This is the Bible that made it possible, finally, for me to read the Bible through in a year. I've tried various yearly reading schedules since I met Jesus, but found that reading certain books is easer than reading others. Plus, most of the reading plans, because of their choppiness (a little from the Old Testament and a little from the New), left me feeling as if I were only reading through the Bible, rather than studying to gain from it.

The One Year Chronological Bible, in the New Living Translation (It is also available in the NIV) changed all of that.

First, it's in chronological order - meaning the order in which things happened. I cannot emphasize enough the difference it makes to read the Bible in this order. Even the Psalms are broken up, appearing with their appropriate biblical texts, which makes one truly understand the author's heart.

The whole Bible is here, which means you will read about some events multiple times as they appear in different books. While on the one hand it may occasionally seem redundant to read what amounts to the same words over and over again (thinking more of the old testament here), on the other hand it is usually fascinating to see the same event as it is reported through different sets of eyes.

Second, this is the New Living Translation, which I've learned to love. As a functional equivalent translation (see our Bible article for explanation), it is a much easier read than a word-for-word translation. With the New Living Translation, I even found the book of Leviticus fascinating. This was one of those books that had always left me floundering in my previous attempts to read through the Bible.

Third, the publisher has divided this Bible into 365 dated, daily readings. This breakdown takes out all of the guesswork. You don't even have to worry about bookmarkers as long as you stay on track and know what the day's date is; your place is clearly noted.

This Bible offers several helpful features. It contains a timeline of major events and important people; it even gives page numbers so you'll be able to find them. Short, explanatory paragraphs occasionally help you transition from one time period or event to the next. When an event can be dated, you will see the date included in the heading for the appropriate passage. A Daily Reading Guide at the back of the book shows what scriptures are covered in each day's reading. Finally, a Scripture Index lists the passages in "canonical" order (the order we're all familiar with) and gives page numbers to make finding the passages easier.

I chose the paperback version, because it's what I prefer for casual reading, but The One Year Chronological Bible is also available in hardcover. I highly recommend it!