A Bible For A Beginner

I don't see how you could go wrong with the KJV. That version is defended as inerrant by virtually all fundies, and it is also the one that secular critics regard as, in terms of literature, the most satisfying.I would suggest you keep a copy of Asimov's Guide to the Bible handy as you read. If you come upon passages which are confusing, you can refer to it for commentary. Asimov was an atheist, but his treatment of the bible is fair and was not intended to denigrate it in any way. Many Christian scholars have a high regard for Asimov's guide. It's a large book; if you don't want to buy a copy you should be able to find it at your library.The Catholic Bible is a bit larger than the Protestant versions. It contains some OT books and portions of books which do not appear in Protestant versions. At the time the Canon was closed (in the 4th(?) century) these books were added to the accepted Jewish OT. Catholics refer to these accretions as the Deuterocanon. Protestants, following Luther, reject them from holy scripture and refer to them as the Apocrypha.EDITED to correct wording (1x) and capitalization (1x).[This message has been edited by berberry, 03-23-2004]

If you're not familiar with Elizabethan English then PaulK is probably correct, a modern version might be an easier read. I will defer to his recommendations among those versions because I'm not familiar with them.However, if you are able to read and understand Elizabethan English (if you can read Shakespeare and understand it without too much guidance, for example) then by all means I'd still suggest the KJV. The language is intellectually satisfying in a way I doubt any modern version could be.

Eximius asks:

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Does the KJV contain the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha...

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Most prints don't, but I believe there are editions available that include it as an appendix. In any case, it is available in paperback.I'm referring of course to Protestant bibles. The Catholic bible does include these writings. The best-known Catholic version of the Bible would probably be the Douay-Rheims. As I understand it, that version is comparable to the KJV in terms of language and literary value, but I don't know this first-hand.

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And are they the same thing as the pseudipigrapha?

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No, those writings are considered extra-canonical (and in some cases worthless) by both Catholics and Protestants.EDIT: I forgot to mention that Asimov's Guide is indeed still in print, and it covers the Apocrypha.[This message has been edited by berberry, 03-24-2004]

balyons writes:

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I might also suggest having more than one version on hand to cross check wording.

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That is an excellent suggestion, but it would be somewhat obviated if Eximius does indeed acquire a copy of Asimov's guide. Asimov uses the KJV as his basis, but he makes significant references also to the RSV, the New Catholic Bible, the Jerusalem Bible and the Masoretic text. For the Apochrypha, he uses the New Catholic.I've made frequent mention of this guide here at evc because I consider it invaluable. If you are not a bible scholar, or at least a serious student of ancient history, you won't be able to fully appreciate the beauty and worth of the bible without some guidance. Asimov has no ax to grind with the text, he simply explains it where it's confusing and fleshes out the stories by providing social and historical context. Along the way, he gives you a sense of the overwhelming impact the bible has had on all aspects of our society.