Ranking Every Book of the Bible (Easy to Hard): Which books are the best to begin with?
Whether you're just getting started on your Bible-reading journey or you're deep into a 30-day Bible shred challenge, finding the right books to start with and knowing what to expect can make a huge difference in your bible reading experience
In this post, I’m sharing my personal rankings of every book in the Bible, based on how beginner-friendly, applicable, or challenging they are. I have read through the bible multiple times, and in June 2025, I read the whole bible in 30 days, so I know my way around the bible 😊.
I’ve divided the books into three categories:
Easy Reads (great for beginners)
Medium Reads (some historical or theological depth)
Difficult Reads (books that may need a little more context or study)
Let’s get into it!
📘 Category 1: Easy Reads
These books are perfect for new believers or anyone just getting into the Bible. They’re applicable, easy to follow, and often quite short.
⭐ Top Picks for Beginners
Proverbs –Proverbs is practical and full of wisdom. If you want everyday life advice from a Christian lens, start here!
1 Corinthians – Like Proverbs, but in the New Testament. Straightforward and rich with life lessons.
Ruth – Ruth is a short, powerful story of loyalty and faith. Easily readable in one sitting.
1 & 2 Timothy – Think of these as New Testament Proverbs. Encouraging and practical for daily living.
Titus – Super short and enjoyable with lots of relevant life guidance.
Other Easy Reads
James & 1 Peter – These epistles offer clear direction on how to live and lead as a Christian. An epistle is a letter and many of these were written to the church with directions on how to live and lead.
Matthew – Matthew is great for understanding the life and teachings of Jesus. It is essential for new believers. There are 4 gospels, and Matthew is by far one of the easiest to read and is the most straightforward.
Esther – An inspiring story with a clear message. Easy to follow and enjoy.
Colossians – Another book packed with applicable wisdom.
1 & 2 Thessalonians – Brief but meaningful letters with advice for daily life.
Luke – This was my personal favorite. It’s deep without being overly complex and the voice is different, a lot more fun. This is great for those who want the simplicity of Matthew with a little bit more emotion.
Ephesians & Philippians – Letters filled with solid spiritual encouragement.
Jude – Just one chapter but packed with insight.
Jonah – A classic story that’s easy to digest and deeply meaningful.
📙 Category 2: Medium Reads
These books either dive into deeper theology, Old Testament history, or prophecy, requiring a bit more effort to understand or apply.
Short but History-Heavy
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai – All short but packed with historical context.
Obadiah, Amos, Joel, Philemon – Brief reads with deeper meanings tucked inside.
Theologically Deep or Prophetic
2 Peter, 1–3 John – These are pretty simple to read. However, many of them include some prophecy and symbolic language. This is better for readers with some Bible knowledge.
Hosea, Lamentations, Micah – Emotionally and spiritually dense.
Galatians– Rich in theology and philosophy. Great, but slow it down here.
Job- Job is a simple story, however, when the conversations with his friends occur it can be a little bit difficult to understand as they are very in depth. This is why Job is in the Medium reads instead of the easy reads.
History-Focused
Joshua, Judges, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 & 2 Samuel, 2 Corinthians – Historical accounts with spiritual significance that may take some digging.
Genesis – A must-read but includes some challenging parts like the Creation story and the flood narrative. This book can be difficult to apply to your everyday life.
Acts – Amazing history of the early church but may feel repetitive after the Gospels. One thing that is neat about Acts is that it is very action oriented, so it is focusing on the things that Jesus DID. Which is different to some of the other Gospels that focus on the reaction of others to Jesus.
John, Mark – Great gospels, but if you’ve already read Matthew and Luke, some stories will feel familiar.
Song of Solomon – Poetic and beautiful, but also intimate and symbolic. This book has a lot of intimate and sexual details, so you have to wade through this poetic and flowery language. But besides this, it was a great read.
📕 Category 3: Hard Reads
These books can feel long, tedious, or highly symbolic, and might not immediately apply to everyday life. Don’t let that stop you—just take your time and revisit them as your understanding grows.
Heavily Historical or Legal
Deuteronomy, Leviticus, Numbers, Exodus – These books are foundational, but filled with laws, censuses, and rituals that take time to unpack. Numbers is especially difficult because it lists lots of names. Leviticus is also difficult, and I recommend that you find a bible study for it to understand it better. The one I recommend is on the First 5 app.
1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles – Lots of history, names, and timelines. Definitely a test of endurance!
Deep Symbolism and Prophecy
Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah – Major prophets filled with intense messages and long narratives.
Zechariah, Revelation – Full of symbolism, prophecy, and multiple interpretations. Best approached slowly or with a study guide.
Philosophical or Theological
Romans, Hebrews – Deep theological books. Read them, then revisit them with a study plan. Romans is such a beautiful book.
Psalms – Beautiful, but long. Psalm 119 alone is 176 verses! Psalms can be a little bit daunting as well. Many of the first Psalms are very dark and can be a little bit depressing. However, towards the end it gets hopeful which can help.
Final Thoughts
If you're planning to do the Bible Shred Challenge (reading the entire Bible in 30 days!), these rankings can help guide your expectations. Don’t be discouraged by the harder books—read through them, then return later for deeper study.
My Advice:
📖 Start with the easy reads to build momentum.
✍️ Take notes or journal during the medium books to capture what stands out.
🙏 For the difficult books, just do your best—and know it’s okay if you don’t grasp everything on the first pass.
Ready to Try the Bible Shred Challenge?
If you’ve been thinking about reading the Bible cover to cover, now is a great time to start! Drop a comment below if you’re going to try it—or if you already have! 👇
And watch this video for tips on how to read the bible in 30 days
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Let me close us out with a quick prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for each person reading this post. If You’re prompting them to start this Bible challenge, I ask that You give them the strength, commitment, and an accountability partner to walk with them. Help them find wisdom and joy in Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Love you to the moon and back.
— [Gabrielle Denise ] 💛
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