How do you guys recommend reading the Bible? Any particular order? I really want to read it but I know I can't do it in one shot. I'd like to be able to break it up into thematically/stylistically similar sections and take them on one at a time.
Also, is there any Catholic approved translations you guys would recommend?
usccb.org
Thanks guys. Peace and Love
Have fun, God bless you.
Just read it straight through and get it over with
easy way to burn out and not finish it
Thanks man. Peace
I'm sure the problem is me but I've tried this a couple times and haven't been able to do it, I end up getting burnt out like said
1. Five Books of Moses
2. Histories
3. New Testament
Then peruse the middle in whatever order you want.
Why bother with tedious drivel. Just accept Jesus as God and don't be a dick, like everyone else.
I accept Jesus as God. I'm totally on board with that. I'd just like to learn more and try to get a better understanding of Christianity and where it comes from.
in that case, just stick to theologians. i'd start with more modern apologetics (c.s. lewis, chesterton, etc. since theyre accessible, and then work your way back from early church theology such as Athanasius to kierkegaard
>thematically/stylistically similar sections
The Bible can be divided into sections
1.The Five Books of the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
2. The Books of History:Joshua to Esther
3.The Books of Wisdom: Job to Song of Solomon
4. The Books of Prophecy: Isaiah to Malachi
5. The Four Gospels and: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
6. The Acts of the Apostles
7. The Epistles of Paul: Romans to Hebrews
8. The General Epistles: James to Jude
9. Revelation
Start with John's Gospel. The incarnation, death, burial, and Resurrection are the culmination of everything that came before. The Bible is best understood through the lens of the gospel (as evidenced in the account of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts 8). John is also the most beautiful of the gospels.
From there, read whatever interests you. You won't get more out of the Bible your first time through by reading it in order. The important thing is that you get it read. If you're on Veeky Forums, you'll probably enjoy Ecclesiastes.
If you really want a plan though, here's my advice: John, Luke, Acts, all of the Epistles. John emphasizes the deity of Christ, Luke the humanity. Acts was also written by Luke, and picks up where his gospel leaves off, giving an account of the goings on of the early Church. The Epistles vary in content. Paul goes deep on doctrine and theology, the rest are brilliant as well. Get all that read, then do whatever you want from there.
>Also, is there any Catholic approved translations you guys would recommend?
The Douay-Rheims Bible is good. If you're a native English speaker, read the King James Bible first. Nothing else compares to the beauty of the translation. You're not going to miss out on special Catholic mysteries. Another Bible I like is the Orthodox Study Bible. It's got a translation of the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), and the footnotes are wonderful.
Avoid all other translations like the plague.
Thanks for the recommendation! I'm actually reading Chesterton's Orthodoxy as we speak, so I guess I'm on the right track
then step away from catholicism
most of its doctrines come from pope leo the great. there isn't even any record of prayer to mary until hundreds of years later and its an anonymous document
Read the story of Christianity by Justo Gonzales
why have someone read out of order?
I went through a similar phase and these are the ones I own.
Boethius
Sayings of the Desert Fathers
Early Christian Writings
Athanasius
Origen
Anselm
Augustine
Aquinas
St. John of the Cross
St. Teresa of Avila
Descartes
Spinoza
Kierkegaard
This is a random list and in no way definitive. If you read footnotes on a lot of these works, the editors will suggest connections between authors, and I've sort of chased my way around Christianity through connecting themes, references, etc.
meant for
This is exactly what I'm looking for, thank you so much!
>You're not going to miss out on special Catholic mysteries.
uhhhhh Deuterocanonical books?
>This is a random list and in no way definitive
The definitive list:
St John Chrysostom
You're welcome
>Deuterocanonical books?
1611 King James Bible. But really, they can be read in the Douay-Rheims, or from the OSB.
Icons from the mid second century exist.
>Any particular order?
Cover to cover
>Also, is there any Catholic approved translations you guys would recommend?
NABRE
Old testament - mostly jewish history spiced up with mythology, very interesting
New testament - liberal hippy staff, and epic Revelation book
start with the Gospel of John, then the other gospels/Acts, then hit some of the heavier books in the OT (Isaiah, Job, Genesis, etc.)
personally i have a copy of the KJV, a copy of the NASB, and one of the NRSV that i cross-reference between for study and reading. eventually I'd like to get a copy of the Orthodox Study Bible to get me something with the OT translation primarily based on the Septuagint but that's not absolutely required
don't touch the NIV or NLT. they are incorrect in their translations.
KJV 1611 purists are ignorant and blind so just scoot past them.