(Part 2) Best christian bibles according to redditors
We found 2,255 Reddit comments discussing the best christian bibles. We ranked the 702 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
"Come in and I'll get my Interlinear Bible and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance."
While I love it, it does kind of feel like you’re missing a trick by not making the bible look as unapologetically 90s as the original. Still a really great drawing though!
I believe the resistance was against a dilution or misinterpretation of the meaning once you diverge from latin. You end up with some nonsense like this: http://www.amazon.com/Street-Bible-Rob-Lacey/dp/0007107900
You should realize that much of Christianity is formed based on Grecco-Roman cultural ethics -- its original purpose was a synthesis of Hellenic and Jewish thought, which then evolved its own understandings based on their religious texts, traditions and interpretations. Its theological principles will only make sense if you accept their starting premises and realize certain facets of Jewish sectarian conflict 2000 years ago which gave fodder to later understandings, some of which formed only when those origins were eventually forgotten.
I recommend you pick up a copy of the Jewish Annotated New Testament which does a fantastic job of putting the New Testament writings in its proper historical context.
It won't always help with understanding more recent theological innovations (e.g. Protestant Theology like Sole Fide/Scriptura/etc), but the value is in understanding the original context which most Christians (and Jews) frankly have no idea about, which I often go into in my discussions in /r/AcademicBiblical.
>how is Jesus supposed to have redeemed the world if nothing changed afterwards?
He'll come back again for a final redemption, but the world prior is often understood to have had no redemption at all -- Jesus goes to hell to save the souls of those that had no opportunity to believe in him.
>Do they simply believe He lied to us, or changed his mind?
At best, the law had a limited purpose, and Jesus was the completion of that purpose as foretold in prophecy. At worst, it takes on other overtones relating to human corruption and a second theophany was required to save us from our misunderstanding of the law.
>How do I remain respectful while seemingly attempting to crush their worldview?
Probably start with stop trying to change their minds and stop trying to debate them. Christianity is based on emotions much more than it is logic.
>Also, how do Christians completely disregard the contradictions borne from Judaism?
That's the point of replacement theology -- the new understanding overrides the original perception due to a new revelation.
The Gospel of Judas gets a good deal of action in academic circles devoted to the study of ancient Christianity, as /u/anoldhope mentions. (Take a look around JSTOR or Google Scholar, for instance.) In fact, it gets just as much scholarly attention as any of the many other ancient, non-canonical gospels.
As for GosJudas' lack of "impact" in modern religious practice, that depends on several factors. (N.B.: I am a Christianity scholar, so I will limit my discussion to modern Christianity.)
In Christianity, the focus has historically been placed on the canonical New Testament, and any books outside that canon were treated with scorn and condemnation.
Many modern Christians (specifically those from conservative traditions) maintain the same scorn towards these other Christian texts. Other modern Christians (usually, those who are more progressive) do not actually feel any animosity towards ancient, non-canonical Christian literature, but still neglect it, because of the longstanding focus on the canonical NT. Finally, a somewhat smaller portion of modern Christianity actively embraces non-canonical literature (as exemplified by the New New Testament.)
Further reading:
-On the varieties of ancient Christianity, see Bart Ehrman's books Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures.
-For a conservative Christian reaction to the Gospel of Judas, which typifies the tradition's views on non-canonical gospels in general, see Albert Mohler's blog post, "From Traitor to Hero? Responding to 'The Gospel of Judas.'"
EDIT: Fixed a typo.
I highly recommend The Jesus Storybook Bible.
It's pretty decent on theology and getting the main point.
Source: http://www.amazon.com/The-Holy-Bible-James-Version/product-reviews/0529064634/ref=sr_1_8_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Different commentaries. Little “devotionals” to make the stories more applicable to (insert demographic here)
I had the teen adventure bible or some bullshit, circa 1998.
You know, the battle of Jericho was not about slaughtering a city full of men, women and children.. it’s about “how God works in radical and XTREME ways, when you trust him!”
Edit: it was the extreme teen bible. Comments in the reviews are funny:
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Teen-Bible-NKJV/dp/0785200819#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div
Jesus Storybook Bible
I've posted this before (a few times probably, haha), but this is a good Catholic "starter pack" list that I got from my classes:
Start here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764807188/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/019925995X/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Then go here:
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Christianity-Vol-Church-Reformation/dp/006185588X
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061855898/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=T5D86TV1MTCSQAYZ4GHR
G.K. Chesterton is always a good supplement (Heretics and Orthodoxy):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ALKPW4S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
One of the best apologetic anti-atheist books:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1587314525/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bible Study:
https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Testament-Anchor-Reference-Library/dp/0385247672/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1477868333&sr=1-1&keywords=raymond+brown
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585169420/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0809147807/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(Jewish perspective on NT): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195297709/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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There are and I've read them! Its definitely not so explicitly written but it gets the point across in a similar way and its a pretty entertaining read in itself. You know, for MTV kids like me.
As with the history, a rigorous approach to the Bible threatens some dearly-held doctrinal interpretations and thus is avoided because it's uncomfortable.
I wish the author would have persevered and enhanced the OT curriculum rather than just quitting and leaving somebody less informed to teach the class. There are many wonderful resources available for the Bible, why not bring some into the classroom?
It's not a full commentary, but there is a pair of volumes, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament, and Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament, put out by some BYU ancient scripture professors who actually seem to know stuff about the ancient world. They have their "eyes open" a bit more than the average LDS volume, even confronting hairy issues like the golden calf representing Jehovah, the documentary hypothesis, etc.
In general though, I think Mormons avoid a more robust approach because their theology is not yet robust. The naive acceptance of various prophetic statements on the bible over the centuries---combined with what amounts to belief in prophetic infallibility---has created a minefield that sustained inquiry will inevitably set off. The authors of the books I mentioned seem aware of the trap the church is currently in. They are fairly responsible in trying to introduce difficult topics. But on some of them, there's just no sugar-coating it. Either the modern revelation is wrong, or the best biblical scholarship is wrong, take your pick, is often what it comes down to.
For example, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament, p. 27, has an infobox titled "Flood Stories" which compares the Bible and Epic of Gilgamesh versions of the flood story. At the end they say,
>Scholars noting the similarities between the biblical flood story and those extant in Mesopotamia have suggested two possibilities to explain this phenomenon: (1) both stories derive from a common, ancient source; (2) the Israelites adopted the story from the Mesopotamians. Most scholars accept proposition two as the more likely explanation, suggesting that the Isaraelites became familiar with the story during the Babylonian captivity and inserted it into their scriptures. Because the flood story is also alluded to in the book of Moses, Latter-day Saints tend to accept the first proposition.
Because Mormons are defending unique doctrinal commitments such as that Moses composed the flood story, they end up isolated from good commentaries because the best Christian commentaries out there will take option (2) rather than the less satisfying option (1). My own Study Bible ("NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture") does this.
Taking a more complex approach to Joseph Smith's revelations makes it possible to access a world of great information about the Bible. But right now that's not on the table for the mainstream church, so they will have to continue to rely on their own resources for biblical commentary, which means compared to what's available they will always kinda suck.
That said, they can be so, so much better than what's currently in the manuals.
This?
2,000 more years of feeling the bern!
You have to go with the NRSV. This version is used by most Biblical scholars and is used very often in Mainline Protestant churches. Good all around translation. This might be a good one. That's what I've been using for my work in the academy and church for the last six years.
Edit: I might add that the Jewish Publication Society Bible is great for the Hebrew texts.
>I'm also open to other suggestions if I have possibly missed other options that fit my needs.
The following two books are often recommended:
The Jewish Study Bible
Jewish Annotated New Testament
Both of these are academic in nature. You will find stuff about source criticism and they have scholarly articles about various things in there too. The Jewish Study Bible is also used in the Yale Online Course on the Hebrew Bible by Christine Hayes(you can find the lecture series on YouTube).
This should do the trick.
Found your biology textbook.
This is the standard one that people use.
I would recommend reading the Jewish Annotated New Testament. The commentary directly discusses relevant Jewish literature (that way you don’t really have to hunt down all of the relevant passages yourself). If you also want to start reading early Rabbinic literature, you can read the Mishnah here. Sefaria has a lot of other texts as well.
I recommend the Cultural Background Study Bible and Exploring my Strange Bible podcast and The Bible Project YouTube channel
(1) What does leading your family look like to you? Is it reading the Bible together? You could be absolutely diligent at reading the Bible together and not be leading well. If you aren't setting a consistent godly example, no one will be interested in following your leadership, because it's not working in your own life. I don't know you so that's maybe not the case, but, in my experience, wives who get frustrated by their husband trying to read the Bible with them are generally already upset with his weak character. Are you living leadership or just trying to read with her and call it leadership?
(2) Help your daughter understand the Bible. We separate my 3-year-old from my 4 and 6-year-old for devotions because she is far enough behind them developmentally that she doesn't get much from teaching on their level and they don't get much from teaching on hers. She gets disruptive because she's bored when it's above her level.
Maybe your daughter just isn't ready to have the Bible read to her. Thankfully there are a number of resources that are available to you. The Jesus Story Book Bible, The Biggest Story, The Big Picture Story Bible, The Gospel Story Bible, my personal favorite is The Big Picture Interactive 52-Week Bible Story Devotional. If you're teaching on her level she will be a lot more engaged.
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-King-James-Version/dp/0310941784
It's typical "thousands of textual differences" stuff. It quotes Ehrman. Thing is it references ALL, or nearly all, the biggest legitimate discrepancies.
You know, the ones any modern bible will bracket off and tell the reader "not in earliest manuscripts". At least it mentions the woman caught in adultery is dubious just like the longer ending of Mark.
The article also dishonestly implies that other textual differences, a placement of a reflexive pronoun, or a change or past perfect verb to past imperfect (minor changes as most of them are) are similarly massive by saying something like "there are thousands of discrepancies like these". Putting a minor word order change next to the 2nd ending of Mark and saying "These are the same thing: massive errors!" is disingenuous.
The media just doesn't "get religion".
Never mind the fact that the way we tell what the original texts may have sad by comparing disparate strands. If strands hundreds of years apart in totally different locations say the same thing, it is UNLIKELY the bible changed so totally as to be totally incomprehensible from the originals--as is often claimed.
---
Are there variants? Yes. Are they sometimes serious, yes (see the brackets in your bible). Is it impossible to tell what the Bible writers most likely wrote down? No. The Bible is the most textual analyzed collection of books the world.
Ehrman is good where he's good: I have his NT book. Read that. I don't bother with his sensationalized popular stuff. Other places he just rides his hobby horse into the noonday sun and puts on what's nothing more than a pony show.
If you want to know more about textual criticism, I suggest looking at the textual commentaries that /u/Turretopera recommends in a recent post he made on this forum.
More simply, I've found the "New Interpreter's Study Bible" to be good for some textual/ background discussions as well--even if, as /u/turretopera has told me, it's not quite as thorough as a straight textual commentary.
Look at those I mentioned above, because I'm pretty sure Bruce Metzger is rolling in his grave with this understanding of textual transmission the author of Newsweek puts forward.
The beginning was just normal "stupid fundie cafeteria Christian" tropes. I could have written that in my sleep. The hypocrisy of American Christians is self evident. Tell us something INTERESTING about the Bible!
TL;DR : Just another article assuming Christians are the staunchest sort of biblical literalness, devoid of journalistic integrity or of anything interesting to say about the bible.
It seems a segment of those at Newsweek are surprised to know there are faithful Christians knowledgeable on some biblical criticism, literary interpretations, who recognize different parts of the bible have different purposes (and degrees of historical reliability) and still find Jesus the Christ in a very real, even supernatural, sense. Crazy, right? Some of them are even--gasp--biblical scholars.
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-James-Version-Burgundy/dp/0718015592
Here is the desktop version of OP's link
https://www.amazon.com/Interlinear-Bible-Hebrew-Greek-English-English-Hebrew/dp/1565639774
This looks like a decent one. As with everything occult, the best version for you is the one that resonates with you the best. Even with all of its technical flaws I use the king James version.
The Vulgate that a priest or theologian would have read in 1962 is called the Sixto-Clementine Vulgate, which is the standard edition of the Vulgate that was produced to carry out a decree of the Council of Trent. The standard scholarly edition of the Vulgate today is the Weber-Gryson edition, sometimes called the Stuttgart Vulgate. They are edited on somewhat different principles.
St Jerome, to whom we attribute the Vulgate just because there is more of his work in it than anyone else's, sometimes quotes a biblical verse in his writings, giving a rendering that is different from what has come down to us in the Vulgate. Sometimes this rendering is better than what is in the Vulgate. The editors of the Sixto-Clementine Vulgate chose to incorporate these into the text. But Weber and Gryson were aiming to establish the text of the Vulgate itself as it has come down to us in the manuscript tradition—not necessarily the text that came from Jerome's hand, let alone an ideal translation that Jerome would have produced if he had gone over the Bible again and incorporated all his second thoughts. So the Stuttgart Vulgate prints these manuscript readings that seem worse, and reports in the notes at the bottom of the page what the Sixto-Clementine Vulgate says instead.
After the Second Vatican Council, a revised edition of the Vulgate was produced for official use. This is called the Nova Vulgata, the "New Vulgate" or sometimes "Neo-Vulgate." This edition is somewhat more satisfactory from a modern text-critical standpoint, and it will generally be easier to read for someone who has learned Latin from a textbook. It is available from Libreria Editrice Vaticana for sixty euros. The ISBN is 978-88-209-2163-8. They will write back to you about the shipping cost and where to wire the payment.
Also, I assume most people would prefer a one-volume Bible, but Harvard University Press has published a six-volume edition of the Vulgate with the Douay-Rheims-Challoner translation on the facing page in the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, listed at $35.00 per volume. The editors of this edition aim to reconstruct the Latin text of the Bible that the Douay-Rheims translators had in front of them.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible is the first full English translation of the Hebrew Canon fragments found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The work comprises the biblical manuscripts, plus many new Psalms, Apocryphal books, and previously unknown readings of Deuteronomy and Isaiah. The translation of each book is preceded by an introduction that describes the text's importance, their distinctive interpretations of the text, and suggestions of how historical and political events may have shaped these interpretations.
This isn't a complete text as such, but 'portions' of most books that make up the Hebrew Scriptures. Now, while you appear to be looking for a DSS English translation that cross references 'portions' to Canonical books/verses, The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible provides English translations of those 'portions' and footnotes the parts of the DSS scrolls in which they are found. So in effect, you get the desired cross references in reverse form.
Here is the link to Amazon's listing of The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible.
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Sea-Scrolls-Bible-Translated/dp/0060600640/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501966252&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=abet%2C+the+Dead+Sea+scrolls+bible
There is a collection out there called The Other Bible that has texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as other stuff that was deliberately excluded from the Bible during the Nicean council.
Once you read it, you kind of understand why. In modern English, stripped of all the usual picking aparts that exist in modern annotated Bibles, a lot of it reads like fanfiction.
That depends on what you are academically studying.
If you are studying the text, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) holds close to the original Greek New Testament.
The standard English translation used for academic study is the NRSV, in particular, the Oxford Annotated Bible and Harper Collins is widely used in major universities. It has the great advantage of being ecumenical, translated by people with a wide variety of theological viewpoints, rather than sectarian translations like the New World or NIV Bibles; and of being modern and thus based on a pretty up-to-date set of manuscript traditions, where the KJV (for example) suffers simply because the translators had less to go on.
Also, check out:
The Jewish Study Bible
Jewish Annotated New Testament
I would recommend, however, that if you want to academically study the Bible, you need a Greek New Testament and a Hebrew Old Testament, a Greek Lexicon and Grammar, a Hebrew Lexicon and Grammar, and several years of study.
subreddit posts on Bible versions/ translations:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/b0d0ac/probably_ask_before_but_what_is_the_best_version/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/3vtige/which_translation_should_i_read_for_cultural_and/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/8ovjr7/which_translations_of_the_bible_are_considered_to/
List of essential commentaries for each book of the Hebrew Bible:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/9p7ois/what_are_some_of_the_more_academic_bible/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/8myk8y/the_most_essential_commentary_for_each_book_of/
approachable resources for lay people on biblical scholarship and reading Recommendations for newbies:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/d21gz4/is_there_an_academic_bible_equivalent_of_the_book/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/c1c4ll/reading_recommendations_for_newbies_to_gospel/
You can get the ESV with the apocrypha.
> I've never seen a printed version with it.
Weird. Here's one, if you are interested. Many large libraries will have a first edition KJV on display - it's pretty neat to take a look at if you have the time.
Read it because it's a good read. Don't see it as a holy book, but just a regular novel. Few authors can add mystery, horror, suspense, romance (Songs of Songs is like the bible's guide to oral sex) together and make it good.
If you just want the bits that calls out hypocrisy, proceed directly to the Sermon on the Mount and Plains, where twice the sermon can be Tl;Dr'd into "Hey, be nice to one another, don't be an asshole."
P.S.
KJV is the best version, but there's a modernized version of the KJV if old ond is too hard to work through. Also, to help see it just like a regular book, there's an Oxford World Classics edition of the KJV, which includes the Apocrypha.
It's called the New Interpreter's Study Bible. It's a multi-denominational, highly annotated copy of the bible, full of commentary and historical references. The books it contains are translated into English from various original texts, with oodles of footnotes about the translations and minor variations seen in various transcriptions. It contains all of the aprocrypha and lists which books are "accepted" in the various churches throughout the world. (ie, which books are "apocrypha" to whom)
Frankly, it's an awesome scholarly achievement. Reading Genesis in that bible is an eye-opening experience. I like to think of it as the unabridged version of The God Delusion.
NIV is fairly easy to read, if that's what you're after. I recommend NRSV if you like lovely language. More importantly, though, I recommend getting a study bible. There's commentary "below the line" that provide context, alternate translations, and other important info that help clarify and explain difficult passages/verses/words. Also note that Protestant Bibles have fewer books than the Catholic and Orthodox bibles (and a couple others). If you get either a Catholic bible or a Protestant one with the apocrypha, you'll get those extra books.
I'm currently doing a bible study using this one which you can get delivered for $12 and it's by far my favorite. Even if you don't read it, it's hefty enough you could kill a puma with it, so you could justify it as a self-defense expenditure.
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-James-Version-Burgundy/dp/0718015592
So as some have noted, because it is your dad's side and not your mom's you aren't halachically (by Jewish law) Jewish, but you certainly of course have Jewish ancestry and that is a big discovery! Just an FYI, you should let the rabbi know if you go to a synagogue so they don't ask you to do stuff reserved for people who are halachically Jewish, but that should not mean you are unwelcome or anything at them. If they make you feel unwelcome, they're wrong, not you. As others have mentioned, to get back into the Jewish community would require a conversion, but I can personally testify that while its hard, its very possible, very rewarding, and thank G-d the Dallas community is very welcoming.
There is a wealth of information out there, and so many books. I'd definitely recommend looking up books by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin like his Jewish Literacy and Biblical Literacy. There's also a couple popular ones by Rabbi Hayim H. Donin, To Be a Jew and To Pray as a Jew. I also recommend to everyone to get a good Tanakh (Jewish Bible) and Chumash (The first five books of the Bible with commentaries). I like the Koren Jerusalem Tanakh and the JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh personally, and the Stone Edition Chumash. Is there any area in particular you want to read more about.
Since you're in DFW too, feel free to message me if you want suggestions, and I can definitely get you the info for that shabbos meal at Chabad at the end of the month. They also have one every week, both dinner and lunch, and I know people in several neighborhoods who could have you by them.
I second everything everyone else is saying. Another thing I would add is, especially since you're a Catholic, to get a copy of the Latin Vulgate. There are a lot of paper copies and your priests can easily tell you where to get one. Just so you know, this version on Amazon (which is basically the only listing for 'Vulgate' on the site) is a copy of the Stuttgart version, which is an academic rather than devotional version and will read different than what they read in Mass.
I recommend you get a good copy because you'll be killing multiple birds with one stone. Use these other tools like Lingua Latina to start to get the basic grammar and vocabulary. Then you can use the Vulgate to see how the grammar is used in a sentence. I'm doing the same thing right now and it's helping a lot. Beyond that, you'll get used to the language of the Vulgate, which will then help you when you're in Mass.
i'm down, only if its the "Street Bible"
Jesus is my nigga
Oh man, I hope you're in for a mind-fuck.
The Apocrypha are a collection of books that didn't make it into the official Bible. Essentially, they were books and gospels that were left out for social, political, or dubious-authorship issues when the Bible was "finalized" (a long process) in like 300 CE or something.
Joseph Smith owned and was familiar with the Apocrypha. Some BoM names are found in the Apocrypha, and there are some story parallels. There are also "idea" parallels, for example in the Books of Enoch.
If this is your first time hearing about this, I cannot recommend Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament, by Bart Erhman, enough. Erhman is a biblical scholar that has written a number of books that have a good layman's introduction into what biblical scholars have known about the Bible for almost 200 years.
For example, did you know that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were almost certainly not written by the claimed authors? Similarly, the Pentateuch was not written by Moses, and the Book of Isaiah was probably written by 3 groups of people over literally hundreds of years.
NRSV?
ESV too, but they have to append the apocrypha to get around copyright: https://www.amazon.ca/English-Standard-Version-Bible-Apocrypha/dp/0195289102
I'm actually a little annoyed that the ESV won't translate the apocrypha because while it's not scripture historical protestants have affirmed that it is exceedingly beneficial to read them. probably more beneficial than the daily devotional books that are so popular since it sets the stage for the gospel stories with Christ in them (like where did the feast of dedication happen in John? oh right that's in that not scripture maccabees thing that very few protestants know about)
In my opinion, single volume commentaries are always going to be frustratingly brief. I usually advise people to study one biblical book and buy one or two good commentaries on that book. Buying a whole series is more expensive and will put books on your shelf you may not use for a while (like that Obadiah commentary....)
Sometimes you are better off with a serious Study Bible, and there are plenty of those. I often recommend the ESV Study Bible, which is mostly conservative. There are many essays in the appendices which are with the price of the book. If you are interested in background material, try the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. Also on the conservative side of the spectrum, but it has good notes from John Walton and Craig Keener.
If you insist on a one voume commentary, the venerable Jerome Bible Commentary edited by Raymond Brown (and others) is very good, with a Catholic perspective. It is one of the larger one volume commentaries and can be found used inexpensively.
Hopefully someone else can add their voice to the conversation.
A commitment
A plan
An age-appropriate Bible
Maybe something catechetical like Songs for Saplings
Start and go. There are curricula all over the web. Most denoms have an education resource ministry. Check with them. Just beware of spending so long looking for the perfect resource that you don't actually get to the family worship. With a bible, some songs, an ability to think a little ahead about what you want to share, and an opportunity to pray, you're better of than nearly everyone who has to do it from the book. It will be more natural, centered to your family, and adaptive to the changing needs and circumstances of your own lives. For some a book can be helpful. For most, just get in there and do it.
None of the below links are affilliate.
If you're getting into more network layer stuff, you'll want a cable toner, RJ-45 Ends, Cat 5 or 6 Cable, RJ-45 Crimper as well.
I would start in Mark its a quick read and covers the minsitry of Jesus well.
I would get a good study Bible like
Oh man! There must be multiple different ones. I actually had this one as a kid/teen. So edgy.
Extreme Teen Bible
these look nice:
https://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Study-Bible-Second/dp/0199978468/
https://www.amazon.com/Hebrew-English-Tanakh-Jewish-Publication-Society/dp/0827606974/
(supply your own NT)
Not with the cursing, but Robert Lacey wrote a couple books that might be similar to what you're looking for. I'll update with links in a minute.
Edit:
The Street Bible
The Word On The Street
I have The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation which covers (nearly) all the scrolls that aren't part of the Bible, and The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, which translates the DSS versions of books that are found in the Bible. They have some useful commentary as well.
I think you would be able to find both in most large bookstores.
This can keep you busy.
https://www.amazon.com/Other-Bible-Willis-Barnstone/dp/0060815981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501553677&sr=8-1&keywords=the+other+bible
I bought this 4 months ago and I highly recommend it.
maybe this book?
The Deuterocanon are available in the ESV, actually. Source
as flawed as it is, the most accessible translation out there of the Hebrew Bible is the JPS: this one is the newest.
for a fascinating, sometimes awkward, but totally totally literal translation of the Torah (only the first give), check out Everett Fox's translation
lastly, got to put a plug in for a Jewish translation of the NT recently published called The Jewish Annotated New Testament - it may help clarify Jewish readings of Christian scripture and vice versa.
Yes, very much this. I bought the Jewish Study Bible a little while ago, and I can't recommend it enough. The translation is excellent, and the annotations, maps, and essays are out of this world. It's my go-to reference for anything Old Testament. (I've also been eyeing the Jewish Annotated New Testament, which is by the same editor.)
One thing to keep in mind is that all of these bibles, as well as the NOAB, are rather large from the extensive annotation and commentary. They're not something you could comfortably read on your lap or pack around to church. If that's your use case, you might think about getting a smaller NRSV without the annotations.
You might try
Technically these deal with mythology, but they're sufficiently enlightening on the meaning of myth symbolic myth content to serve you for literature.
One other thing worth reading: the Bible. Particularly a literary Bible like this or this.
Much of the symbolism in literature hearkens back to religion or mythology (which is just old religion). So it's never a bad idea to study the most read religions in their own right. Snake, Apple, Water, Flood, Rain, Fire, Smoke. These are all fairly omnipresent symbols with a wealth of genesis in books like the Bible.
Stay away from Scofield! Super biased, dispensational. Consider this one. Your third choice is a good one too. As is the Lutheran Study Bible, which is your third choice with additional Lutheran notes on church history and grace and sacraments. I'd also recommend the Orthodox Study Bible and the Ignatius Study Bible (Orthodox and Catholic); you'd get a good, well rounded perspective if you cross-used a few of these.
Everyone has their doubts from time to time. The book of Ecclesiastes, for instance, focuses exclusively on an existential crisis. The author determined that life was meaningless as everything would eventually pass away. If death is inevitable, what then is the point of living?
I'm in no means an expert in apologetics, but I do reccomend that you perhaps study the culturalal contect of the Scriptures. The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible may be of great help. Of course, there are other teachers online who should be just as capable of answering any questions that you may have.
Lastly, when I ever get discouraged, I usually listen to calming music. Two songs that I like in particular are from Tenth Avenue North. They are Beloved, which speaks of Christ's love for the church, and Hold My Heart, which conveys more of what you are experiencing right now.
Whatever you decide, peace be with you.
This seems silly but read a kids bible jesus story book bible I would recommend. I even read it as someone who's been a christian for awhile and it helps me understand the big picture of why God has made things a certain way. :D
The Jesus Storybook Bible http://www.amazon.com/The-Jesus-Storybook-Bible-Whispers/dp/0310708257
I'd like to recommend one of my favourite books. It's a bit old, but I think it's a classic, and its influence on hip hop, and the world beyond is unprecedented. It can be controversial at times, and a bit challenging, but it's undeniably rewarding.
It's a bit long, coming in at over 1,000 pages, but patience is a virtue. It's more of a collection of shorter stories though, so it's quite easy to read in bits and pieces. It ranges from the bizarre, to inspiring, to heart warming, to vicious.
One of my favourites is this story of a child making fun of a bald guy, and so he calls these bears out of the woods to maul them. There's another story that's simply turnt as fuck, where this guy gets drunk as fuck off some high quality vino and passes out naked outside his tent. Then his sons come and cover him up, and drag him in his tent. When he wakes up, hungover as shit, he gets super pissed off at his grandson and says he never wants to see him again. It kind of reminded me of my relationship with my dad, and that's a pretty big theme throughout hip hop.
I'm getting ahead of my self. I suppose one of the greatest benefits of the book is that these stories possess some true wisdom that can be applied to almost any situation in your life. Unlike American Psycho, that only is relatable to psychopaths and voyeurs of Wall Street consumerist driven narcissists, the book I'm recommending is kind of a bit like pop music, in that any one on earth can read it, and take something from it.
Some may say that it's a bit controversial in its nature, and heck, some of the stories even seem a bit far fetch'd, but if you're willing to suspend some disbelief, it can be a gratifying read. It's like they say, "You only get out as much as you put in," and that's particularly true of my recommendation. But, it's kind of a phenomenal read. You can either learn something quite small, and seemingly irrelevant, or you could literally apply every little bit of it to your entire life.
Anyway, it just seems like people here weren't really giving reasons as to why they were recommending the books they did, so I wanted to try and sell it a little bit. I just think it's a really good book.
I'm pretty sure you can get is an e-book, but if not, you can pick it up from Amazon here.
Similar idea, not taken out of context, these are real satire.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Holy-Bible-James-Version/product-reviews/0529064634
Here you go!
This book
Thank you for that link! Having read about The Good Book, I'm gonna buy it now.
The actual source: Link
Yeah, it’s very real. Griffin having grown up in church & gone to church camps knew it was a real thing. That was the joke. It’s just a NKJ Bible with little devotions & stories that relate to teens. I remember seeing them in church as a teen myself.
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Teen-Bible-NKJV/dp/0785200819
The Extreme Teen Bible actually exists IRL. I had one as a kid.
https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Teen-Bible-NKJV/dp/0785200819/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=extreme+teen+bible&qid=1567853572&s=gateway&sprefix=extreme+tee&sr=8-2
I use the New Oxford Annotated Bible w/ Apocrypha, and the JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh. I use the Bible because I enjoy the annotations/ footnotes (and it includes the deuterocanon.) The Tanakh I have primarily because I'm learning biblical Hebrew but also because I like to have biblical sources in the original languages whenever possible.
Bible | Tanakh
To what level are you familiar with Greek and Hebrew? What are you wanting to use it for? I have this one: The Interlinear Bible: Hebrew-Greek-English (English, Hebrew and Greek Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565639774/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PAVrxbKDVD7PB
And it's not too bad, though I don't use it a lot because of its size. I have an older Greek interlinear NT from 1950 that doesn't have the most up to date text, but is easier to carry around that I use more. But mostly I use online tools to help with translation and preaching. I'll use blue letter bible online or biblewebapp.com/reader to get the root/stem and go to a lexicon or a commentary that I trust to get a good meaning for it.
It really depends on what you want to use it for and what your end goal is on what's the best tool for you, but that interlinear I linked to isn't bad.
> but I don't see anything wrong with thinking there's some creator who commands "you should try and empathize with your fellow men for fuck's sake".
darn. Is there is a 'street' version of the bible? Because you just made it sound awesome if there is.
 
Edit: Yes there is
Passage:
First off, nothing. No light, no time, no substance, no matter.
Second off, God starts it all up and WHAP! Stuff everywhere! The cosmos in chaos: no shape, no form, no function—just darkness ... total. And floating above it all, God’s Holy Spirit, ready to play.
Day one: Then God’s voice booms out, ‘Lights!’ and, from nowhere, light floods the skies and ‘night’ is swept off the scene.
There is a version. It's called the Street Bible.
> First off, nothing. No light, no time, no substance, no matter.\
Second off, God starts it all off and WHAP! Stuff everywhere!\
Genesis 1:1
EDIT: Lolcat Bible. Kind of relevant.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are not completely different. The differences are very minor. You can pick this book up Dead Sea Scrolls Bible. Its a great translation and notes EVERY subtle difference word for word.
The HarperCollins Study Bible is my go to but the footnotes might be a bit excessive for what you want. You could also try the New Interpreter's Study Bible
This is a popular version for academic use: http://www.amazon.com/HarperCollins-Study-Bible-Apocryphal-Deuterocanonical/dp/0060655801
The HarperCollins Study Bible, while not an atheist study bible strictly, is a seriously academic approach to biblical commentary. It's about as seriously scholarly as a mass-produced Bible can get. As one Amazon reviewer points out, its annotative approach is often historical before theological, a feature I think is useful to anyone trying to tackle the apparent inconsistencies between fact and text. Also, the NRSV is a solid translation.
I have the first edition, linked above. The second edition may well be a better choice.
I started with this but as I started to read more, I found better articles to put up.
> and the period prior to the failed Jewish revolt to gain political and religious independence from Rome that lasted from A.D. 66 to 70
>Qumran, the guides say, was home to a community of Jewish ascetics called the Essenes, who devoted their lives to writing and preserving sacred texts. They were hard at work by the time Jesus began preaching; ultimately they stored the scrolls in 11 caves before Romans destroyed their settlement in A.D. 68
Map
I'm honestly interested in the Greek writings myself, apparently the area prior to the Maccabees revolt was under a Greek king.
~ 150 BC Macabean Revolt as a possible cause to the Qumran community leaving to protect their work from the new Priest Class (religious oligarch imo). I found this interesting book, 1 Macabees, some sort of written record talking about the historical context of the kingship that came down over the Jewish sect. Qumran timeline
I should say there is a lot of conjecture over these claims, even in this article it goes back and forth...
Hmm... seems the Jewish Temple was destroyed in ~ 70 AD by Romans. It could very well be that Jewish sects hid these scrolls from Roman onslaught.
I've heard that the greatest influences on Western culture are Judeo, Roman, and Greek ideas around this time in history. Specifically Egypt was not mentioned. I have a quote by an author Jorge Luis Borges who worked on compiling the Dead Sea Scrolls, he put in his foreward to his book, The Other Bible which include commentary work on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I wonder if he is alluding to the burning of the Library of Alexandria?
> Had Alexandria triumphed and not Rome, the extravagant and muddled stories that I have summarized here would be coherent, majestic, and perfectly ordinary.
It seems to fit in line with the narrative that these texts were hidden from Roman occupation?
> John the Baptizer, Jesus’ teacher, probably learned from the Qumran Essenes—though he was no Essene,” says James Charlesworth, a scrolls scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary. Charlesworth adds that the scrolls “disclose the context of Jesus’ life and message.” Moreover, the beliefs and practices of the Qumran Essenes as described in the scrolls—vows of poverty, baptismal rituals and communal meals—mirror those of early Christians. As such, some see Qumran as the first Christian monastery, the cradle of an emerging faith.
On Golb
> If that’s the case, then Qumran was likely a secular—not a spiritual—site, and the scrolls reflect not just the views of a single dissident group of proto-Christians, but a wider tapestry of Jewish thought
Schiffman
> The notion that the scrolls are “a balanced collection of general Jewish texts” must be rejected, he writes in Biblical Archaeologist. “There is now too much evidence that the community that collected those scrolls emerged out of sectarian conflict and that [this] conflict sustained it throughout its existence.” Ultimately, however, the question of who wrote the scrolls is more likely to be resolved by archaeologists scrutinizing Qumran’s every physical remnant than by scholars poring over the texts.
Michael Hunt - agapebiblestudy
> However, the intellectual influence of Pythagoras in the fields of mathematics, music, and mysticism was strong throughout the classical age. He founded a philosophical community known as "the Pythagorean Order" which became the prototype of many such institutions (11). It was as much an intellectual and religious community as it was a center of scientific study. Some of the "community rules" resembled not only Christian monastic communities founded in the Middle Ages but the mysterious 1st century BC-AD religious community at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered: the members own property in common, lived under community rules which were both ascetic and ceremonial, and observed a rule of silence within the community.
I'm totally in disagreeance with Michael's summary [not quoted here], but the insight was worth noting; I've come to a similar conclusion. A secretive cult like society that preserves knowledge in some way. Here comes an invading army that want to enslave and steal all your good stuff and possibly burn everything... what is the obvious course of action? Hide it in the hills.
> the Chumash for me...Basically, I want an unbiased but very educational scripture that provides scholarly sources.
ArtScroll is great but, the language is, well, ArtScroll another modern Chumash is the Steinsaltz one from Koren but ArtScroll is sort of the standard in most O schuls that I know of.
As I go forward I find myself much less concerned about who's the translator I care more and more about the commentary.
The ArtScroll edition summarizes commentary and picks and chooses, so with that in mind you might also ponder getting a Chumash from one person, like one from Rav Soloveitchik or Rav Hirsch or get a collection of commentaries in the form of a Mikraot Gedolot I recently got Torat Chaim it has with commentaries by Rabbi Saadia Gaon, Rabbeinu Chananel, Rashi, Rashbam, Ramban, Rabbi Avraham ibn Ezra,Chizkuni and Seforno, and published by Mossad HaRav Kook.
>and Robert Alter’s new translation for my Christian parents (to take them away from biases Christian translations that try so hard to add a prophecy of the birth of a white man god name Jesus.)
Actually, a far more effective book might be The Jewish Annotated New Testamant although I would caution against wasting time on something that may never change.
If you are interested enough to delve into this topic, and other ephemera of early Christianity, Ehrman's Lost Scriptures and Lost Christianities are good sources that cover a wide range of topics, but especially focusing on early Christian Gnosticism.
If you're interested in a hardcopy version, Bart Ehrman's collected a number of early texts in very readable translations in Lost Scriptures. Be aware that this stuff runs the gamut from very respectable to basically being Jesus fanfic, but a lot of it is interesting to read anyway.
> I haven't had much luck, except Elaine Pagels,
If you have read her, surely you've read Bart Ehrman. He's technically an atheist, but his "attacks" are really against the mainstream church. He does a nice job of expanding on the gnostics and heretical sects that the mainstream tried to kill. If you haven't read him before and you're only interested in gnsotics, then you can start here: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Scriptures-Books-that-Testament/dp/0195182502
You'll probably also enjoy Walter Veith, so start here with him: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95B1BB23B7A3C795
You can actually get the ESV with the full Deuterocanon here.
I believe the ESV with Apocrypha (Deuterocanon) already exists: https://www.amazon.com/English-Standard-Version-Bible-Apocrypha/dp/0195289102/
IMHO the ESV is better than many Protestant translations (e.g. the terrible NRSV) but I still prefer the RSV and NKJV personally.
I have read it back to back three times. KJV, ESV, NRSV. I want to read it again when/if I get my hands on this
And I will read entire chapters when people link me a verse or three.
I've heard good things about the Jewish Annotated New Testament if you're interested in Bible commentary from a Jewish perspective (or the Jewish Study Bible for the Tanakh/OT).
Additionally, Brad Young has written a number of more popular press style books. He's an evangelical professor who earned his Ph.D. at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, mentored by Jewish scholars, so he writes as a Christian with a thorough knowledge of Judaism. A good starting point would be Jesus the Jewish Theologian.
It was always there from 1611 until about 1800, yes.
Now both options are readily available, in print or online.
With. And online.
(Probably) Without. And online. (I have no idea why BibleGateway doesn't have the KJV Apocrypha; it's annoying.)
This one served me well when I, too, decided to read the whole thing front to back. It's a huge paperback KJV version (which I insisted on for its more literary quality), but it's got everything you need including the apocryphal books. You can read a list of all the books included in any 'authorized King James version' here. There are even some handy appendices that give context to the verses in the back of the book that I've referred to occasionally.
In addition to what others have said, use many different translations and study bibles.
Personally, I find the ESV, NIV, and NLT to be a great mix. ESV offers the closest "word for word" translation, NLT offers the best "thought for thought" translation without straying to far from the original words, and the NIV is a great middle ground between the two. Occasionally I use the NASB as well which a professor recommends as another "word for word" translation.
As for study bibles, I own many but the three I use most often are The Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, The Reformation Study Bible, and the NIV Study Bible. I have also found Audible audiobooks to be a great service. The NIV Listener's Bible is excellently performed and well paced. I was able to listen to the whole bible in a little over a month using this audio version!
Prayer will help you properly interpret scripture. Often I find picking a particular book to spend lots of time with can be very helpful. I usually recommend starting with Luke, John, or one of Paul's Letters. Go through the book with a fine tooth comb, paying close attention to the cross references and footnotes. The bible is beautifully interconnected and studying one book closely will help you learn other scriptures as well!
> Thank you for saying that. You seem sincere, and I misinterpreted some things you said as well. When you said "You have much to learn", that came across as arrogance to me. Like "Buckle up, Junior, let me take you to school." Clearly, I misread that and I apologize, for the misunderstanding and the harsh words.
I can see how it came across that way, but yeah, I assure you that is very far from my intention. Trust me, I'm a fellow learner with you.
> It's going to take some time and effort to wade through this. Christianity really did a number on me. If you've never experienced it before, losing your religion is a gut-wrenching, world-shattering process. And I really do have this tremendous fear that I'll pour my heart out into this project only to have Christians tell me that I was "never a real Christian" or I just "didn't get the heart of the message" like they have so many times before. So I'm harboring a little hostility, I'm sure, but I do want to learn the truth about the Bible to the best of my ability. Thanks for understanding.
Aside from being a great INXS song, I've never lost my religion, because I didn't grow up with one. I imagine it's something like the reverse of what I felt when coming to trust in Christ? If so, yeah, it sounds harsh and unpleasant. Like losing a friend I guess, yeah?
I see from your other posts that you live in the "Bible belt", and if I'm totally honest, I don't know if I'd be a Christian if I grew up there. I'm very fortunate to live in a place where churches are filled with people who are a lot more level headed, love and incorporate science into faith, and aren't scared of living for Christ in a place where that isn't the norm. For me, evolution is a fact, as is an old Earth. I would reject any faith that told me to choose between it and science.
Anyways, I'm glad we could sort this out.
As an actual practical suggestion, I respect both authors to the NIV Cultural Background Study Bible: https://www.amazon.com/NIV-Cultural-Backgrounds-Study-Bible/dp/0310431581
They both do some seriously good work in investigating the ancient world. One thing I've recently realised is that while it's obvious we need linguistic translation to read the Bible, we don't realise we also need cultural translation. I understand from this thread that you've already purchased a Bible? If you're willing, we could work out a way for me to shout you this book and get it delivered to somewhere near where you live. I think you'd find it helpful in your journey.
Context is what you are missing out on. Life is vastly different today than it was in biblical times.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310431581?aaxitk=Sg0pijqQ8SEasKqkZsS.4g
I don't think you're overthinking, I think you're doing awesome. I think even as a religious person who actively studies her faith, I will sometimes struggle with the theological questions my kids throw at me. Sometimes they are deep! I think honesty is one of the most important things in the world and I think it is good say "I don't know" when you really don't know- but I usually follow with an "I'll find out" or I try to lead them to where they can (so in this case it seems like Grandma.)
Now as a Catholic, I don't teach my kids to believe God is a magical genie who grants my wishes. That is definitely not true (I don't know any religion that teaches that) and I think can be very confusing and ultimately heartbreaking for a child because when they realize God doesn't always grant you your wishes then it's because they did something bad or because maybe God doesn't love them or because then he must not exist. If you are not wishing to challenge her belief in God, I wouldn't tell her you don't believe in Jesus or that you give her things and not God because that's confusing- basically I wouldn't deny God's love for her or his existence. She's your daughter and she wants to know you and what you believe. So it's not something that you're against but more so neutral on- that's what I would communicate to her. So when she says these things, I would just tell her "That's not something I don't know too much about." Or "I don't know about that." She will get the picture you don't have certainty one way or another on the subject so she can choose to believe what grandma taught her but she also can choose your ambivalence toward the subject as well.
I do agree with other posters that buying her books would be positive. If it's a connection you want to foster between her and your parents then maybe let your parents spearhead that. There's one little Bible I like that I think is kid level but pretty deep at the same time that a good friend of mine likes- she is very Agnostic while her husband is a light Catholic but follows her lead on the kids. It's called the Jesus Storybook Bible. Look it up and see if it suits you. Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-King-James-Version/dp/0310941784/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1467554906&sr=1-1&keywords=king+james+bible
That's a great fact. Way to keep your wife on her toes.
You should add the bible to your cart. I'm slowly going to build a campaign so Amazon says they're frequently bought together.
Theory: The Earth is 6,000 years old and humans lived with dinosaurs
Evidence
Your move, atheist.
That's the commentary selection - I'm talking about this: https://www.amazon.com/New-Interpreters-Study-Bible-Apocrypha/dp/0687278325/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1467457724&sr=1-1&keywords=new+interpreter%27s+study+bible
If you make a $14.98 donation to Amazon you get a free copy of the Bible.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Holy-Bible-Version-Burgundy/dp/0718015592
My bible would be The Secular Bible
Havn't read it so i'm going on one hell of a gamble here; but surely it couldn't be any worse than the Holy Bible?
Partially fixed;
It is the New Testament edited by Thomas Jefferson, and has the nickname of The Jefferson Bible. Most of the superstitious nonsense has been thrown away, leaving under 50 pages of mostly aphorisms and maxims or just thoughts.
Or, in secular circles this one looks interesting;
A sample of his thinking:
Description of the book from the Amazon UK link;
> Drawing on the wisdom of 2,500 years of contemplative non-religious writing on all that it means to be human - from the origins of the universe to small matters of courtesy and kindness in everyday life - A.C. Grayling, Britain's most popular and widely read philosopher, has created a secular bible. Designed to be read as narrative and also to be dipped into for inspiration, encouragement and consolation, "The Good Book" offers a thoughtful, non-religious alternative to the many people who do not follow one of the world's great religions. Instead, going back to traditions older than Christianity, and far richer and more various, including the non-theistic philosophical and literary schools of the great civilisations of both West and East, from the Greek philosophy of classical antiquity and its contemporaneous Confucian, Mencian and Mohist schools in China, down through classical Rome, the flourishing of Indian and Arab worlds, the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, the worldwide scientific discoveries of the 19th and 20th centuries to the present, Grayling collects, edits, rearranges and organises the collective secular wisdom of the world in one highly readable volume. Contents of this title include: "Genesis"; "Proverbs"; "Histories"; "Songs"; "Wisdom Acts"; "The Lawgiver Lamentations"; "Concord Consolations"; "Sages"; and, "The Good Parables".
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0747599602
I feel like no one remembers it was an actual thing that was super popular in the 90s. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785200819/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KlJ3Bb8HP35V4
I use the JPS one.
>Should I learn Greek and Hebrew to understand the Bible without the influence of these translations, just like how Muslims are encouraged to learn Arabic so that they can understand the Quran for themselves?
I mean, it will help but it's not exactly necessary, even in pre-internet days. My parents have a special Bible that has the words of the original text and then has their individual word written below it. The sentences are choppy and not like your typical Bible translation is, but it helps in situations like this where you want to know the true translation behind a word and not rely on someone's interpretation. The book they have is called The Interlinear Bible https://www.amazon.com/Interlinear-Bible-Hebrew-Greek-English-English-Hebrew/dp/1565639774/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541491886&sr=8-1&keywords=the+interlinear+bible.
Now, it's not as good as actually learning and understanding the language, but that can take years, if not decades, to do and even then, you still won't get the full meanings behind everything due to differences in culture, slang, and tone of voice that we wouldn't easily or always pick up on.
I've got one, they're not hard to come by, but most people don't speak ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek.
Here's one:
The Interlinear Bible: Hebrew-Greek-English (English, Hebrew and Greek Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565639774/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5CofzbZTPZMP9
Thanks. Someone else recommended it too so I'll definitely look into it. Anything for the Vulgate?
I am getting results like this: https://www.amazon.com/Biblia-Sacra-Vulgata-Vulgate-Bible/dp/1598561782
No commentary, but that's okay. The big thing is that there are no macrons. There might not even be a vulgate in print with macrons, as far as I can tell.
You can get one for $55 on Amazon. Or, for much less, you could get the one linked above printed and spiral bound (maybe in three volumes?) at your local Kinko's, etc.
Here is a Latin Bible. Quite pricey, but whatever. I found it by searching for "Vulgate." So maybe try looking for specific translations?
Edit: Here is a German Catholic Bible.
I mean, there is this.
I remember getting this when I was younger. So. Bad.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible is probably the best lay-resource. It's structured strongly around the Masoretic text which some say gives the impression the texts are closer than they are, but does include many of the variants annotated in the text and decent notes on the state of each book.
There's also plenty of books that compare the main sources we already had, the LXX (Greek translation of the NT from a similar date) and the Masoretic text and the differences they have that we already knew about. The book I recommended here also notes the LXX, and how the Dead Sea Scrolls sometimes favor that. Wikipedia has a few basic things to say about that also which might be useful.
What do you mean they have not been released? You can get a Dead Sea Scroll Bible! ;)
There are significant differences in many of the Qumran scrolls from the Masoretic Text. I've seen claims that state otherwise, but as far as I can tell they have no basis in fact. Abegg, Flint, and Ulrich, in their English translation of the scrolls extant by 2002 footnote every single verse to indicate whether the verse agrees or disagrees with the Masoretic Text or the Septuagint. In a vast number of cases it disagrees with the Masoretic Text and agrees with the Septuagint. It should also be pointed out that there also a large number of verses that agree neither with the Masoretic Text nor the Septuagint.
Another complication of the Masoretic Text is that it simply isn't clear what the Hebrew actually means in many verses. These are footnoted, for example, in the Oxford JPS Study Bible. There are hundreds of such verses (maybe thousands - I never counted all of them). In some English versions (e.g. RSV, NIV), the translators footnote some of these verses and give the Septuagint translation as an alternate meaning. It is hard to say that the Masoretic Text is authoritative when even Jewish Bible scholars aren't sure what the text means.
>http://www.brill.com/dead-sea-scrolls-study-edition-2-vols
>http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Sea-Scrolls-Bible-Translated/dp/0060600640
>http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/resources/djd.shtml
>http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/15685179
http://www.amazon.com/HarperCollins-Study-Bible-Apocryphal-Deuterocanonical/dp/0060655801
Really good extra-scriptural info (like historical context for the books). Buy a used copy.
I say get something pretty scholarly, in readable English, that's physically comfortable to read. My old Harper Collins Study Bible has thousands of pages of notes, highly recommended.
You can always check different translations at the Online Parallel Bible.
Nominally, the full KJV contains the Apocrypha too. It was one of the first bibles edited to also include a set of apocryphal writings. However, no surprises here, there is a lot more 'apocrypha' than that included in the KJV (and often, it is categorized under a different title). I recommend, for its breadth rather than its depth, http://www.amazon.com/The-Other-Bible-Willis-Barnstone/dp/0060815981 to those interested.
Since you went to seminary, I'd say Bart Ehrman's books would very likely strike a chord with you. I'd recommend reading Misquoting Jesus, Jesus Interrupted, and Forged, in that order. The Other Bible (not Ehrman's work) makes a great companion to these; you get to delve into exciting non-canonical works like the Gospel of Nicodemus, and see what other (non-canonical) churches and ideas were around at the time the surviving gospels were written. Far from there being one truth which later splintered into many, you'll find there were many truths from the very beginning, only one of which became "official" by being in bed with the state.
I think so but I find religion fascinating. I would highly recommend that after you read the bible you read some of the other versions, it's important to stop thinking of the bible as a singular book, different sects of christianity use different versions and I think this is the source of many of the differences. The gnostic bible or the alternative gospels like the gospel of mary or judas are good places to start. Also highly recommend this book blew my freaking mind.
The Other Bible - The Other Bible gathers in one comprehensive volume ancient, esoteric holy texts from Judeo–Christian tradition that were excluded from the official canon of the Old and New Testaments, including the Gnostic Gospels, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Kabbalah, and several more.
Awesome! I did not know this existed. Thank you!
The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha is the standard.
I also highly recommend the Jewish Annotated New Testament.
Edit: My bad I thought you were asking for study bible recommendations.
What is it you’re wanting? Are you wanting to study biblical criticism and history? Or is this for spiritual practice and fulfillment?
So it’s the Christian New Testament with notes by Jewish scholars who put the texts in the historical context of Second Temple Judaism and the development of Rabbinic Judaism.
It’s published by Oxford University Press and uses the NRSV translation. Its editors are Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, both important scholars in Biblical studies.
It’s an academic look at the Christian New Testament from a scholarly, Jewish perspective.
I hope my explanation does it justice. You can check it out here.
EDIT: typo
I haven't read these books, but I like their author, Bart Ehrman. I have heard several interviews with him.
Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament
Something interesting on this topic.
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Scriptures-Books-that-Testament/dp/0195182502/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1549921924&sr=1-1&keywords=lost+scriptures+books
Hey, look what I just found on Amazon
>at least available for ESV Bibles
It kind of still is if you're willing to shell out the money. I managed to grab one while it was cheaper and still in print. It's a great Bible. Not sure why they stopped making it.
I know Oxford put out a ESV that had the Septuagint list of Old Testament books. Here it is https://www.amazon.com/English-Standard-Version-Bible-Apocrypha/dp/0195289102 but it’s out of print as far as I know.
Oxford has a version with it.
Maybe you would be interested in The Jewish Annotated New Testament.
Edit: for example
Thank you so much for this! I will definitely be picking up those books as there is no religion program at my university.
edit:What do you think about just getting The HarperCollins Study Bible for a shorter study with the study notes already on the page you want. It's the NRSV translation.
edit: Or The New Oxford Annotated Bible
I actuall wanted to get this bible as one reviewer said "If Bertrand Russell had ever published an edition of the Bible, it could not have been more forthright in its atheism than this one is." But it's in the King James Version which may be too hard to understand.
Non-religious publisher of bibles? Possible for something as old as the KJV which is out of copyright. I would look for an Oxford university press edition of it. They aren't exactly atheist publishers inc, but they aren't like say Zondervan either. For all real intents and purposes they're a secular publisher as far as I know.
For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Authorized-Version-Oxford-Classics/dp/0199535949/
or
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-James-Version-Quatercentenary/dp/0199557608/
There are others. Look for university press published editions.
Exactly! I think you've read Mechuta, right?
I have a very recent copy of the KJV with Deuterocanon. Found it on amazon. Brand new.
I love this offer, books are one of the best things you can give in my opinion!
I want to enter for my 6 year old sister, Sierra. She just started school this year and is already falling in love with reading. She also loves going to church and learning about Jesus, so I am requesting this children's storybook Bible from her wishlist. She would LOVE it.
I don't know if this has been said but I too struggle with this. Got baptized very recently and was feeling the same way. Two books that have really helped are "Mere Christianity" as mentioned already, but I'd also recommend the "Jesus Story book bible." We're both infants in our faith and this book is perfect for us. I gotta say, it's really helped me quite a bit. I hope this helps you out, good luck, and God bless you. Welcome to the family!
Link to book:
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310708257/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_zbHzwbE5SVR9Y
Amazon has a copy so it truly exists.
Well, there's another book that did it a little while before.
http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-King-James-Version/dp/0310941784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453837626&sr=8-1&keywords=bible
I think this site has just what you need:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0310941784/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467236926&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=bible&dpPl=1&dpID=41pXw7UxMsL&ref=plSrch
😇
Thanks, you just prompted to check out Amazon's bible reviews.
So first off, just because someone put a Masons label on that version of the KJV doesn’t reflect on the KJV as a whole. The overwhelming majority of KJV Bibles have zero ties to Freemasonry (in fact it’s going to be a statistically insignificant percentage of KJV Bibles DO have ties to Freemasonry), and are probably the single most commonplace translation in the English speaking world. That being said, KJV would NEVER be my recommendation. We have learned too much about ancient culture and language since 1611 to consider it viable for study. NKJV is significantly better, but there are far better options.
That aside, there is no such thing as the single “true” translation. We are wholly unable to provide such a translation, even if you have complete knowledge of ancient Hebrew and Koine Greek (which is impossible to obtain) due to the context of the written Word spanning over 6000 years itself.
The most accurate English translation for academic theological study across the spectrum (not only by most individual denominational backgrounds but by secular academia as well) is widely accepted to be the New Revised Standard Edition (NRSV). Second most accurate is the most recent version of the New International Version (NIV). I would recommend a good study Bible in either translation (in other words, not a “specialized” study Bible such as the Wesley one that I really like a lot!) over anything else. If I had to pick a third best, I would probably say ESV for ease of understanding, but I would never use it for serious study, and it’s such a distant third for my own use behind the other two in my opinion that it’s hardly worth mentioning.
My personal approach is to use NRSV for academic and personal in depth study as well as sermon preparation and NIV for personal reading and readings during services
Edit to include a link: this is an outstanding NRSV study Bible on Amazon
In my college, we typically read the NRSV in the classroom. A required book for freshmen coming in is the New Interpreter's Study Bible. I love using it when I have a question about a strange cultural passage. Check it out!
As far as translation accuracy goes, I would put the NRSV and the NJB (New Jerusalem Bible) at the top for both readability and textual faithfulness. The NJB Study Bible is a handy volume, with some very good academic level commentary. The NRSV Interpreter's Study Bible is also really good.
As far as commentaries go, the Anchor Bible series is usually regarded as one of the best by academics (Fundamentalist Christians, obviously, will not touch it). It is a pretty long series (somewhere between twenty and thirty volumes), so you may want to check your local library unless you have a lot of spare cash lying around.
The KJV is a fairly poor translation. It uses an outdated text, contains numerous translation errors (especially in the OT - Hebrew was not as well known as Greek in the 17th century), and has a strong Christian bias in the OT. The NIV is only marginally better. The text has been updated, and most of the translation errors corrected, but the Christian bias in the OT is nearly as bad as the KJV.
I have been an atheist for a little over twenty years now. I still read the Bible regularly. It's a fascinating document, once you strip off the Christian veneer and see the actual mythology underneath.
Check this shit out.
Sold out in the UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0747599602/ but available on Kindle.
In the US it's only available from Sellers http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0747599602/
Alain de Botton wrote about "a Religion For Atheists" and AC Grayling put together "The Good Book".
I can't honestly say I'd recommend either.
If you think thats bad.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Book-Secular-Bible/dp/0747599602
The man is a hubristic twazock. Nor dose he have any particularly interesting work that offsets this.
This one?
For entry-level Hebrew insights into scripture? a year, maybe. For serious hardcore academic exegesis? A PhD.
I just finished two semesters of Hebrew at university. I would be totally willing to sell you my textbook "Beginning Biblical Hebrew" It's a wonderfully accessible entry point to Biblical Hebrew. If you are even casually interested in learning a little Hebrew. You might also consider buying a good Hebrew-English parallel Tanakh
If not, you could always just read articles and scholarship published by people who do study Hebrew exegesis. You can find a lot for free on the webs.
I'm a fan of the Jewish Publication Society's Hebrew and English version. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0827606974?pc_redir=1409997493&robot_redir=1
The Hebrew is necessary for exploring gematria, and the English translation is clear.
Well they do exist but I want to know if they exist with an NASB translation and a commentary. I can sacrifice one of these three requirements but I would like to see if all three exist in one book.
I know this doesn't exactly help you in the short term but http://www.amazon.com/Interlinear-Bible-Hebrew-Greek-English-English-Hebrew/dp/1565639774. I can't find an online equivalent.
https://www.amazon.com/Biblia-Sacra-Vulgata-Vulgate-Bible/dp/1598561782/ and lots of other new and used book sellers both online and brick-and-mortar. This sort of reference book is often available second-hand for a significantly lower price. And for ease of reference there are a few Latin-English editions featuring the Clementine Vulgate text out there as well.
Here
Get yourself a New Revised Standard Edition of the Bible, and a copy of The Other Bible, and a copy of the Gnostic Bible, and then start going to Temple on Shabbat so the rabbi can get a decent look at you every now and then, and eventually start asking about the Talmud.
Thing is, the Old Testament is kind of only half the point. You're only ever gonna see half the picture until you're one of God's Chosen People. Just make sure you know when God calls, and answer respectfully.
Or, y'know, just work for that other guy.
The New Interpreter's Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version With the Apocrypha
I'm here to tell the amazing miracle that helped my mother. Not to answer questions.
Consider This.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Holy-Bible-James-Version/product-reviews/0529064634
I've corrected that for you.