6 ms·

Yeah I'm also slightly confused by those comments. I tried reading it from start to end, and it wasn't that enjoyable. It was mostly lost listings of names abou

Yeah I'm also slightly confused by those comments. I tried reading it from start to end, and it wasn't that enjoyable. It was mostly lost listings of names about peoples grand grand parents... and things that didn't really fit what was say two sentences ago. Am I missing the "proper" way of reading it? But if there is, that would eventually just leave to cherry picking...

prometheus76 5y ago
A lot of the difficulty in approaching the Bible is that we are unaware of just how much modernism and the Enlightenment affects our worldview, and the ancient world did not see the world that way. A good place to get an introduction to their worldview is Language of Creation by Mattieu Pageau or another book called The Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser.
QuarterReptile 5y ago
1. Luke and Acts 2. Genesis and Exodus 3. (1 and 2) Samuel and (1 and 2) Kings There are lots of answers to this question floating around the thread. Maybe mine will be helpful: First of all, so much of the Bible references and builds on itself that it's a battle to establish the initial framework of knowledge so you can try to fill everything in. The most important question of Christianity is, as Jesus put it, "who do you say that I am?" Start working on this with a Gospel (either Mark, more focused on a clear message; of Luke, more of a detailed narrative). (Matthew was written for a Jewish audience, so the perspective isn't as helpful, and John is just different in ways that make it better saved for later.) After this, read Acts, which finishes the story begun by the gospels. If you pick Luke, then you have the advantage that Luke and Acts have the same author. Read Genesis. There's so much to unpack in this huge book. Jordan Peterson released lectures on many stories of Genesis as early podcasts of his; they do a good job of presenting the stories in the modern day, and are probably his best work, far better than recent work.) Exodus. It is narrative and explains God's relationship with the Jewish people. If you want to keep digging into that story, you could go next to Joshua and Judges. But I recommend next reading 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. They're the story of David, who is the archetype of a God-fearing, yet only human, Jew. As to a "proper" way: slowly, carefully, repeatedly, with humility, and with help.
tomjen3 5y ago
I tried the same, gave up after Lot's daughters got their father drunk and raped him.
- p0d 5y ago
  The bible is the story of Israel, the life of Jesus, and the birth of the new testament church. It is history, teaching, prophecy and songs. The penny dropped for me many years ago that because it says it in the bible doesn't mean God is happy about it. Just as I am not happy about my own mistakes or many of the goings on in the world today.
- silent_cal 5y ago
  p0d's comment is right - much of the Old Testament is an illustration of fallen human nature. It's a stumbling walk towards redemption. The characters of the OT do not always act heroically. In fact the point is largely that they do not - that they need to be saved somehow. How that happens is described in the New Testament.
kcartlidge 5y ago
I've commented elsewhere (in this same discussion), but it was a long one so in summary here's my own perspective on the order: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30745865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30745865
p0d 5y ago
I made the same mistake as yourself. Read from the beginning. To make it worse in 16th century english. This is a good resource, https://www.biblegateway.com/ https://www.biblegateway.com/.
- geocrasher 5y ago
  I enjoy the NWT translation, it's in modern English but also very true to the original text. https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ It's also available in the JW Library app. Both are 100% free, no signups or membership, and makes reading so much easier and more enjoyable.
  - kcartlidge 5y ago
    For the benefit of other readers, as is mentioned elsewhere the NWT is a translation which amongst Christians is only accepted by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Mainly because they produced it. It's actually reasonably readable but there are differences in meanings due to the decisions of the translators. This is true with all translations, so not a direct criticism, but the NWT tends to differ on areas where the JW belief system itself differs from the mainstream. So personally I'd suggest avoiding it as it will give the new reader a very exclusive perspective on the faith.
  - Buttons840 5y ago
    Be aware that the NWT is a translation produced by a single church, a single sect of Christianity. Those wanting to study the Bible as a literary exercise should consider a translation accepted by more than only one sect of Christianity. Another comment here suggests an interesting translation: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30735352 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30735352
    - Minor49er 5y ago
      It's important to compare translations and understand why they exist and where they differ. Books like "New Age Bible Versions" by G. A. Riplinger give insight into changes with modern versions like the NIV and NKJV that make deliberate alterations to the text. But even still, it's important to remeber that translations like the KJV has replaced words like "She'ol" and "Hades" with "hell", or even replacing the name of God with "God". I personally find myself comparing the KJV with the original Greek as well as the pre-Challoner version of the Douay-Rheims when I want more insight into certain passages. Commentaries also provide interesting insights. They typically cite the translations that were used as well so you can see how their conclusions were drawn

prometheus76 5y ago

A lot of the difficulty in approaching the Bible is that we are unaware of just how much modernism and the Enlightenment affects our worldview, and the ancient world did not see the world that way. A good place to get an introduction to their worldview is Language of Creation by Mattieu Pageau or another book called The Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser.

QuarterReptile 5y ago

1. Luke and Acts 2. Genesis and Exodus 3. (1 and 2) Samuel and (1 and 2) Kings There are lots of answers to this question floating around the thread. Maybe mine will be helpful: First of all, so much of the Bible references and builds on itself that it's a battle to establish the initial framework of knowledge so you can try to fill everything in. The most important question of Christianity is, as Jesus put it, "who do you say that I am?" Start working on this with a Gospel (either Mark, more focused on a clear message; of Luke, more of a detailed narrative). (Matthew was written for a Jewish audience, so the perspective isn't as helpful, and John is just different in ways that make it better saved for later.) After this, read Acts, which finishes the story begun by the gospels. If you pick Luke, then you have the advantage that Luke and Acts have the same author. Read Genesis. There's so much to unpack in this huge book. Jordan Peterson released lectures on many stories of Genesis as early podcasts of his; they do a good job of presenting the stories in the modern day, and are probably his best work, far better than recent work.) Exodus. It is narrative and explains God's relationship with the Jewish people. If you want to keep digging into that story, you could go next to Joshua and Judges. But I recommend next reading 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. They're the story of David, who is the archetype of a God-fearing, yet only human, Jew. As to a "proper" way: slowly, carefully, repeatedly, with humility, and with help.

tomjen3 5y ago

I tried the same, gave up after Lot's daughters got their father drunk and raped him.

p0d 5y ago
The bible is the story of Israel, the life of Jesus, and the birth of the new testament church. It is history, teaching, prophecy and songs. The penny dropped for me many years ago that because it says it in the bible doesn't mean God is happy about it. Just as I am not happy about my own mistakes or many of the goings on in the world today.
silent_cal 5y ago
p0d's comment is right - much of the Old Testament is an illustration of fallen human nature. It's a stumbling walk towards redemption. The characters of the OT do not always act heroically. In fact the point is largely that they do not - that they need to be saved somehow. How that happens is described in the New Testament.

kcartlidge 5y ago

I've commented elsewhere (in this same discussion), but it was a long one so in summary here's my own perspective on the order: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30745865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30745865

p0d 5y ago

I made the same mistake as yourself. Read from the beginning. To make it worse in 16th century english. This is a good resource, https://www.biblegateway.com/ https://www.biblegateway.com/.

geocrasher 5y ago
I enjoy the NWT translation, it's in modern English but also very true to the original text. https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ It's also available in the JW Library app. Both are 100% free, no signups or membership, and makes reading so much easier and more enjoyable.
- kcartlidge 5y ago
  For the benefit of other readers, as is mentioned elsewhere the NWT is a translation which amongst Christians is only accepted by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Mainly because they produced it. It's actually reasonably readable but there are differences in meanings due to the decisions of the translators. This is true with all translations, so not a direct criticism, but the NWT tends to differ on areas where the JW belief system itself differs from the mainstream. So personally I'd suggest avoiding it as it will give the new reader a very exclusive perspective on the faith.
- Buttons840 5y ago
  Be aware that the NWT is a translation produced by a single church, a single sect of Christianity. Those wanting to study the Bible as a literary exercise should consider a translation accepted by more than only one sect of Christianity. Another comment here suggests an interesting translation: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30735352 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30735352
  - Minor49er 5y ago
    It's important to compare translations and understand why they exist and where they differ. Books like "New Age Bible Versions" by G. A. Riplinger give insight into changes with modern versions like the NIV and NKJV that make deliberate alterations to the text. But even still, it's important to remeber that translations like the KJV has replaced words like "She'ol" and "Hades" with "hell", or even replacing the name of God with "God". I personally find myself comparing the KJV with the original Greek as well as the pre-Challoner version of the Douay-Rheims when I want more insight into certain passages. Commentaries also provide interesting insights. They typically cite the translations that were used as well so you can see how their conclusions were drawn