Project 1999 - The Good Book

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How many of you have read The Bible front to back?

I'm off school for the summer and have a bunch of free time. Staying off the sauce(8 days so far), getting back in shape and reading The Bible are my goals for the summer.

I consulted a buddy of mine who knows about these things and he gave me a good reading order. Not that far into it but it is quite a different experience when contrasted with reading it and learning about it as a young child.

We have this ancient text that is clearly speaking about how to be good to one another. It's clear that this knowledge is built into us. Anyways, I am curious how many of you have read the Bible front to back.

Which Bible? There are a few translations and they do differ in some key ways.

I'm partial to the Douay-Rheims version but it's not the easiest to read, and by that I mean it can be damned hard in places.

I have read the KJV and some new life version but I have big holes in my memory, especially between 2010 - 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrSparkle001 (Post 3458736)

google says that's a translation from the latin vulgate.

hope this helps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomaroast (Post 3458741)

The bible has some good stories and good life lessons, but there isn't much of God in there. It's a a collection of hymns, letters and stories written in the desert 3000-1700 years ago, and then translated a half a dozen times before it makes it to your modern, english-reading eyes. If you've ever read the subtitles in a film where you also understand the language being spoken, you will have noticed that the translation is often bizarrely wrong. That's because perfect translation is always impossible. Languages are different from one another, and different users of those languages literally think differently from one another as a result. Language shapes the mind. Now remember again, that the bible has been translated multiple times. There's just no point in wasting your time reading modern translations. Find a good bible study, that goes into the original documents and what those original words in their original language mean.

If you're going to just plow through the translated version, I'd suggest that you'd be better off reading a religious text that you more unfamiliar with, such as the Upanishads.

The life lessons are God.

And you are correct about the translations. There are usually subtle differences, but some editions differ quite significantly in order to fit a certain doctrine. These editions are not the KJV or the Catholic NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) but more limited editions used in marginal churches. There are many of them.

Here are examples of the subtle differences between KJV and Douay-Rheims (I do not know which Douay-Rheims version): https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org...-douay_rheims/

I have heard that the original meaning of "Thou shalt not kill" is closer to "Thou shalt not murder" but the translation to "kill" doesn't convey the original meaning properly and leaves it as way too ambiguous. I mean killing an animal for food is killing, killing a plant for food is killing, killing an enemy in war is killing...

I think it's kind of a tough read from front to back, especially in Leviticus. At least to me it was. Most of the old testament is a rough read tbh. I love all of the new testament though and really enjoy reading it and praying to ask God to help me to understand and process it all. Revelations is also very relevant and my favorite to read right now. I'd try and read the book with God and Christ and have them guide you as you explore the Bible. I'd try and ignore other people's "take" or "opinion" on what each passage or chapter means, or is about , because I think reading the Bible and conversing with your creator is a personal endeavor.

If you are ever in a situation where you really need God's guidance, I'd suggest praying to him and then opening the Bible randomly and reading. There have been so many passages that he leads me to that pertain to my current situation and speak directly to my heart.

Good luck reading it all! It's worthwhile! Also be careful with what Bible you purchase. I tried to buy a new one on Amazon and it was in broken English and whole verses were changed in weird ways. Try to get something older imo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiwa (Post 3458744)

google says that's a translation from the latin vulgate.

hope this helps.

It does a pretty good job of it but it's been revised over the years.

I prefer as close to original as possible but there's no way I can read a latin or ancient Greek Bible, and I can barely get through the older Renaissance translations like Douay-Rheims. The language is just so thick. But translating into modern vernacular is flawed too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomaroast (Post 3458753)

Do you not recognize that this is a logical fallacy: call to tradition? The older versions are translations too. They were changed in weird ways too.

Work off the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek versions, or just don't waste your time.

I wonder if a Septuagint on the shelf would get a ladyfriend sodden with the mists of spring. 🤔

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomaroast (Post 3458753)

I agree with you on the deeper point you're making, yes. I guess let me elaborate on what I mean by "changed" in regards to king James versions you'll buy in Amazon today. Where the letter o is its often replaced with 0. Where the letter L is it's often changed to an I and vice versa. This makes it incredibly hard to read as it feels broken and incomplete. Unfortunately most people need a translation to some degree since most can't read Latin and ancient Hebrew.