"Best" bible?

So. My time has come to finally sit down and read the freaking bible. If I'm gonna argue against it, I should know what I'm talking about. It is also a part of western culture whether I like it or not.

There seem to be so many books that make up 'the bible' that I honestly don't know where to start. I've also read that there are several versions of these different books. So where do I start?

I have a Nook, and would really prefer to get digital versions of this thing. I figure Barnes and Noble has to have plenty of digital copies.

Does anyone have a 'favorite' version, book, section? I do realize I could Google this all myself, but that's no fun. I want real feedback before I dive into this. If one sucks less than another, I want to know.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Minion on June 7, 2011 at 12:21am

Have 2 on my Kindle KJV, NVI. I suggest reading the version that easiest for you to read. Start at the beginning and go.

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Permalink Reply by atheistrising on June 7, 2011 at 1:03am

New Internation Version is easier to understand than King james

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Permalink Reply by Walter Maki on June 7, 2011 at 1:11am

An NIV with a concordance makes it easier to follow (so to speak).

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Permalink Reply by Mallory on June 7, 2011 at 9:55pm

I most certainly have other holy books on my list of things to read. I figured I should start with the one that's most culturally relevant to me. Thank you for all the help! I know I haven't said much, but I most certainly appreciate the time you took to give me this answer. :)

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Permalink Reply by Lindsey on June 7, 2011 at 1:52am

The New International Version is easier to understand, as it is written in modern English, but the King James Version is the one that most Christians use. I'd recommend trying to read two different versions together, if you have the time and/or inclination. I guess it mostly depends on what you want to get out of reading the bible: Do you just want to know what happens in it or are you interested in studying the historical context in which it was written and what it says about ancient cultures? I went through a phase in which I liked comparing different translations, trying to figure out which is the most accurate word for word translation,but now I feel like it was a totally pointless and time-wasting endeavor.

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Permalink Reply by Merlin Mercer on June 7, 2011 at 7:56pm

Lindsey (and Mallory), they do have a print copy of a parallel bible that each page has two columns, NIV (or any other version), and the KJV on the other. I'm not sure if B&N has a digital copy, but this is the easiest way to read and compare the two. If you CAN find a digital copy of this, try to see if they have a parallel STUDY bible, as this will have valuable commentary in details that will really help you understand what is going on. Some words and phrases will sound crazy, but with this little explanation it's much more understandable. I hope you find a good bible though.

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Permalink Reply by Mallory on June 7, 2011 at 9:43pm

Thanks for the tip! It seems like if i want a good one, I'm going to have to go out and buy a real book. That's fine, except I might be a little embarrassed to have it it my book collection! At least until I learn to think about it as a historical mythology...

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Permalink Reply by Merlin Mercer on June 7, 2011 at 10:00pm

There is a really interesting bible, it's called the Archaeological Study Bible. It will run you about $50 at B&N, has great commentary for understanding, and is in NIV. It also includes historical archaeology (as it pertains to biblical history mostly in Israel and the surrounding region, I'm not sure of the accuracy as I have not looked at it in great detail). I thought of this earlier but failed to mention it. Just another suggestion so you don't have a plain old bible laying around. It looks like an archaeology book, sort of.

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Permalink Reply by Mallory on June 7, 2011 at 10:06pm

That's awesome! If i ever get a job again and have the spare money, I will look into it.

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Permalink Reply by Merlin Mercer on June 7, 2011 at 10:06pm

Here is the Archaeological Study Bible - Nook version. $20. Might be better to have a Nook Color for this, but it's cheaper than buying the print hardcover. That is all. Haha, enjoy your journey!

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Permalink Reply by Robert Karp on June 7, 2011 at 7:37am

By far the best version is The Skeptics Annotated Bible which includes the old testi the new tesi the koran and the book of mormom. It's the best reference!!!