Night Elf Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Have you read the entire Bible? How did you do it? Do you think it's important to read the whole thing? I've tried reading various parts but it's simply too complicated to understand. It's something I'd like to do though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Have you considered an audio version? Many people read and reread the bible over a lifetime and learn new things from it all the time. I have read probably 90% of it but not at 1 time and I couldn't tell you what I haven't read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I have done it, probably several times if you count all the home school reading selections and the different programs for church where we didn't start at the beginning. I think it puts a lot of the old testament in perspective if you read it all the way through. Particularly with good maps. I had a real lightbulb moment when I realized that Israel is smaller than Washington County, where I lived in Oregon. That made SOOOO much more of he Old Testament make sense to me, when I realized God wasn't blood thirsty with all of the punishments requiring death, people could easy walk away to a new community if they did not want to adhere to those rules, the death penalties were to make leaving a good choice and keep the community in tact. I really recommend it, actually. If possible find someone to read it with though, I did it with my son and he learned so much he is really grateful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I've read the entire Bible a few times. I'm in the midst of reading it again in full this year. Some of it is complicated, confusing and boring to me. It's important to me as a Christian to read it and learn from it. I also think it's an important part of Western civilization so non-Christians should be familiar with it as well. I do find new things in it every time. You might start with a more story-like paraphrase Bible the first time through. I don't have one to recommend though. A few pastors I know recommend new readers start with a children's Bible. Or a student Bible. I like the NIV Student Bible for its study features. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I've done it several times as regular Bible study is part of my adult life. You'd likely have better success if you chose a Study Bible (one with a lot of notes to assist with understanding) and set a goal of one chapter (or whatever section seems to go together) per day. The first time I also started in the New Testament as it is far more readable than parts of the OT. One can get bogged down in parts of Exodus, Leviticus & Numbers... causing many to lose interest. Now I like to vary OT and NT to keep things more diverse... Here's a link to a Study Bible we got each of our kids for their high school graduation... http://www.christianbook.com/page/bibles/translations/esv/esv-study-bible IMO, it's terrific. I also bought one for myself. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Have you read the entire Bible? How did you do it? Do you think it's important to read the whole thing? I've tried reading various parts but it's simply too complicated to understand. It's something I'd like to do though. Yes. And yes. Probably just reading it the way you would eat an elephant...one little bit at a time. Don't try to figure anything out; just read. Perhaps it would help if you had a basic roadmap: The first five books--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number, Deuteronomy--are the basis for, well, really, the rest of the Old Testament. Having a basic understanding of how God began to call His people to Him will add depth to your reading of the New Testament. :-) Genesis: There are three parts: The first 11 cover a thousand years or more of time. That's where you'll find Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall, Cain and Abel, Noah, the Tower of Babel. The next section is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--the first men that God gave His specific promise to. It ends with Joseph and his coat of many colors, and the children of Israel living in Egypt. I love Joseph. :-) Exodus: There arose a pharaoh who did not know Joseph, and he put the Israelites in bondage (guess who probably built the pyramids?) We have Moses and the burning bush, the plagues, the children of God crossing the Red Sea on dry land after plundering the Egyptians without lifting a hand. Leviticus: Only a month long, God gives Moses the Law. The people whine and complain. God tells the people exactly what He wants them to do, they bungle, and complain. They are destined to spend 40 years in the desert because of the hardness of their hearts. ::observes a moment of silence:: Numbers and Deuteronomy: The story of the wanderings, God re-emphsizes the law and Moses counts the people. Don't skip any of this. There are lots of details, but they're there for a reason, and sometimes a real gem shows up in the middle of a paragraph. It ends with the death of Moses, who was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience, and the people prepare to enter the land under the leadership of Joshua and Caleb. Read that far and I'll tell you more. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yep. Numerous times before I left home. This place here is about like the reading schedule my parents would've followed. With my kids I read a 2-3 chapters every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 Read that far and I'll tell you more. :-) Wow, thanks. That was very informative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbmom77 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yes, many times. (Preacher's kid :) ) I highly recommend the Chronological Study Bible. It may help to read events in chronological order, and it has good historical and cultural notes to aid understanding. http://www.amazon.com/Chronological-Study-Bible-NKJV-ebook/dp/B0030FOZ44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403880100&sr=8-1&keywords=chronological+study+bible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I highly recommend these free Yale lectures: http://oyc.yale.edu/religious-studies Here's a good text & their website to help with NT: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/introducing-the-new-testament/264690/esources Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I'm a very godly woman. Of course I have. I mean, you know, sort of. At least most of it. :leaving: My husband and I are doing it now. This is our method: 1. Listen to a sermon on one of the books. 2. Listen to the entire book to get everything in context. 3. Exposit the book slowly. We are not doing it in order so that we can space out the Gospels, Pentateuch, Psalms & Proverbs. I'm trying to divide this into a 540 day (3 school year) plan for the kids and I to do later. I strongly recommend a good study bible to get you through this. I can't recommend a Ryrie highly enough. I'm currently reading a Life Application which is sort of "for dummies" and I wasn't raised in a church so I'm getting a lot out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I agree with the paraphrase first suggestion, to get an overview. Years ago, there was one out by Walt Wangerin titled The Book of God. KEEP IN MIND that reading this is akin to getting your Biblical education about Moses from watching The Ten Commandments movie! It's not going to be completely accurate, but it will give you an idea of the "storyline." The Bible has many books that overlap others in historical context. After reading a dramatized/paraphrased version, get a good bible dictionary or reference bible with timelines (Ryrie made a good one). I also suggest a copy of The Living Bible, to use as a reference when you get to confusing passages. It's a paraphrase. When you reach the point of doing exposition and word studies you will want an actual translation (ie "real" Bible), but the paraphrases are extremely helpful in getting the big picture. I also second the idea of audio versions. The ones read dramatically are more engaging. SWB's History of the Ancient World, if you haven't already read it, might make good parallel reading. The Bible covers the scope of the ancient world and significant figures cross between the Bible and other history books. If you want to forgo all the above, and just dive in, consider starting in the New Testament and then going back to the old. It won't give you the same sweep of history but will make for easier reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I have done the Daily Bible which is the Bible in chronological order in 365 readings with some notes. Reading it in order really helps it make more sense. Right now I am doing one in a kindle format and really like that as it just seems easier to read to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I wanted to add that I want to read Journey Through The Bible and do Trail Guide To Bible Geography. I think both would be quite educational for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yes, many times. (Preacher's kid :) ) I highly recommend the Chronological Study Bible. It may help to read events in chronological order, and it has good historical and cultural notes to aid understanding. http://www.amazon.com/Chronological-Study-Bible-NKJV-ebook/dp/B0030FOZ44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403880100&sr=8-1&keywords=chronological+study+bible This is what I would suggest as well. They are available in different translations. The one I have is an old NIV version and it 1) doesn't duplicate, so if a passage is in two different places, it is combined into one. 2) groups, so Psalms, Proverbs, and the Law have groupings. Much easier to read and grasp the Law that way. It's also divided into daily readings if you want to read it for a year. I would see if you could look at several in a Christian bookstore. You also might want to start, as some have suggested, with something like The Story, which gives the main parts of the narrative of the Bible so you can get the overall story in a sweep. It will read more like a novel that way. The actual passages are Scripture, but some (such as lists, etc.) will be left out. Yes, I have read it through and yes, I do think it's important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yes, several times and in several versions, and just had my daughter do a Biblical literacy course last year. I found Dr. Amy Jill Levine's Great Courses lecture series "The Old Testament" and "Great Figures of the New Testament" very helpful. Sheis a professor of New Testament at Vanderbilt Divinity School and also a Conservative Jew. Realize that you will need to pick the version you want, as there are different ones. The Protestant Bible totally leaves out many books considered canonical in the Roman Catholic Church (this material is often listed in a separate section in Anglican and some Protestant Bibles, and the section is labeled the Apocrypha---the Episcopal Church considers this material non-canonical but useful for teaching). The Jewish Tanakh and the Christian Old Testament are arranged in very different orders, leading to different places (see Dr. Levine's Burke lecture, "Reassessing Jewish and Christian Relations" for a bit more information ). http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Amy-Jill-Levine-Reassessing-Jewish-Christian-Relations-5577 So, first, make sure you have a version that accords with your purposes, then, yes, a commentary/study bible is very useful. Dr. Levine has recently released the "Jewish Annotated New Testament," which I enjoyed. For my daughter, we used "The Bible and Its Influence." http://www.bibleliteracy.org/ I had her read the Tanakh, a Protestant New Testament, and the deuterocanonical material (Apocrypha) from a Roman Catholic Bible, and we listened to the Levine GC lectures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yes, many times. (Preacher's kid :) ) I highly recommend the Chronological Study Bible. It may help to read events in chronological order, and it has good historical and cultural notes to aid understanding. http://www.amazon.com/Chronological-Study-Bible-NKJV-ebook/dp/B0030FOZ44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403880100&sr=8-1&keywords=chronological+study+bible I agree! I have read the whole Bible straight through only once. I now read it chronologically when I want to go all the way through it. Otherwise, I tend to read literature genres WITHIN the Bible. The minor prophets...the letters of Paul, the poetry, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 One book series I can recommend to go along with your reading of the OT is this: http://seeingjesusintheoldtestament.com/products/books/ And this book on studying the Bible is from one of my favorite teachers: http://www.amazon.com/Women-Word-Study-Bible-Hearts/dp/1433541769/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I keep cycling through my "My Utmost Devotional Bible." It usually takes me a bit more than a year to finish. It breaks it up so you read a bit from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and New Testament each day, as well as a short passage from Oswald Chambers. Therefore, you don't get bogged down in Leviticus or Numbers or Deuterony and quit. http://www.amazon.com/Utmost-Devotional-Bible-James-Version/dp/0785203877/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403895833&sr=8-1&keywords=My+utmost+devotional+bible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 These days, when I read, I read our church's readings for the day (Eastern Orthodox). Specific readings from the Gospels and Epistles are assigned to each day of the year. Then we also have lots and lots of readings from other parts of the Bible during the liturgical feasts and other commemorations throughout the year. I have to admit, it's nice not to have to daily/regularly figure this one thing out. I have plenty on my plate working out my salvation (i.e., dealing with heart issues that need addressing), so the less work I have to put into figuring things out that have been figured out already by the church fathers is fine by me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Yes, I've done it a number of times. I have a Scofield reference Bible which provides a lot of background and cross-references and definition of names etc., to help make sense of stuff that seems very cryptic. The first time I read through most of the Bible in a few weeks at age 15, while on summer vacation. Would have finished if school didn't start so soon. :P As an adult I read in smaller chunks, in the quiet of my room, no hurry and I got through it. Then I read a Spanish version with the English alongside. Then a French version. Then a German version. I started a Hindi version but then my kids came along and put a stop to that. ;) I was also reading the other holy / world view books simultaneously - the Koran, the Gita, the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Tao te Ching, some Buddhist stuff, etc. I would compare and look for common ground. Whenever I finished one I would just start that one over at the beginning. It was fun. :) But patience is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I like Grant Horner's system. It is 10 categories of Bible books. Read 1 chapter out of each category each day. I modified it because 10 chapters a day is too much for me. You could always do 2 chapters a day, 5 days a week to get all 10 categories in. Best wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Several times. A one year chronological Bible is a very helpful format for reading through. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=one%20year%20chronological%20bible&sprefix=one+year+chr%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aone%20year%20chronological%20bible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I have done it using You Version on my tablet. My favorite one-year plan uses the NLT (which I believe is a paraphrase) and each day has readings from the OT, NT, Psalms, and Proverbs. When I've tried other ways, I've gotten bogged down by about Numbers and never picked it back up. But You Version has it neatly divided and it's very easy to read every morning before I get out of bed. I was recently going through some things in my hope chest and found my great-grandmother's Bible. She made notes all over her Bible, one of which was a list of the years that she read through the entire Bible in a year. I think she did it about 27 times! It was probably higher than that, because when she was old and feeble she would listen to recordings on tape because she couldn't really read the small print anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Yes, several times and I enjoy it. I try to hit different translations each year but sometimes that's just not possible. My favorite is the ESV but I really enjoyed going through The Message Bible too just to read it more in a story style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Our church did the program the Bible in 90 days. It was amazing to do. I can not recommend enough reading the Bible straight through in its entirety. Being able to see the whole tapestry weaved together and the beauty of the story from start to finish has no comparison. I recommend using a simple Bible with no added notes, this way you could make it through the whole Bible. With all the study notes, etc it can become even more daunting to make progress. Make it through the whole thing first then make plans to go back and dig for depth. As for translation my personal favorite is the ESV. And the ESV Study Bible is a real beauty. I also read "the story" teen edition, which was a neat way to hear everything in a novel format and enables you to get a better grasp on the whole thing. Best of luck to you! I just recently restarted to read the whole Bible again, because it really meant so much to me the first time around. I hope others will have such a meaningful experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 I'm doing it right now. I'm 6 months in. It's not easy because over all I feel bored, but I want to become more biblically literate so I'm chugging along. I've already caught a few allusions in other books I've read that I would have missed before and that's makes me happy. I'm using a Study Bible that was written by Jews, Catholics, and Protestants. I'm also reading a children's Bible to my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 I'm using a Study Bible that was written by Jews, Catholics, and Protestants. I'm also reading a children's Bible to my kids. What is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I have this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I've read the bible for many years but not straight through. This year I'm doing the One Year Bible readalong through the One year bible blog. Reading old testament, new, psalms and proverbs each day. He gives email commentary which I read prior to the day's readings. Halfway through the year and still plugging away which is a good thing. Learning so much. . After reading Michael Casey's Sacred Reading, decided that next year plan to concentrate and study a couple books only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Straight through, once as a teenager an once when I became Christian five years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Several times. A one year chronological Bible is a very helpful format for reading through. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=one%20year%20chronological%20bible&sprefix=one+year+chr%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aone%20year%20chronological%20bible I have the Reading God's Story that is listed several down---the kindle version. If you have a kindle or kindle app you can download the 1st 6 weeks or so to try for free. It is nice as it has 6 daily readings a week and then the 7th is a thought/prayer/review so easy to combine with day 6 or day 1 of the next week if you fall behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I have read it through several times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I read it through once as a teen during an OCD-induced spate of binge-reading. I don't recommend that method. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I haven't been able to stop thinking about this. I found this. It might be better for reading strait through. I think I'll get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I bought an audio version of the King James to listen to next year. An audio of the Quran, English and Arabic, too, as it happens. I'm going to have to hit up the audio section of the Jewish shop to see what they have. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Yes, I have read it through each year, in a few different versions, for about a dozen years before I had dd. Since then, I have found it easier to do shorter Bible studies. I would like very much to get back into my habit of reading it through every year. I do think it is critically important for every Christian to read the Bible through at least once. We need to know, for our own selves, exactly what is and what isn't in there. Then we have a basis for comparison when anyone starts to present their own interpretation as "being in the Bible" or when they start focusing on one concept or verse and try to leave the rest out. We are so blessed to be living in a place and time where we have easy access to the Scriptures and where the vast majority of the population is literate enough to be able to read it for themselves. It seems sad to me when Christians do not take advantage of this opportunity. Regarding nonbelievers, I imagine it would be helpful for them to read the Bible through also, so that they, too, would know when someone is embroidering on what is actually written or so that they would more easily understand the cultural references that are Bible based. When I started reading it, I tried not to get bogged down in an effort to understand every single verse or event. In some places, I had to just let it wash over me, to get the big picture rather than the minute details (of who begat whom, or how many people were in this or that tribe, etc.) However, each subsequent time I read it, I began to comprehend more and more. With familiarity has come better understanding of not only the words, but the cultural and social contexts underlying it. Also, as my knowledge, perceptions and focus has changed over the years, so has my understanding of certain specific verses - not that my initial interpretation was wrong, just that I am now able to find meaning on more than one level regarding that passage. Best wishes with this. I think you will be very glad you did read it through once you have done so. It is well worth the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I bought an audio version of the King James to listen to next year. An audio of the Quran, English and Arabic, too, as it happens. I'm going to have to hit up the audio section of the Jewish shop to see what they have. :laugh: The Quran is next on my list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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