Trouble understanding The Holy Bible

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Hi everyone:D I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post a new thread in so sorry in advance if I messed up. I reeeeaaaallllyyy want to become a Catholic but before I begin looking into RCIA I want to finish reading the Bible. My problem is that I have a very hard time understanding what exactly is going on. The version of the Bible I’m reading is the King James version. Is there anyway I could more easily understand what the Bible is teaching me? Or is there a more “modern” version that would be better for me? Also would a more “modern” version not have the same meaning as an older version?🤷 Thank you everyone!:o
 
siturc said:
Hi everyone:D I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post a new thread in so sorry in advance if I messed up. I reeeeaaaallllyyy want to become a Catholic but before I begin looking into RCIA I want to finish reading the Bible. My problem is that I have a very hard time understanding what exactly is going on. The version of the Bible I’m reading is the King James version. Is there anyway I could more easily understand what the Bible is teaching me? Or is there a more “modern” version that would be better for me? Also would a more “modern” version not have the same meaning as an older version?🤷 Thank you everyone!:o
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Hi siturc,
My complements on your decision to become a Catholic.
I recently purchased a copy of the ‘Christian Community Bible: Catholic Pastoral edition’.
It is written in plain language and has very helpful commentaries. You can find it online. Sorry I do not have the exact link but if you google the above title it should take you to the appropriate site.
Also, the overarching meanings would not be different; although modern scholarship does have different academic interpretations of various verses.
God Bless,
Colmcille.
 
colmcille1 said:
Hi siturc,
My complements on your decision to become a Catholic.
I recently purchased a copy of the ‘Christian Community Bible: Catholic Pastoral edition’.
It is written in plain language and has very helpful commentaries. You can find it online. Sorry I do not have the exact link but if you google the above title it should take you to the appropriate site.
Also, the overarching meanings would not be different; although modern scholarship does have different academic interpretations of various verses.
God Bless,
Colmcille.
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Thanks for your reply colmcille. I just googled it and almost every person that reviewed it gave it 5 stars. Plain language is definitely a plus for me lol, but I’m not exactly sure what commentaries are. Could you explain them? thanks for all your help!
 
siturc said:
Thanks for your reply colmcille. I just googled it and almost every person that reviewed it gave it 5 stars. Plain language is definitely a plus for me lol, but I’m not exactly sure what commentaries are. Could you explain them? thanks for all your help!
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Hi siturc,
The commentaries are the broad explanations of the text of the Bible. They are linked to the appropriate chapter or verse by numbered footnotes. Often these commentaries would include cross-references to other parts of Scripture. This is done in order to explain the meaning more thoroughly and to give a sense of the unity of God’s Word. I think it’s great that you are reading the entire Bible. I wish I had your energy!
God Bless,
Colmcille.
 
Another good resource is Jeff Cavin’s Bible Timeline Bible Study. We are going through it at our parish now and I can’t say enough good things about it. It basically goes through the 14 books of the Bible that tell the story of salvation in a linear fashion. So it’s more of a complete story. Then it gives you the information as to how the remaining books of the Bible fit in with this story.

This has been enourmously helpful to me because I thought it was a book like other books and meant to be read from cover to cover.

You can get more info at greatadventureonline.com. You’ll have to dig around, but there is a spot on that site that gives the reading order of the 14 books. I would highly recommend anyone attend one of these Bible studies if there is one nearby.

I realize this sounds like an ad, but I don’t work for them nor am I affilliated with them in any way. My group is on session 11 of 24 and I find myself looking forward to reading more.
 
siturc said:
Hi everyone:D I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post a new thread in so sorry in advance if I messed up. I reeeeaaaallllyyy want to become a Catholic but before I begin looking into RCIA I want to finish reading the Bible. My problem is that I have a very hard time understanding what exactly is going on. The version of the Bible I’m reading is the King James version. Is there anyway I could more easily understand what the Bible is teaching me? Or is there a more “modern” version that would be better for me? Also would a more “modern” version not have the same meaning as an older version?🤷 Thank you everyone!:o
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siturc,
Code: 
Download the first six .mp3 files from the following link and play them.  It'll teach you how to read the Bible as a Catholic:
alabamacatholicresources.com/Fr_John_Corapi.html

They’re by Fr. John Corapi. He’s definitely a heavy hitter when it comes to this stuff!

God bless and hang in there! Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you’re not going to learn everything anytime soon. 🙂 The paradox of the Catholic faith is that it is simple enough that even a small child can learn it, but complex enough that you will never learn it all in one lifetime. You can establish a good basis, though, of Catholicism, from which to live. It just takes a little time, a little work, and a lot of God’s grace. And you’re getting the grace because you’re in RCIA! 🙂
 
rstegeman said:
Another good resource is Jeff Cavin’s Bible Timeline Bible Study. We are going through it at our parish now and I can’t say enough good things about it. It basically goes through the 14 books of the Bible that tell the story of salvation in a linear fashion. So it’s more of a complete story. Then it gives you the information as to how the remaining books of the Bible fit in with this story.

This has been enourmously helpful to me because I thought it was a book like other books and meant to be read from cover to cover.

You can get more info at greatadventureonline.com. You’ll have to dig around, but there is a spot on that site that gives the reading order of the 14 books. I would highly recommend anyone attend one of these Bible studies if there is one nearby.

I realize this sounds like an ad, but I don’t work for them nor am I affilliated with them in any way. My group is on session 11 of 24 and I find myself looking forward to reading more.
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Hi rstegeman,
I have seen this link online and it looks brilliant. I wish there was some programme like it operating over here. Keep up the good work!
God Bless,
Colmcille.
 
How “King James” is your version? Thee and thou King James? It won’t have several books that the Catholic NAB or RSVC has (you probably already know that).

ewtn.com/devotionals/biblesearch.asp

or

the NAB is available at: usccb.org/nab/bible/index.shtml

Scroll through and each chapter has an “Introduction” that will help to explain the timeline, people, intent, content, etc.

As mentioned above, Jeff Cavin’s Timeline is excellent. I was lucky enough to see most of the programming on EWTN Channel 291. Steven Ray also has a great program titled “Footprints of God” that sometimes airs on EWTN. Right now, an English or Irish women has a bible study on the Book of John on EWTN.
 
siturc said:
Hi everyone:D I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post a new thread in so sorry in advance if I messed up. I reeeeaaaallllyyy want to become a Catholic but before I begin looking into RCIA I want to finish reading the Bible. My problem is that I have a very hard time understanding what exactly is going on. The version of the Bible I’m reading is the King James version. Is there anyway I could more easily understand what the Bible is teaching me? Or is there a more “modern” version that would be better for me? Also would a more “modern” version not have the same meaning as an older version?🤷 Thank you everyone!:o
Click to expand...
The only official catholic bible is the Douay-Rheims version, and it is by far the best,
although you are not going to be able to understand with ease, but that goes for any bible, why? because God made it that way on purpose, one reason being, to keep it safe from self interpretation, He has left it for His church, guided by the Holy Ghost, to interpret the bible for us, meaning, that whatever interpretation by whoever, must be approved by the church to contain no error,
if it were not for this, then Catholics, just as protestants do, would interpret the bible to mean whatever they want, which i’m sure you can well imagine is a dangerous thing.

fortunately, we do have many aids in understanding the bible, such as bible commentaries, or the writings of the saints, or many other writings from priests and whatnot,
with these aids, you can come to understand the bible quite well,

here are some books that i strongly recommend,
fraternitypublications.com/coonboofps.html
tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/618
tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/561/
fraternitypublications.com/hadobi.html (this you can get cheaper elsewhere)

you can also find similar books, along with many other good books, from these trusted sites -
www.tanbooks.com
www.fraternitypublications.com

and here are some good catholic audio sites i think you will like -
www.audiosancto.org
www.alabamacatholicresources.com

and also an online Douay-Rheims bible - drbo.org/

alright, hope this helps, take care.
 
rstegeman said:
Another good resource is Jeff Cavin’s Bible Timeline Bible Study. We are going through it at our parish now and I can’t say enough good things about it. It basically goes through the 14 books of the Bible that tell the story of salvation in a linear fashion. So it’s more of a complete story. Then it gives you the information as to how the remaining books of the Bible fit in with this story.
Click to expand...
I took this course last year at my parish. I totally agree. 👍 Putting the 14 books of the Bible into time periods, you’re able to track salvation history. Today, one year later, when I hear quotes from one of the 14 books, I’m able to correlate it to a time period, know where we are in history, what was happening with the people, etc. It’s increased my understanding of the Bible.

I also am not affiliated with the program, definitely–not advertising for them. It’s that good!
 
You should use a Catholic Bible. Martin Luther took some Old Testament books out of the Bible, and these books are not in Protestant Bibles. There are also some lesser differences between Catholic Bibles and Protestant Bibles, such as different numbers used for most of the psalms.
I don’t know about the “Catholic” version of the Bible mentioned here on this thread, which may be from a Protestant publisher, so there may be some differences there from Catholic Bibles. Not that I am telling what version to use, but you may wish to use publications compatable with Catholicism. The Catholic Bibles most Catholics use are the New American Bible and the Catholic edition of the Revised Standard Version. There are also other Catholic Bibles like the Douay Rheims version and the Knox version which no doubt would be perfectly fine, but not much used by Catholics nowadays.
 
siturc said:
Hi everyone:D I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post a new thread in so sorry in advance if I messed up. I reeeeaaaallllyyy want to become a Catholic but before I begin looking into RCIA I want to finish reading the Bible. My problem is that I have a very hard time understanding what exactly is going on. The version of the Bible I’m reading is the King James version. Is there anyway I could more easily understand what the Bible is teaching me? Or is there a more “modern” version that would be better for me? Also would a more “modern” version not have the same meaning as an older version?🤷 Thank you everyone!:o
Click to expand...
the translation is not going to help the root problem with reading the entire bible alone and unaided.

we read the scriptures as they were written, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is the sacraments of initiation that bring us fully into relationship with the Trinity, including of course the Spirit, and through which we received His gifts of wisdom, understanding and knowledge of these sacred things.

To say “I want to read the whole bible before I begin RCIA and receive the sacraments” is like saying “I want to live in France for a year and try to get along all on my own before I begin to study the French language and culture.” you may be able to stumble along but there will be so much you do not understand and appreciate that your year while it may have been a good experience, lost so much richness that you did not see.

we also read the scripture in, with and through the Church who preserves and hands them on to us. Trying to read and understand without the wisdom of the ages the Church brings to interpretation of scripture is to ignore a large part of what God is saying to us through them.

and I forgot to say “welcome home”

For anyone who wants to read the whole bible, or to study one book, I heartily recommend first completing a study that covers all of Salvation History. Great Bible Adventure by Jeff Cavins or its companion Teen Timeline by Mark Hart, or Our Fathers Plan by Scott Hahn are excellent places to start. Call your diocese for referral to parishes offering such a study.
 
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