How to read the bible

[Anonymous No.17349465]

I’m not particularly spiritual or religious and I want to start reading the Bible to gain a better grasp on it’s stories, parables, and just a general understanding of why and how people live their lives in accordance with it. But how the fuck am I supposed to read this thing? Do I just flip through it cover to cover like a normal book, or is there a specific part where I should start? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous No.17349545]

>>17349465
Read the Holy bible king james version. read it as it is written. I Suggest you start in matthew and finish the new tetament first then head for the old testament. If you really desire to know the truth then literally dont watch nor read anything ABOUT the bible, just read THE bible. you have to see it for what it is. The word of God is truth, it is a weapon against the lie. How CAN you tell a lie from truth unless you know the turht for yourself first. Thats why you have to establish yourself in the truth first before heading out into the world asking or proclaiming anything. That way you will know a wold a deceiver early on. You cannot be deceived by lies about the word if you know it by heart. I have been down that road and it cost me precious years and amounts of arguing and power drainage i'd like back. Hope this will help anon :)
love
-anon

[Anonymous No.17349572]

>>17349545
Those are wise words anon. But one more question, and I’m gonna be honest this is kind of a boomer question. What’s the difference between the King James Bible and the New American Bible? I know the King James is more for Protestants and the New American for Catholics, and being raised Catholic I figured the New American would be more fitting, but I have no qualms with reading the King James if that’s a truer translation.

[Anonymous No.17349575]

read cover to cover. don't fall for memes

[Anonymous No.17349612]

im planning on having an oxford annotated NRSV version (lots of context and footnotes) of the bible to read (traditional "study" bible translation used by clergy) while having a KJV on-hand for reference since, lets be honest, that is still THE english language translation of the bible, 400 years later

[Anonymous No.17349709]

If you aren’t pretty well read or already familiar with a lot of passages in KJV, don’t read that one yet. Personally I like the ESV, it’s still a literal translation like KJV but without the confusion of having a lot of words and phrases mean totally different things nowadays. Nothing wrong with KJV, but don’t just read it because it’s the most “pure” way to read. If you don’t understand what it’s saying half the time, it’s not gonna be very pure at all

[Anonymous No.17349713]

karen armstrongs the history of god

[Anonymous No.17349740]

>>17349709
>>17349612
I’ve been doing some research, and I think the NAS is probably the best one. From my recent research it seems a lot was purposely left out of the KJV in order to keep it more in line with what was being practiced in England at the time (1611). The NASB seems to have most of these missing parts in it, however I haven’t researched this a ton and know close to nothing about the other translations.

[Anonymous No.17349776]

>>17349465
First, pick a gospel. If you pick Luke, follow up with Acts. After that, read from front to back. Read a few chapters a day. Don't read it like a novel. It's meditation literature. Think on what you read. The Bible is meant to be appreciated holistically. Everything is connected and everything leads to Christ. You may not be religious, but it's important to give it a Christological reading to understand how it influenced western culture.

[Anonymous No.17349778]

Just started it, about to finish Genesis. As of right now I’m kinda regretting it, this thing is a fucking slog.

[Anonymous No.17349780]

>>17349740
Pretty interesting, I’ll check it out

[Anonymous No.17349802]

Start at the beginning and read through all the way to the end. It's a long read but you only have to read it this way once. It actually is organized to be read in order, everything that happens in the New Testament packs a much bigger punch when you have the books of the OT fresh in your mind.

>>17349612
KJV is the only one in English that can be considered a literary masterpiece

[Anonymous No.17349805]

>>17349778
genesis is one of the best books bro..

[Anonymous No.17349843]

>>17349805
I don’t think it’s bad “plot-wise”, it’s just so archaic and repetitive (I’m reading KJV).
>and these are the sons of [Insert One of God’s Chosen Ones]: Zebulah, Ronan, and Er
>repeat 12 times
The garden of Eden stuff and Noah’s ark was neat, but when Abraham is introduced and everything after Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt, it becomes very dull. If this is one of the better books, I think I’m gonna run.

[Anonymous No.17349849]

>>17349843
you think the stories of jacob and joseph are dull? cmon

[Anonymous No.17349951]

>>17349465
You read the Bible in Greek and Hebrew or else you'll create heresy with your feeble, demon-swayed mind.
>inb4 Shut up, Latin is the correct Biblical language
Latin is good for translating Greek, but your gross English barbar language isn't fit for translating from Latin, with your schismatic KJV that spawned not only the faggotous Anglican Church but also the Mormons.
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται.

[Anonymous No.17350091]

Use your eyes to look at the words, use your fingers to turn the pages, and use your mind to understand the meaning.

[Anonymous No.17350143]

>>17349612
>Oxford Annotated NRSV
The only choice.

[Anonymous No.17350155]

>>17349612

>>17350143
lol fuck off psued, it's the pozzed choice

[Anonymous No.17350232]

>>17349805
Genesis really surprised me with how fast paced it was when I actually sat down to give it a serious read for the first time. Creation, the garden of eden, and the Cain and Abel story are all wrapped up by like the 2nd page.

[Anonymous No.17350259]

Even the gospels put me to sleep. Skip out on Jewish fairytales, read the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Odyssey, Iliad, Kalevala and stuff not written by desert goatfuckers

[Anonymous No.17350304]

>>17349465
I think the essence of Christianity is the life and teachings of Jesus, so the gospels should be of primary importance.
Also Psalms is excellent, very noteworthy.

[Anonymous No.17350324]

Oh my fucking christ you guys. This thread is a mess.

OP. Hey, OP. If you're still here, heed my fuckin advice.
DON'T read it cover to cover.
Start with the Old Testament wisdom literature/'writings'. That is, start with Job, and go on until you get to the end of Malachi.
Then go back, and read Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, and I & II Kings.
THEN read the Pentateuch.
When you've managed your way through all of that, t h e n read the New Testament.
This will give you a better understanding of the way the religion actually developed over time, branched off into new religions, etc.