"A constant presence in my life is my New Testament. Its well thumbed pages have been read from cover to cover thanks to the 'Daily Readings' guide which breaks the text into daily manageable chunks. It was been a source of comfort at times of crisis and a constant guide in faith."
The Commandments
The Ten Commandments were originally given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, as recorded in Exodus chapter 20:
"I am the Lord your God...You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol...
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God...
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Honour your father and mother...
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony...
You shall not covet...anything that belongs to your neighbour."
When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus referred to them and summarised them as follows:
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'"
Matthew 22:37-39
On another occasion he told an enquirer:
"'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbour as yourself.'"
Matthew 19:18,19
Suggested Readings from the Old Testament
| The beginning | Genesis 1 |
| The fall of man | Genesis 3 |
| The flood | Genesis 6-8 |
| Abraham tested | Genesis 22 |
| Jacob's dream at Bethel | Genesis 28 |
| The birth of Moses | Exodus 2 |
| Moses and the burning bush | Exodus 3 |
| Manna and quail | Exodus 16 |
| Moses and the glory of the Lord | Exodus 33 |
| Balaam's donkey | Numbers 22 |
| The death of Moses | Deuteronomy 34 |
| The Lord instructs Joshua | Joshua 1 |
| Crossing the Jordan | Joshua 3 |
| The fall of Jericho | Joshua 5,6 |
| Gideon defeats the Midianites | Judges 7 |
| The Lord calls Samuel | 1 Samuel 3 |
| David and Goliath | 1 Samuel 17 |
| Elijah on Mount Carmel | 1 Kings 18 |
| Benefits of wisdom | Proverbs 3 |
| Sayings of the wise | Proverbs 22 |
| The wife of noble character | Proverbs 31 |
| Remember your Creator while young | Ecclesiastes 11,12 |
| Isaiah's commission | Isaiah 6 |
| To us a Child is born | Isaiah 9 |
| Comfort for God's people | Isaiah 40 |
| The suffering and glory of the Servant | Isaiah 52,53 |
| Invitation to the thirsty | Isaiah 55 |
| Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah's scroll | Jeremiah 36 |
| The writing on the wall | Daniel 5 |
| Daniel in the lions' den | Daniel 6 |
Suggested Readings from the Psalms
| The way of righteousness | 1 |
| A plea for mercy | 6 |
| The God of creation | 8 |
| God's witness | 19 |
| The suffering of the Messiah | 22 |
| The shepherd psalm | 23 |
| Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? | 24 |
| A plea for pardon | 25 |
| The Lord is my light and my salvation | 27 |
| A psalm of forgiveness | 32 |
| The Lord is good | 34 |
| The greatness and glory of God | 48 |
| A psalm of repentance | 51 |
| He alone is my rock and my salvation | 62 |
| Longing for God | 63 |
| Remember the Lord | 77 |
| How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord | 84 |
| Worship and warning | 95 |
| O worship the Lord | 96 |
| The praise of a pardoned people | 103 |
| I love the Lord because he hears me | 116 |
| A song of the redeemed | 118 |
| In praise of God's Word (the longest psalm) | 119 |
| Where does my help come from? | 121 |
| Building a house | 127 |
| Penitence and pardon | 130 |
| His love endures for ever | 136 |
| Hear my prayer, O Lord | 143 |
| Great is the Lord | 145 |
| Praise the Lord | 146 |
Suggested Readings from the New Testament
| The Son of God becomes man | John 1:1-18 |
| Jesus Christ is born | Luke 2:1-20 |
| Jesus' childhood | Matthew 2:1-23 |
| Jesus introduced by John the Baptist | Matthew 3:1-17 |
| His life's work begins | Luke 4:1-21 |
| Jesus feeds the five thousand | Mark 6:30-56 |
| Jesus heals the sick and calms the storm | Matthew 8:1-34 |
| The parable of the sower | Matthew 13:1-23 |
| Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven | Matthew 13:24-52 |
| Parable of the lost son | Luke 15:11-32 |
| Parable of the talents | Luke 19:11-27 |
| Jesus rides into Jerusalem | Luke 19:28-48 |
| The Last Supper | Luke 22:1-23 |
| A parting message | John 14:1-21 |
| Jesus arrested | Mark 14:32-56 |
| The trial of Jesus | Mark 15:1-20 |
| Jesus crucified | Luke 23:32-56 |
| The resurrection | Matthew 28:1-20 |
| The ascension | Acts 1:1-14 |
| The Holy Spirit comes | Acts 2:1-39 |
| The Ethiopian converted | Acts 8:26-40 |
| Paul converted | Acts 9:1-25 |
| Paul preaches in Athens | Acts 17:16-34 |
| Paul's defence before King Agrippa | Acts 26:1-29 |
| God and sin | Romans 1:16-32 |
| Becoming a Christian | Romans 10:1-17 |
| Faith, wisdom and perseverance | James 1:1-27 |
| The last days | 2 Peter 3:1-18 |
| A new heaven and a new earth | Revelation 21:1-27 |
| Jesus is coming soon | Revelation 22:1-21 |
Books of the Bible
| The Books of the Old Testament | The Books of the New Testament |
|---|
| Genesis | Ecclesiastes | Matthew | 1 Timothy |
| Exodus | Song of Songs | Mark | 2 Timothy |
| Leviticus | Isaiah | Luke | Titus |
| Numbers | Jeremiah | John | Philemon |
| Deuteronomy | Lamentations | Acts | Hebrews |
| Joshua | Ezekiel | Romans | James |
| Judges | Daniel | 1 Corinthians | 1 Peter |
| Ruth | Hosea | 2 Corinthians | 2 Peter |
| 1 Samuel | Joel | Galatians | 1 John |
| 2 Samuel | Amos | Ephesians | 2 John |
| 1 Kings | Obadiah | Philippians | 3 John |
| 2 Kings | Jonah | Colossians | Jude |
| 1 Chronicles | Micah | 1 Thessalonians | Revelation |
| 2 Chronicles | Nahum | 2 Thessalonians | |
| Ezra | Habakkuk | | |
| Nehemiah | Zephaniah | | |
| Esther | Haggai | | |
| Job | Zechariah | | |
| Psalms | Malachi | | |
| Proverbs | | | |
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