I am reading the Bible for the first time, what are some useful compan

[OneLight]

The Message Bible is a good book.  And the Biblegateway is a really good tool to use with the bible online.

Not to derail the thread, but The Message is not a bible. It is a paraphrased writeup of scripture by Peterson.

[OneLight]

 

Studying the bible takes a lifetime and nobody can get all there is in scripture during that time. What type of research are you doing? What questions are you trying to answer?

 

I am seeking understanding and perspective.  The book I intend to write will promote a greater understanding between all major world religions.  I'm sure you have felt misunderstood or misrepresented at some point, and I think we all feel this way sometimes.  I am seeking to explore this shared experience.

 

 

You will has trouble understanding scripture then. Understanding comes from the Holy Spirit. Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said in John 14:15-18:

 

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

May I inquire as to which religious background you come from?

[OneLight]

When reading scripture, realize that the true meaning of what was written needs to be seen through the times it was written in.  You will need to have an understanding of the culture of the people.  During the translations, the translator needed to choose which meaning of a word was being used for the language it was begin translated into. 
 
I offer a suggestion of using an Interlinear bible, Hebrew/Greek to English, www.scripture4all.org  has a downloadable version that uses the Textus Receptus approach when translating.  (Not to confuse you more, but do understand that some translations use the Critical Text approach, though they denote the difference when it differs from the Textus Receptus and/or Majority Text.) It is hard to read and compare due to it being a word for word translation of both Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT), not placed into how we speak today.  Each word has a Strong's Numerical Reference which can be used with a Concordance, but a Concordance just skims the surface of the meaning of a word, which is why a Hebrew and Greek Word Dictionary is better, giving references to how the word is being used in what verse it was used in.  I use The Complete Word Study Dictionary for both Hebrew and Greek.

 

The most important tool (if I can use this term) to have is the Holy Spirit.  Only He can teach us the truth found in scripture.  Man can, and have, struggled trying to understand scripture without the assistance of the Holy Spirit and have walked away with a false understanding, trying to use their intelligence instead of His guidance.  He is the most important piece to seeking the truth.

[Guest]

The Message Bible is a good book.  And the Biblegateway is a really good tool to use with the bible online.

 

The message bible is a horrible version.

 

Esword is good. Its a download bible with commentaries etc. Very useful.

 

Can I ask why you dislike The Message Bible?

 

I will look into Esword.  Thank you!

 

 

~

 

Because

It's A Fellow's Book About THE Book

Why Get Your News Second Hand When You Can Get It Straight From The LORD

 

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Psalms 119:160

[ayin jade]

 

 

The Message Bible is a good book.  And the Biblegateway is a really good tool to use with the bible online.

 

The message bible is a horrible version.

 

 

Esword is good. Its a download bible with commentaries etc. Very useful.

 

 

Can I ask why you dislike The Message Bible?

 

I will look into Esword.  Thank you!

 

 

The message bible translates or rather paraphrases scripture poorly. It adds new age phrases and ends up diminishing the word of God. 

 

For example, in one verse, the message bible refers to the Lord as "the god of green hope" which is a reference to a druid god. 

 

This site sums up problems with the message bible.

 

http://www.seekgod.ca/msgdoctrine2.htm

[desi2007]

When reading scripture, realize that the true meaning of what was written needs to be seen through the times it was written in.  You will need to have an understanding of the culture of the people.  During the translations, the translator needed to choose which meaning of a word was being used for the language it was begin translated into. 

 

I offer a suggestion of using an Interlinear bible, Hebrew/Greek to English, www.scripture4all.org  has a downloadable version that uses the Textus Receptus approach when translating.  (Not to confuse you more, but do understand that some translations use the Critical Text approach, though they denote the difference when it differs from the Textus Receptus and/or Majority Text.) It is hard to read and compare due to it being a word for word translation of both Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT), not placed into how we speak today.  Each word has a Strong's Numerical Reference which can be used with a Concordance, but a Concordance just skims the surface of the meaning of a word, which is why a Hebrew and Greek Word Dictionary is better, giving references to how the word is being used in what verse it was used in.  I use The Complete Word Study Dictionary for both Hebrew and Greek.

 

The most important tool (if I can use this term) to have is the Holy Spirit.  Only He can teach us the truth found in scripture.  Man can, and have, struggled trying to understand scripture without the assistance of the Holy Spirit and have walked away with a false understanding, trying to use their intelligence instead of His guidance.  He is the most important piece to seeking the truth.

this is good to know, thank you for the information you have given. I sometimes have trouble understanding the bible so I would use the message bible to translate it in a easier way of understanding it. And would always revert back to the KJ version just to help me to see what a certain scripture was meaning.

 

For instance the verse Isaiah 43:5 KJV "fear not: for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west". 

 

I am confused with this so I would go to the Message bible and it reads...

 

Isaiah 43:5  "so dont be afraid for I am with you, I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them from the east and the west. I'll send orders north and south: send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from far away places. I want them back, every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child. Whom I created for my glory. yes, personally formed and made each one."

 

 So, My understanding of it was ...God will gather His people, and we are precious to Him, and a promise that God will help us through all our trials and tribulations because we belong to Him. He loves us.

 

blessings~

desi

[gdemoss]

It is my goal to understand the message as fully as possible.

 

I am a person who has a very difficult time keeping things simple.  I tend to say much more than is necessary when conveying a point.  So here I will attempt to save you an enormous amount of time and energy by supplying you with the message in as few words as I can.

 

 

The Message:

 

There is a God.  God created all things.  God crafted a plan before creating a single thing that would have a beginning and an end where the thing created would come to understand the Creator over a long period of time.  In the end, the creature would submit unto the Creator and live in harmony for eternity but not before being subject to its own self.

 

The whole bible from beginning to end is about the person of Christ.  Its sole purpose is to bring you to God through Christ.

 

I pray that God will reveal the truth of it all unto you as you seek to understand the mess that we, that is man, has made of all that God created.

[justinithewriterguy]

 

 

Studying the bible takes a lifetime and nobody can get all there is in scripture during that time. What type of research are you doing? What questions are you trying to answer?

 

I am seeking understanding and perspective.  The book I intend to write will promote a greater understanding between all major world religions.  I'm sure you have felt misunderstood or misrepresented at some point, and I think we all feel this way sometimes.  I am seeking to explore this shared experience.

 

 

You will has trouble understanding scripture then. Understanding comes from the Holy Spirit. Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said in John 14:15-18:

 

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

May I inquire as to which religious background you come from?

 

 

I was raised Unitarian but currently have no religious belief.  Depending on who you ask, that makes me either an atheist, an agnostic or an agnostic atheist.  You can just call me Justin though

[justinithewriterguy]

When reading scripture, realize that the true meaning of what was written needs to be seen through the times it was written in.  You will need to have an understanding of the culture of the people.  During the translations, the translator needed to choose which meaning of a word was being used for the language it was begin translated into. 

 

I offer a suggestion of using an Interlinear bible, Hebrew/Greek to English, www.scripture4all.org  has a downloadable version that uses the Textus Receptus approach when translating.  (Not to confuse you more, but do understand that some translations use the Critical Text approach, though they denote the difference when it differs from the Textus Receptus and/or Majority Text.) It is hard to read and compare due to it being a word for word translation of both Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT), not placed into how we speak today.  Each word has a Strong's Numerical Reference which can be used with a Concordance, but a Concordance just skims the surface of the meaning of a word, which is why a Hebrew and Greek Word Dictionary is better, giving references to how the word is being used in what verse it was used in.  I use The Complete Word Study Dictionary for both Hebrew and Greek.

 

The most important tool (if I can use this term) to have is the Holy Spirit.  Only He can teach us the truth found in scripture.  Man can, and have, struggled trying to understand scripture without the assistance of the Holy Spirit and have walked away with a false understanding, trying to use their intelligence instead of His guidance.  He is the most important piece to seeking the truth.

 

Thank you for the links, I will look into these resources.

[GoldenEagle]

Thank you Kwik!  I will likely take you up on that offer.  I must say, of the half-dozen or so communities I've reached out to, this has been the friendliest!

Glad you felt welcomed