What are some good bibles?

Question

I want to buy one. I want to buy something that is simple and easy to read.

Answer 1

King James Version

Answer 2

Well, I saw at Barnes & Noble last night something called "The Metal Bible". Unfortunately (well, for me, it may be quite fortunate for you), it's just a "youth bible" with a magnetic stainless steel cover. Presumably, the fact that it is a "youth bible" means that it's in "plain" middle-class American English, with the most common colloquialisms inserted to make certain verses easier to understand. It comes wrapped in mylar, so no, I did not get a chance to read any of it.

Still, you might want to check it out, if that's what you want.

Personally, I'd suggest reading The Tanakh (Hebrew Bible -- yes, it extends beyond the Torah), the Christian Bible (anything but the King James Version or any version based on it), The Q'ran, the Gnostic texts (the Gospels of the Apostles that were not deemed canon for political reasons by fourth century founders of the Catholic church) and the Ethiopian Orthodox bible. This will give you a well-rounded and well-informed view of what Christianity and the other Abrahamic faiths are really supposed to be about.

Answer 3

The fundamental problem is that the Bible isn't simple, so it isn't simple to read. While all translators have striven for clarity, some have tried to achieve it by scholarship and faithfulness to the original while others have chosen to make the book easier to read by paraphrasing, rather than translating.

I suggest that you get into the Bible by reading the simpler portions, rather than by tying yourself up in "the begats" in the middle of Genesis. Read the Book of Mark in the New Testament, then shift back and read Genesis, skipping anything dull or repetitive. It is not a 'sin' to skip when reading the Bible. The Book of II Samuel is full of sex, blood, and fury, so it isn't dull. Browse. Have fun!

There is a heavily edited version of the King James Version called the "Dartmouth Bible," which was created by college professors wishing to make the Bible accessible to college students. The language is still archaic, but a ton of repetition has been eliminated, and there are helpful footnotes. It does not adopt a theological viewpoint.

The so-called "Living Bible," a paraphrase, is the easiest to read, but the translators made it easy to read by cutting corners, and where passages have multiple readings, they chose the one that was most compatible with their own theology. That's OK, but you should know up front that many passages are more ambiguous than that translation would indicate.

I like the Phillips translation of the New Testament. While it is a paraphrase, it doesn't dodge hard issues. Phillips was British, not American, and there are places where that is evident.

I read the Revised Standard Version (RSV) for preference. It retains some of the flavor of the King James Version, but the RSV is based upon more modern texts, does not use expressions that have changed meaning in the last 400 years, and has copious cross-references. When two opposing translations are possible, the alternate translation is often footnoted. Evangelical Christians who insist upon the King James Version are intemperate when it comes to the RSV. Don't accept their judgments without asking for specifics and reading the condemned passages for yourself.

The "New RSV" uses more inclusive language, but does not have the cross-references, so I prefer the older version.

The beauty of the language of the King James Version sets it aside from all the others and explains why it is still read today despite having a language older than its 1611 publication date.

The New English Bible lies somewhere between the paraphrases and the translations with 'elevated' language, but many find it 'more readable.' Perhaps it is, but I find it a trifle dull.

The New International Version (NIT) has much to recommend it, having eliminated some of the faults of the KIng James Version, while retaining traditional values.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I like the Zondervan or Nelson study bibles, personally.

For an easier read, check out the New King James, New Living Translation or New International Version.

Answer 5

I prefer the King James Study Bible, but the New King James Version and the New International Version are probably easier to read, but the KJV is more accurate.

The New American Standard Bible called The New Inductive Study Bible is easy to read.

The Amplified Bible has descriptive verses which one can thoroughly understand each verse, but it is not easy reading.

I like the Holman Bible Dictionary, Strong's Concordance and Josephus as Bible aids. These are for Bible Study Groups.

Answer 6

It depends on who you are. If you're a teenager, there are a lot of really good bibles that have stories and other things specifically for translating it to your own life. My advice is to not just buy a Bible unless you are completely sure it's the right one, because they're not exactly cheap.

Answer 7

The Good News Bible is written in modern English. As for whether it is a translation from scratch or based on the flawed KJV, I can't say one way or the other.

Answer 8

the "English Bible is good...." American revised, International version...be sure that each has a dictionary, a place for notes..keys to the scriptures, ref.guide.small history. harmony of the gospels, maps, etc and large printwith good binding "not card-board" with a zipper cover to protect it....

Answer 9

It's up to you. But if any bible cliams it's 'good news' to punish or suffer is wrong. Like that would be very shallow of a god to make a creation just to suffer.

Answer 10

The Satanic Bible.