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Help with Bible Study

Hello Fellow shave nuts.

I know religion is not every ones favourite subject but I would appreciate any help:001_smile

Can you recommend or suggest any on-line resource or website which would be of use to assist me in reading the Bible. I am reading the King James version and at the moment interested in the Gospels and the New Testament.

It would be good to know more about;
-historical context for the books, their authors and their purpose
-explanations or commentary which will give me help and guidance as I read through a chapter.

At this stage I do not want anything too complex or academic.

Thank you
 
Hello Fellow shave nuts.

I know religion is not every ones favourite subject but I would appreciate any help:001_smile

Can you recommend or suggest any on-line resource or website which would be of use to assist me in reading the Bible. I am reading the King James version and at the moment interested in the Gospels and the New Testament.

It would be good to know more about;
-historical context for the books, their authors and their purpose
-explanations or commentary which will give me help and guidance as I read through a chapter.

At this stage I do not want anything too complex or academic.

Thank you

I certainly believe your post, in and of itself, cannot be logically taken as offensive, as you seek knowledge for yourself.
At the moment, I do not have time to list all the resources I could, other than you might consider the John MacArthur study bible, I have it in NASB and it's an indispensable tool in my study. I will come back when I have more time and post some more
 
I'm a volunteer worker for Aurora Ministries in Bradenton, FL.
They publish the Bible in audio format (cassettes and MP3) for the visually impaired or print handicapped.

If interested, PM me with your address and preferred format.


Aurora Ministries
 
Hi philamac,
I understand your interest. I would concur with the CCEL (linked above) as a good resource. Unfortunately, I have yet to find an online resource as good as a nice as printed resources. A great reference materials is Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. The Life Application Bible has some good insight and historical context references.

Lastly, I would encourage you to also refer to a second translation to help with the language changes from Old English of the King James. I will not get into a discussion about which is right or better, but another translation will assist in some more difficult passages. Please do your homework and do not get a transliteration.

Lastly, I would begin to do some light historical reading about ancient Roman, Greek and Jewish pre-christian civilizations. These will give you a great background to understand the history of the Early Church and the divisions thereof.

As someone who enjoys the writings and teachings of the early church fathers, I encourage you into this journey. It is very fulfilling and could even change your life. :wink: Peace
 
Personally I don't like study bibles. I find the multiplicity of notes and other margin writings visually distracting. That and the fact that theological frameworks are impossible to avoid in any annotated bible. I am reformed so I would tolerate most of the notes in the Geneva, John MacArthur's or the New Reformation study bibles, but again, I just don't like the cluttered pages and the punctuated text-note-text-note reading.

Macroscopically, I suggest reading these books in order first:

Romans
Gospel of John
Isaiah
Ephesians
Hebrews

That gives you Christianity 101. Try to read them straight through, without comment. Then look for good commentaries to address passages you have difficulty with. Here is what I would recommend:

Romans: Charles Hodge
John: Herman Ridderbos or D. A. Carson
Isaiah: Alec Motyer
Ephesians: Charles Hodge
Hebrews: John Owen

Then move on to the Synoptics and Acts, the Torah, the pastoral letters, John's and Peter's letters, the rest of the Prophets and Revelation, and the poetry.

I also heartily recommend the Heidelberg catechism as a good topical study resource.

ADDENDUM:I would echo Mr. Chrissman's advice on translations. The King James language can be confusing and it's not the most accurate translation in many areas. My personal preference is for the English Standard Version, but the NKJV, NASB and NIV are solid modern English translations as well. 'Conversational' translations should be avoided at least until you have a good understanding of the contents of given book.
 
I would like to offer http://www.e-sword.net/ It has a free bible program that can't be beat for the price. There's a slew of commentaries (I enjoy Clarke's) and maps, historical notes, etc. available for download too. There's also built-in bible reading schedules to help you read the bible within a timeframe of your choosing.

If you're interested in a guided study of the Bible, my congegration participates in a program called World Bible School. It offers a great starting point for those wanting to know more about God's Word.

And last, but not least, I've recently stumbled upon a newer translation that I've found really opens the reading up to me. It's the New Life Translation (Not to be confused with the New Living Translation)

Hope these links give you something to explore, and help you on your journey.
 
It would be good to know more about;
-historical context for the books, their authors and their purpose
-explanations or commentary which will give me help and guidance as I read through a chapter.


The MacAurther Bible Handbook would be great for this. It has helped me immensely. It doesn't have to be MacAurters, it just happens to be the one I use.

I also read the Message, which is just a modern day translation.


DL
 

Alacrity59

Wanting for wisdom
My wife, swmbo, has really enjoyed a software program called Illumina. It cost about $60 and has provided her with hours of multimedia bible information. You can check what is on it online at www.livethebible.com
 
Hi philamac,
Lastly, I would encourage you to also refer to a second translation to help with the language changes from Old English of the King James. I will not get into a discussion about which is right or better, but another translation will assist in some more difficult passages. Please do your homework and do not get a transliteration.

Unfortunately, the KJV is the only current-production English Bible translated from its body of texts (Google "Textus Receptus" for more), since other translations are based on some form of what's called the "Critical Text". Young's Literal Translation (probably what John was referring to as a "transliteration") is, however, a great resource, as is an 1800s-era Websters' (which defined words as they were still used back then). Using a translation from a different text to assist in the study of the KJV is going to leave you with some very odd readings.

PM me if you're interested in the whole "text issue" thing, though.
 

OldSaw

The wife's investment
I would like to offer http://www.e-sword.net/ It has a free bible program that can't be beat for the price. There's a slew of commentaries (I enjoy Clarke's) and maps, historical notes, etc. available for download too. There's also built-in bible reading schedules to help you read the bible within a timeframe of your choosing.

If you're interested in a guided study of the Bible, my congegration participates in a program called World Bible School. It offers a great starting point for those wanting to know more about God's Word.

And last, but not least, I've recently stumbled upon a newer translation that I've found really opens the reading up to me. It's the New Life Translation (Not to be confused with the New Living Translation)

Hope these links give you something to explore, and help you on your journey.

I would also like to endorse E-Sword. It is free with the KJV and a few other translations that can be downloaded. It also has a lot of commentaries that can be downloaded.
 
Hello Fellow shave nuts.

Oooh...with one well placed "d", this post could have been a heck of a lot funnier.

Just remember to read the Bible in the context that it was written. If you start trying to apply all of its wisdom and allegories to contemporary society, you'll miss the bigger truth that is being conveyed.

Holy texts represent a special place in culture wherein they use simple ideas to convey complex thought. Good luck!
 
I'll third the (free)e-sword.net route. For $20 more I was able to download the NASB version with all its additional study material.
 
I recommend "The Reformation Study Bible" in the English Standard Version. It is available on Amazon and various other places. www.ligonier.org is an excellent source of sound, biblical study material. Their "Tabletalk" magazine is one of the best daily study guides I have ever used.
 
May I also suggest "Bible in an Hour," a 60-minute CD presentation that is a wonderful thematic overview of both Old and New Testaments. While its title may suggest a "Bible for Dummies" approach, it is anything but. I've found it to be a very useful outline preceding in-depth study, especially for new or even seasoned students who've struggled (like me) with tying the whole body of work together coherently. You can read more at http://www.bibleinanhour.com/
Whatever method you choose, remember that a lifetime is not time enough to really make even a dent in comprehending the richness of Scripture; however, you will find the time you do invest to be rewarding beyond measure.
 
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