How often do you read the Bible?

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In print:
NAB
NABRE
RSVCE
RS2CE
JB
NJB
D-R
Confraternity 1941 NT
Confraternity 1951 - Dad’s Bible, with a color plate of Pius XII in front–awesome.
NIV
The unique version in the LOTH

Additionally, in my Logos 5/Verbum:
LHB
LEB
ESV
FSB
Clementine Vulgate and Nova Vulgata
KJV
NKJV
YLT
NLT
NRSV
and many more including foreign language (modern)
and ancient languages (Heb, Gk, Aram, etc.)

My Logos/Verbum preferred translation is set to RSV2CE though.

I do some seasonal reading plans:
Isaiah for Advent
Your Christmas Present: the Psalms (Dec 23-Jan 6)
Chapter a Day in Proverbs each January (beats New Year Resolutions)
A Prophetic Lent (all prophets except Isaiah)–sometimes I stretch Lent back to Feb 1 so “Lent Plus”
NT in Easter (Easter Sunday through Pentecost)

I admit, the historical books are the big yawner for me. Yeah, I know there’s good bits in there, but a lot of it is quite tiresome…even moreso than Leviticus, to my mind.

I’m on RSV2CE in a year and CCC in an academic year on Logos 5/Verbum right now. It’s easy to make your own reading plans in that program.
 
Just so you know, I’m getting a new Bible today. My old NAB from 6th grade is literally falling apart. So I bought an Ignatius Bible (RSV-2CE) as a replacement. 🙂
 
Church_Militant said:
Anyone else want in? 🙂
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I am reading it through completely for the first time now. I have read the NT a couple times before and bits and pieces of the OT. I have also done some of the OT video courses that are out there.

I use Logos and have several versions:
  • New American Bible
  • Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition
  • Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition
  • Douay Rheims
  • New Jerusalem Bible
Question - what is the best way to “study” the Bible vs. just reading it.

Thanks
 
iggy35 said:
I am reading it through completely for the first time now. I have read the NT a couple times before and bits and pieces of the OT. I have also done some of the OT video courses that are out there.

I use Logos and have several versions:
  • New American Bible
  • Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition
  • Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition
  • Douay Rheims
  • New Jerusalem Bible
Question - what is the best way to “study” the Bible vs. just reading it.

Thanks
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In my fallible opinion :D:

In prayerful meditation: Lectio Divina.
 
I’ve been slowly reading through the Bible roughly from start to finish for about a year now. I say roughly because initially skipped over the wisdom books {and I and II Macabees). I’m currently in the process of reading the wisdom books; in fact, I’m currently on the book of Wisdom!

To my surprise, I’m quite enjoying reading it this way. For one thing, reading the historical books really helped me understand the prophetic books in terms of who their audience was and what was happening around that time. Also, I didn’t find Leviticus to be all that boring if I’m honest. I will say, though, that being a little versed in the New Testament definitely helps to put things into perspective for the Old Testament. {It’s also neat to see the parallels between the two.}

I’ve been reading from the St. Ignatius Catholic Study Book of Genesis, St. Joseph’s Confraternity Bible, and the Knox Bible. {It just depends on which one I have on hand in my current location.}

The Bibles/books I have in general {not including digital}:
-NAB
-Confraternity
-Knox
-St. Ignatius Catholic Study: Book of Genesis
-St. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament
-Catena Aurea {Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John}

On my phone, I have the following apps I use for Bible reading:
-Verbum
-Lighthouse Catholic Media
 
Kopratic said:
Also, I didn’t find Leviticus to be all that boring if I’m honest. I will say, though, that being a little versed in the New Testament definitely helps to put things into perspective for the Old Testament. {It’s also neat to see the parallels between the two.}
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I agree. Leviticus was actually kind of interesting. I had a much tougher time with the 9 chapters of genealogy at the beginning of 1 Chronicles.
 
Razanir said:
I agree. Leviticus was actually kind of interesting. I had a much tougher time with the 9 chapters of genealogy at the beginning of 1 Chronicles.
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Yes! That’s exactly the same for me. I understand {somewhat} the importance of those chapters, but after a while, the names sort of blurred together for me.
 
I’ve come across an interesting site which contains a Jewish translation of the Old Testament (of course parts they accept) and commentary by rabbinical scholars. I figured Jewish scholars would have the best understanding of the original Hebrew. I have found it a good supplement to Catholic commentaries. It is also helping me understand Jesus’s teaching as a rabbi.

chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/63255/jewish/The-Bible-with-Rashi.htm
 
One thing that benefited me from being a Protestant was the constant reminder to read the Bible. I have read the Bible (excluding the Deuterocanon) from cover to cover in a 12-month span.

I have several NIV Bibles due to my experience in various Protestant churches. Now I read the NAB, and I also have the RSV-CE.
 
Topaz1128 said:
One thing that benefited me from being a Protestant was the constant reminder to read the Bible. I have read the Bible (excluding the Deuterocanon) from cover to cover in a 12-month span.

I have several NIV Bibles due to my experience in various Protestant churches. Now I read the NAB, and I also have the RSV-CE.
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Read deuterocanon! 😃 It contains some of my favorite parts of the Bible, like Tobit or the Song of the Three Children (the “extra” parts of Daniel 3)
 
TimothyH said:
I’m on my fourth read straight through the Bible, and yes that means not skipping Leviticus. I have read many other books of the Bible dozens and dozens of times.

Like you CM, it is a part of my faith, part of my life infact. My day does not seem complete unless I read at least a little bit of the Word of God, usually for ten or fifteen minutes at breakfast.

I have had facilitated Scripture Study in my home for four years. We use Jeff Cavins/Great Adventure (biblestudyforcatholics.com) for the studies. These are authentically and organically Catholic studies, faithful to the magesterium and teachings of the Church.

The NASB converted me back to the Catholic faith but I gave it to a non-Catholic friend. I have a Douay Rheims (Challoner) but it is more of a collector’s item, somewhat old and I don’t read it regularly, and several versions of the NAB. My go to translation is the RSV-CE. I have a large Ignatius RSV-CE New Testament study Bible and carry my thinline leather zippered Oxford Press RSV-CE wherever I go.

One of my fears is that I stand before Jesus and he says, “You read the Bible many times and so you really can’t claim ignorance. You knew, so why could you not do?” But the scriptures are living, with the power to convert and sanctify. Jesus is there, in those pages. The Holy Spirit works through those chapters and verses.

-Tim-
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THE Average layperson needs to understand the interpretation of the bible. The translations are just different contexts. One needs to understand ancient history, the mores, traditions, customs, the ways the ancients thought. When I was in Catholic schools (pre-Vatican II), we were advised not to read the bible on our own, because of the need of the above. We had books called bible history, which gave us a good idea of the interpretations of the bible. We also used the Baltimore Catechism, which explained the faith in childrens’ language. Young people can’t understand the present Catechism.
The private interpretation of the bible has caused so many different Christian denominations to spring up. They all say that they are inspired by the Holy Spirit. If they are, why are there so many different interpretations? When you read the bible, have along side a commentary, such as the one I use, “The College Bible Commentary.”
 
I’ve been following the modified Horner System posted earlier in this thread. it’s great!
 
JRKH said:
I’m ashamed to say that I really need to read my bible more.
My reading tends to be in other books…mainly toward the more mystical…I’m currently reading (slowly) “Consoling the heart of Jesus”.

That said, I have three bibles:
  1. An NAB that the print got too small for me…🤷
  2. An RSV-CE with print that hasn’t shrunk yet…😃
  3. A New Jerusalem Bible that my wife had when we married (she bought it because it was illustrated by Salvador Dali).
.

Peace
James
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James, are you sure that’s a New Jerusalem and not an original Jerusalem (1966)? If so, a Dali illustrated, leather bound JB in good condition is worth about $200.
 
Since returning to the church full time, rather than just when I felt like it, I have begun re-reading the bible. Because I use my ipad for most texts, I have started exploring the net for commentaries, dictionaries, translinear bibles, etc. To my dismay, I’ve found that the vast majority of sites devoted to the bible are provided by Protestants. The dearth of Catholic sites is embarrassing. The Protestants are also very generous with providing free texts, such as the complete works of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Are there some good catholic sites that I’m missing?
 
Origen52 said:
Since returning to the church full time, rather than just when I felt like it, I have begun re-reading the bible. Because I use my ipad for most texts, I have started exploring the net for commentaries, dictionaries, translinear bibles, etc. To my dismay, I’ve found that the vast majority of sites devoted to the bible are provided by Protestants. The dearth of Catholic sites is embarrassing. The Protestants are also very generous with providing free texts, such as the complete works of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Are there some good catholic sites that I’m missing?
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To be honest, what does it matter? I’m more interested in if they actually include deuterocanon. It’s why I like Bible Gateway. In a world where so many Bible sites don’t include deuterocanon, even in their offered Catholic translations, it’s a nice change of pace to see a Protestant site that DOES have it.
 
Origen52 said:
Since returning to the church full time, rather than just when I felt like it, I have begun re-reading the bible. Because I use my ipad for most texts, I have started exploring the net for commentaries, dictionaries, translinear bibles, etc. To my dismay, I’ve found that the vast majority of sites devoted to the bible are provided by Protestants. The dearth of Catholic sites is embarrassing. The Protestants are also very generous with providing free texts, such as the complete works of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Are there some good catholic sites that I’m missing?
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newadvent.org/ has an amazing library, including an extensive collection of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, along with the Catholic Encyclopedia, and much more. 🙂

The Vatican library has all of the more recent writings of the Popes (www.vatican.va)

But yes, it is disappointing that most of the Catholic Bible studies are not on line, and certainly not free of charge - the reason is that we seem to have acquired “professional evangelists” who need to get paid for their work, instead of the “tentmaker evangelists” who are more prevalent in Protestantism, who get their living outside of their evangelistic work.
 
Razanir said:
To be honest, what does it matter? I’m more interested in if they actually include deuterocanon. It’s why I like Bible Gateway. In a world where so many Bible sites don’t include deuterocanon, even in their offered Catholic translations, it’s a nice change of pace to see a Protestant site that DOES have it.
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I make regular use of Bible Gateway, as well. :o
 
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