Where To Begin Reading The Bible

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2012
4,612
726
113
80
Oregon
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
.
Hello;

Bibles can be purchased at any well-stocked book store like Barnes & Noble.

Christian supply stores are another source and can be found listed in the
Yellow Pages along with regular types of book stores.

Thrift stores like Good Will and Salvation Army usually have some
inexpensive, second hand Bibles on their shelves.

Please do yourself a favor by using one that reads very close to our own
modern way of speaking. Rickety old antiques like the Douay-Rheims, the
Confraternity, the American Standard Version, and the King James version
are no longer practical because their language and grammar are obsolete.

Select a contemporary version in common use like the New International
(NIV), New American Bible (NAB), Revised Standard (RSV), the New
American Standard (NAS), the English Standard (ESV) and/or the New Living
(NLT).

» I should give you a heads-up that no matter which version of the Bible you
select to read, somebody is going to come along and criticize your choice; so be
ready for that.

The Bible can be a tedious bore for people new to it; so I highly recommend
testing the waters by beginning with the books of Ruth and Esther. The
stories are pretty good and relatively short.

If those two books fail to discourage you, then I suggest moving on to
Genesis for your third. Lots of really good stuff is in there: the origin of the
cosmos-- all life, matter, and energy --Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah
and the Flood, the Tower of Babel, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael,
Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel, and Joseph's reunion with his brothers.

When my teen-age son first started reading Genesis, he became very
discouraged. When I asked him what the matter was, he told me he couldn’t
figure out the hidden messages. So I told him: Son, forget about hidden
messages. Just read the Bible like a novel or an encyclopedia and you’ll get
a lot more out of it that way; and he did.


NOTE: The information herein isn't intended to counsel scholars and/or seminary students:
it's to advise the mildly curious rather than the deadly serious.

Buen Camino

(Pleasant Journey)
_
 
Last edited:

marksman

My eldest granddaughter showing the result of her
Feb 27, 2008
5,578
2,446
113
82
Melbourne Australia
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
.
Hello;

Bibles can be purchased at any well-stocked book store like Barnes & Noble.

Christian supply stores are another source and can be found listed in the
Yellow Pages along with regular types of book stores.

Thrift stores like Good Will and Salvation Army usually have some
inexpensive, second hand Bibles on their shelves.

Please do yourself a favor by using one that reads very close to our own
modern way of speaking. Rickety old antiques like the Douay-Rheims, the
Confraternity, the American Standard Version, and the King James version
are no longer practical because their language and grammar are obsolete.

Select a contemporary version in common use like the New International
(NIV), New American Bible (NAB), Revised Standard (RSV), the New
American Standard (NAS), the English Standard (ESV) and/or the New Living
(NLT).

» I should give you a heads-up that no matter which version of the Bible you
select to read, somebody is going to come along and criticize your choice; so be
ready for that.

The Bible can be a tedious bore for people new to it; so I highly recommend
testing the waters by beginning with the books of Ruth and Esther. The
stories are pretty good, relatively short, and don't require a seminary degree
to understand.

If those two books fail to discourage you, then I suggest moving on to
Genesis for your third. Lots of really good stuff is in there: the origin of the
cosmos-- all life, matter, and energy --Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah
and the Flood, the Tower of Babel, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael,
Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel, and Joseph's reunion with his brothers.

When my teen-age son first started reading Genesis, he became very
discouraged. When I asked him what the matter was, he told me couldn’t
figure out the hidden messages. So I told him: Son, forget about hidden
messages. Just read the Bible like a novel or an encyclopedia and you’ll get
a lot more out of it that way; and he did.


NOTE: The information herein isn't intended to counsel scholars and/or students:
it's to advise the mildly curious rather than the deadly serious.

Buen Camino

(Pleasant Journey)
_
Like all books I read, I usually start reading from the beginning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dev553344

Josho

Millennial Christian
Staff member
Jul 19, 2015
5,814
5,754
113
28
The Land of Aus
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
.


The Bible can be a tedious bore for people new to it; so I highly recommend
testing the waters by beginning with the books of Ruth and Esther. The
stories are pretty good, relatively short, and don't require a seminary degree
to understand.

If anyone is new to reading the Bible, I would suggest they start of with the 4 books of the Gospel, Genesis is also a very good book for them to read early at the start of their walk with Jesus, probably a good book for them to read after the 4 books of the Gospel, it might also be a good idea for them to read Acts after the first 4 books of the Gospel.

Anyway that's the first 6 books I reckon they should read. Jonah is also an easy book to read.

But like a kid, it's also good to read all the main stories first, I think I may have seen a suggestion of giving a new Christian a children's bible to read first, and that sounds like a good idea.
 

historyb

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2011
2,990
2,701
113
52
in a house
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Get an Action Bible and it won't be tedious or a audio drama of the Bible, faith comes by hearing not reading after all
 
  • Like
Reactions: dev553344

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2012
4,612
726
113
80
Oregon
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
.
faith comes by hearing not reading after all

The information in post No.1 isn't meant to advise people seeking a faith,
nor to advise people seeking the truth, nor is it meant to be used for proselytizing;
it's meant for the curious rather than the serious.
_
 

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2012
4,612
726
113
80
Oregon
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
.
The Bible can be a tedious bore for people new to it; so I highly recommend
testing the waters by beginning with the books of Ruth and Esther. The
stories are pretty good and relatively short.

I'd also recommend Ecclesiastes; a popular book with just about everybody
because it isn't especially religious, instead it's mostly one man's philosophy
of life.

Solomon's World View

If you're the romantic type, Canticles is probably something you'd like.

Solomon's Love Song
_
 

Wrangler

Well-Known Member
Feb 14, 2021
13,001
4,801
113
55
Shining City on a Hill
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I recommend the CEV & Voice translations.

CEV is written for 8th grade reading level. The VOICE is excellent manuscript format. Both are thought translations.
 

Daniel Veler

Active Member
Apr 17, 2021
485
164
43
Gulf port
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
If your going to read the Bible all you’ll see is words and accounts of events. Unless you ask the Lord for understanding you’ll never understand whatever Bible you choose. Pick out something you want to understand. An example would be Eternal Life. Ask the Lord to give you understanding. Look for every verse in the Bible that speaks about it. When you have all these scriptures together study them asking God to give you understanding and he will. Don’t seek your conclusion from men. You’ll only get their opinions. Which is usually through human reasoning. As the apostle wrote you don’t need man to teach you scriptures but the HS given you will. Once you have come to know eternal life you’ll will then have understanding to the parables whenever Christ says the words, Depart from me I never knew you. Hope this helps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Truman

Truman

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2020
7,931
8,744
113
Brantford
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Words of wisdom...on how to get God's wisdom.
upload_2021-5-10_7-18-40.png
Proverbs 9:10 Amplified Bible
 

Truman

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2020
7,931
8,744
113
Brantford
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Five hundred years ago, if a child were to say, "I fear my father," the listener would think, "Good, they respect and look up to their father."
Today, if a child says that they fear their father, child protective services may get involved.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wrangler

Truman

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2020
7,931
8,744
113
Brantford
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
My point here is to put forth the understanding that God is not a tyrant who is just waiting to hit you with a lightening bolt if you don't jump through all of His religious hoops.
I understand that for me to, for example, forgive someone, is God's will. When I do so, I do not get bitter and others are set free. Harmony is restored and I am free to receive continued healing from God.
Unforgiveness does evil. It destroys.
The reverential fear of God causes me to hate evil. :)
 
Last edited:

2ndRateMind

Active Member
Aug 18, 2021
632
150
43
60
Bristol,UK
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
I like the King James Bible. Maybe it's not for the complete newbie to Chistendom, but I love the majesty of its poetry. Something to work up to, maybe?

Best wishes, 2RM.
 

2ndRateMind

Active Member
Aug 18, 2021
632
150
43
60
Bristol,UK
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
Five hundred years ago, if a child were to say, "I fear my father," the listener would think, "Good, they respect and look up to their father."
Today, if a child says that they fear their father, child protective services may get involved.

Progress, maybe? The realisation that hatred is begat by fear, and that love is born of a healthy relationship seems so obvious that it is surprising that it took so long for humanity to figure it out.

Best wishes, 2RM.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Truman

Truman

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2020
7,931
8,744
113
Brantford
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Reverence for God has led me to ask Him to give me a hatred for specific sins.