2007-03-02 08:07:35 · 25 answers · asked by g_rant07 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I would say, get the version you are comfortable with. I use the King James, which is sometimes hard to understand, but I love the flow of the words and the pure poetry in some of them.
2007-03-02 08:16:27 · answer #1 · answered by stullerrl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you truly want to 'study' the Bible then you should get as many 'translations' and versions of it as you can ... I have seventeen different translations and never 'read the Bible' without reading at least eight of the translations 'at the same time' ... it's more 'difficult' to do, because of 'space' and 'ease of reading' but if you do it enough it gets much easier ... and you can 'learn' a lot more than you can from any 'one' translation or version.'
I love the King James version because it's what I 'grew up with' and I love the 'poetry' of it ... but I also read the 'Jerusalem Bible' (with apocrypha) because that is the most easy to understand, and the New American version because that's what we use in our diocese of the Catholic church, and I like the 'Revised Standard' because that's the 'pre-Vatican II Bible' for Catholics, and ... each has 'something to say' and the only way I can 'make true sense' of any of it is to read all of them and more 'together.'
2007-03-02 16:18:17 · answer #2 · answered by Kris L 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have had several Bibles but my favorite is the Life Application Bible because it not only is written in plain English but also has at the bottom of each page an explanation of the context in which the words are written. For example, it may explain that history tells us that the people of this land or that land had a custom to do something in a particular way so that is probably why they did what they did at the time. It also has some good questions for the reader. Things for us to think about. It does not appear to be written with any particular denomination in mind either as when their are different viewpoints (like on the rapture for example), it discusses the both sides.
2007-03-02 16:12:38 · answer #3 · answered by Poohcat1 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The New King James Version is the best or NIV is good to, the study bibles are great. It really depends on yourself. Everyone has different styles they like. Some people like the old stuff where it was original text but if your a new christian i suggest one of those. There easier to read and very effective. Once you get the hang of thoes and what there talking about then i would get an older version where it is a little harder to read and more like the original.
2007-03-02 16:12:50 · answer #4 · answered by Trinity 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Douay Rheims
is based on the work of Saint Jerome (345-420) who translated the Septuagint and Hebrew texts into a Latin version of the Bible which is known as the Vulgate
2007-03-05 14:47:11 · answer #5 · answered by benito 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
New American Standard for best literal translation
(but it's not always flowing English, keeping closer to the phrasing of the original)
New International Version for reading longer passages with better fluency.
King James' authorised version for the resonant language of Shakespeare and the old prayer book.
(But English has shifted since then, gradually reducing its usefullness in conveying the sense of the original languages)
2007-03-02 16:15:13 · answer #6 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If I were you i'd get a parallel Bible. One that has AMP and KJV, or an even better one AMP, KVJ, NIV, & NLT because if you don't really understand it in one version all you have to do is look to the next column to see one you can understand, plus it's good for when you're studying the Bible, but that's jus' my personal opinion
2007-03-02 16:12:32 · answer #7 · answered by Angel 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I recommend the New American Standard, and the New Century Version. They are both actual translations of the original texts, and are in an easy to read format, in today's American English language.
2007-03-02 16:14:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Check this site first for awhile - it has lots of translations and some on the history of them. I typically use the NIV paper copy and the contemporary English version online. King james was translated with less basis more bias and is almost in another language from contemporary english.
http://www.biblegateway.com/
2007-03-02 16:16:52 · answer #9 · answered by G's Random Thoughts 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
King James Version is the best (english)
Greek and Hebrew interlinear (with concordance is the best for in-depth study).
Also Amplified bible (modern)
NIV not a good translation.
2007-03-02 16:14:25 · answer #10 · answered by robert p 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋