how do you read the bible?do you just read it in order as if it were a novel? or there are better ways?
>>24711239
>>24711239>do you just read it in orderYes. >as if it were a novel?As if it were a short story collection.
>>24711239the writing in the bible is mostly just figure of speech that look cool with no clear meanings, no context, no spoonfeed whatsoeverit can lead reader to have unlimited interpretations, and 99% of them are wrongit's like a schizo going on a rambling, full of emotions, and it's not clear what context the is schizo talking about
>>24711277shut up retard
>>24711239>howstart at the beginning in genesisread straight thru until revelations>easyalso get commentaries there are zillions of them
>>24711256>As if it were a short story collection.Some of the books are really long bro
>>24711239yes, but skip leviticus, there's nothing of value there
>>24711239You can read it any way you want to. If you are asking me how I did it, I started skipping around the important books the first ten years, then I read it all the way through, and then I keep reading it all the way through while referring to relevant parts any time I want to.
>>24711239There's lots of guides online. I recommend a "chronological" reading that takes you through the Bible in the order the events described therein happened. You can also just read the major stories, that's fine.
>>24711239>>24711239I just read whatever strikes my fancy at the time, it's chock-full of literary value due to how widely influential it is. Read through Genesis, parts of Exodus, Ecclesiastes, and Matthews the other day. I never knew how many basic sayings and still-in-use idioms came from there.What I was particularly surprised by was how dense it is; almost every line is a crucial part of the story (excepting the x beget y parts), and huge, famous tales sometimes occur in half a page.
>>24711582t. leper
>>24711239In my first run I started the old and the New Testament at the same time, when the New Testament was finished I started it over until the Old Testament was finished.In my current run I started with genesis, wisdom, gospel of Matthew and the epistle to the Romans simultaneously.
>>24711239Someone told me to start with the Gospels, it got me really bored and I quit. Than I reread it with the intention of just one section at the start of any reading session I had and it's changed my mind entirely. When you hear people claiming its depth and that it's the literal living and breathing word of God that you have to come to again and again it makes it far more interesting. There's also millions of interpretations to what the messages mean
It's just a whole lot of individual books:>History(e.g. Genesis, Job, Esther, Tobit, St. Matthew, The Acts).>Correspondance(e.g. 1st & 2nd Corinthians, St. James, etc.)>Prophesy(e.g. Daniel, Isaias, The Apocalypse).>Literary/Devotional(e.g. Canticle of Canticles, The Psalms)>Wisdom/Philosophical(e.g. Ecclesiastes, Proverbs)
>>24711239Read it like a narrative and skip all the retarded parts about building tabernacles and sacrificing goats
Remember that it is stitched together from multiple different texts, books, authors from very different time periods. It's better to think of it more like a well-curated (debatable) library. You *can* read it in order, or you can jump aruond based on if you want to read myth, history, genealogy, etc.Translation is up to you. King James Bible still has value since it has inspired the entirety of English literature since the moment it was published, but you can find more accurate and easier to read translations in more modern English (the NRSV is used by many scholars and considered fairly 'neutral' in not pissing off any particular Christian denomination).If you want a translation that feels closer to the original language rather than plain English, you can try the Fox or Alter translations of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and David Bentley Hart's New Testament. I think there are some other options for each as well.Also highly recommend at least a basic introduction for each book, thuogh ideally a longer commentary. I've not personally used it but have seen the New Oxford Annotated Bible recommended a lot (though it is huge).
>>24711239start in page one
>>24712075What about the front matter
>>24711239i read it as if every legend is a myth that involves some secret interpretation
>>24711239Genesis to Revelation, straight through
Highly suggest this short little book by R.C Sproul called "Knowing Scripture". About 100 pages. There's also a series of lectures available on YouTube.
>>24712738synopsis:The Bible is the written Word of God, and it is treasured by many. But it is also an ancient book about people and cultures very different than us. Thus, while we know we should read it, many of us have a hard time understanding the Bible.In this expanded edition of Knowing Scripture, R.C. Sproul helps us dig out the meaning of Scripture for ourselves. The author says, "The theme of this book is not how to read the Bible but how to study the Bible." He presents in simple, basic terms a commonsense approach to studying Scripture and gives eleven practical guidelines for biblical interpretation and applying what we learn. With a minimum of technical jargon, Sproul tackles some of the knotty questions regarding differences of interpreting the Bible, including:discovering the meanings of biblical wordsunderstanding Hebrew poetry, proverbs and parablesapproaching historical and didactic passagesbeing careful with predictive prophecydiscerning how culture conditions the Biblechoosing and using Bible translations, commentaries, Bible software and other helpsNow with a new preface, Knowing Scripture, is a basic book for both beginning Bible readers and experienced students of Scripture.
>>24711239There's a free Bible app you can get with all the different translations. It even has an audiobook feature. It also doesn't beg you for money or paywall certain services. That alone improved by opinion of Christianity tremendously.
>>24712743The ESV app is pretty good. I like the translation as well.
>>24711239I read the Bible from front to back over the course of like 3 months. I recommend doing something like that at first. Now the only parts of it I ever reread are like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, the four gospels, and Revelation. The red letter text is the most important part of the Bible. I'm not sure what to think of Paul, desu. I don't like the idea of church and tithing, seems counterintuitive to what Jesus taught
>>24711239I read it cover to cover alongside a lecture series.https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfk5IZQHKovKhMVo9ekMLvZk8vFV9RJvC&si=NgO6mUbs2LmOaWqx
>>247115822 Tim 3>All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
>>24712931dispensational christian zionist charismatic type.. would recommend anons avoid this guy
>>24711239Just read and study revelations, we are nearly there.
>>24713019anon, what bible translation do you recommend?
>>24713026+ Greek isopsephy for NT and LXX
>>24711239>how do you read the bible?I flip open to a random page and read from the first line I see because >the lot is cast into the lap but its every decision is from the LORDproverbs somewhere-or-other
>>24712811St. Paul is one of the finest minds to me. Holy Ghost-filled preacher. Full of love and abandon to the loving will of God.
>>24711384>no argument
>>24713029I'm not a KJV-onlyist by any means.. but my preference is a KJV with a center-column reference to aid with interpreting the dated English.. but only because the prose is so beautiful, and it has such a long tradition as being "the" translation English-speaking Christians used.NASB is my second favorite, for it's clarity and literalness. ESV is a nice modern translation that is "essentially literal", with an emphasis on word-for-word translation, while still having pleasant prose that's pleasant to read. The NASB is so literal and word-for-word that one common complaint is that the prose is "clunky" or awkward because of this approach.Personally I'd get a center-column reference KJV and a NASB95 for the re-reading of confusing passages that you're not totally clear on. A bible dictionary and a concordance are also very useful for study. Study bibles are nice, too, but I'd flesh out your own theology before purchasing one. I fall into the Reformed camp, so the study bible I use is Joel Beeke's Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible. Thomas Nelson makes decent center-column reference bibles for cheap. They have sales all the time, I got a nice leather (not bonded leather, either) KJV with thumb indexes, mutiple ribbons, etc. for like $17 last year.
>>24711582The commandments are in there
Btw, if anyone is interested in Reformed theology, Sproul's ministry will mail you a free copy of Sproul's "What is Reformed Theology?", a ~300 page paperback with the basics of Reformed theology.https://gift.ligonier.org/
>>24713706Again, even if you're not a reformed guy, I can't suggest Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul enough. He was a great scholar and gives you a short history of the methodology used in bible translations, the different approaches used for common translations, the types of literature contained in the bible, the cultural and historic details about the audiences to whom the various books and epistles were originally written to, etc. Concordances, atlases, dictionaries, software. Methods of study, etc. Good stuff.
>>24711651lmao
>>24711239I recently listened (and read alongside sometimes, I ended up buying the Great Adventure Bible) the Bible in a Year podcast and I highly recommend both the podcast and the reading plan (first button is a link to the PDF for free, you don't need to buy the physical copy).https://ascensionpress.com/pages/bible-reading-plan-download-deliveryThe timeline is great because it organizes things nicely, sprinkles in Psalms and Proverbs, and jumps around keeping things chronological while having "messianic checkpoints" where there's a gospel since otherwise you don't get to them until like mid-November.The podcast is great because it helps with pronunciation and keeping you on track - so you don't skip Leviticus for example - while every episode has a 10-15 minute talk about what you just read which is invaluable to place everything in context and keep you from misunderstanding the points being made. This is most obvious with Job, which conveniently is read alongside Genesis right at the beginning.It is very much Catholic, but as a non-Catholic I found it enjoyable regardless. Just be aware there's some bits in there about "this is why the Church is supreme", Mary Mary Mary, etc.
Based Scot, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, has a great daily reading plan that will take you through the New Testament and Psalms twice a year, and the rest of the Bible once annually.There's also "Sproul's Overview" from Knowing Scripture that's basically a speed-run of what is most essential>Dr. Sproul recommends a starter list for people who have never read the Bible. It is quite a helpful list that gives a bird's eye overview of the flow of Scripture.> The Old Testament overview includes:> Genesis (the history of Creation, the fall, and God's covenantal dealings with the patriarchs)> Exodus (the history of Israel's liberation and formation as a nation)> Joshua (the history of the military conquest of the Promised Land)> Judges (Israel's transition from a tribal federation to a monarchy)> 1 Samuel (Israel's emerging monarchy under Saul and David)> 2 Samuel (David's reign)> 1 Kings (Solomon and the divided kingdom)> 2 Kings (the fall of Israel)> Ezra (the Israelites' return from exile)> Nehemiah (the restoration of Jerusalem)> Amos and Hosea (examples of minor prophets)> Jeremiah (an example of a major prophet)> Ecclesiastes (Wisdom Literature)> Psalms and Proverbs (Hebrew poetry)> The New Testament overview includes:> The Gospel of Luke (the life of Jesus)> Acts (the early church)> Ephesians (an introduction to the teaching of Paul)> 1 Corinthians (life in the church)> 1 Peter (an introduction to Peter)> 1 Timothy (an introduction to the Pastoral Epistles)> Hebrews (Christology)> Romans (Paul's theology)and since I've already simped for Sproul a half dozen times in this thread, I guess I'll include these gems:Knowing Scripture lecture series, companion to the bookhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL30acyfm60fW0rTnBsGGERdIjRCQcSpFpThe Consequences of Ideas lecture series, companion to the bookEssentially "The History of Western Philisophy", from a Christian perspective, as if Bertrand was a theologian instead of a homosexual.https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHkRm9NxLxR1Q7PWuSkPPdBhvPvyJrKWFhttps://www.monergism.com/consequences-ideas-mp3-series (Monergism is full of great PDF and ePubs, too. Much of the writings of the Puritans can be found there. Nobody wrote more beautifully about Christ than the Puritans.
>>24711239Read cs Lewis, and “misreading scripture through western eyes” first. Maybe the soul of Christianity by Huston smith too. Then follow the /lit/ bible selection chart on the wiki linked in the pinned post.
>>24713845>been meaning to get around to c. s. lewis for years>that hideo strength is consistently recommended as essential christian literature>it's a fucking sci-fi trilogy that starts out with talking otter men and space sharksNot what I was expected, but based nonetheless
>>24711239>how do you read the bible?very carefully
>>24713995good one grandpa
With commentary ideally. I like the haydock one for the douay rheims bible. >>24711582It has faggots getting BTFO so, worth
>>24711239If you're reading it for literary value, read the King James Version, start from the beginning and read to the end.If you're reading it for theological reasons, start with the New Testament, read it all the way through, then read the Old. The Old Testament is "types and shadows" of the New, so if you're not reading with the Gospel in mind, you won't fully understand it.Either way, find some good commentaries to read along with the books. The Bible is not the "book that fell from the sky"--it was written in an Ancient Near Eastern context, and situating it in that context will help you understand it better.A few pointers if you're reading it theologically:>Don't get caught in the inerrancy trap (read Greg Boyd's Inspired Imperfection). Reading the Bible with an eye to the "contradictions" (whether you're gleefully pointing them out or trying to explain them away) is a narrow and impoverished way of viewing the book. It's not a work of 21st century historiography; it's a collection of 66 books written by different authors in different times from different perspectives Treat it as such.. Some of the books fill in gaps for the others--a lot of the New Testament subtly critiques parts of the old.>Understand the genre of each book. The Bible isn't (just) a rulebook. You can't necessarily read Judges or Lamentations as if they are an instruction manual. Just because something is portrayed in the Bible doesn't mean that it is condoned.>Fundamentalists will sometimes insist that there's only one correct interpretation, and then people will react and say that you can just interpret the Bible any way you like. Both are equally inaccurate. Hermeneutics is neither a matter of mathematical precision nor a nihilist free for all. A good principle is to let the clear parts illumine the unclear. >Similarly, don't necessarily take everything at "face value." Theological and historical context matter. Tradition, reason, and experience are valid tools for interpreting the Bible.
>>24711575There's no excuse. I started reading the Bible every day (with the exception of a few long-term breaks) last year around Novemer-ish. I'm now on Nehemiah. Read the Apocryphal books too. My favorite canonical OT book is Deuteronomy, and of the Apocrypha that I've read so far, 2nd Esdras.
>>24711277You are confusing the Bible with the Quran. The Quran is largely short stories interspersed with prayers and laws with no clear context. The Bible, by contrast, is roughly chronological and the books are generally complete stories -each one having a beginning, middle, and end- before going to the next book. This is because the Bible and Quran have different purposes within Christianity and Islam: in Christianity, the Bible largely serves as an instructional book; in Islam, the Quran is an object of devotion and recitation. If the Bible were suddenly given to an alien community who never encountered Christianity, and they accepted everything in it as true, they could construct a recognizable form of Christianity (though probably with a lot of beliefs considered heresies by mainstream Christians). If the Quran were given to an alien community who never encountered Islam, they would not be able to figure out what most of it refers to at all.
>>24711384Kek
>>24715579I was responding to how he said you should read it like a short story collection, some of the stories are not short. If you start Isaiah thinking you're gonna finish it in an hour you're badly mistaken
>>24716167Obviously I don't read the books in a day. I typically read about 1-3 chapters per day.
>>24711239You read it as a silly, alien, decadent Jewish byproduct.
>>24716831Sad he fell off in his later years
