QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE READING PROGRAMME

FIRST THINGS FIRST: If you are new to the Bible, please read this basic introduction.

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Reading the Bible

How to read through the Bible

The story behind the programme

Questions about the programme

What Bible translation should I use?

The short answer is, whatever you feel comfortable with.

ENGLISH

· I use the New International Version (NIV), which is a "dynamic" translation: literal translation as far as possible, but in modern language to prevent compromising understandability.
(Read it online at https://www.biblica.com/online-bible/, or download NIV apps from your Android/Apple webstore.)
· But if you're new to the Bible, or if the NIV's language is too "formal" for you, you might use the New Living Translation (NLT) – it's more of a paraphrase, not a literal translation.
(Read online at https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Living-Translation-NLT-Bible/#booklist. Or download NLT apps from your Android/Apple webstore.)
· Or use The Message, it's a more free translation than the NLT.
(Read online at https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Message-MSG-Bible/#booklist. Or download The Message apps from your Android/Apple webstore.)

If you are not a native English speaker, you may consider the Ease English Bible. It is exactly what the title says: the Bible in easy to understand English. It uses a limited English vocabulary (only 1200 words) and shorter sentences, based on a meaning-for-meaning translation; in other words, the concern is to make sure the reader gets the meaning of the text. You can download it, free of charge (and with no advertising!), from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.missionassist.eebib.bible

(I know the King James Version (KJV) is the most widely-known English translation of the Bible, but I would advise you not to use it, for two reasons:
· It uses archaic English (even in the New King James Version), which leads to a lot of head-scratching, even for English readers. Don't confuse yourself.
·· It did not make use of the early manuscripts discovered after its completion and other archaeological discoveries – after all, it was done in the 1600's.

OTHER LANGUAGES

Open.Bible offers Bibles and Bible portions in more than 300 languages and dialects. Visit their page with available Bibles by clicking here.

They also offer a multitude of Bible maps available by clicking here.

All content is released under Creative Commons licenses. Visit their page for details on the their various Creative Commons licenses by clicking here.

What if I don't understand everything?

No problem. NOBODY understands everything in the Bible! But the more you read, the more you'll understand. As the Reformers taught us, "Scripture interprets Scripture", which simply means that what you don't understand at point A might be illuminated by what you read later at point B.
You will never understand everything, but as your broad knowledge of the Bible grows, things will eventually make a lot more sense.
File away the questions, and keep reading.

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