Bible is also available. Everybody has their preferences, and some years, I’ve read different versions. One year, I read the 1599 Geneva Bible (I may review that at a future date as well). I find this version pretty easy to read (and if you’re going to read about three chapters a day, you’ll want something that you’re willing to go back to every day).
The American Patriot’s Bible has all the text of the New King James version of the Bible (or King James, if you get that edition), but it also has a lot of inserts and tidbits about how the Bible has played a part in American history. I’ve found the stories to be pretty interesting. There are a few sections that are in color that speak in-depth about a particular topic (like Christianity in Colonial America, pictured here). While I may not read through all of these as I go through the Bible this time, I have read all of these sidebars before, and I have enjoyed them.
If you already have a Bible, it’s not too late to read the Bible through this year. I’ve actually gotten more than a month behind and have caught up by the end of the year! There are many bible reading plans that you can choose from. Some are short-term, others will take three years to go through the Bible (my church is doing a two-year plan, although I’m doing a one-year plan on my own again), and others let you go through the Bible at your own pace. You can start where you are, or choose to catch up. The main thing, if reading the Bible is a goal in your life, is to actually start.
The American Patriot’s Bible is a good choice if you plan on reading through the Bible this year. It is not the only choice, of course, but it will be the one that I will be using to read through the Bible in 2017.