Are you one of the millions of Christians who reads their Bible regularly — if not every day, at least weekly?
If so, how do you decide which books of the Bible to read and in which order?
While some ambitious Christians commit to Bible-in-a-Year plans that have them reading through each and every book in the Bible, others skip around, often neglecting certain books completely, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Recently, on a popular social platform, someone asked, “What’s your least favourite book of the Bible and why?”
And most people agreed: These 10 books are NOT our favorites!
1. Leviticus
The third book of the Bible, Leviticus contains pages and pages of laws for the Israelite priests (the Levites) to follow.
Leviticus covers a wide range of topics, including rituals for sacrifices, instructions for priests, regulations concerning cleanliness and purity, dietary laws, guidelines for ethical behavior, and penalties for disobedience.
Many of these laws were meant only for the Israelites, however. We don’t follow them today.
While Leviticus was incredibly important to the Israelite people in Moses’s time, it can be a very dry, boring, and strange read today.
2. Revelation
Revelation, the final book of the Christian Bible, contains an intense and sometimes frightening description of the end times.
Full of vivid and sometimes confusing metaphors, it describes the ongoing heavenly battle between good and evil as well as information about what the end times, when Christ returns for his people, will be like.
While Revelation contains a positive ending — Jesus wins in the end — reading the book can be incredibly difficult and confusing for the average reader without a solid understanding of the end times.
One person shared, “Revelation: I have anxiety and it induces panic attacks (ruins my day instantly every time).”
3. Ecclesiastes
The Book of Ecclesiastes is one of the wisdom books found in the Old Testament of the Bible, traditionally attributed to King Solomon.
One of the more depressing books of the Bible, it includes Solomon’s ramblings on the meaning of life and the pursuit of wisdom and fulfillment.
Throughout the majority of the book, Solomon declares that “everything is meaningless.”
His tone only changes at the end of the book when he decides that it is only with God that life has any meaning at all.
4. Song of Solomon
The Song of Solomon, also known as Song of Songs, is a poetic Old Testament book that celebrates the unencumbered romantic love between a bridegroom and his bride.
The imagery is rich and sensual, and adults will easily pick up on the highly “suggestive” nature of the text… text that would make just about anyone blush when you understand what the lovers are referring to. (It’s not PG-rated.)
The language is beautiful, but the metaphors feel awkward to modern readers while the intimate subject matter may be uncomfortable for some.
One person shared, “Ancient Near Eastern [adult] poetry just isn’t a preferred genre for me.”
5. 1 and 2 Chronicles
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles are historical Old Testament books that cover much of the same material as 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, only from a different perspective.
While the books do include interesting stories about the temple and the time of King David, reading through the same repeated stories more than once can feel repetitive and unnecessary.
One person shared, “1 Chronicles and probably 2 as well. Just a lot of repetition from the previous books.”
6. Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Christian Bible, contains Moses’s final (long!) speeches to the Israelite people before they enter the Promised Land.
Moses knows he will die soon, without entering the Promised Land, so he takes one last opportunity to recap the nation’s history and laws up until this point, while reminding the Israelites to continue to follow God wholeheartedly.
Because Deuteronomy is a recap of the same material the Bible has already covered, reading this book can feel tedious, boring, and long — even if it does serve as a much-needed reminder, both for the Israelites and for us!
7. Jude
The biblical book of Jude is a very short book located near the end of the Bible, right before Revelation.
In this book, the author (presumably Jude, a brother of James) warns about the danger of false teachers and their deceptive doctrines. Instead, he encourages his readers to persevere in faithfulness to God.
While Jude isn’t a popular choice for “least favorite” biblical book, one person shared,
“Least favorite would probably have to Jude. Not that Jude isn’t good and worthy of study, but because I have read it over a dozen times and it makes less and less sense every time I read it.”
8. Numbers
The fourth book in the Christian Bible, the book of Numbers focuses on the journey of the Israelites from Mount Sinai to the borders of the Promised Land (Canaan).
While Numbers does contain several interesting stories about the Israelites’ time in the wilderness, it also includes multiple censuses and genealogies, which can be incredibly dry and tedious for modern readers.
One person shared, “I found Numbers very difficult to get through. It’s not really one of the books that you see quoted all that often, either.”
9. Isaiah
Isaiah is an Old Testament book best known for its numerous prophecies about the coming Messiah, Jesus, which later come true in the New Testament.
Yet, while its prophecies are certainly important, that doesn’t mean they’re always easy to read or understand.
One person shared, “Isaiah. Too long, too abstract. I know that it is cited as a major source of prophecy about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a chore to read.”
10. Exodus
The second book of the Christian Bible, Exodus tells of the Israelites’ slavery in Egypt, their miraculous escape via the Red Sea, and several other wonderful miracles. It’s also the book that contains the Ten Commandments.
Yet, while the first half of the book is a wonderful, exciting read, the second half contains pages of detailed laws that are, at times, difficult to get through.
It’s typically at this point in the Bible that casual readers will start to get bogged down and may quit reading altogether.
One person shared, “Personally Exodus was great until the end where God is explaining how to make the Tabernacle and those sorts, and then it repeats everything!”
How to Read the Bible (Easy Instructions for Beginners!)
Want to learn how to read the Bible for yourself, but you’re not sure where to start or how to understand it?
Reading the Bible is a lot easier (and way more enjoyable) than you might think. You just need a step-by-step guide to help you get started.
How to Read the Bible (Easy Instructions for Beginners!)
10 Common Bible Misconceptions Too Many People Believe
Of all the books in history, the Holy Bible is among the most available and most translated. For a text this ancient and common, it is surprising to realize that there is a lot of faulty thinking surrounding it.
Even lifelong Christians can be told one way of viewing Scripture and cling to that belief without realizing that it is tradition or cultural rather than truly Biblical.
Here are 10 common misconceptions about the Bible way too many people believe that can create confusion and withhold a deeper enjoyment and trust in God’s Word.
10 Common Bible Misconceptions Too Many People Believe
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author and founder of Equipping Godly Women and Monetize My Ministry. She’s also a Christian speaker, podcaster, and conference host. Her work has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online ministries, including CBN, MSN, Christianity Today, Evangelical Alliance, Patheos, Crosswalk, and more.
