Welcome to Week 5 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week marks a major transition in our journey. We wrap up the Gospel of Luke and move directly into its companion volume, the book of Acts.

Book Intro: Acts of the Apostles

Written by Luke—a physician who carefully researched and documented early Christian history—Acts is part two of his two-part work. While Luke’s Gospel records what Jesus began to do and teach during His earthly ministry, Acts tracks how the resurrected Christ continued His work through the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts serves as the foundational narrative framework for our reading plan, documenting how the early church exploded out of Jerusalem and began spreading across the Roman Empire.

Here is what we are covering this week:

• Luke 21: Jesus teaches about the future, warning of the Temple’s destruction and upcoming trials, while calling His followers to remain watchful and faithful.
• Luke 22: The tension peaks as Judas betrays Jesus. Jesus shares the Last Supper with His disciples, prays in deep agony in Gethsemane, and is arrested as Peter denies Him.
• Luke 23: Jesus stands before Pilate and Herod, receives an unfair death sentence, and is crucified at Calvary. He is laid to rest in a borrowed tomb.
• Luke 24: The ultimate triumph! Jesus rises from the dead, walks with disciples on the road to Emmaus, opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, and ascends into heaven.
• Acts 1: The resurrected Jesus promises the coming power of the Holy Spirit, commissions His disciples to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth, and ascends to heaven.

As you read, pay attention to how the climax of Jesus’s earthly life in Luke directly sets the stage for the launch of the early church in Acts.

Welcome to Week 6 of our New Testament reading plan!

Now that we have witnessed the life, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, this week we jump into the explosive early days of the Christian church in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit moves in remarkable ways, empowering ordinary believers to live with bold faith, radical generosity, and unshakable conviction—even in the face of intense opposition.

Here is a look at what we will cover this week:

• Acts 2: The Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost, empowering the believers to speak in other tongues. Peter delivers a bold sermon, leading 3,000 people to be baptized, and the early church establishes a vibrant fellowship of prayer, generosity, and community.
• Acts 3: Peter and John heal a man unable to walk at the temple gate, sparking wonder in the crowd and giving Peter another opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus.
• Acts 4: The religious authorities arrest Peter and John, but they refuse to be silenced, famously declaring that they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard. The believers pray for even greater boldness.
• Acts 5: God deals with hypocrisy in the church through the story of Ananias and Sapphira. The apostles perform miraculous signs, are arrested and miraculously freed by an angel, and continue preaching Christ despite being flogged.
• Acts 6: To address administrative needs and support neglected widows, the church appoints seven spirit-filled leaders. One of them, Stephen, performs great wonders and faces false accusations from religious leaders.

As you read through these chapters, reflect on the power of the Holy Spirit in the early church. How can that same Spirit give you boldness and courage in your faith this week?

Welcome to Week 8 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week marks a major turning point in our journey through the early church. Up until now, the Book of Acts has provided the central historical narrative for our plan. But as the gospel expands and churches are planted, we will begin stepping out of the timeline of Acts to read the epistles—the letters written to these brand-new Christian communities—right around the time they were actually penned.

Book Intro: James

At the end of this week, we step briefly out of Acts to read the Letter of James. Written by James, the half-brother of Jesus and a key leader in the Jerusalem church, this letter is widely considered one of the earliest New Testament books written. James writes with a direct, practical style—often likened to the Old Testament Book of Proverbs—focused on showing that genuine faith in Jesus must produce real, visible action and practical wisdom in our daily lives.

Here is what we are covering in Week 8:

• Acts 12: King Herod persecutes the church and executes James (the apostle), but Peter is miraculously freed from prison by an angel while the church fervently prays.
• Acts 13: The church in Antioch sends Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey, where they share the gospel in Cyprus and Pisidian Antioch, facing both eager belief and fierce opposition.
• Acts 14: Paul and Barnabas press on through Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Despite surviving a stoning in Lystra, Paul continues preaching, strengthening the new believers, and appointing leaders in each local church.
• Acts 15: The Jerusalem Council convenes to settle a critical question: Do Gentile believers need to follow Jewish laws and circumcision to be saved? The leaders affirm that salvation comes through the grace of the Lord Jesus alone. James
• James 1: We pause the narrative of Acts to dive into the practical wisdom of James, the half-brother of Jesus, whom we met in Acts 15. James challenges us to count trials as joy, ask God for wisdom in faith, and be “doers of the word, and not hearers only”.

As you read this week, notice how God opens doors for the gospel among the Gentiles and how James challenges us to live out our faith boldly. What area of your life is God calling you to be a “doer of the word” today?

Welcome to Week 9 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we wrap up our study of the practical letter of James before diving into Paul’s very first letter.

Why We Jump from Acts to the Epistles

Remember, the Book of Acts serves as the foundational chronological timeline for our reading plan. However, as the gospel spreads and new churches are established throughout the Roman world, we occasionally step out of Acts to read the epistles—the letters written to these early faith communities—at the approximate points in history when they were originally penned.

Book Intro: Galatians

At the end of this week we begin Galatians, which is widely considered to be Paul’s earliest surviving letter. Written to a network of young churches in the region of Galatia (a region Paul visited on his first missionary journey in Acts 13–14), this letter addresses a massive crisis: false teachers were convincing Gentile believers that faith in Christ wasn’t enough, and that they also needed to follow the Old Testament laws to be truly saved. Paul writes with urgent passion to defend the core truth of the gospel—that salvation is by grace through faith alone.

Here is what we are covering in Week 9:

• James 2: James addresses partiality and favoritism in the church, warning that genuine faith cannot remain purely theoretical—it must naturally express itself through active obedience and love.
• James 3: A vivid warning about the incredible power and potential damage of our words, paired with a contrast between earthly wisdom and the pure, peaceable wisdom that comes from above.
• James 4: James exposes the root of internal conflict and worldly compromise, calling believers to humble submission before God and reminding us of the fleeting nature of life.
• James 5: A strong warning to the unjust wealthy, followed by encouragement to cultivate patience in suffering and to pray in faith for healing and restoration.
• Galatians 1: Paul launches straight into his fiery letter to the Galatians, expressing shock at how quickly they are abandoning the true gospel for a distorted one and defending his divine calling as an apostle of Christ.

As you work through this week’s readings, consider how faith, grace, and everyday obedience interact in your life. How does the radical freedom of the gospel shape the way you live and speak today?

Welcome to Week 10 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we complete Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Galatians was penned directly to the believers in the churches Paul founded during his first missionary journey in Acts 13–14.

In Galatians 2–6, Paul defends the heart of the Christian faith: we are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by keeping the Old Testament law. He reminds us that the gospel frees us from legalism and empowers us to walk by the Holy Spirit, bearing practical fruit in everyday life.

Here is what we are covering this week:

• Galatians 2: Paul recounts his confrontation with Peter over hypocrisy, firmly declaring that no one is justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ.
• Galatians 3: Paul uses the example of Abraham to prove that promise and righteousness have always come by faith, explaining that the law served as a guardian until Christ came.
• Galatians 4: Paul contrasts our former slavery under the law with our adoption as sons and daughters of God, appealing to the Galatians not to turn back to legalism.
• Galatians 5: Paul urges believers to stand firm in freedom, warning against using liberty for self-indulgence, and contrasts the desires of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.
• Galatians 6: Paul concludes with practical instructions on bearing one another’s burdens, doing good to all, and boasting only in the cross of Jesus Christ.

As you finish Galatians this week, take time to evaluate your own walk. Are you attempting to rely on your own moral efforts, or are you walking in the true freedom and power of the Holy Spirit?

Welcome to Week 11 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we jump right back into the main narrative timeline of Acts as Paul embarks on his second missionary journey, leading to the planting of new churches across Macedonia and Greece—including the church in Thessalonica.

Why We Jump from Acts to the Epistles

The Book of Acts serves as our primary historical narrative framework. However, as Paul travels and plants new communities of faith, we periodically pause the story in Acts to read the actual letters he wrote to those churches at the approximate point in history when he penned them. This week, after following Paul’s ministry through Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth in Acts 16–18, we step over to read 1 Thessalonians—a letter Paul wrote directly from Corinth (Acts 18) to encourage the young church he had just planted in Thessalonica.

Book Intro: 1 Thessalonians

Written around AD 50–51 during Paul’s stay in Corinth, 1 Thessalonians is one of Paul’s earliest letters. Having been forced to leave Thessalonica prematurely due to severe persecution, Paul writes with intense pastoral care and affection. He encourages these young believers to stand firm in the face of suffering, live holy lives, and hold tightly to the hope of Jesus’s return.

Here is what we are covering in Week 11:

• Acts 16: Paul picks up Timothy, receives the “Macedonian Call” in a vision, and travels to Philippi, where Lydia and a Roman jailer both come to faith after a miraculous earthquake.
• Acts 17: Paul preaches in Thessalonica and Berea—where believers eagerly examine the Scriptures—before moving on to Athens to deliver his famous sermon on the Areopagus about the “Unknown God”.
• Acts 18: Paul arrives in Corinth, partners with Priscilla and Aquila, and spends 18 months establishing the church before brief stops in Ephesus, Jerusalem, and Antioch.
• 1 Thessalonians 1: We pause the narrative in Corinth to read Paul’s letter back to the Thessalonians, thanking God for their active faith, labor of love, steadfast hope, and clear witness to surrounding regions.
• 1 Thessalonians 2: Paul reminds the believers of his sincere, gentle, and fatherly ministry among them, expressing his deep longing to see them again despite Satanic hindrance and ongoing persecution.

As you read this week, notice how real-world history and pastoral encouragement interlock. How does knowing the background of Paul’s struggles in Acts change the way you read his heart in 1 Thessalonians?

Welcome to Week 12 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we complete Paul’s first letter to the believers in Thessalonica and immediately launch into his follow-up letter, 2 Thessalonians. Paul penned both 1 and 2 Thessalonians while staying in Corinth during his second missionary journey (recorded in Acts 18). Shortly after sending his first letter, Paul received news that the believers in Thessalonica were still facing heavy persecution and were confused about the end times and the return of Jesus.

Book Intro: 2 Thessalonians

Written from Corinth around AD 51–52, 2 Thessalonians is Paul’s direct follow-up letter to the Thessalonian church. In this brief three-chapter letter, Paul addresses lingering confusion regarding the “Day of the Lord”. He corrects false reports that Christ’s return had already happened, warns against spiritual laziness, and encourages believers to stand firm in their faith despite intense opposition.

Here is a look at what we are covering in Week 12:

• 1 Thessalonians 3: Paul expresses his deep relief and joy after Timothy returns with a good report about the Thessalonians’ enduring faith and love, and he prays for their continued spiritual growth.
• 1 Thessalonians 4: Paul challenges believers to live holy lives pleasing to God—specifically in sexual purity and brotherly love—and offers profound comfort regarding believers who have died, explaining the hope of the resurrection at Christ’s return.
• 1 Thessalonians 5: Paul urges the church to stay alert and self-controlled as “children of the light” and closes with rapid-fire practical instructions for daily Christian community life.
• 2 Thessalonians 1: We begin Paul’s second letter with words of encouragement, thanking God for the Thessalonians’ growing faith and reminding them that God will bring ultimate justice when Jesus returns.
• 2 Thessalonians 2: Paul clarifies end-times theology, instructing the believers not to be easily shaken or alarmed by false claims about the Day of the Lord, and urges them to hold fast to the truth.

As you read through these chapters this week, reflect on how the promise of Jesus’s return shapes your current perspective. How does holding fast to eternal hope give you strength to navigate everyday challenges today?

Welcome to Week 13 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we close out Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, return to Paul’s journey in the Book of Acts, and launch into a brand-new letter to a major church in the ancient world.

As Paul embarks on his third missionary journey, he spends nearly three years ministering in the influential city of Ephesus (Acts 19). It was during this extended stay in Ephesus that Paul received troubling news about division and disorder in the church at Corinth—prompting him to write his first surviving letter to them. By pausing Acts after chapter 19 to read 1 Corinthians, we get to experience Paul’s letters in the real-time context of his missionary journeys.

Book Intro: 1 Corinthians

Written by Paul around AD 53–55 during his three-year ministry in Ephesus, 1 Corinthians was sent to a culturally diverse, booming port city notorious for its immorality and idol worship. The young church in Corinth had allowed the culture around them to seep into the church, resulting in factions, spiritual pride, and moral compromise. Paul writes to address these divisions, call the believers back to the wisdom of the cross, and challenge them to live lives worthy of the gospel.

Here is what we are covering in Week 13:

• 2 Thessalonians 3: Paul concludes his second letter to the Thessalonians by asking for prayer, warning against idleness and spiritual laziness, and encouraging the church to never tire of doing what is right.
• Acts 19: We return to the narrative timeline as Paul travels to Ephesus. The Holy Spirit moves in extraordinary power, leading many to turn from magic and idols—sparking a massive riot led by the local silversmiths whose idol business was threatened.
• 1 Corinthians 1: We step over to read Paul’s letter back to Corinth, where he opens with deep gratitude before immediately confronting news of cliquish divisions within the church, reminding them that true wisdom is found in Christ crucified.
• 1 Corinthians 2: Paul contrasts human rhetoric and worldliness with the revelation of the Holy Spirit, explaining that the deep truths of God can only be understood through spiritual discernment.
• 1 Corinthians 3: Paul addresses spiritual immaturity, warning the church against dividing over human leaders and reminding them that believers are co-laborers building on the single foundation of Jesus Christ.

As you read through these chapters this week, reflect on how easily culture can shape the church if we aren’t careful. How can focusing on the simplicity and power of the cross keep your heart grounded in true unity and spiritual maturity?

Welcome to Week 14 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we continue working our way through Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth. In chapters 4 through 8, Paul moves from addressing church divisions to tackling tough issues regarding Christian lifestyle, ethics, personal relationships, and personal freedom.

Here is what we are covering in Week 14:

• 1 Corinthians 4: Paul redefines leadership, reminding the believers that apostles are simply servants and stewards of God’s mysteries, and cautions them against spiritual pride.
• 1 Corinthians 5: Paul addresses a shocking case of sexual immorality within the church, urging the community to exercise church discipline and maintain moral integrity.
• 1 Corinthians 6: Paul warns against taking legal disputes with fellow believers before secular courts and reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, meant to honor God.
• 1 Corinthians 7: Paul answers practical questions regarding marriage, singleness, divorce, and devotion to God in various life circumstances.
• 1 Corinthians 8: Paul addresses the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, establishing a crucial principle: Christian freedom must always be limited by love so as not to cause a weaker believer to stumble.

As you read these chapters, consider how Paul balances truth and grace in confronting difficult culture and behaviors. How can you honor God with your body and exercise your freedoms in love this week?

Welcome to Week 15 of our New Testament reading plan!

This week, we are diving right into the heart of 1 Corinthians. Paul addresses deep spiritual truths, practical community standards, and the core foundation of our faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here is what we are covering in Week 15:

• 1 Corinthians 9: Paul defends his apostolic authority and rights, demonstrating how he willingly waives those rights and adapts to different cultural contexts for the sake of winning people to the gospel.
• 1 Corinthians 10: Drawing from Israel’s wilderness history, Paul warns against idolatry and self-confidence, reminding us that no temptation is inescapable and that everything we do should be for the glory of God.
• 1 Corinthians 11: Paul tackles order in public worship, addressing cultural expressions of head coverings and correcting self-centered abuses during the observance of the Lord’s Supper.
• 1 Corinthians 12: Paul introduces the diversity and unity of spiritual gifts, illustrating how every believer functions as an essential, interdependent member of the single body of Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 13: The famous “love chapter”—Paul shows that even the most impressive spiritual gifts are completely meaningless without selfless, patient, and enduring agape love.

As you work through these chapters, consider how Paul challenges us to lay down our personal rights for others and let genuine love guide every spiritual gift and daily action. What is one way you can put selfless love into practice in your church or community this week?