This reading order for the New Testament tries to balance narrative flow, date of origin of the works, and mixing up the type of literature in order to keep your interest and spark connections between the books.
You might disagree with my judgments about dates of origin, but reading the books in this order may still be fruitful for your devotional life.
1. Gospel of Mark [put first for narrative reasons; written later than the uncontested letters of Paul]
2. Letters of Paul Part 1 [written by the apostle Paul, mainly to
churches he founded]:
1 Thessalonians
Galatians
1 Corinthians
Philemon
Philippians
2 Corinthians
Romans
3. Gospel of Luke [likely written later than Matthew, but useful in this spot because of
the Acts]
4. Acts of the Apostles [forms a two-volume work with Gospel of
Luke]
5. Letters of Paul Part 2 [claim to be written by Paul, but more
likely by a successor to Paul]:
Colossians
Ephesians
2 Thessalonians
6. Gospel of Matthew
7. Apostolic Letters [claim to be written by the apostles; more
likely by later teachers]:
James
1 Peter
Jude
2 Peter
8. Book of Revelation
9. Gospel of John [written anonymously by a series of editors in a unique community]
10. Letters of John [written by elders of the unique community
in response to controversy]
1
John
2 John
3 John
11. Letter to the Hebrews
12. Letters of Paul Part 3 [written in Paul’s name by later teachers
engaged in controversy]
Titus
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
