Read with Me: Gospel of John

Do you have reading plans for the month of April? I'd love to have you join me in reading the Gospel of John. You may read in any translation of the Bible. Ideally, participants would finish all twenty-one chapters of John just in time for Easter, April 20! If you want to meet the Easter goal and still just read one chapter a day, perhaps you might start one day early, March 31.

But reading at your own pace works too. I would rather have you read it with attention and absorb it than to rush through your reading.

But reading is not the only way you can join me! Participants may choose to WATCH the Gospel of John. You may choose this in place of reading OR you may choose this in addition to reading. I personally plan to do both. If you don't already own your own copy, it's around $10 on Amazon. (The same movie is about $15 on Barnes & Noble). You may also be able find it available to watch online for free. It's almost three hours long.

You might also choose to LISTEN to an audio production of the Gospel of John. Bible Gateway offers several audio versions that you can listen to online for free.

KJV Dramatized
NIV Dramatized
NASB

Please let me know in the comments if you plan to join me! Even if you don't plan on joining, please consider spreading the word to others you know who might be interested.

From Woodrow Kroll's Read Your Bible One Book At A Time:

John

The Book of Christ the Son of God

Written:
Author: John
Audience: Christians and non-Christians of the first century
Date: A.D. 85-95

Overview:
Subject: the life, teachings, death, resurrection, and post resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ
Scope: the events recorded in John's gospel cover from eternity past to the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus Christ in Galilee
Setting: the Holy Land--the Jordan Valley, Galilee, Samaria, Bethany, and Jerusalem

Three keys:
Key chapters: 3 (Jesus, only-begotten of the Father, Savior of the world); 10 (the believer's relationship with Jesus Christ); 15 (abiding in Christ); 19 (the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ)
Key verses: John 1:1-3, 11-12, 29; John 3:14-18, 36; John 5:24, John 6:66-69; John 8:32, 36; John 14:1-6; John 17:17; John 18:38; John 19:16-21, 30, 38-42; John 20:13-16, 30-31; John 21:15-17
Key people: Jesus, John the Baptist, the disciples, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Jesus' mother, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea

Book profiles:
Number of chapters: 21
Number of verses: 879
Average reading time: 1 hour, 54 minutes

What to look for:

• Jesus Christ as the Son of God (John 19:7)
• John's careful presentation of the facts so as to bring his readers to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world
• word pictures of who Jesus is, such as water, lamb, bread, light, shepherd, and vine

Why you should read John:
Nowhere is the gospel more clearly presented than in the Gospel of John. If you are looking for a way to share the gospel story with a friend. John has some classic passages that God's servants have used for generations, such as chapter three, five, and ten. Become familiar with these passages and you will never be a witless witness. (81-82)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible