The whole Gospel in forty days
Forty days is the length of the wilderness, of Elijah's walk to Horeb, and of Christ's fast. It is also enough time for a household to walk through the four Gospels, one small block at a time. Two or three chapters a day — twenty minutes of reading. Read aloud. Take turns. When a passage grips the household, stop there and pray it.
| Day | Book | Reading (KJV) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew | Matthew 1–2 |
| 2 | Matthew | Matthew 3–4 |
| 3 | Matthew | Matthew 5–6 |
| 4 | Matthew | Matthew 7–8 |
| 5 | Matthew | Matthew 9–10 |
| 6 | Matthew | Matthew 11–12 |
| 7 | Matthew | Matthew 13–14 |
| 8 | Matthew | Matthew 15–16 |
| 9 | Matthew | Matthew 17–18 |
| 10 | Matthew | Matthew 19–20 |
| 11 | Matthew | Matthew 21–22 |
| 12 | Matthew | Matthew 23–24 |
| 13 | Matthew | Matthew 25–26 |
| 14 | Matthew | Matthew 27–28 |
| 15 | Mark | Mark 1–2 |
| 16 | Mark | Mark 3–4 |
| 17 | Mark | Mark 5–6 |
| 18 | Mark | Mark 7–8 |
| 19 | Mark | Mark 9–10 |
| 20 | Mark | Mark 11–12 |
| 21 | Mark | Mark 13–14 |
| 22 | Mark | Mark 15–16 |
| 23 | Luke | Luke 1–2 |
| 24 | Luke | Luke 3–4 |
| 25 | Luke | Luke 5–6 |
| 26 | Luke | Luke 7–8 |
| 27 | Luke | Luke 9–10 |
| 28 | Luke | Luke 11–12 |
| 29 | Luke | Luke 13–14 |
| 30 | Luke | Luke 15–16 |
| 31 | Luke | Luke 17–18 |
| 32 | Luke | Luke 19–20 |
| 33 | Luke | Luke 21–22 |
| 34 | Luke | Luke 23–24 |
| 35 | John | John 1–4 |
| 36 | John | John 5–8 |
| 37 | John | John 9–12 |
| 38 | John | John 13–15 |
| 39 | John | John 16–18 |
| 40 | John | John 19–21 |
When the forty days end, do not close the Bible. Turn to the Acts of the Apostles and keep going. The Gospel does not end; it goes on becoming a household.
Continue Your Journey
Where else this page opens into the household library.