2022 NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN

One of our core values at Tirzah is encouraging women to read scripture straight from the source on a regular basis. Although devotionals and other materials can be immensely helpful in understanding the Word, it can never replace God’s word. We’ve included a 52 week reading plan of the New Testament for all of our readers and it’s a great place to start (or restart!) reading scripture regularly.

This plan is also included in the downloadable starter pdf on the welcome page of this member’s area.

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new Testament Background

The New Testament is a collection of 27 books, usually placed after the Old  Testament in most Christian Bibles. The New Testament chronicles the life  and ministry of Jesus, the growth and impact of the early church, and  instructive letters to early churches. 

These are the main themes and books of the New Testament:

Matthew 

Matthew's main purpose in writing his Gospel is to prove to his Jewish readers  that Jesus is their Messiah. He does this primarily by showing how Jesus in his  life and ministry fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. 

Mark 

Since Mark's Gospel is traditionally associated with Rome, it may have been  occasioned by the persecutions of the Roman church in the period c. A.D. 64- 67. Mark may be writing to prepare his readers for such suffering by placing  before them the life of our Lord. 

Luke 

Luke's Gospel was written to strengthen the faith of all believers and to  answer the attacks of unbelievers. It was presented to debunk some  disconnected and ill-founded reports about Jesus. Luke wanted to show that the place of the Gentile (non-Jewish) Christian in God's kingdom is based on  the teaching of Jesus. 

John 

John's Gospel is rather different from the other three, highlighting events not  detailed in the others. The author himself states his main purpose clearly in  20:31: "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that  by believing you may have life in his name." 

Acts 

The book of Acts provides a bridge for the writings of the New Testament. As  a second volume to Luke's Gospel, it joins what Jesus "began to do and to  teach" as told in the Gospels with what he continued to do and teach through  the apostles' preaching and the establishment of the church. 

Romans 

Paul's primary theme in Romans is presenting the gospel (the "good news"),  God's plan of salvation and righteousness for all humankind, Jew and non-Jew  alike. 

1 Corinthians 

The first letter to the Corinthians revolves around the theme of problems in  Christian conduct in the church. It thus has to do with progressive  sanctification, the continuing development of a holy character. Obviously Paul  was personally concerned with the Corinthians' problems, revealing a true  pastor's (shepherd's) heart. 

2 Corinthians 

Because of the occasion that prompted this letter, Paul had a number of  purposes in mind: to express the comfort and joy Paul felt because the  Corinthians had responded favorably to his painful letter; to let them know  about the trouble he went through in the province of Asia; and to explain to  them the true nature (its joys, sufferings and rewards) and high calling of  Christian ministry.

Galatians 

Galatians stands as an eloquent and vigorous apologetic for the essential  New Testament truth that people are justified by faith in Jesus Christ—by  nothing less and nothing more—and that they are sanctified not by legalistic  works but by the obedience that comes from faith in God's work for them. 

Ephesians 

Unlike several of the other letters Paul wrote, Ephesians does not address any  particular error or heresy. Paul wrote to expand the horizons of his readers, so  that they might understand better the dimensions of God's eternal purpose  and grace and come to appreciate the high goals God has for the church. 

Philippians 

Paul's primary purpose in writing this letter was to thank the Philippians for the  gift they had sent him upon learning of his detention at Rome. However, he  makes use of this occasion to fulfill several other desires: (1) to report on his  own circumstances; (2) to encourage the Philippians to stand firm in the face  of persecution and rejoice regardless of circumstances; and (3) to exhort  them to humility and unity. 

Colossians 

Paul's purpose is to refute the Colossian heresy. To accomplish this goal, he  exalts Christ as the very image of God, the Creator, the preexistent sustainer  of all things, the head of the church, the first to be resurrected, the fullness of  deity (God) in bodily form, and the reconciler. 

1 Thessalonians 

Although the thrust of the letter is varied, the subject of eschatology (doctrine  of last things) seems to be predominant in both Thessalonian letters. Every  chapter of 1 Thessalonians ends with a reference to the second coming of  Christ. 

2 Thessalonians 

Since the situation in the Thessalonian church has not changed substantially,  Paul's purpose in writing is very much the same as in his first letter to them. He writes (1) to encourage persecuted believers, (2) to correct a  misunderstanding concerning the Lord's return, and (3) to exhort the  Thessalonians to be steadfast and to work for a living. 

1 Timothy 

During his fourth missionary journey, Paul instructed Timothy to care for the  church at Ephesus while he went on to Macedonia. When he realized he  might not return to Ephesus in the near future, he wrote this first letter to  Timothy to develop the charge he had given his young assistant. This is the  first of the "Pastoral Epistles." 

2 Timothy 

Paul was concerned about the welfare of the churches during this time of  persecution under Nero, and he admonished Timothy to guard the gospel, to persevere in it, to keep on preaching it, and, if necessary, to suffer for it. This is  the second "Pastoral Epistle." 

Titus 

Apparently, Paul introduced Christianity in Crete when he and Titus visited the  island, after which he left Titus there to organize the converts. Paul sent the  letter with Zenas and Apollos, who were on a journey that took them through  Crete, to give Titus personal authorization and guidance in meeting  opposition, instructions about faith and conduct, and warnings about false  teachers. This is the last of the "Pastoral Epistles." 

Philemon 

To win Philemon's willing acceptance of the runaway slave Onesimus, Paul  writes very tactfully and in a lighthearted tone, which he creates with  wordplay. The appeal is organized in a way prescribed by ancient Greek and  Roman teachers: to build rapport, to persuade the mind, and to move the  emotions. 

Hebrews 

The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus  Christ as revealer and as mediator of God's grace. A striking feature of this presentation of the gospel is the unique manner in which the author employs  expositions of eight specific passages of the Old Testament Scriptures. 

James 

Characteristics that make the letter distinctive are: (1) its unmistakably Jewish  nature; (2) its emphasis on vital Christianity, characterized by good deeds and  a faith that works (genuine faith must and will be accompanied by a  consistent lifestyle); (3) its simple organization; (4) and its familiarity with Jesus'  teachings preserved in the Sermon on the Mount. 

1 Peter 

Although 1 Peter is a short letter, it touches on various doctrines and has  much to say about Christian life and duties. It is not surprising that different  readers have found it to have different principal themes. For example, it has  been characterized as a letter of separation, of suffering and persecution, of  suffering and glory, of hope, of pilgrimage, of courage, and as a letter dealing  with the true grace of God. 

2 Peter 

In his first letter Peter feeds Christ's sheep by instructing them how to deal  with persecution from outside the church; in this second letter he teaches  them how to deal with false teachers and evildoers who have come into the  church. 

1 John 

John's readers were confronted with an early form of Gnostic teaching of the  Cerinthian variety. This heresy was also libertine, throwing off all moral  restraints. Consequently, John wrote this letter with two basic purposes in  mind: (1) to expose false teachers and (2) to give believers assurance of  salvation. 

2 John 

During the first two centuries the gospel was taken from place to place by  traveling evangelists and teachers. Believers customarily took these  missionaries into their homes and gave them provisions for their journey when 

they left. Since Gnostic teachers also relied on this practice, 2 John was written to urge discernment in supporting traveling teachers 

3 John 

Itinerant teachers sent out by John were rejected in one of the churches in the  province of Asia by a dictatorial leader, Diotrephes, who even  excommunicated members who showed hospitality to John's messengers.  John wrote this letter to commend Gaius for supporting the teachers and,  indirectly, to warn Diotrephes. 

Jude 

Although Jude was very eager to write to his readers about salvation, he felt  that he must instead warn them about certain immoral men circulating  among them who were perverting the grace of God. Apparently these false  teachers were trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave  them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them. 

Revelation 

John writes to encourage the faithful to staunchly resist the demands of  emperor worship. He informs his readers that the final showdown between  God and Satan is imminent. Satan will increase his persecution of believers,  but they must stand fast, even to death. They are sealed against any spiritual  harm and will soon be vindicated when Christ returns, when the wicked are  forever destroyed, and when God's people enter an eternity of glory and  blessedness.