HOW should I read the Bible?

How should I read the Bible? Simple Bible Summary

If you a just starting to read the Bible for the first time, I recommend you start with the “Simple Bible Summary“. This summary will give you a high-level summary of Bible. I also suggest that you read “Bible Basics” if you haven’t already.

Keep in mind that reading the Bible is for your benefit and not just a task to complete. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

How should I read the Bible? Reading Plans

After reading a simple overview of the Bible, you’ll need to decide where to start reading the Bible. Below are 7 suggestions on where to start:   

  1. New Testament
  2. Gospel of John
  3. Proverbs
  4. Psalms
  5. Devotionals
  6. Word Study–e.g. Love, Heaven, Hell, Money, Healing
  7. Birthday Verses – e.g. if your birthday is January 30, then read Genesis 1:30, Exodus 1:30, etc.

There are also many Bible reading plans, so pick one that fits you best and will keep you reading God’s Word.  Below are a few websites for your reference:

How should I read the Bible? Bible Translations

The Bible was originally hand-written on scrolls and each copy was hand-written until the 1400’s when the printing press was invented.  As time passed and the Bible was shared with people from other nations, there was a need to translate the Bible into different languages.  Some versions are translated from the original texts or original languages, while others are translations of existing versions.  In general there are 3 types of translation:

  1. Word-for-word
  2. Thought-for-thought
  3. Paraphrase

Personally, I read a lot of different translations, but I lately I’ve been using the CEV translation because it’s easy to read and understand, especially for those who are new to the Bible. My advice is to read whatever version you can understand.  However, be cautious about versions of the Bible that are created for specific religious groups or denominations.   As your understanding increases, compare different versions.  Bible Gateway, a site that I use and trust, has many online versions from which to choose.  Bible Gateway also provides the capability to view multiple versions side-by-side (i.e. parallel).

Notable Versions

  1. Septuagint is a word-for-word translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek completed around 100 BC.  It is sometimes called the LXX (70) in honor of the 70 scholars that worked on the translation. 
  2. Latin Vulgate Bible was completed by St. Jerome in AD 405 as commissioned by Pope Damascus I.  The Old and New Testaments were both translated word-for-word from the original languages to Latin. 
  3. Wycliffe Bible was completed in 1384 and it is the first English version translated from Latin.  It is also the first version in which the scriptures are divided into chapters.  For more information on the Wycliffe Bible, visit www.Wycliffe.org3.
  4. Gutenberg Bible was the first printed version of the Bible.  It is a copy of the Latin Vulgate Bible printed in the 1450’s by Johann Gutenberg from Germany who invented the printing press. 
  5. Geneva Bible was the first Bible to separate the scriptures into verses.  It was also the first Bible to include commentaries or notes.  It was produced in Geneva, Switzerland in 1560.  Although produced in Switzerland, it is an English translation.  
  6. King James Version (KJV) was named for King James of Scotland & England and is probably the most popular version of the Bible and is considered by some to be the most accurate.  It was completed in 1611 and is a word-for-word translation of the original text. 
  7. Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a paraphrase translation created in 1995 to help everyone understand the Bible.

Continue Reading…Why I Believe the Bible

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