I want to read the bible, but there are so many versions?

Question

Im athiest/agnostic, but i want to read the bible so it can help me in literary studies. Many novels have allusion and references of the things in the bible. My english teacher once said knowing the bible(since he was raised catholic) helped him understand the allusions in college, while his college buddies were pretty much clueless. In many books i read, like Inherit the Wind or To Kill a Mockingbird, they have quotes from the King James Bible. Simon in "Lord of the Flies" was an allusion to Jesus's death. I didnt realize that until my friend told me...

But then there are so many versions, and every bible is so long, which should i read? I know many bibles are the same but just different wording and spelling, but im talking about the bibles that have subtle and sublime differences, possible by the author to make us interpret it differently or by their religions way....

List all the different versions of the bible too.

Answer 1

The Bible is like a rock that has water running over it since the beginning of time. The water is man's interpretation of the rock, so over time the water tries to shape the rock to what it wants it to be. The written Bible is the leftovers of centuries of story telling from generation to generation, for example:

And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. (ect...)

These are a lot of people to be passing down the history through story tellers in the early days starting with Genesis. Miraculously the wisdom and truth found its way to be written on the Dead Sea Scrolls, where King James of England had scholars put together the first Bible, and was copied by hand by priests before Gutenberg published his first book which was the Bible. This was the only translation of the Bible for many years, and was written in the same type of language people spoke. More details on this can be found at :

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/

Now the real question is, why has mankind decided in our materialistic and lazy culture that we should deserve the easy option of Bible translations? What is the real fight about? From the beginning of the Bible, there is a character who still finds his way into our daily lives that the Bible has made into a villain, and one of the many underlying story lines tells of this villain. The villain is a fallen arch angel named Lucifer who thought he was equal with God, and has been trying since the beginning of time to beat God at his own game. What better way than to tamper with God's own words and to confuse his good followers? Satan/Lucifer knows that man has been given free will and the option of being lazy, so who wouldn't want the Bible that promises easier reading and is not written in an old English dialog? Why not water down God's word just a little bit more, and more, and more, until its potency and original meanings are gone.
I read in the KJV there was a part where Jesus' Apostles ask him how they can perform the miracles that he performs, and he told them that it could only be done through prayer and fasting. Then the NIV and other translations left out the part about fasting....that's like getting a new puzzle that doesn't have all the pieces. This is how Satan wants to weaken us so that we can't be more like God and not have the full story.

I personally view the new translations of the Bible as a new way of telling me that I'm stupid, as if the original KJV would be too hard for me to understand of my own comprehension. I don't need an overly educated person telling what the Bible says when I can just read it for myself and use my own ideas to judge what I think it means. The Bible is straight forward and full of common sense. The Bible is a history, philosophy, spirituality, and study guide to life that constantly makes life clear again. My advice is just to read the original KJV that has the reference guide down the middle that shows where the Bible repeats itself, Isaiah and Jeremiah do foretell of the the Christ child if you read carefully.
Don't let the other versions tell you what to think, use your own common sense and let your spirit do all the thinking. For further reading here are some reference points:

Why Is My Choice of a Bible Translation So Important?
Dr. Wayne Grudem with Jerry Thacker

For a list of all current translations in the English language:
http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/english.htm

Good Luck!

JB

Answer 2

The Authorised Version (the REAL name of the "KJV") was published 400 years ago in one of the English dialects of 1611. That is why you don't understand it and why you don't understand Shakespeare's English which is roughly contemporary; no one writes or speaks that way anymore. I am surprised that as a Roman Catholic you are trying to read that Bible. Four hundred years ago the Authorised Version was a monumental work of translation taken from the oldest manuscripts in the "original languages" known at the time. By the middle of the 20th century older Christian texts were discovered, Bible scholars actually had learned more about ancient Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic than was known in 1611 and since no one understood early modern English anymore it was deemed necessary to make new translations. My favorites are the New English Bible sponsored by the Church of England (whish also sponsored the RV or KJV translation), the New American Bible for Catholics and the Jerusalem Bible which was translated by Jesuit Scholars. The above three were all successful scholarly attempts to present current English translations of the most ancient Bible manuscripts in existence. They were all three deemed acceptable bonafide by Catholic and Protestant Bible Scholars. Another popular modern English translation is the New International Version which is based on the same principles as the above three and was done with the plan of periodically updating the translation to keep up with the most current discoveries in ancient manuscripts and with the most current modern usages in the language. Some have criticized the Zondervan Press, which produced the NIV, for not wanting to produce a truly scholarly translation which might actually point out some of the shortfalls of the AV or KJV as you call it. The preface of the so-called King James translation makes it clear that the purpose of that translation was to keep English people from being led astray by papists so I don't even know why a Catholic would even own that translation.

Answer 3

I would suggest the NIV(New International Version) as the main reader and the King James as a cross reference. The KJV is what people used for many years, so much history is based off of the KJV.

Answer 4

New World Translation from Jehovah's Witnessess. Ask the next one who knocks on your door and they will give you a free one (matt 10: 8), or contact your local Kingdom Hall. The NWT is based on the King James version but is the result of much research from original, or as close to original as possible sources that are in museums and libraries around the world and it is the only one that replaces Jehovah's Name in its righful place. Keep an open mind and dont listen to propaganda. It will require effort but it is well worth it. Pro 2; 1-11. Joseph said to the Egyptian Pharaoh "do not interpretations belong to God" (Gen 40: 8) Keeping that scripture firmly in mind the NWT is as accurate and as faithful to the original as it is possible to get.

Answer 5

As a Minister, over the years I have studied and used the KJV, NKJV, NIV, NLT and the ESV.

I would say the ESV is the best for what you are asking about, However,

You said you want footnotes or "something" to get you thinking a different way...(in other words you want someone to tell you what the verses mean).

For that I would say you need a good set of "Commentaries"

God Bless You...

Answer 6

I suggest the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible, which is written in plain modern English.

Answer 7

If you want to read the Old Testament the way it was read before Christians came out with "versions" read the "Jewish Publication Society" English translation of the Tanakh(Old Testament)

Answer 8

The Catholic Bible has two extra books in it. Otherwise, the difference is in how it was translated from the original aramaic and greek. Try a student bible or a new version. It will not have all the thys and thous.

Answer 9

If you are coming at it from a literary point of view, then I would encourage you to read the KJV. Its wording really isn't that difficult to understand and with any good book you want it to further your vocabulary and challenge you.

Answer 10

the king james version
is the original version
(but sometimes harder to understand)
they also have parrelll bibles
where it has king james and new international version
side by side