Posted: 4/10/2012 5:34:04 PM EDT
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A little background first, I'm 29 years old and never read the Bible. I've been going through some things in my life here lately and feel this is something i need to do. Heres the problem my reading comprehension sucks. Is there a version of the Bible that is worded simpler? I almost feel like i need to break out the precious moments version. I'm really trying to find my way here, but its hard to find a way when you have problems understanding.
Thanks Dirt |
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Which version are you currently using? Many translations are painfully literal or wildly out of date. My suggestion - Read the ESV, and if you need to make something more clear, use The Message version as a tool to clarify, but not as your main translation. Reading the Bible is seldom genuinely easy, but it is certainly worth the effort it takes. |
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"For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) As mentioned above, the ESV is a fine version and I sometimes turn to it if I find the NASB difficult. I use the NASB and Amplified for personal study, the NIV for home study with the family, and the NKJV at church. Having them side by side you'd be surprised how closely aligned they are with all the translation-based arguments that occur. God promised to preserve His word and He has. Pray before you read. Ask for wisdom & understanding. Be patient. There’s a reason each word is in its place, so pay attention to what is being said. Don’t read too fast. Research what you don’t understand, and don’t be afraid to set it down and percolate over it for a while. Often, after studying and praying, I go back to a passage that was giving me trouble and I think, “Why didn’t I see it before?” That’s the way Bible study works. This will increase your faith. This is a resource I found very helpful: http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=mt&chapter=0 |
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I would recommend the NIV. Its in common place use in many places and its quite easy to understand. I would describe the NIV as the bridge between literal formal equivalence translations such as NASB or KJV and dynamic equivalent thought for thought translations such as the NLT. Another recommendation is to find a good bible study group in a local church. You will grow closer to God in such an environment and will be surrounded by close brothers to help you. I also wouldn't recommend that you begin chronologically. I would recommend the Gospel of John and then possibly Ephesians for someone new to the bible. You can go back in the old testament later to read on the historical background that paves way to the new testament later. |
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I thank you all for your responses. I however am having a little difficulty with the abbreviations of which versions. I guess I need to do some more research. As far as finding a church with a good bible study that will be the hard part because I travel over the road and am normally working Sundays and weds.
My friend told me I needed to start with the book of John as well. I get a few pages in and I get confused. |
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You might want to begin with the Gospel of Mark. It was the first written, and also the shortest. John is VERY theological. First written of the Gospels. The first written book of the NT was 1 Corinthians. Significant because 1 Corinthians overtly mentions 1) the death and resurrection of Jesus and 2) the inseparable relationship between faith in the resurrection of Christ and individual salvation. The Gospel According to John was actually written very late and was so overtly theological to correct the Arian tendencies which were already beginning to manifest themselves in the Early Church. |
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Hey don't know if your done buying Bibles let, my wife and I just bought one not to long ago for one of her co-workers who was raised in church but never read the Bible, she didn't even understand how chapters and verses work and struggled in her understanding to. We got her a Life Application Study Bible it's in NIV - new international version, and has a break down of scriptures at the bottom of the page written in a easy to understand format. I really don't recommend reading the break down to often just if you really get suck or at lest be careful that the break down adds up.
I haven't read to much in the Life Application ,but my wife likes it and what I have read in the Bible has been okay. I read one of these Dake kjv annotated reference Bible more than anything ,but I was thought how to read King James and this one gives key Greek and Hebrew definitions, cross chain references ,and a complete concordance King James Version-KJV is difficult to read though, it takes prayer, patience, and study to read any Bible and you shouldn't be in a hurry sometimes I read the same thing over and over in more than one Bible until I get it, dictionary's help. All the Gospels are good ,but Mark in my opinion is the easiest to read ,but before you read make sure you pray first as WatchingWaiting was saying ask for wisdom & understanding, |
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I use the New American Bible 1970 Translation and Douay-Rhiems.
A good site for comparing translations directly: Link |
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You might want to begin with the Gospel of Mark. It was the first written, and also the shortest. John is VERY theological. I'll +1 this. Mark also goes out of his way to explain Jewish customs. It is written for Gentiles and seems to assume little or no OT knowledge. |
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You can get really nice KJV bibles with smyth sewn binding that are made at cost by a church. They only do old king james and old scofield notes (you can get note free). Of course you can find allen bibles in other translations if you want to spend 200 bucks. There are several reviews on youtube. They have several sizes and layouts. Here is a pic of one of their hand sized bibles. I was browsing and ran into that site, which out of curiosity made me search. Apparently there is a tier one bible out their and you can get the colt of bibles for less than 50 bucks! This is pretty nice if you wear out bibles full of notes. local church bible publishers http://www.localchurchbiblepublishers.com/  allans are the colt of bibles |
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You might want to begin with the Gospel of Mark. It was the first written, and also the shortest. John is VERY theological. First written of the Gospels. The first written book of the NT was 1 Corinthians. Significant because 1 Corinthians overtly mentions 1) the death and resurrection of Jesus and 2) the inseparable relationship between faith in the resurrection of Christ and individual salvation. The Gospel According to John was actually written very late and was so overtly theological to correct the Arian tendencies which were already beginning to manifest themselves in the Early Church. Yes, that's what I meant. I was tired and not paying too close attention when I wrote the original post. Thanks for the correction. |
| If you have a smartphone or a tablet I suggest that you download the YouVersion App. It has reading plans, and you can also bookmark verses. I read a chapter of Proverbs while I am eating breakfast. It is a discipline that you have to build up, but once you do you it will be part of your schedule. Best wishes to you and God bless. |
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Ask Jesus to help you understand. There are 2 ways to read the Bible, just read it or read it with Jesus giving you the understanding. I have heard many times of people who were dyslexic or illiterate and through Christ the only thing they were able to read was the Word of God.
I hope you find what you are looking for and that it heals your heart, mind, and soul. ETA: Also, do you grasp things easier if they are spoken to you instead of read by you? If so, get an audio Bible to listen to as you travel over the road. |
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"For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) As mentioned above, the ESV is a fine version and I sometimes turn to it if I find the NASB difficult. I use the NASB and Amplified for personal study, the NIV for home study with the family, and the NKJV at church. Having them side by side you'd be surprised how closely aligned they are with all the translation-based arguments that occur. God promised to preserve His word and He has. Pray before you read. Ask for wisdom & understanding. Be patient. There’s a reason each word is in its place, so pay attention to what is being said. Don’t read too fast. Research what you don’t understand, and don’t be afraid to set it down and percolate over it for a while. Often, after studying and praying, I go back to a passage that was giving me trouble and I think, “Why didn’t I see it before?” That’s the way Bible study works. This will increase your faith. This is a resource I found very helpful: http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=mt&chapter=0 This man is speaking the truth, GOD WILL GIVE YOU WISDOM & THE KNOWLEGE YOU NEED. You will gain understanding with reading. ETA: I know the KJV is hard to get through, and understand, but use it. Use the NIV version with it to help get through it. There is also a lot of Bible websites that have different translations at your finger tips. Here is one that is very helpful for me. |
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If you have a smartphone or a tablet I suggest that you download the YouVersion App. It has reading plans, and you can also bookmark verses. I read a chapter of Proverbs while I am eating breakfast. It is a discipline that you have to build up, but once you do you it will be part of your schedule. Best wishes to you and God bless. +1 on this app! It's another super useful tool! 
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If you have a smartphone or a tablet I suggest that you download the YouVersion App. It has reading plans, and you can also bookmark verses. I read a chapter of Proverbs while I am eating breakfast. It is a discipline that you have to build up, but once you do you it will be part of your schedule. Best wishes to you and God bless. +1 on this app! It's another super useful tool! I downloaded this today, haven't had much time to play with it though. I got too busy at work. |
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First of all, OP, good for you for taking up reading the Bible. It does seem daunting as it's not a short book, and while it is easy to take in the story, understanding everything is a lifetime of study. I know you're getting lots of recommendations and abbreviations here, and I'll go ahead and throw in my two cents. I'd say go with one of the versions that keeps to the original. That would include:
NASB, or New American Standard Bible KJV, or King James Version NKJV, or New King James Version Whatever version you choose, just start reading. I think you'll find it easier than you might imagine right now. It's also helpful to understand that the Bible is not presented in chronological order. Of course, there are the Old and New Testaments, but it helps to have a "big picture" of what's going on. Here's an off-the-cuff outline of what you'll find: Old Testament I. The Histories –– Patriarchal Age, which is from creation to Moses' receiving God's law atop Mt. Sinai. –– Mosaic Age, which is from the giving of the law atop Mt. Sinai to the resurrection of Christ. II. Books of Wisdom –– Take place at various times, and the time doesn't particularly matter. These are books like Psalms, Proverbs, Job, etc. and are pretty general in nature. III. The Prophets –– These take place at various times during the histories. Basically, prophets come to tell the Jews what they're doing wrong, to tell of the coming Messiah, etc., and they do it during the time covered in the histories. New Testament IV. The Gospels –– The story of Christ's time on earth. V. Acts and the Epistles and Revelation –– Acts tells the story of the time between Christ's resurrection through the founding of the early church and Paul's first missionary journeys to spread the Gospel. It's a narrative of what happened. –– The Epistles are simply letters written to various churches or people, mostly by the apostle Paul, and they deal with a wide variety of topics from the nature of faith to practical issues concerning running a congregation to encouragement in the face of hard times. They're a "blueprint" of what the church is. –– Revelation is the vision of John, written during a time of persecution of the early Christians at the hands of Rome. It's apocalyptic and filled with all sorts of outlandish stuff, but it also gives some very practical information. You can break it down much further, but that's the overview. Just don't think that you're going to read the Bible like a novel, 'cause it's not set up that way. A good tool might be a one-year Bible, which breaks down the Bible into daily reading "assignments" so that, by sticking to the plan, you read the Bible in a year. You might also look into a chronological Bible, but I'm not sure I would read that one first. It's handy in that it breaks up the books of the Bible and presents them in chronological order, but you won't get a feel for how the Bible is organized if you start with this one. Finally, don't just read it once! Like I said, understanding the Bible is a lifelong study, and a worthwhile one. Read it once to see what's in it, then read it over and over to gain a deeper and deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, God's word. Good luck! 
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Here is another Bible website that maybe helpful for you. Have a great day! 
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A little background first, I'm 29 years old and never read the Bible. I've been going through some things in my life here lately and feel this is something i need to do. Heres the problem my reading comprehension sucks. Is there a version of the Bible that is worded simpler? I almost feel like i need to break out the precious moments version. I'm really trying to find my way here, but its hard to find a way when you have problems understanding. Thanks Dirt Quoted:
Well ill be honest, i think i'm in over my head here. Being honest here when I say this but its kinda offputting. Theres so many versions with subtle differences, its hard to find out which one is right for me. Thanks for your honesty, I agree. Here's my thinking, for what's its worth. Your friend probably recommended you start with the Gospel of John because he is concerned for your salvation, your friend probably wants you to know the truth and have eternal life. John testifies of his Gospel's purpose of being: "But these are written [witnesses of Christ in his Gospel], that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John 20:31 Paul tells in 1 Cor 2 that it is the Spirit of God that gives understanding, specifically regarding the Scriptures, saying: "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor 2:13-14 It sounds like you are looking for answers to life and meaning for your life, which can't be fixed externally, rather internally having peace in your soul with your Maker. I congratulate you on seeking answers, I think you are headed in the right direction, considering Holy Scripture and the truth of Jesus Christ taught in it as having the answers for you is a good step! Understanding Scripture takes work, though, you not only have to read it, but through prayer and study rooted in faith, spiritually discern what your Maker is teaching you; often as I've found in my life one has to unlearn so that one can learn. This unlearning process is often a great part of it, that is what leads to repentance - a change of mind. It's the heart that has to be translated, you need a Bible you can trust and you need a Bible that will speak to your heart. I would suggest that you avoid the "Bible Wars," as I call them over the issue of translations. The old King James Version has stood the test of time and has fruit, millions of changed lives over centuries, establishing a lot of beauty and goodness. The modern "Bible Wars" seems to me to be more over marketing and publishers market share where every couple or three years a new version that promises ease of understanding is published, but you just don't have the fruit. Bible translations are more of an experiment in process and I think you are looking for something to root into and find answers, not become a theological guinea pig. The reasons for publishing a Bible are very important, the old King James version was published to provide continuity for life - to put down the "Bible Wars" coming out of the English Protestant Reformation, and it succeeded. Those "Bible Wars" were re-engaged at the end of the 20th century using "translation" as a proverbial "Trojan Horse" to really battle over underlying texts. I'd suggest you avoid becoming a casuality of that. This is a critically important decision because the Bible forms the foundation of the West's culture, society, law and frames the world in which you were born; continuity with that is important. Think of it like the "Constitution" do you want the latest interpretation (e.g., version) from the Supreme Court, or do you want the version that founded and framed American society? Do you want original intent or judicial activism, the same is true over the Bible, its caught up in the exact same thing the Judges are generally unordained unelected "textual scholars," that generally only make a name for themselves when they cut down something historical. If you are looking for some answers and stability for your life look to an era where language and law are not in flux like they are today; today, of course, language and law change meaning from day to day - because of that I would suggest you consider avoiding modern translations that are caught up in the cultural wars. If you are looking for meaning for life, then don't look to Bible's that change their meaning every couple of years, because they are subjective to the culture; look to a Bible that defined what culture should be. Where ideas like honor, virtue, truth, justice had meaning, then you've got something solid to lean on. Jeremiah says, "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." I would suggest you consider the old and what many call "archaic" King James because it is the "old paths" and is what millions used, lived and died believing - without looking every two to three years for some new thing, its something you can trust and anchor yourself and not be tossed about by everyone's opinions. Much better, in my mind, to lean upon something solid that millions believed, lived and died believing, as to modern people that are in flux. For me, I want something solid that passed the test of time, if I have to put up with "archaisms" I'll learn how to understand it, otherwise I become a subject of the culture wars and trying to find solid ground for life today is what I'm looking for. Sounds like you are too. It's important to understand that its really not "archaic" but is an accurate translation of the underlying Hebrew and Greek, while it has an archaic style - it also formed the foundation of the English language itself and the development of our culture, so the meaning is comprehensive and really undergirds all of life in the West. Websters 1828 dictionary can help you with the meaning of old words, that is available online for free use here. With a little knowledge the "archaisms" vanish. Greek - the language of the New Testament - is an inflective language, so you've got different words for plural and singular usage for what we may use the word "you" for, for example. We alter its meaning with voice inflection, which can't be "translated." In this old English version you'll often see the word "ye" and also "you", this represents English equivalents of the Greek words representing the actual meaning of the Greek words which are plural and singular respectively. It's not the language of Schakespeare, but was specifically created to translate these foreign languages into English and sustain their actual meaning - this idea is completely abandoned today. Modern Bibles are published for the express purpose of trying to conform to the culture, the old King James was published to define the culture and establish continuity - big difference. In choosing a Bible, if it means you have to learn, or unlearn, and do hard work and change to find out what your Maker is saying to you, then do that; that will be profitable for your soul and all of life. |
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Update. Downloaded the Youversion App. and through all the versions of the Bible that comes with the App. I have found that the Common English Bible is one that i can understand. I spend 15 to 20 minutes a day reading. Its slow going but I'm getting there.
Thank you for the Help |
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If you'd like some great messages to hear that encouraged me to get into the Word, check out Greg Laurie's podcasts or mp3s at Harvest.org. His radio show is called A New Beginning. You can also download free from iTunes by searching for Greg Laurie and A New Beginning.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 |
| Here is what you do, Start in the Old Testament with John, Read John 3 times then start at Matthew and read the whole New Testament thru 3 times taking notes as you go and then read thru the whole bible at least once a year, You should have about 3 notebooks full of questiones but you will notice that the more you read the more questions of things you do not understand you will cross out, I too have a problem with comprehension and am doing what i told you currently, I also bought flash cards. You will be suprised at how fast you will start remembering the scriptures and listen to Paul Washer on Youtube. |
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Update. Downloaded the Youversion App. and through all the versions of the Bible that comes with the App. I have found that the Common English Bible is one that i can understand. I spend 15 to 20 minutes a day reading. Its slow going but I'm getting there. Thank you for the Help I think it's super awesome that God has brought you to this point...as cliche and common as this is...I'll be praying God opens your eyes (Psalm 119:18; Ephesians 1:18) The best advice I can give is start in the New Testament. Avoid reading Genesis and Revelation; for some reason people flock to those books, don't understand them and then stop reading altogether. You can IM me or whatever with any questions. |
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i have the same problem! i bought the ESV version and i think its easier to understand, i also set up a bible study group with some friends and they help me understand if i have questions. Dont get discouraged and just take it slow, make a list of questions you have and when you get the chance to attend church just ask and they will help! i'll keep you in my prayers brother God Bless
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I take it slowly even with a dumbed down version I still reread some parts. It helps if I try to visualize in my head what exactly is trying to be conveyed. I'm not as far along as i would like to be but i kinda ran into some personal problems and stalled out.
Thanks for the kind words dirt |
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"For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) As mentioned above, the ESV is a fine version and I sometimes turn to it if I find the NASB difficult. I use the NASB and Amplified for personal study, the NIV for home study with the family, and the NKJV at church. Having them side by side you'd be surprised how closely aligned they are with all the translation-based arguments that occur. God promised to preserve His word and He has. Pray before you read. Ask for wisdom & understanding. Be patient. There’s a reason each word is in its place, so pay attention to what is being said. Don’t read too fast. Research what you don’t understand, and don’t be afraid to set it down and percolate over it for a while. Often, after studying and praying, I go back to a passage that was giving me trouble and I think, “Why didn’t I see it before?” That’s the way Bible study works. This will increase your faith. This is a resource I found very helpful: http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=mt&chapter=0 This man is speaking the truth, GOD WILL GIVE YOU WISDOM & THE KNOWLEGE YOU NEED. You will gain understanding with reading. ETA: I know the KJV is hard to get through, and understand, but use it. Use the NIV version with it to help get through it. There is also a lot of Bible websites that have different translations at your finger tips. Here is one that is very helpful for me. There is absolutely no reason to use the KJV for your first read-through of the Bible. It uses outdated language that can, in today's culture, be misunderstood and therefore has the potential to be misleading. Heck, I have formal, university level training in philosophy and theology and I can't even make it through a chapter in the KJV. If you can read the KJV, that's great, but realize that the rest of America would read a couple verses, say "WTF" and put it back on the shelf. OP, the ESV (English Standard Version) is one of the closest versions to the literal (word-for-word) translation of the original Biblical manuscripts, and it uses up-to-date language. I highly recommend it. |
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I take it slowly even with a dumbed down version I still reread some parts. It helps if I try to visualize in my head what exactly is trying to be conveyed. I'm not as far along as i would like to be but i kinda ran into some personal problems and stalled out. Thanks for the kind words dirt That's great man. It's not like you need to read it 5 hours a day or anything (I usually only read 20-30 minutes a day). If you want a quick rundown of the basics of Christianity I would also suggest picking up "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. It is especially useful if you are something of a skeptic (which I am). |
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I take it slowly even with a dumbed down version I still reread some parts. It helps if I try to visualize in my head what exactly is trying to be conveyed. I'm not as far along as i would like to be but i kinda ran into some personal problems and stalled out. Thanks for the kind words dirt That's great man. It's not like you need to read it 5 hours a day or anything (I usually only read 20-30 minutes a day). If you want a quick rundown of the basics of Christianity I would also suggest picking up "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. It is especially useful if you are something of a skeptic (which I am). Highlighted in Red is the problem. It's not that im 100% non believer its just that growing up i had so much religion crammed down my throat it was hard to pay attention to the message. I spent all my free thinking life until here lately with the mentality "if there's a god great, if not oh well". I am trying to change, hopefully its for the best. Now though with all the things going on, i still have my doubts but im trying. |
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I take it slowly even with a dumbed down version I still reread some parts. It helps if I try to visualize in my head what exactly is trying to be conveyed. I'm not as far along as i would like to be but i kinda ran into some personal problems and stalled out. Thanks for the kind words dirt That's great man. It's not like you need to read it 5 hours a day or anything (I usually only read 20-30 minutes a day). If you want a quick rundown of the basics of Christianity I would also suggest picking up "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. It is especially useful if you are something of a skeptic (which I am). Highlighted in Red is the problem. It's not that im 100% non believer its just that growing up i had so much religion crammed down my throat it was hard to pay attention to the message. I spent all my free thinking life until here lately with the mentality "if there's a god great, if not oh well". I am trying to change, hopefully its for the best. Now though with all the things going on, i still have my doubts but im trying. Yeah, I was an agnostic (leaning more towards atheism) for a good portion of my life. I won't give you my whole story here (PM me if you're really that interested in it––I obviously won't assume that you are) but reading Lewis certainly helped me to overcome many of my rational objections to Christianity. He was, much like us, a skeptic before he became a Christian*, so his writings definitely resonated with me, and they will most likely resonate with you as well. As for religion in the sense that the word is now understood, I say screw it. That is not what I am a proponent of. *Please don't let the word "Christian" scare you; it only means "one who follows the teachings of Christ", not "one who hates gays, judges everyone else, and is generally a self-righteous prick." |
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Youversion will read to you on most translations also, in case you didn't know. I dont really do well with being read to. It mostly goes in one ear and out the other. Here in a few days i will embark on the hardest journey of my life and will need all the help i can get. I hope this will help me get through it. I still am going at it slow but getting there. |
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+1 on C.S. Lewis and the book of mark.
Start small, no matter which version you read. Just a chapter a day with a prayer before. If you miss a day or more, don't try to catch up. Just pick up where you left off. Remember that you are trying to absorb a concept for living, not decode german cables or interpret legislature. |