When was the last time you studied the book of Nahum? What about 3 John? Have you read Ezekiel or Revelation carefully this year?
If you haven’t studied any of these four books recently, you’re probably not alone! I searched in vain for data on this question, but years in the church have convinced me that there are some portions of the Bible we rarely read, let alone study.
Let’s think a bit about our selective Bible reading.
The Books We Like
What parts of the Bible do Christians most often read, study, and discuss? What do our preachers most often take as their texts?
In my experience, we spend a lot of time in the Gospels, Acts, and (many of) the New Testament epistles. We are fans of Old Testament narratives like Genesis, Exodus, and—to a lesser degree—the books of Joshua through Esther. We dip into Psalms and Proverbs for inspiration and wisdom, and we might read the beginning and ending of Job. The only prophetic books we tend to know are Jonah and the first half of Daniel, because these chapters have strong narrative components.
In general, we like narratives, inspiration, and New Testament instruction. We shy away from the rest. Why is that?
The Books We Skip
There isn’t a single reason, and answers will vary by person, church, and circumstance. But here are my best guesses.
We skip Leviticus through Deuteronomy because we find them boring. There are too many laws, too many lists, and we find the books irrelevant.
We skip the middle of Job because it is lengthy and circular. We don’t really understand why it’s there. We skip Ecclesiastes because it is depressing and Song of Songs because it makes us uncomfortable. We skip Lamentations because it is so darn sad.
We skip the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) because they are dense and difficult. We think of these books as long and repetitive. We skip most of the minor prophets because they are obscure and challenging, and probably no one expects us to read them carefully.
We skip 2 John, 3 John, Philemon, and Jude because they are short. What could an epistle of only one chapter teach us?
Finally, we skip Revelation because it is confusing and controversial. We have heard of or seen people use this book incorrectly, and we’re not sure we’re smart enough to understand.
What Books Should We Read?
Functionally, we think spending time on these often-skipped books of the Bible is not essential to our Christian lives. We imagine we’re not missing anything crucial in our neglect.
The gospel of Jesus Christ affirms that reading those books of the Bible is not essential to being a Christian. When we come to Jesus, he commands us to repent and believe. No act of obedience or love is necessary to keep us in his family. He will not let us go!
However, Jesus also said that all of the Scriptures point to him (Luke 24:44–48). So, if we want a full picture of who Jesus is, what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do, we must look to the whole counsel of God.
That is, we should read (and study) the entire Bible.
Different Books in Different Seasons
This argument requires a small caveat. Not every book of the Bible is the best choice for every person or at every time. I would more likely point a new Christian to John than to Jeremiah, and I’d offer different counsel to a recent widow than a missions-bound twenty-something. Wise friends, counselors, and church elders can help us know where to turn in God’s Word.
But much of the church has quietly developed a category of books of the Bible that need not be read or studied. These books rarely even come up in discussion.
While we cannot read and study all of the Bible at once, we should not ignore or neglect any part of it. There are riches on every page, as much in Leviticus as in Luke.
Absolutely thought‑provoking and deeply insightful, this exploration of why we skip some books of the Bible truly spoke to me on multiple levels. As a longtime resident of Boca Raton, Florida, and the author of A Journey of Resilience Dreams, I’ve always championed the transformative power of education and lifelong learning, both in the business world and in my walk with Christ. Your thoughtful breakdown challenges readers to reconsider familiar assumptions and invites us all to engage with Scripture more holistically and courageously. The way this piece encourages a deeper curiosity and respect for every part of God’s Word strongly resonates with my belief that continual learning enriches our faith journey.
I just read “Why We Skip Some Books of the Bible” and my heart was gently challenged and encouraged by how it calls believers to face the parts of Scripture we often avoid, whether we shy away because of length, difficulty, unfamiliarity, or fear of misunderstanding, reminding us that all of God’s Word points to Christ and holds richness for every soul who seeks Him with reverence and humility. The article thoughtfully explains why books like Leviticus, the minor prophets, or those brief epistles may seem “boring” or confusing, yet it also tenderly urges us not to neglect any portion, because the Lord has lovingly given His entire Word to guide, comfort, and deepen our faith when we read it prayerfully and with wise counsel. May this message stir you to embrace the whole counsel of God and seek His heart in every page of Scripture, trusting that He meets each reader with grace and truth.
Frankly some of these books are quite disturbing. They advocate for things that we would find frankly immoral today. God orders genocide and we cannot reconcile this with our current understanding any moral framework. We have Jesus telling slaves to obey their masters as if they were God. These are things that are very difficult to explain today. The book of Revelation is very strange and if you were to take it at it’s reading, almost no one is saved.
I tell people to read the Bible from cover to cover. Do not read passages taken out of context. When you do this you will find that many of these stories or books tend to have a very different meaning when read as a complete works as opposed to these micro verses.
Our religious leaders take things out of context and then try to weave some meaning into them. This gives them a lot of power because we are usually ignorant of what’s really in the book. When you actually read the Bible from cover to cover you take back this power from them because you have a deeper understanding of what is there and what isn’t.