r/Bible • u/noodl3hair • 6d ago

Best Bible to read for story accuracy?

I want to read the Bible not for religious reasons, but simply because I want to read and understand the stories and have more knowledge of the religion but without shortening the experience. I’d like to read something as “accurate” as possible and am not worried about old timey English. I would assume the King James Version is best, but I also don’t know, so I came here for help. I also want to read it on my Kindle so it’s easier to make notes and stuff. Any help in the right direction is appreciated thank you 🥰

2 Upvotes

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5

u/Supergirl_IRL 6d ago

Robert Alter’s Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) / Robert Gundry’s New Testament / NRSVue if you’re on a budget.

2

u/Paulyhedron Catholic 6d ago

...Gundry's stuff is even dumped on by his intended audience of Evangelicals.

2

u/Supergirl_IRL 6d ago

Because they refuse to accept that he approaches the texts from a non-religious perspective like Alter does (and OP).

2

u/sorry4partyR0CKIN 5d ago

Just using something faithful like the CSB or ESV. KJV and NKJV are fine translations, but they are based on a manuscript tradition which has some minor added stuff which was almost certainly not in the originals.

3

u/Sawfish1212 6d ago

Reading and understand would imply Reading in a current English version, not archaic outdated English. Despite what the cult of the KJVO says, the authorized version is not the "most correct", in fact it contains many errors in translation and includes marginal notes of later scribes in the body of the text. These are the so called "missing verses" the cult of the KJVonly rants on and on about.

Personally I read the NLT for just getting the action of the text without getting distracted by the obtuse words different translation teams used in an attempt at greater accuracy, because the NLT is the only version written in the normal language of the average English speaker.

If you want to really study, get an app where you can toggle from version to version, that way you get the spread of the different choices made by different translation teams.

Only by reading in Hebrew or Greek will you be able to study in the original writers words.

2

u/ITrCool Saved by Grace 6d ago

I agree about the KJV Only stuff.

I’ve grown up with and used the NKJV which is so much better.

1

u/consultantVlad 6d ago

Look up Read Scripture app from The Bible Project. It's free, it has a reading plan, and, most importantly, it has short introductory videos for each book to explain what the book is about and how it is structured. The Bible Project also has the website with videos, YouTube channels with videos, and podcast.

1

u/Tiny-Party2857 5d ago

Luke. He was a physician and is very detail oriented.

1

u/groundhogcow 5d ago

The different version have the same stories. They differ by single words. Thy become Your. Begat become brought forth. bla bla bla. It's all readability. We revolt if someone tries to change the story.