- Bible Companion
The Bible Companion (or Bible Reading Planner) is a guide developed by the
Christadelphians to aid reading theBible . [cite web |url=http://www.christadelphia.org/biblestudy/planner.htm |title=The Bible Reading Planner |accessdate=2007-02-13 ] It was first produced by Robert Roberts when he was just 14 years of age, in about 1857,cite web |url=http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/read_exh/index.html |title=Daily Bible Reading Exhortations |accessdate=2007-03-29 ] and revised by him over a number of years into its current format. [cite book | last =Roberts | first =Robert | authorlink =Robert Roberts | title =My Days and My Ways | publisher =CMPA | date =1894 | location =Birmingham | pages =15 ]Background
Christadelphians believe that reading the Bible is very important: they believe that it is 'essential if one is to discover -- and remember -- God's revelation of Himself and His purpose';cite web |url=http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/read_exh/index.html |title=Daily Bible Reading Exhortations |accessdate=2007-03-29 ] citing Bible verses such as Psalm 119:105, they believe the Bible gives moral direction for the life of a Christian - thus the Bible Companion is designed to aid the Christian in their Bible reading to this end.cite web |url=http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/read_exh/index.html |title=Daily Bible Reading Exhortations |accessdate=2007-03-29 ]
The Bible Companion as a reading aid
By following the "Bible Companion" the reader is led, in small portions, through the whole Bible in a year. The
Old Testament is read once in the year, and theNew Testament is read twice. The plan starts onJanuary 1 in theBook of Genesis ,Book of Psalms andBook of Matthew and works its way through the scriptures as the year goes along providing around 4 chapters per day. [cite web |url=http://www.dailyreadings.org.uk/ |title=Welcome to DailyReadings.org.uk |accessdate=2007-02-13 ] Here is an example of a section from the "Bible Companion": -January Date Reading 1 Reading 2 Reading 3 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31Genesis 1, 2
3, 4
5, 6
7, 8
9,10
11,12
13,14
15,16
17,18
19
20,21
22,23
24
25,26
27
28,29
30
31
32,33
34,35
36
37
38
39,40
41
42,43
44,45
46,47
48,50
Exodus 1, 2
3, 4Psalms 1, 2
3, 5
6, 8
9,10
11,13
14,16
17
18
19,21
22
23,25
26,28
29,30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39,40
41,43
44
45
46,48
49
50
51,52
53,55
56,57Matthew 1, 2
3, 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Romans 1, 2
3, 4
5, 6
7, 8
9Current usage
Although the "Bible Companion" was developed over 100 years ago by the Christadelphians it is still widely used, year by year, within the community. [cite web |url=http://www.thechristadelphian.com/ |title="The Christadelphian" |accessdate=2007-02-13 ] Most ecclesias (individual churches) read the allotted chapters of the Bible as found in the companion during their Sunday services. Many people have the Bible Companion printed on book marks so they can easily find and follow the days readings. Use of the 'Bible Companion' is down to the individuals choice.
References
External links
Bible Companions
* [http://www.snichp.freeuk.com/resrc/bcomp.htm Bible Companion] (.htm)
* [http://www.explorethebible.com/site/download/BibleCompanion.pdf Bible Companion, with introduction] (.pdf)
* [http://www.thechristadelphians.org/htm/readings/daily.htm Bible Companion in various languages] (downloadable .pdf files)
* [http://www.christadelphia.org/biblestudy/index.html Free hard copy of Bible Companion]
* [http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/read_exh/brc.html Daily Bible readings] based on the "Bible Companion" but with added brief reading from Proverbs each day
* [http://read.thepositiveword.com A Bible Study site based on the Bible Companion] including the following tools:
** [http://read.thepositiveword.com/support/ical.php Daily Bible Readings in Outlook or iCal] based on the "Bible Companion", ics files that can be imported into your calendar program
** [http://read.thepositiveword.com/support/dremail.php Daily Bible Readings by email] based on the "Bible Companion", you can have the Daily Readings sent to your inbox.
** [http://read.thepositiveword.com/support/rss.php Daily Bible Readings RSS feeds] based on the "Bible Companion", the daily readings as an RSS Feed
* [http://readings.bereans.org/ Bible Companion Readings Online] (readable with browser)Comments, exhortations and questions following the Bible Companion program
* [http://www.dailyreadings.org.uk/ Daily Bible readings following the Companion] with comments on each reading
* [http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/agora/read_exh/index.html Daily Bible Reading Exhortations] following the Bible Companion
* [http://www.allsixtysix.com/ All Sixty-Six.com] : questions from the daily readings (to help encourage study)
* [http://biblecompanion.wordpress.com/ Daily Reading Thoughts] from the Bible Companion
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
