52 Weeks in the Word: A Companion for Reading through the Bible in a Year

By Trillia Newbell

A joy-filled, thoughtful, and realistic pathway through the entirety of God’s Word!

Have you ever been disappointed or frustrated with your inability for consistent Bible study? Reading through the Bible in a year can feel daunting. It can be hard to know how—or where—to start. Perhaps you just need a friend who follows Jesus to help. Trillia Newbell is a trusted Bible teacher and lover of the Scriptures. She describes herself as a “forever student.” And she’d like nothing more than for you to join her in the grand and thrilling adventure of growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ! Rather than jumping around the Bible, you can jump into this book that will take you through the entirety of the Scriptures in one year!

This book provides:

• A reading plan—not too big or too small
• 52 Reflections—one per week
• Prayer prompts for each Scripture reading
• Built in rest and catch-up days
• Space for your own reflection or study
• Easy instructions so you can begin throughout the year!

52 Weeks in the Word guides you through God’s sacred and trusted Word, all while helping you organize your reading and pausing for deeper meditation. The result? Greater knowledge of God, by grace and the power of the Spirit, can lead to wisdom and worship of God. You'll discover treasures—some old to you, some new—help for daily living, hope in times of suffering, and a deep abiding relationship with the God who loves you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moody Publishers
• Release date: Nov 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9780802475589

Trillia Newbell

Trillia Newbell is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, and children’s books, including God’s Very Good Idea; The Big Wide Welcome; and Creative God, Colorful Us. Newbell is the acquisitions director at Moody Publishers and lives with her husband, Thern, and two children near Nashville, Tennessee.

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© 2022 by

TRILLIA J. NEWBELL

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated into any other language.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

All emphasis in Scripture has been added.

Published in association with Don Gates, THE GATES GROUP @ www.the-gates-group.com.

Edited by Amanda Cleary Eastep

Interior illustrations by Kaylee Dunn

Interior and cover design: Erik M. Peterson

Cover illustration of landscape copyright © 2021 by Xenia Artwork/iStock (1297492616).

Interior illustrations copyright © 2021 Xenia Artwork/iStock (mountains: 1299465379, mountains: 1299850614, plants: 1309236761).

Interior illustrations copyright © 2022 Xenia Artwork/Shutterstock (mountains: 1906795684).

Interior illustrations copyright © 2022 Nadia Grapes/Shutterstock (tribal pattern: 1389285218, leaves/shapes: 1756747541, abstract florals: 1858737874, abstract leaves: 1859693353, leaves: 1907453473, mountain/leaves: 1947830434, abstract lines: 2142737565).

Interior illustrations copyright © 2022 Reuki/Shutterstock (minimalist cutouts: 1758818747, torn shapes: 1771306325).

All rights reserved for all illustrations above.

Author photo: Photography by Parker Plott

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Newbell, Trillia J., author.

Title: 52 weeks in the word : a companion for reading through the Bible in a year / Trillia Newbell.

Other titles: Fifty-two weeks in the word

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: Join Trillia on a joy-filled, thoughtful, and realistic pathway through the entirety of God’s Word! She’ll help you organize and pause for deeper meditation. You’ll discover treasures-some old, some new-help for daily living, hope in times of suffering, and an abiding relationship with the God who loves you-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2022018598 (print) | LCCN 2022018599 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802428356 | ISBN 9780802475589 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Bible--Reading. | Bible--Devotional literature. | BISAC: RELIGION / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth | RELIGION / Christian Living / Devotional

Classification: LCC BS617 .N49 2022 (print) | LCC BS617 (ebook) | DDC 220.6/1--dc23/eng/20220615

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022018598

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022018599

Originally delivered by fleets of horse–drawn wagons, the affordable paperbacks from D. L. Moody’s publishing house resourced the church and served everyday people. Now, after more than 125 years of publishing and ministry, Moody Publishers’ mission remains the same—even if our delivery systems have changed a bit. For more information on other books (and resources) created from a biblical perspective, go to www.moodypublishers.com or write to:

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To the Lord who redeemed my life from the pit and crowned me with steadfast love and mercy

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.

The proceeds from your purchase help pay the tuition of students attending Moody Bible Institute. These students come from around the globe and graduate better equipped to impact our world for Christ.

Other Moody Ministries that may be of interest to you include Moody Radio and Moody Distance Learning. To learn more visit www.moodyradio.org and www.moody.edu/distance-learning.

To enhance your reading experience we’ve made it easy to share inspiring passages and thought-provoking quotes with your friends via Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and other book-sharing sites. To do so, simply highlight and forward. And don’t forget to put this book on your Reading Shelf on your book community site.

Thanks again, and may God bless you.

The Moody Publishers Team

Contents

Introduction: Reading the Bible for Our Joy

Week 1: Genesis 1–Genesis 28

Reflection: A Fast-Moving Start

Week 2: Genesis 29–Genesis 50

Reflection: Unmerited Forgiveness

Week 3: Exodus 1–Exodus 21

Reflection: God Judges

Week 4: Exodus 22–Exodus 40

Reflection: Sin Can’t Be in His Presence

Week 5: Leviticus 1–Leviticus 24

Reflection: The Law

Week 6: Leviticus 25–Numbers 14

Reflection: Is Numbers about More than Actual Numbers?

Week 7: Numbers 15–Numbers 33

Reflection: Balaam—a Warning to the Wise

Week 8: Numbers 34–Deuteronomy 19

Reflection: Their Law Is Our Law

Week 9: Deuteronomy 20–Joshua 8

Reflection: Knowledge of God vs. Knowing God

Week 10: Joshua 9–Judges 6

Reflection: His Ways Are Better

Week 11: Judges 7–Ruth 4

Reflection: An Unlikely Hero

Week 12: 1 Samuel 1–1 Samuel 20

Reflection: Come to Him All Who Are Weary

Week 13: 1 Samuel 21–2 Samuel 11

Reflection: A Covenant with David

Week 14: 2 Samuel 12–1 Kings 2

Reflection: Perfectly Just and Wholly Merciful

Week 15: 1 Kings 3–1 Kings 20

Reflection: Solomon’s Wisdom, God’s Mercy

Week 16: 1 Kings 21–2 Kings 15

Reflection: Lessons from Ahab’s Repentance

Week 17: 2 Kings 16–1 Chronicles 9

Reflection: Let’s Study 2 Kings 22

Week 18: 1 Chronicles 10–2 Chronicles 5

Reflection: What’s in a Genealogy?

Week 19: 2 Chronicles 6–2 Chronicles 33

Reflection: Seek and He Shall Be Found

Week 20: 2 Chronicles 34–Nehemiah 9

Reflection: Ezra and Context

Week 21: Nehemiah 10–Job 15

Reflection: An Unusual Yet Relatable Story

Week 22: Job 16–Psalm 8

Reflection: Not Promised for All

Week 23: Psalm 9–Psalm 40

Reflection: #Blessed

Week 24: Psalm 41–Psalm 77

Reflection: Learning to Lament

Week 25: Psalm 78–Psalm 118

Reflection: Shout for Joy!

Week 26: Psalm 119–Proverbs 8

Reflection: Fear Before Wisdom and Knowledge

Week 27: Proverbs 9–Proverbs 31

Reflection: Save Yourself Grief

Week 28: Ecclesiastes 1–Isaiah 7

Reflection: Three Books, One Message

Week 29: Isaiah 8–Isaiah 31

Reflection: Christmas All Year Long

Week 30: Isaiah 32–Isaiah 50

Reflection: No Justice, No Peace

Week 31: Isaiah 51–Jeremiah 3

Reflection: A Prophecy Worth Believing

Week 32: Jeremiah 4–Jeremiah 21

Reflection: Is Your Heart Desperately Sick?

Week 33: Jeremiah 22–Jeremiah 38

Reflection: Redeeming Jeremiah 29:11

Week 34: Jeremiah 39–Lamentations 2

Reflection: Let’s Study Jeremiah 31 and the New Covenant

Week 35: Lamentations 3–Ezekiel 19

Reflection: New Every Morning

Week 36: Ezekiel 20–Ezekiel 36

Reflection: Life to Our Dry Bones

Week 37: Ezekiel 37–Daniel 6

Reflection: Faith That Leads to Prayer

Week 38: Daniel 7–Joel 3

Reflection: God Wants Our Heart

Week 39: Amos 1–Micah 7

Reflection: A Short Book Packed with History

Week 40: Nahum 1–Zechariah 10

Reflection: Yet I Will Rejoice

Week 41: Zechariah 11–Matthew 15

Reflection: Entering the New, Remembering the Old

Week 42: Matthew 16–Mark 7

Reflection: Follow Me and Make Disciples

Week 43: Mark 8–Luke 7

Reflection: He Understands

Week 44: Luke 8–Luke 24

Reflection: Jesus and Women

Week 45: John 1–John 19

Reflection: He’s in the Beginning

Week 46: John 20–Acts 18

Reflection: God, Our Redeemer

Week 47: Acts 19–Romans 12

Reflection: The Road to Salvation

Week 48: Romans 13–2 Corinthians 7

Reflection: The Body and All Its Parts

Week 49: 2 Corinthians 8–1 Thessalonians 5

Reflection: Grace That Keeps On Giving

Week 50: 2 Thessalonians 1–Hebrews 6

Reflection: Go, Make Disciples

Week 51: Hebrews 7–1 John 5

Reflection: Purposeful Pain

Week 52: 2 John–Revelation 22

Reflection: A New Heaven, a New Earth

Afterword

Additional Resources

The Bible Reading Plan

Biblical Book Abbreviations

Notes

Introduction: Reading the Bible for Our Joy

Literacy means competence or knowledge in a specific area. Therefore, Bible literacy is competence or knowledge in the Bible. Simple enough. However, studies show that most Americans who own Bibles don’t actually read them.¹ If you’ve picked up this book, there’s a couple things I can assume: 1) You love God and love His Word, or 2) you want to grow in your love of God and love for His Word. Your desire is to become Bible literate.

That’s likely an oversimplification of who you are. You might also be someone who feels guilty because you’ve tried to read the Bible but can’t seem to make it a daily part of your life, so you need some help. Or maybe you have never read the Bible at all and wanted to take on a yearlong challenge—make a New Year’s resolution. Perhaps you’ve received this book as a gift and you’re not sure if you’ll keep reading (I hope you do, and I pray it will be a gift to you!). Whatever has led you here, you’ve come to hold it in your hand, and I’m grateful because it will lead you to the most important book you own.

I believe you and I fall into both of my simplified categories. You and I likely love God and love His Word and we desire to grow in love of God and His Word.

Anytime we set out to do something big—like read the Bible in a year!—it’s easy to start a journey with doubts. We’ve failed before we even begin.

That’s why before I get into the nitty-gritty of how to use this read-through-the-Bible resource, I want to ease any of your doubts. None of us have arrived. We all find ourselves struggling from time to time to read the Bible and interpret it correctly. There will be many of you who begin reading and then have to coach yourself to keep going. You’ll start and stop and start again. And here’s the good news: that’s okay. Not only is it okay, it’s great. The goal of this book isn’t to win some race or prize; we don’t earn more favor before the Lord. The goal of this book is to provide one more resource to help you get in the Word, stay in the Word, and gain biblical literacy.

WHAT THIS IS NOT

Most authors don’t want you to know what their book is not before you even begin! But I want you to know so that you 1) have the right expectations, and 2) understand that you get to do the work. I’ve had the joy of writing several Bible studies. Bible studies take the reader on a deep dive into the text. Studies like that help the reader observe, interpret, and apply the text. I’ll continue to write Bible studies, Lord willing, but as I taught them, I realized that there’s a knowledge base that was assumed. It was