4 ms·

Tangentially related, but is there a good open source ePub of the versions of the Bible? Standard eBooks doesn't have the Bible in their library, bizarrely.

gwd 9mo ago
ebible.org has a number of Bible translations available in various formats. NET and WEB are probably the best modern translations.
cogman10 9mo ago
I'd look for the NRSV from Anna's archive. You should find a pretty good english translation epub there.
graemep 9mo ago
KJV is beautiful and out of copyright so free to download (except technically in the UK where the original monopoly is in force) but not a great translation in terms of accuracy compared to more modern ones. It also, of course, only contains the protestant canon. There are more free translations. Not knowledgeable enough to recommend one. Mostly there is no significant difference, but of course there are passages and translations which are contested. There are Bible apps which will let you install multiple translations and read them side by side. That plus a paper Bible (a good translation such as NRSV) goes a long way.
- cogman10 9mo ago
  I grew up on the KJV, but it really is a bad translation. It injects a lot into the text and has bad sources vs modern translations. The new king james translation is better. As is NIV. If you are really up for studying the bible, then you can't do much better than getting the Oxford annotated bible (which is based on the NRSV). That has all the footnotes pointing out translation choices and giving historic context to passages based on the current best biblical research.
  - cap11235 9mo ago
    Favorite part of NRSV is when you get slap fights in the footnotes.
  - graemep 9mo ago
    As I said, its not the best translation but it has a lot of value as a work of literature. As long as you are aware of its flaws (and have access to other versions if and when it matters to you) it has a place.

gwd 9mo ago

ebible.org has a number of Bible translations available in various formats. NET and WEB are probably the best modern translations.

cogman10 9mo ago

I'd look for the NRSV from Anna's archive. You should find a pretty good english translation epub there.

graemep 9mo ago

KJV is beautiful and out of copyright so free to download (except technically in the UK where the original monopoly is in force) but not a great translation in terms of accuracy compared to more modern ones. It also, of course, only contains the protestant canon. There are more free translations. Not knowledgeable enough to recommend one. Mostly there is no significant difference, but of course there are passages and translations which are contested. There are Bible apps which will let you install multiple translations and read them side by side. That plus a paper Bible (a good translation such as NRSV) goes a long way.

cogman10 9mo ago
I grew up on the KJV, but it really is a bad translation. It injects a lot into the text and has bad sources vs modern translations. The new king james translation is better. As is NIV. If you are really up for studying the bible, then you can't do much better than getting the Oxford annotated bible (which is based on the NRSV). That has all the footnotes pointing out translation choices and giving historic context to passages based on the current best biblical research.
- cap11235 9mo ago
  Favorite part of NRSV is when you get slap fights in the footnotes.
- graemep 9mo ago
  As I said, its not the best translation but it has a lot of value as a work of literature. As long as you are aware of its flaws (and have access to other versions if and when it matters to you) it has a place.