Have you ever read through the entire Bible?

Question

What did you gain from the experience?

I have read the entire Bible twice in my life. The scope of the readings helped me to see the diversity as well as the cultural context of the various Biblical writers as they confronted religious issues during their era.

The readings in the New Testament gave me a deeper appreciation of the life and teachings of Jesus. The temptations of Christ,his miracles on behalf of others, parables and the last scenes of his life are particularly inspiring.

I have a deep appreciation for the life of Christ. Indeed he is our Savior. He is our hope . He is the desire of ages.

John 3:16

Answer 1

Praise the Lord!
I am so encouraged by just reading that you've laboured and took the time to read the whole bible twice:)

I have read through the New Testament and have completed Genesis, Song of Songs, Proverbs, Esther. Exodos, and a few others. In the past i have studied individual book as such read through them from the old and new testament.. but I have felt a strong need to read the word with unveiled eyes and started again reading 2 chapters of the old each night before i sleep and one from the New...
I pray that more of our brothers and sisters would FIGHT for this. That we will not be defrauded by satan in any way to stay away from knowing and reading the word. The truth sets us free.. it sanctifies and sets us apart for the Lord..the truth inoculates us from all the lies:)
Hallelujah...
Ty for your words of encouragement already today
I echo your words brother..
Christ is our Savior! Our Hope!! and Hallelujah! The desire of AGES and all the Nations!

Answer 2

I recently took a 3 year college level through the Bible class, Faith Bible Institute, and during that time I read the entire Bible and got instruction on each book. It was great.

Answer 3

Yes, read it once when I was 16, and again in my late 20s. Also have read the Koran, the JPS Torah and various works of the Kabalah. No, I'm not a religious scholar by trade or education. Was just curious.

Answer 4

Yes, I've read it all through in a year and everyday I would learn something new, but there's always something you won't understand with your carnal mind. Even today, I'm still gaining new knowledge about the bible especially when it is applied to life. It just makes you look at your life and see where you want to make improvement and I'm glad that Jesus is still my savior and that I could ask him sincerely for the forgiveness of my sins because all that he did, he did not have to do it for us, so just like you, I really appreciate Christ.

Answer 5

Yes.

"A thorough reading and understanding of the Bible is the surest path to atheism” ~ Donald Morgan

Apparently, though, you had your 'critical thinking' circuits turned off when you did your reading. Otherwise, you would have noticed that the early writings (Paul's early epistles) say absolutely NOTHING about a historical christ who lived in the recent past. Paul's 'christ' was entirely a 'spiritual' being, who existed in 'heavenly' realms, consistent with all of the OTHER 'salvation cults' which were popular at the time. The 'christ cult', though, represented a midrashic updating of Jewish religious thought consistent with 'modern' Hellenistic (Greek/Roman) philosophical ideas which had been introduced into the area, and was of interest only to intellectuals, mainly. But when they began preaching to rural-dwelling 'gentiles', there were language and educational barriers to overcome... they didn't 'get' all this high-brow philosophical/intellectual stuff... but they liked the stories, and they liked the idea of being 'saved' and having eternal life... ordinary life was pretty short and pretty miserable, back then. And... they interpreted the christ-teachings as having to do with an ordinary person... not a 'spiritual' being. So... the preachers decided... if that's what they want, that's what we'll give them. And thus was born Jesus... about 70 AD.

If you had walked up to Paul, though, and started asking him questions about Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the 12 Apostles, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' sayings, travels, miracles, etc.... he would have looked at you like you were from outer space... and he would have had absolutely NO IDEA what you were talking about.

The first Gospel... Mark... was basically a rough draft of the fictional Jesus account. It was a series of vignettes in the VERY familiar suffering-hero archetype, with some additional fiddling to link it and give it the appearance of fulling prophetic scripture. Matthew and Luke were 2nd drafts, which used Mark as a template, and incorporated 'sayings' of Jesus... basically, Judaized versions of tidbits from Greek Stoic and Cynic philosophies.

Interestingly, if add up all of the 'Jesus time' accounted for in the Gospels, it adds up to no more than 3 weeks.

Christianity is an outright FRAUD... a criminal business enterprise that has succeeded for almost 2,000 years. In fact, it is the world's longest running and most successful Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) scam. The product they are selling is the illusion of 'salvation'... and the 'pay plan' doesn't kick in until after you're dead. Meanwhile the VICTIMS of the scam (having been deceived into believing that it is their God-given duty) are out there busily recruiting MORE victims. What a racket! FORTUNATELY, it only works on those who are gullible enough, and sufficiently lacking in critical thinking skills, to fall for it. UNfortunately, THAT accounts for about 80% of the population of the USA. (There are a lot more people who DON'T know how to think properly than there are people who DO know how to think properly.) That is why there are a lot more religious people in the USA than there are 'Free-thinkers'... including Atheists.

Also, Christians don't realize that proselytizing (spreading the 'good news') is a key element of the Christian MLM MARKETING PLAN, which was instituted after Christianity lost the political power that had previously allowed them to simply torture and kill anybody who did not comply. Now, they just try to pester and annoy people to death, through persistent obnoxiousness. If you stop to think about it, you will realize that Christians are very much like the Borg, on Star Trek Next Generation: "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

"Selling eternal life is an unbeatable business, with no customers ever asking for their money back after the goods are not delivered." ~ Victor J. Stenger

"Businesses may come and go, but religion will last forever, for in no other endeavor does the consumer blame himself for product failure."  ~ Harvard Lampoon, "Doon" (paraphrase)

Answer 6

I have never set down and read from Genesis to Revelations. I have read so much of many books that I say I am close. I say the Old Testament is where I have missed some books.

Answer 7

yes...the last time I did that I made of list of the things I wanted to go back and study more into.....turned out to be a very long list. There are a LOT of interesting things in there!

Answer 8

Many times. Catholics who go to Mass every day or follow the daily readings read the entire Bible every 3 years.

Peace and blessings!

Answer 9

Amen to what you commented.
I've read most of the bible and read the NT many times.
I skip parts like the measuring of the temple...zzzzzzz Or who begot who......z.
But most of it is very exciting, murder, lust, greed, it's a great book and it's also very historical besides being the total and complete truth!
I've studied the bible for 20+ years and have NEVER come across a contradiction ever. The ones that say there is are either mistaken (when looking at passages before and after) or have never even read it.
†

Answer 10

Blessings upon you Gilbert, as the Bible needs its Author to properly understand it.

The things of God are foolishness with man, yet with Spiritual discernment, one is awed by its Author.

For example, before Eve sinned, you see the plan of redemption revealed by the wound in Adam's side, pointing to Christ receiving the wound in His side at Calvary.

Then the animal that was killed by God to cover their nakedness--another analogy of God's protective grace.

I've read ten different translations and continue to learn. Just ordered the Aramaic translation will begin it soon.

I was speaking before a congregation one time and asked how many people have read the Bible cover to cover. Only about 10% raised their hands. How dangerous to place your trust in man's teachings and depart from God.

There is a Bible code that reveals exactly who the Messiah is in the only part of the Bible that was closed until the "end of the days"; see: http://abiblecode.tripod.com

Shalom, peace in Jesus, Ben Yeshua