2 Timothy 3:10-17 10 But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, 11 persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. 15 And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture inspired of God `is' also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. 17 That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.

Why should you read the Bible? To some people, it’s just an archaic book that has little relevance today. But for believers, God’s Word is essential and life-changing. Christians living in countries where Bibles are illegal would love to have the access to Scripture that you and I take for granted.

Consider what the world would be like if God had not given us His Word. Though we would still have the testimony of creation to tell us who He is (Rom. 1:20), our understanding of God and how to follow Him wouldn’t be as clear. The Bible’s pages contain everything we need for life and godliness through the true knowledge of God ( 2 Peter 1:3 3 seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; ).

Reading God’s Word has many benefits. The apostle Paul describes four ways Scripture is profitable for believers ( 2 Timothy 3:16 16 Every scripture inspired of God `is' also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. ).

Teaching. The Bible has all the divine truth that God wants us to know. From Scripture, we deepen our relationship with the Lord, see life from His perspective, and understand how He wants us to live.

Reproof. God’s Word is a light that reveals our sins and a sword that pierces and convicts so we can confess and receive forgiveness.

Correction. Scripture restores and points us to godly living and obedience.

Training in righteousness. The Word of God trains us to stay on the path of righteousness and mature spiritually.

The end result of teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness is a life adequately equipped to live as the Lord desires. With so much to gain, why would we ever neglect this most precious gift from God?

Bible in One Year: 1 Chronicles 7-9 Chapter 7 1 And of the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. 2 And the sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers' houses, `to wit', of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations: their number in the days of David was two and twenty thousand and six hundred. 3 And the sons of Uzzi: Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah: Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Isshiah, five; all of them chief men. 4 And with them, by their generations, after their fathers' houses, were bands of the host for war, six and thirty thousand; for they had many wives and sons. 5 And their brethren among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, reckoned in all by genealogy, were fourscore and seven thousand. 6 `The sons of' Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. 7 And the sons of Bela: Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers' houses, mighty men of valor; and they were reckoned by genealogy twenty and two thousand and thirty and four. 8 And the sons of Becher: Zemirah, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jeremoth, and Abijah, and Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. 9 And they were reckoned by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers' houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand and two hundred. 10 And the sons of Jediael: Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan: Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers' `houses', mighty men of valor, seventeen thousand and two hundred, that were able to go forth in the host for war. 12 Shuppim also, and Huppim, the sons of Ir, Hushim, the sons of Aher. 13 The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah. 14 The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his concubine the Aramitess bare: she bare Machir the father of Gilead: 15 and Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was Maacah; and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters. 16 And Maacah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17 And the sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18 And his sister Hammolecheth bare Ishhod, and Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19 And the sons of Shemida were Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam. 20 And the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eleadah his son, and Tahath his son, 21 and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in the land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle. 22 And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. 23 And he went in to his wife, and she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house. 24 And his daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth-horon the nether and the upper, and Uzzen-sheerah. 25 And Rephah was his son, and Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, 26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27 Nun his son, Joshua his son. 28 And their possessions and habitations were Beth-el and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Azzah and the towns thereof; 29 and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth-shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, Dor and its towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel. 30 The sons of Asher: Imnah, and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. 31 And the sons of Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. 32 And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their sister. 33 And the sons of Japhlet: Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet. 34 And the sons of Shemer: Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. 35 And the sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal. 36 The sons of Zophah: Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah, 37 Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. 38 And the sons of Jether: Jephunneh, and Pispa, and Ara. 39 And the sons of Ulla: Arah, and Hanniel, and Rizia. 40 All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers' houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes. And the number of them reckoned by genealogy for service in war was twenty and six thousand men. Chapter 8 1 And Benjamin begat Bela his first-born, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. 3 And Bela had sons: Addar, and Gera, and Abihud, 4 and Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, 5 and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. 6 And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers' `houses' of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them captive to Manahath: 7 and Naaman, and Ahijah, and Gera, he carried them captive: and he begat Uzza and Ahihud. 8 And Shaharaim begat children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives. 9 And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcam, 10 and Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' `houses'. 11 And of Hushim he begat Abitub and Elpaal. 12 And the sons of Elpaal: Eber, and Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with the towns thereof; 13 and Beriah, and Shema, who were heads of fathers' `houses' of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath; 14 and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 15 and Zebadiah, and Arad, and Eder, 16 and Michael, and Ishpah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah, 17 and Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hizki, and Heber, 18 and Ishmerai, and Izliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal, 19 and Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi, 20 and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel, 21 and Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of Shimei, 22 and Ishpan, and Eber, and Eliel, 23 and Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, 24 and Hananiah, and Elam, and Anthothijah, 25 and Iphdeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak, 26 and Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah, 27 and Jaareshiah, and Elijah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham. 28 These were heads of fathers' `houses' throughout their generations, chief men: these dwelt in Jerusalem. 29 And in Gibeon there dwelt the father of Gibeon, `Jeiel', whose wife's name was Maacah; 30 and his first-born son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, 31 and Gedor, and Ahio, and Zecher. 32 And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And they also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against their brethren. 33 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 34 And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begat Micah. 35 And the sons of Micah: Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz. 36 And Ahaz begat Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza. 37 And Moza begat Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 38 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. 39 And the sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his first-born, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. 40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons' sons, a hundred and fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin. Chapter 9 1 So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel: and Judah was carried away captive to Babylon for their transgression. 2 Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim. 3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: 4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Perez the son of Judah. 5 And of the Shilonites: Asaiah the first-born, and his sons. 6 And of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety. 7 And of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah, 8 and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9 and their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and six. All these men were heads of fathers' `houses' by their fathers' houses. 10 And of the priests: Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11 and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God; 12 and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13 and their brethren, heads of their fathers' houses, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God. 14 And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph, 16 and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites. 17 And the porters: Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren (Shallum was the chief), 18 who hitherto `waited' in the king's gate eastward: they were the porters for the camp of the children of Levi. 19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of his father's house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent: and their fathers had been over the camp of Jehovah, keepers of the entry. 20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, `and' Jehovah was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tent of meeting. 22 All these that were chosen to be porters in the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their office of trust. 23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of Jehovah, even the house of the tent, by wards. 24 On the four sides were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them: 26 for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. 27 And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge `thereof' was upon them; and to them pertained the opening thereof morning by morning. 28 And certain of them had charge of the vessels of service; for by count were these brought in and by count were these taken out. 29 Some of them also were appointed over the furniture, and over all the vessels of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests prepared the confection of the spices. 31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans. 32 And some of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the showbread, to prepare it every sabbath. 33 And these are the singers, heads of fathers' `houses' of the Levites, `who dwelt' in the chambers `and were' free `from other service'; for they were employed in their work day and night. 34 These were heads of fathers' `houses' of the Levites, throughout their generations, chief men: these dwelt at Jerusalem. 35 And in Gibeon there dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife's name was Maacah: 36 and his first-born son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab, 37 and Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against their brethren. 39 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 40 And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begat Micah. 41 And the sons of Micah: Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, `and Ahaz'. 42 And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza; 43 and Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 44 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons of Azel.