What is a good New Year Bible study for couples?
A good New Year Bible study for couples is short enough to finish in January: one book, one chapter a week, read aloud together and followed by a few honest questions. Ruth fits that exactly. Four chapters, four Sundays, and a story about loyalty, provision and a family that starts over after a terrible year.
Our plan runs Sunday January 3 to Sunday January 24, 2027, so you finish before most resolutions do. Swap Sunday for any night that works; the order matters more than the day.
Couples Bible study questions, answered
What is a good Bible study for couples to do together?
A short book you can finish. Ruth is four chapters, about one 30-minute sitting each, and it is full of loyalty, kindness and starting over, which makes it an easy first study for two people.
Isn't Ruth 1:16 a wedding vow?
It is often read at weddings, but in the story Ruth says it to Naomi, her mother-in-law. That is worth noticing: the Bible's most famous loyalty promise is about family commitment beyond romance.
How long should a couples Bible study session take?
Twenty to forty minutes. Read the chapter aloud (a few minutes), talk through what happened, then one or two personal questions. Stop while it is still good.
What if one of us knows the Bible much better?
Let the less experienced partner read aloud and answer the what-happened questions first. Wayfold's questions are about the text itself, so nobody needs background knowledge to answer them.
Can we do this if we're not married yet?
Yes. The engaged option in the planner gives questions written for couples preparing for marriage.
Is Wayfold free for couples?
The Ruth and Jonah studies, their printable leader guides, the complete Bible reader with read-aloud, the map and the timeline are free. Philippians, James, Habakkuk and Philemon come with Wayfold Premium Lifetime, a one-time purchase with no subscription.
What one session looks like (Ruth 2, worked example)
- 0:00
Phones in another room. One of you prays one sentence.
- 0:02
Read Ruth 2 aloud, or let Wayfold read it while you both follow along. A few minutes.
- 0:08
Answer “what happened” questions: Whose field is it? What does Boaz tell his workers? Check each answer against the exact verse.
- 0:15
Notice one line together. A good one to stop on is 2:12:
“May Yahweh repay your work, and a full reward be given to you from Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:12, World English Bible
- 0:18
Your season's question from the planner. Each answers without interruption.
- 0:30
Write one sentence each in the chapter notebook. Stop there.
Read what happened before you ask what it means; couples argue less about a text they have both actually read.
A Sunday night in January
Imagine a couple eight years in, two kids under six, both tired of starting devotionals that end in February. They pick “Little kids at home” and Ruth 1. The question that gets them is Naomi's: “Call me Mara.” She admits the autumn felt empty. He did not know. They do not fix anything that night; they just stop pretending it was fine. By Ruth 4 they have set one standing night a month for grandparents to take the kids.
An illustrative scenario, not a customer story.
Ruth, Jonah or Philippians: which book for two?
| Book | Length | Good for couples who… | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruth | 4 chapters | Loyalty, kindness, starting over | Free in Wayfold, with leader guide |
| Jonah | 4 chapters | Running from God, second chances, mercy you resent | Free in Wayfold, with leader guide |
| Philippians | 4 chapters | Joy under pressure, humility, anxiety | Wayfold Premium Lifetime |
| A couples devotional book | Varies, often 30 to 365 days | Marriage topics chosen by the author | Bookshop or church library |
Ruth is our pick for January because it ends in a home, not a lesson. Jonah suits a couple with a sense of humour and a grudge to look at. Philippians is the best of the three for anxious seasons, and it is a paid study in Wayfold.
Where Wayfold fits, and where it does not
We make Wayfold, a chapter-by-chapter Bible study app. For each chapter you read the World English Bible (or have it read aloud), answer questions about what happened and see the exact words that prove each answer, then Trace the events in order and Find the verse. Notes about history and meaning are labeled as in the text, history, interpretation or debated. The free Ruth guide is also a printable PDF for a small group.
One design call: every answer points back to a verse, so neither of you has to be the expert. One limit: Wayfold has no couples-specific content; the season questions on this page are ours. Pick something else if you want a marriage-topic devotional with daily readings: a couples devotional book or reading plan will suit you better.
Get Wayfold free
Ruth is free, all four chapters. First session: Sunday, January 3, 2027.
Get Wayfold free on the App Store
Updated November 2026 · Scripture: World English Bible (public domain)
Related
- Wayfold: chapter-by-chapter Bible studyRead a chapter, answer questions, then see the exact verse behind each answer. Ruth and Jonah studies and leader guides are free on iPhone.
- How to study a chapter of the Bible: beginner checklistA 9-step checklist for studying one Bible chapter, worked through Ruth 1, plus a 20-second game to put the chapter's events in order.
- Ruth Bible study for a women's group: free 4-week kitLead Ruth in four weeks: free printable session sheets with questions, verse-backed answer key and background notes. No sign-up, no email.
- Best Bible study method for small groups: 4 compared on one passageSOAP, inductive, Discovery Bible Study or question-and-proof? All four worked on Jonah 1:1-3, with prep time and the group each one suits.