Wasn't sure how to title it, but essentially I would like to buy my husband 2 books. I know I'd like to get him a King James or ESV Bible and maybe a study journal. The purpose of the 2nd book is just to bring him closer with understanding (i see that he is interested, but doesn't always understand everything said). Id like for him to feel free to write his thoughts if he chooses to. Maybe a book where each chapter is on a specific life topic? I'm open to suggestions.

Also. As i do have a King James book in mind for him, but it would be nice to see other ESV versions.

I’m convinced God has a sense of humor. For context, one of my least favorite books in Bible is Proverbs. It always scares me and exposes my darkest truths.

Today, I wanted to study and learn more about God. The problem was that I had no idea where to start.

I could have asked Ai or a friendly stranger on the internet but a thought crept into my mind.

Why not just ask God?

I opened my handy dandy random Bible verse generator and prayed.

I decided that the first verse I saw after that prayer would be the book I would start in.

And what do you know?

This is the verse I received:

A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!
Proverbs 15:23

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was revealed among us: that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:7–11

Don't think any verse of any book has influenced how people see God today more than this one.

I’m an atheist who wants to learn more about the Bible. I’m interested in understanding the major stories, history, and context, but I don’t necessarily want to study the entire Bible cover-to-cover right away.

Is there a good study Bible you’d recommend for a beginner? Or maybe a Bible storytelling/overview book that’s accurate and written for adults? I’d love something that explains the context and major stories without assuming I already know anything.

Basically, I want to learn about the Bible without necessarily approaching it from a religious perspective. Help!

Does anyone have any favorite resources on this?

You read normally, verse by verse. But each verse also shows its connections — quotations, shared phrases, people, prophecy and fulfillment — and you can follow them. Follow enough and the app draws the path you walked, which you can share so someone else can walk it too. Searching a word like "love" returns all 661 verses and lets you read straight through them.

It's free with no catch: no ads, no account, no data collected, and it works completely offline once installed. Eight public-domain translations across six languages (KJV and Berean in English, Luther, Segond, Reina-Valera, Riveduta, and Portuguese).

I'd honestly value feedback from people who read Scripture seriously: are the connections it surfaces the right ones? App Store link in the comments (or search "John 1:1").

If you try it and it serves you, a rating genuinely helps a small app get found. Thank you.

I’m getting into reading my bible, I was raised in the church but we stopped going when I was about 12-14, I’m secure in my faith and want to read the bible but there’s so much “filler” for lack of a better word I like how the start of Genesis reads and I mainly want to focus on events, angelology, demonology, how heaven and hell work, miracles and Jesus’s life basically I want to get all the supernatural and unexplained stuff I missed growing up Protestant any recommendations are welcome I’m also interested in reading non-canon biblical books, even though they may not be divinely inspired they still help people understand the world the bible was written to. Also this may need a second post but how do I pick a denomination and translation. I grew up Baptist but I don’t like how they pull the “magical” supernatural elements out of the bible. I don’t like Catholicism because I believe in salvation through faith alone and don’t agree with a pope. I’m leaning towards Greek Orthodox and there’s a church nearby

Hello!

My GF (24F) is going to start reading the Bible with me (28M). How do we go about reading it since she is brand new. I have been in church my whole life. However, I grew up Protestant and am starting OCIA next week. Any tips are appreciated!

I’m a navy veteran and engineer. Any and all missions require immense planning. Operational Risk Management. Drawn out details. Check out the following verse description of the Ark.

14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.

Description: 

Cypress wood is an exceptional, naturally durable building material prized for its resistance to rot, moisture, and insects without requiring chemical pressure treatments.

Pitch:

Pitch, a product of the naval industry was used to caulk the seams of wooden sailing vessels.

Let’s go over the measurements:

1 cubit = 18 inches. 

Length 300 cubits: 150 yards

Width 50 cubits: 25 yards

30 cubits high: 45 feet. 

Notice it says nothing about a steering wheel. There’s not even an engine. Basically, God wanted Noah to build a raft. God wanted Noah to trust him. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

I was raised Catholic, however I haven’t been to church since I was in my early teens, nor do I remember anything from back then so it’s kind of like starting anew for me. I do talk to God daily, but when it comes to the Bible and other readings I’m not sure where to start. I lost my way for some years and these past two years it has felt like God has given many signs in which I can’t deny. I feel as though my belief in him is stronger than ever now, even without knowing scripture. Any suggestions on what to read first or videos I could follow to learn more about Christ?

I'm not sure if this is a popular and well-known opinion in general but I think people, myself included, tend to think too much about the question of translations. While I definitely appreciate people talking about their favorite Bible translations, I think some people might get the impression that there may be a perfect Bible translation that fits all their individual requirements (whether a person is looking for the most literal, the most readable and probably other variables as well), and it's definitely not bad that a translation suits certain people better, but overthinking certain qualities of a given translation can be at times unnecessary.

All of this is to say that I think the best path to go forward with Bible reading for people who are really interested in getting to know the Bible better is by having multiple translations. Are you going to get bad results just using one translation? Not necessarily, and if it's a translation that you really like and study deeply, then you're likely to get really good results just by having one translation. It's possible for sure. What I also want to say is that multiple translations can assist in pointing out certain nuances, show how a given word and verse can be rendered, etc. Certain translations can make the biblical text more readable and easy to understand which is useful for people might struggle with a more literal translation, and other translations can render the biblical text more literally which is useful for people who may be doing deep biblical studies.

Tldr; multiple translations are great, using a primary translation and using only one translation can also be great. Whether you tend to favor sticking to one translation or you prefer to have multiple translations that can further assist you, there are good ways to go about studying the Bible and getting to know it better.

Hope everyone has a blessed week🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Is there a way of getting a free kids KJV Bible by mail?

Mishlei (Pro) 16:9 CJB [9] A person may plan his path, but Adonai directs his steps.

https://bible.com/bible/1275/pro.16.9.CJB

I'm trying to grow in understanding in the Bible. I've read a bit of the new testament through, I understand the Gospel, and a lot of how the old and new testaments interconnect with one another. I've described the Bible as being to you and not for you. It's God's teachings to his disciples, and if I'm studying his word, am I not a disciple? I have the same messages they day, the same lessons, the same parables, the same book through and through just about (minus obvious stuff like language) so how is the Bible solely for me? I can see how it can be both to you as they are lessons taught TO you and the book being FOR you as a gift from God. Maybe I'm reading too literally into it? I'm just trying to get on the same page and teach the right teaching to those who do not know

Me and my girlfriend want to finally sit down and read the bible, we were raised around the church but never really read it as kids, we are 22 and 24 and want to know what would be the best version for us.

I want to get a nice high quality Legacy Standard Bible, what do all of you think about this translation? I like how it uses the Lord’s name as Yahweh.

I just came back to Christ a few months ago and started studying the Bible more. My goal has been to read it from beginning to end. I’ve reviewed all translations and find the NIV version to read easier and easier to understand.

I’ve been getting a lot of feedback from people saying the NIV version is not good and takes away verses and not a good translation overall.

To my brothers and sisters, what are your thoughts on this? Should I move on to another version and ditch the NIV? If so what do you recommend?

I've been using the KJV. I'm looking for a version that's more readable than the KJV, but I don't want it to be so general that it comes out like the NIV. The NKJV I'm not sure if there's much difference between that version and the KJV, but at the same time it still holds the word for word like translation. The CSB I liked and it was the most readable and felt more like a book; however, I'm worried if it will be too far from the working? NASB, it seemed like the wordings were longer, and a lot of verses started out with 'and.' I have heard some say that it is more literal than even the KJV. The ESV was going to be my choice, but then I heard that it has a Calvinist focus. Some verses sound good and others aren't as readable as the NKJV or CSB.

Which of these versions do you like best for readability while still being fairly literal and not overly general?

Hi friends, I was reading Deuteronomy 26 with my wife last night and some ideas popped into mind (feel free to comment your thoughts about it).

A connection between:

Deuteronomy 26:12

"When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithes, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied."

And

Matthew 25: 31-46 (The Sheeps and the Goats)

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Notes:

We can see that in Deuteronomy 26:12 that the foreigner (or strangers), the fatherless (or orphans) and the widow (or the poor) are all 'served' by God's people along with the 'Levite' (Levites are priestly class, and our High Priest, as Christians, is Christ).

It makes sense to connect it with Matthew 25 where 'The King' or Jesus, our High Priest, said that whatever kindness or service we do for the hungry, thirsty, homeless, clotheless, sick and prisoners, we've also done to/for Him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Another is a connection between Deuteronomy 26: 18 - 19 and Phillipians 2: 9-11:

Deuteronomy 26: 18 - 19

18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.

Phillipians 2: 9-11

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Notes:

God promised that anyone who keeps all His commands will be exalted by Him, be set in 'praise, fame and honor high above all the nations' and we all know that no one was able to keep all the commands of the Father except the Son which led us why and how the Father exalted the Son.

I am looking to read the bible and study it with my husband.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to go about this?

After decades of turning our backs to God, we are turning back to God. We are very unfamiliar with the teachings of the bible or how to read, learn from and study it.

Suggestions truly sought and welcome.

I was re-reading the genealogies (because I am a nerd) & noticed an interesting detail where, if you follow the line of Shem after the flood, he has a son named Arphaxad, then Arphaxad has a son named Salah. Salah then has a son named Eber. Eber has 2 sons, 1 named Peleg & the other is named Joktan.

Joktan has a son who is named Sheba, & Sheba later has several unnamed descendants (in the bible) which eventually leads to the Queen of Sheba.

Peleg has a son named Reu. Reu has a son named Serug. Serug has a son named Nahor. Nahor has a son named Terah. Terah has a son named Abram (later known as Abraham). Abram has a son named Isaac. Isaac has a son named Jacob (later known as Israel). Jacob later has a son named Judah. Judah later has a son named Pharez. Pharez later has a son named Amminadab. Amminadab has a son named Salmah. Salmah has a son named Boaz. Boaz has a son named Obed. Obed has a son named Jesse. Jesse has a son named David. David has a son named Solomon.

Notes:

1. I opted for the spelling of names that occurred the most in my physical bibles
2. I have deliberately simplified the genealogies for the sake of clarity to make this easier to follow as it would be very messy other wise

Hope y'all find this as interesting as I do!

Daily Bible reading does me a lot of good.

I have read through the Torah on this premise: each day, one chapter just before sleep.

However, my life schedule has changed quite a bit. I have more routine and I am constantly busy. It seems that my mind is too rushed now to experience reading Scripture the way I used to.

It is no longer enjoyable, nor does it feel as productive or spiritually beneficial, because I simply rush through it and do not really meditate on what I have been reading.

Have you had a similar experience? How do you cope with that? How have you managed to make time for daily reading the Bible?