Easily Readable Bible?

Question

I'm a Christian from the US who moved to Canada and married a great guy with great parents, but being from the south where church is the norm, I'm sort of shocked at the lack of religion in Canada, or at least around here. There are a few churches here but Christianity doesnt seem to be emphasized here at all. My new husband and his parents are wonderful people but have never once attended church in their lives and know nothing about it. I talked with them a bit about it and they're willing to go to church with me to see what its about and seem really open to the idea. I dont think that its that they were ever resistant to the idea; it just never came up.

I admit I have never read the Bible from cover to cover myself and I want to expose them to it, so I'm looking for a Bible that's easy to read-more like adult bible stories so that they dont immediately lose interest with all the "begats, thous" and ancient phrasing. Suggestions?

I also thought about renting "Left Behind."

Answer 1

Hum, sounds like you grew up with the King James version. You could try a translation like "The Message" (which is kind of a paraphrase). Most protestant churches now-a-days use the "New International Version" (NIV) or the "New American Standard Bible" (NASB). If you are old fashioned, try the NEW King James.

---------------------------------------------
The New American Standard Bible (NASB) — Translated in 1971 by 58 scholars of the Lockman Foundation, from Kittle’s Biblia Hebraica and Nestle’s Greek New Testament 23rd ed., which include the Alexandrian Family codices. Though academic in tone, it is said to be the most exact English translation available. A very good version.


The Living Bible (TLB) — A paraphrased rendition of the King James Version by Kenneth Taylor in 1971. This is not a genuine translation, but is a type of phrase-by-phrase commentary that was originally intended to help the author’s own children understand the scriptures. It is useful for inspiration and commentary, but for serious Bible study it should only be used in conjunction with a legitimate translation.


The New International Version (NIV) — Over 100 translators completed this work in 1978 which was composed from Kittle’s, Nestle’s and United Bible Society’s texts, which include the Alexandrian Family codices. This is considered an “open” style translation. It is a good, easy to read version.


The New King James Version (NKJV) — 130 translators, commissioned by Thomas Nelson Publishers, produced this version from the Byzantine family (Textus Receptus) in 1982. This is a revision of the King James version, updated to modern English with minor translation corrections and retention of traditional phraseology. This is a very good version.

Answer 2

Dear NDO,

God bless you! What a wonderful thing to do.

I would suggest a Bible like The Daily Walk Bible which is broken down into daily readings so you can finish reading the whole thing in one year. It comes in a couple of modern translations. I am reading it in the New International Version (NIV) again this year.

It gives some background for the material covered each day and I find reading it to be the best thing I've ever done.

This morning I got a very nice email from someone who recently saw a link for The Father's Love Letter that I posted in one of my answers. Using Bible verses it gives a wonderful idea of why it is such a good thing to read the Bible and draw near to our heavenly Father.

http://www.www.fathersloveletter.com

For His glory,
JOYfilled

Answer 3

The NLT (2004 ed) is the easiest fully translated Bible to read and still be called a Bible. The next level would be the NIV ( not the TNIV) which is my favorite. You can get it in a Study bible which is great. Then there is the NASB (1977) which is by far the closest to the Greek, but it more difficult to read. None of these have the "thee's, and thou's ".

Answer 4

Try the New American Bible or the Revised Standard Version. They don't make easy Bibles with modern language because the true meaning might get lost in the translation.

The Left Behind series is just a bunch of intolerance and bashing of Catholic beliefs.

Answer 5

I believe that the REMOVAL of the Divine Holy name of the one Yhshua/Jesus serves and calls "the only true God" (John 17:3; John 20:17; Acts 3:13) is a sin and a deception originating from satan.
So I recommend you use a Bible that leaves His name intact in the nearly 7,000 places where it originally occurs.
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2006/11/ro...
Here are the most popular of the translations that do not cut out God's Divine Holy name which is YHWH in Hebrew and Jehovah in English:
American Standard Version
New World Translation
Young's Literal Translation
Darby Translation
The Way: The Living Bible (complete catholic edition)
though the catholic one contains additional books to the 66 book Bible and those additional books are of dubious origin.

agape!

.

Answer 6

Leave the "Left Behind" stuff alone, read to them the basics of love, which they can honestly respond to ... after all, if they are good people to begin with then they will recognize what love is.

The version I recommend is "The Bible in Basic English" which says "you" instead of "thee" and so on. But I hate to break it to you, the begats come with the book lol. Instead of starting at the beginning, pick a story and read it ... David and Goliath or The Good Samaritan or the story of Solomon. They really are pretty interesting reading :)

Answer 7

I grew up in a fundamental Bible believing church, and I can't suggest any Bible version better than the King James version. I have read the KJV Bible. Other versions are corrupted, mistranslated and such... Its so sad that they say it is more readable but the meaning is totally messed up. You yourself should study and compare them and find out for yourself which is better, and you can criticize it for yourself.

Answer 8

I think there are good reasons to forgo using a paraphrase, namely because interpretations are added to the text without informing the reader that they have been added. Furthermore, you don't have to sacrifice accuracy for readability with the Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (LITV, for short- no, the abbreviation doesn't make any sense to me either). As an added bonus, if you're running a Windows OS, you can use the LITV (and about another 20 translations, plus commentaries, dictionaries and other assorted goodies) for free with e-Sword, which will let you "kick the tires" without having to purchase a copy of the LITV.

Answer 9

Read The New World Translation Online
(as well as in print)
http://watchtower.org/bible/index.htm

It & Other Publications Available:
http://watchtower.org/e/publications/index.htm

"The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived"
(About Christ's life as a human, before being concieved, to returning to heaven. Very easy to follow, it combines all the facts from the 4 gospels together, in 133 very short chapters, & includes Scripture references, & pictures.)

*"What Does the Bible Really Teach?"*
(contains all the basics --1 subject per 19 chapters-- & includes Scripture references, & pics)

"My Book of Bible Stories"
(Gives the basic stories of main Bible characters,
with Scripture references, & pictures.)

Each of the books also have review questions for each chapter, or paragraph*.

There are also several online articles that introduce one to what the Bible itself is, & its history:

The Bible--An Oriental Book
http://watchtower.org/library/lmn/article_03.htm

The Book That Explains Paradise
http://watchtower.org/library/lmn/article_02.htm

A Unique Source of Superior Wisdom
~ Oldest, Most widely Distributed Book
~ Scientific Accuracy
~ Historical Accuracy
~ Internal Harmony and Candor
~ Its Most Distinctive Feature, Its Author
~ Fulfilled Prophecy ~ It Gives the Answer
http://watchtower.org/library/pr/article_03.htm

Can the Bible Help Us Today?
- The Bible Answers Vital Questions of Our Day!
http://watchtower.org/library/w/1999/11/15/article_01.htm

The Bible--Just a Good Book? :
- Cherished and Suppressed
- A Textbook for Modern Living :
--- A Book That Gives Purpose
--- Adding Stability to a Troubled Life
--- Help in Overcoming Emotional Problems
--- Practical Counsel on Family Life
--- Counsel That Endures! http://watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/1/article_01.htm

Bible's Power in Your Life
-- Part 1, The VIDEO
http://watchtower.org/library/vcpf/index.htm

Understanding the Bible--A Pleasure Open to You
- A Pleasure Open to All
http://watchtower.org/e/20060401a/article_01.htm

I've compared several of the Bibles that use modern English, but I always come back to the NWT as the easiest for myself to both read & understand.

Answer 10

Get a New World Trans, a King James 1611, and a Strong' Exhaustive Concordance.
Use the NWT for your reading, and cross reference to the Strong's using the KJV. This way you will be able to check back to the original languages (Hebrew/Chaldee, and Greek)
to get a better understanding of what the original writers intended. I know that many people hate the New Woeld Trans because of the smear campaign against it, but if have checked it's accuracy using the lethod I have previously described and have never found the claims of error to hold water. It has become my favorite trans due to it's use of modern English, and it's consistant use of the same English word for it's corresponding original language word. No other Bible translation can make this claim.
I have found that all other modern translations are deceptive in that they do not always use the same English words for the original language words. It seems they have a vested interest in muddying the truth to support their previously held beliefs.
I am not lying about this.

Forget about the Left Behind movie as it is based on the erroneous teaching of the rapture (the word rapture is nowhere to be found in the Bible, and the doctrine is based upon one misinterpreted verse).
It would be wise of you to read the entire Bible and not be pushy of your inlaws.
The best way to succeed at finshing the entire Bible is to set daily reading goals. Six chapters a day is an easily reachable goal, and you should be able to finish in about a year. Do not try to read to mush at once, as it is more important to meditate on what you have read, than to just cover ground.
If you do this, you will begin to get a better sense of the person of God. Of course you will find a whole bunch of stuff they never covered in church or in sunday school. It is quite amazing how much of the Bible is glossed over by the major religions.