What kind of bible do you read?

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I decided that during Lent, I was going to read the bible since I’ve never been able to get past the first 10 pages.

I broke out my bible and started on Ash Wednesday. I am still in Genesis. 😦 I’m reading a King James Version. Is there a different one out there thats easier to read??? The “thee” and “thou” stuff never bothered me because I like Shakespeare, but the names of some of the people are really difficult. It seems like they all have an apostrophe in them.

Its also hard to get through all that begatting. Does that continue in Exodus??? :confused:

I don’t think I’ll make it by Easter, but I’m determined to read the whole thing. God is determined to help me too. My 2 year old recently decided that she will refuse to go to sleep unless there is someone else in the room. Its been taking her close to an hour to fall asleep and I’ve been rocking in her room reading the bible by nightlight.
 
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redtech:
I decided that during Lent, I was going to read the bible since I’ve never been able to get past the first 10 pages.

I broke out my bible and started on Ash Wednesday. I am still in Genesis. 😦 I’m reading a King James Version. Is there a different one out there thats easier to read??? The “thee” and “thou” stuff never bothered me because I like Shakespeare, but the names of some of the people are really difficult. It seems like they all have an apostrophe in them.

Its also hard to get through all that begatting. Does that continue in Exodus??? :confused:

I don’t think I’ll make it by Easter, but I’m determined to read the whole thing. God is determined to help me too. My 2 year old recently decided that she will refuse to go to sleep unless there is someone else in the room. Its been taking her close to an hour to fall asleep and I’ve been rocking in her room reading the bible by nightlight.
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I tend to lean toward the New American Bible. It’s a much easier translation and is essentially the version we hear at Mass.
 
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tkdnick:
I tend to lean toward the New American Bible. It’s a much easier translation and is essentially the version we hear at Mass.
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So could I buy one of those and go to the same chapter and verse and be in the same place? Maybe I’ll ask for one for my birthday.

Thanks!
 
I mainly use the New American Bible followed by the Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition).

If you are using the King James Version, you are not getting the whole Bible when it comes to the Old Testament.

PF
 
New American and Douay Rheims. One is what we use at Mass today and the other is what we used prior to VII.
 
thanks guys, maybe I’ll just order one when I order my son’s baptism “suit” since I’ll probably get it from catholicsupply.
 
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redtech:
So could I buy one of those and go to the same chapter and verse and be in the same place? Maybe I’ll ask for one for my birthday.

Thanks!
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Not necessarily. There are some differences. I have found some major differences in where chapters are broken up between the NAB and KJV. This is especially true of the Psalms.
 
I agree the KJV bible is hard to read, at least for me it was. I tried reading my fiance’s KJ Bible and like you I couldnt stand it so I went out and bought the NAB and I cant put it down. I have almost read through the NT but I stopped at Rev. and started reading Genesis, I will tackle Rev. later.

It is great that you are reading your Bible 👍

God Bless
 
I like the Jerusalem Bible. I would encourage you to consult a guide of some sort with suggestions about how to read the Bible. It is not a book, it is a series of books of many natures and descriptions and needs to be approached carefully. I have never known anybody who successfully started at Genesis 1 and read straight through. One thing you might consider doing is following the order in which the Church reads the entire Bible every two or three years. There are readings for each day, although since most Catholics don’t go to Mass every day they may be unaware of that.
 
reading the bible from cover to cover is certainly a laudable goal, and everybody ought to do it at least once. If you are just beginning your bible study, and especially as a lenten devotion, may a suggest a more systematic reading plan, such as sticking with the daily lectionary readings. For a first bible study, Our Father’s Plan by Scott Hahn and Jeff Cavins, or Jeff Cavins’ great Bible Adventure, both present an overview of salvation history from Genesis through Acts, “hitting the high spots” as it were. After you complete that exercise, readin the other books of the bible becomes much more meaningful because you realize where they “plug in” to the story.

choose the Catholic Bible that is easiest and most congenial for you to read. For most people that is either the New American Bible or the Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition. there is a sticky here on bible versions, also CA homepage article on the topic and about a gazillion threads on the topic.
 
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OriginalJS:
I like the Jerusalem Bible. I would encourage you to consult a guide of some sort with suggestions about how to read the Bible. It is not a book, it is a series of books of many natures and descriptions and needs to be approached carefully. I have never known anybody who successfully started at Genesis 1 and read straight through. One thing you might consider doing is following the order in which the Church reads the entire Bible every two or three years. There are readings for each day, although since most Catholics don’t go to Mass every day they may be unaware of that.
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You can actually read through nearly the entire Bible in 1 year if you read the daily readings. There are certain sections omitted, but you get like 90% of the Bible in 1 year by reading the daily readings. Simply by going to Mass every Sunday we hear the same amount (roughly 90%) over a period of 3 years.
 
I read the RSV-CE. It isn’t as archaic sounding as the Douay-Rheims, but the language is a bit more proper and poetic-sounding than the New American Bible.

I wouldn’t try to read the whole Bible during Lent. To be quite honest, some of those books are more boring than watching paint dry (seriously- I’m happy for the people who were important enough to have their lineage put in the Bible, but I frankly don’t care about it).

I also wonder how much you could really learn from the bible if you read it all in 6 weks- I mean…theologians take entire courses just on the Gospel of John, and those classes still leave enough out for people to write about things on their own. I can see reading the Bible in one year- that will take enough dedication as it is- but 6 1/2 weeks of Lent (including Holy Week)…no way. There are Lenten reflections on the EWTN website (and elsewhere), as well as various scripture passages that have a Lenten theme. I’d go with those- you’ll probably benefit more from something like that.
 
Why not listen to the bible on CD? I got through the ENTIRE bible on CD in probably 2.5 to 3 months.
 
I recently got the Douay-Rheims and I love it. I also have the RSV-CE and that is more “modern”
Kathy
 
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anonymoususer:
Why not listen to the bible on CD? I got through the ENTIRE bible on CD in probably 2.5 to 3 months.
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Unfortunately, there is no Catholic Edition of the Old Testament on CD only the New Testament.

PF
 
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redtech:
I decided that during Lent, I was going to read the bible since I’ve never been able to get past the first 10 pages.

I broke out my bible and started on Ash Wednesday. I am still in Genesis. 😦 I’m reading a King James Version. Is there a different one out there thats easier to read??? The “thee” and “thou” stuff never bothered me because I like Shakespeare, but the names of some of the people are really difficult. It seems like they all have an apostrophe in them.

Its also hard to get through all that begatting. Does that continue in Exodus???

.
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I know there are much newer versions out there BUT 52 years ago our small town priest told me to get a St. Joseph’s Bible. It has the mark of the impratur Etc. and has served us well for over 50 years.

The begatting you speak of is in all bibles as far as I know. The Old Testament was Jewish (Christianity and its founder had not arrived yet) and like daylight and darkness, it remains to this day.
 
You can also download Microsoft Reader and purchase some bibles in LIT format. Much cheaper than most paper bibles.

Microsoft Reader will read it off the screen for you. I have several bibles in LIT format. I just sit back with a pair of headphones, close my eyes and listen to the bible be read by MS Reader. No strain on the eyes, which allows you to really soak it in.

Just my opinon, I could be wrong.
 
I think that it is great that you are reading the Bible. I also agree with the previous poster that advised that the Bible should be considered a collection of books rather than a single book.I always recommend that my RCIA people start out with one of the Gospels, then the book of Psalms, Then Acts. After that I leave them on their own with the caution that Lev. and other books of the Law be put on the back burner; but should be read down the road.
 
I tried reading the Bible cover to cover once … skipped Numbers altogether and got as far as Isaiah before giving up … wouldn’t recommend the read straight through method.
 
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