PS: I'm reading the International version (Student bible)
2006-07-02 16:52:47 · 23 answers · asked by a V a 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm prepared to join Christian and putting my faith into GOD. I hope can have more support in doing this..
2006-07-02 17:09:56 · update #1
My advice is don't read it for moral code or historical fact.
2006-07-02 16:55:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hi. Congratulations, and welcome into the family of God.
First of all, don't read the Bible to read it; read the Bible to get something out of it. Read a passage that speaks to you personally, and, if you can't understand it, get a paraphrase like The Message or The Living Bible.
Secondly, get informed. Please, get informed! Don't let people fool you into reading the Bible like a newspaper! The Bible is as much of an ancient document as it is the Word of God. Therefore, consider the following:
1. The Bible was written in a time and culture far different from ours. Remember that the Bible wasn't written yesterday and just for you!
2. Don't read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, or Job literally. These books are known as ancient Jewish Wisdom literature. These books often contain contradictory statements to prove a point: that Wisdom is not about black and white! The statements in these books are not to be taken as moral absolutes. Also, don't let skeptics throw you a curveball by saying that these books talk about a flat Earth. Wisdom books and poetry (like the Psalms) use phenomenological language. Likewise, modern English speakers still say that the sun "rises and sets", even after hundreds of years of knowing better.
And lastly, read a lot of articles on tektonics.org. This site will give you a lot of knowledge about the Bible and what-not.
Stay strong in your walk with Christ and God bless!
2006-07-02 20:55:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
pray as you read it for understanding and for God to speak to you. I like to use the daily application bible, all translations have the same footnotes at the bottom of the page. A big help when you come across something you don't quite understand. I have several translations but I love The Message, a translation by Eugene Peterson. He was a college professor and taught Hebrew and Greek languages before he became a pastor and he translates it to everyday language with out losing or changing anything. But you have a good one too. That is what my grandson chose. Just keep reading it and God will show you what He wants you to know.
2006-07-02 17:07:58 · answer #3 · answered by Grandma Susie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are to be commended for beginning to study the most read book ever published, the Bible. You ask for "advise so that I can understand better"
The best advise I can give is contact one of Jehovah's Witnesses and ask for a free Bible study. If you do not know one use the link below to request that one contact you at your home.
Most people when they begin studing the Bible are confused by much of the language and the meanings of the illustrations. The answers that you will get from one of Jehovah's Witnesses will come straight from the Bible.
My your study bring you to a full understanding of God's purpose for mankind.
2006-07-02 17:46:21 · answer #4 · answered by .*. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get the amplified bible, it explains the meaning of things based on the original language. Other translations may be good, but may cause people to misinterpret the meaning of words.
The word we translated as "day" in Genesis, can mean "day" or "era" in Hebrew. So maybe the earth was created in eras, rather than days.
The book of John is a good place to start reading the bible though.
2006-07-02 16:56:37 · answer #5 · answered by plebes02 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start in the New Testament, then go back to the Old Testament. Why? Because, yes, the Old Testament can sound angry and abrupt initially. Almost hard to read. When you read the New Testament first, you get a better understanding of what the Old Testament is saying and why certain things happened the way that they did.
2006-07-02 16:58:07 · answer #6 · answered by Gardener for God(dmd) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bet Noah did not have spell check either.
Unless you are ready to be bored stiff by a prolonged history of people with unpronounceable people whacking other people in the name of 'God' (Or, my favorite, Isiah, where God alternately tells his chosen people, ' I will snuggle you to my breast, and I will slaughter all of your children" I guess that is the Prozac book of the Bible.) I suggest you read Matthew 5-6-7. This is the heart of Christianity. All else is commentary.
2006-07-02 17:00:51 · answer #7 · answered by snoweagleltd 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Learn Aramaic.
Otherwise, make sure you read the book the Council of Nicea did not include in the Bible.
Learn the history of how the Bible became compiled and the people who did the compiling.
2006-07-02 17:04:40 · answer #8 · answered by tczubernat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, don't listen to everything on Yahoo Answers.
I use the Open Bible. It has a great christian guide in the front that tells you different ways to study the Bible. I love it...:)
2006-07-02 16:58:19 · answer #9 · answered by BlueAngel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may want to read it with some one, so you can discuss the meanings of what you are reading together. Also, after you read a section think to yourself "How could I apply this to my life?". Try to think of the words in a situation in today's world as well as in history. The more you can relate to the Bible, the more you can understandit.
2006-07-02 16:57:51 · answer #10 · answered by Kitty Katt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a bible reference guide, something that can help you to understand the meaning behind the words and phrases. and Also study it with a friend. That always seems to help. Bible studies are a great way to... well... study the bible....
I pray that you continue to seek the Lord and that He blesses you for it.
In Christ,
Chase
2006-07-02 16:57:57 · answer #11 · answered by vw_jcfreak 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋