Which Bible is the best for a beginner?

[Jedi4Yahweh]

I also like the NLT for reading. But I do not recommend using this for bible studies because its not a word for word translation.

[Guest SweetSong]

Opinion:

For a new Christian: The NIV would probably be best, both for understandability & accuracy. I believe it is at the Junior High reading level.

KJV is at the 12th grade reading level & thus can be difficult to understand, but for memorizing it seems the best. It just has a natural poetry cadence to it.

NKJV has some rough spots where the wording is awkward. I personally like the NASB Greek/Hebrew Bible for the word for word meanings.

Would stay miles away from The Message. :x: The lack of chapter & verse would make it hard to use in a worship service & it seems to leave out stuff.

Blah, blah, blah. More than needed.

[truseek]

I don't know whether or not I would say that any one translation is best for the beginner, it really depends on what you are looking for. Are you looking for ease of reading? Accuracy? ease of finding various topics? Knowing what you are looking for right now according to your spiritual walk, and type of person you are will aid greatly in determining which translation is best for you. Also, there are many study Bibles, Bibles for parents, Bibles for couples, Bibles for teens, etc. all based on various translations, all having their strong points, some being extremely accurate, some bordering on heresy due to inaccuracy. I cannot stress enough the importance of reading various translations and studying Greek/Hebrew. Some phrases used in scripture, especially the KJV do not neccessrily retain the meaning they once held. Here are some examples, just from the KJV (it's a lil messy I know)

Phrase Passage Meaning

Blains Exodus 9:9 Sores

Daysman Job 9:33 Arbiter or judge

Fetch A Compass 2 Samuel 5:23 Circle around behind

Let 2 Thess. 2:7 Obstruct or interfer

Rereward Joshua 6:13 Rear Guard

Prevent Psalm 88:13 Precede

Tabering Nahum 2:6 Beating on

Wen Leviticus 22:22 Ulcerous sore

The NASV (enarius, ephah, fatlings, hin), NRSV (mantelet, onycha, spelt, stacte, terebinth, trigon), and NIV (galled, hoopoe, mina, porphyry, satraps, stadia) also have their fair share of words and phrases we may not be familiar with. So, depending on how much research you are willing to do in understanding the text, and whether you are concerned with knowing exactly the message being conveyed, or are satisfied with getting the general idea I think would definitely be a deciding factor.

Is the beggining Christian a Doctor of theology, or a fry cook(not that bein a fry cook makes you dumb, or bein a doctor makes ya smart )?

In Christ

Truseek

[whatsitmean]

I'm going to say getting a bible for a new Christian, get one that is just the bible. Ones that have all the helps they put in them now are too distracting. You end up reading the notes and not the text. No color coding. A center column reference is good. Large print is good and a reasonable size to the bible, not too big and not too small, a little smaller than 7x10.

Not too expensive, under $25. Give them a three color highlighter and encourage them to use it freely.

Oh and be sure it is KJV. If the language seems a little strange they will get used to it, and they will remember it is God's word in their lap.

[WayneB]

Is the beggining Christian a Doctor of theology, or a fry cook(not that bein a fry cook makes you dumb, or bein a doctor makes ya smart )?

The TRUTH is never offensive.

I meet new Christians every week who can barely read a 1st grade primer, which is why I pass out NIV to the men in jail. When asked, I will provide The Message for those who have a real problem with reading.

By the way SweetSong, the new versions of the Message do have Chapters and Verses. I actually liked it better the other way. Many folks I have given copies to read The Message as a book and were caught up in the story of Jesus Christ. Charles Swindoll even refers to The Message in some of his study guides. It is a great version BUT like I said...only for the babe in Christ.. It makes a great "hook" and leads the new convert to want more.

[Guest Saint Wes]

If you can read at a 10th grade level or above......the NIV seems to really hold the original text meaning accurately. The KJV is more cutting, but older english.

DO NOT buy into this KJV only garbage, it is a doctrine that is not substantiated.

If you are a newer believer, the NIV is the best, and the book of John is the place to start. The NASV is good too.

I wouldn't reccommend the NLT, as it is not a direct translation of the original texts, it is a paraphrase - and by its own abdmission not suitable for doctrinal study.

[tako]

HI JACQUI, I know, so much help and info to choose from, i'm smiling because it's like coffee, i just wanted a plain cup of coffee . Anyway i'll just throw in my choice of coffee too. Lets see, first i would ask is, are you planning to attend a bible class or not and i do recommend that you do because there is a lot of important questions to be asked and can easily be cleard up. But to me the American Standard is easy enough to read and understand if you'r not planning to attend bible study, otherwise just get an easy reading one, but ask around or use this site to confirm if that particular bible is a good one, just to be safe. A word of caution since your new, always confirm with others because they are many cults out there and it's good to play it safe. I ended up with the king james myself but started with easy reading ones, sooo, talk to you later. .........TAKO

[Orr v'emet]

I personnally like the NLT version. It is easy to understand. When I am reading though I usually have another version with me to see how it differs like the NIV version. I also have a greek/hebrew study bible which is good when your doing an indepth study...

[Guest Called]

NLT

The Message

NKJV (New King James Version)

NIV

I like all of those. KJV is too hard to understand for a new Christian, half the time I get so lost in the thee's and thou's, it feels like I am back in literature class reading Shakespeare and trying to figure out the meaning of it all and I have been a Christian for 25 years and grew up on KJV.

By the way SweetSong, the new versions of the Message do have Chapters and Verses. I actually liked it better the other way. Many folks I have given copies to read The Message as a book and were caught up in the story of Jesus Christ. Charles Swindoll even refers to The Message in some of his study guides. It is a great version BUT like I said...only for the babe in Christ.. It makes a great "hook" and leads the new convert to want more.

[2bba]

"Which Bible is the best for a beginner?"

The same Bible that is best for the ender.

We are all babes in Christ if we are 2 or 102.

If you are a new Christian then the question might be this.

What should I read first in the Bible?

Christians will say the whole Bible is good, and that is true.

For a new Christian though I would lead them to the the following books:

John

Romans

Luke

Matthew

Mark

Acts

Corinthians 1 and 2

Then a little of Psalms and Proverbs and Old and New Testament

until you had read every last line.

Then repeat (sort of like a shampoo label )

Of course many will disagree with the order

but then no Christian will disagree that it is important to read, read, read.