Resources

Read through the whole Bible in a year, together.

Daily Bread

Today's Reading

Family

Secret

Since 1842

About This Plan

Robert Murray M'Cheyne was a young pastor in Dundee, Scotland. At the close of 1842 he gave his congregation a calendar he called Daily Bread, so that they might read the Bible together through the coming year. Churches have used it ever since.

“It has long been in my mind to prepare a scheme of Scripture reading, in which as many as were made willing by God might agree, so that the whole Bible might be read once by you in the year, and all might be feeding in the same portion of the green pasture at the same time.”

Robert Murray M'Cheyne, December 1842

Follow it and you will read the Old Testament once, and the New Testament and the Psalms twice, in a single year. M'Cheyne was careful to add a warning with it: “Guard against this. Let the calendar perish rather than this rust eat up your souls.” The plan is a help, never a rule.

How to read the columns

In M'Cheyne's own directions: “The centre column contains the day of the month. The two first columns contain the chapters to be read in the family. The two last columns contain the portions to be read in secret.”

  • Family — the two chapters for family worship, read aloud together.
  • Secret — the two portions for private reading and prayer.

“Above all, use the Word as a lamp to your feet and a light to your path — your guide in perplexity, your armour in temptation, your food in times of faintness.”
Robert Murray M'Cheyne, St. Peter's, Dundee, 30th December 1842. Public domain.

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