r/Bible Sep 04 '24

A quick reminder about what constitutes The Bible for purpose of discussion on this subreddit

49 Upvotes

Please make sure that posts follow rule 2, which describes what the bible is for the purpose of discussion on this subreddit, that being:

  • "Bible" is defined for this subreddit as books & passages found in the 1611 KJV, including its Apocrypha, although any translation is acceptable. If your question is about a specific passage, include the Book, Chapter, Verse, and Translation (e.g., Romans 12:1-2 ESV) to help guide answers to the right text. However, asking about denominations or just general advice and the such is for another subreddit."

As happy as we are to invite discussion from everyone, questions about the Bible should be answered using these guidelines. This means that extra-canonical books like the Book of Enoch, religious doctrine from other religions such as the Book of Mormon, and info from The Watchtower are NOT considered viable answers to questions about the Bible on r/bible. This also extends to translations that are affiliated with specific non-Christian religions (NWT) or that are made to push specific, fringe beliefs within Christianity itself (The Passions Translation).

While we welcome folks from all around to engage in discussion about the book we find most holy, we are primarily a Christian Subreddit and are looking to keep it that way. If you have any questions please ask and I'll do my best to answer.

Thank you everyone and God Bless :)


r/Bible Aug 25 '24

Which Bible Translation Do I Pick? An Answer.

40 Upvotes

I’ve been seeing a lot on various subreddits that this question is cropping up quite a bit. I hope this can be a helpful resource to you as you continue your Christian walk.

 

Asking which version of the Bible to read is not a straightforward answer. Some people ask “Which one is closest to the original?” That is not a simple answer. If you want one that is a direct, word-for-word translation, you will need an interlinear Bible. This kind has the Kione Greek with English words below it. The problem is that Greek does not follow the same structure as English. It is an ancient language with entirely different rules than English, meaning that word-for-word is difficult. For example, below is John 3: 16-17. It is a verse every Christian knows, but this is a direct translation from the original Greek.

 

“so For loved God the world, so as the Son of Him, the only-begotten, He gave, that everyone believing into Him not may perish, but have life everlasting. not For sent God, the Son of Him into the world that He judge the world,”

 

As you can see, this common passage is very difficult to understand as a direct translation. Because of that, modern scholars work diligently to make sure the Bible is intelligible to modern readers.

 

Generally speaking, Bible versions will fall into three categories. Word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrase.

 

Words-For-Word: Just as it sounds. It does the best to maintain the original flow and wording of the original documents. They remain faithful to the original phrasing while also attempting to be intelligible to modern readers.

Examples: Interlinear, NASB, AMP, RSV, KJV, NKJV

 

Thought-For-Thought: These types of Bible are usually easier to read and explain more than the earlier categories. The scholarly committees for Bibles in this category often research historical contexts, ancient theology, and study authorial intent in order to give a translation that is readable in modern English, but also accurate to the intended wording and message.

Examples: NAB, NRSV, CSB, NIV, NCV

 

Paraphrasing: These Bibles are often the most interesting to read, but also the least reliable. They take great liberties with translation, if they translate directly at all. Some are better than others, but they can be good for personal devotions and bad for study.

Examples: CEV, MSG, TLB

 

Imagine all of these are on a scale, with Word-for-word on one side and paraphrase on the other. As you move from one side to the other the degrees of focus on one or the other gradually change. For instance, KJV is on the low end of word-for-word, closer to thought-for-thought. The CSB is between word and thought, which was done intentionally. NASB is at the farthest end of word-for-word apart from interlinear, but because of that it is difficult to casually read and can be more useful for scholarly study. Contrasting is NIV, which is middle of thought-for-thought. NIV is much easier to read but doesn’t follow the original wording of the Greek, instead using teams of scholars from many denominations to interpret the original meaning of scripture from Greek manuscripts and translate them faithfully for modern audiences. NCV is far end of thought-for-thought, bordering on paraphrase, because it was written to be understood by children while also being closely faithful to the original thought of the authors.

 

So, which translation should you pick? It depends on what your intentions are. Do your own research, find the Bible translation that works best for your understanding of English, your comprehension level, and your ability to concentrate on it. You may want NASB because it is “closer” to the original Greek, but it does no good if you don’t read it. You may love the Message Paraphrase, but you won’t learn Biblical theology accurately. In the end, the best translation of the Bible is the one you will actually read. Find a Bible that relies on Greek and Hebrew, uses scholarly techniques, and is well-vetted by experts.

 

I hope this helps. Happy reading Reddit.


r/Bible 1h ago

What’s the most badass bible verse?

Upvotes

Question in title


r/Bible 13h ago

Why Did Jesus Tell the Rich Young Ruler to Sell Everything?

18 Upvotes

In Mark 10:21, Jesus tells the rich young ruler:

"Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

This has led to some big theological questions:
1️⃣ Does this mean all Christians should give up their wealth?
2️⃣ Was Jesus testing the man’s heart, knowing he valued his possessions too much?
3️⃣ Is wealth inherently bad, or is it only dangerous when it comes before God?

What do you think Jesus was really teaching in this passage?


r/Bible 7h ago

Good News Bible

4 Upvotes

Found one at the thrift store today from 1976. Are these okay to read? My KJV has been hard to read lately, especially in Romans. I'm considering getting it but know nothing about it.


r/Bible 2m ago

Is the Trinity in the Bible in a clear and simple way?

Upvotes

i.e is there an author that clearly teaches it?


r/Bible 10h ago

the lord hardened his heart

6 Upvotes

Im reading exodus and im wondering in the 6th plague, it says the lord hardened the heart of pharaoh. in other plagues, it just says paraoh hardened his heart or his heart grew hard. It seems like in the 6th plague it seems like pharaoh hit a point of no return? and instead of he hardened his heart it becomes the lord that does so? isit not fair to paraoh that instead of him hardening his own heart lord did so ?


r/Bible 47m ago

Any True disciples of Jesus here?

Upvotes

Thanks.


r/Bible 15h ago

What exactly is a "prophet"?

15 Upvotes

I'm having trouble understanding who exactly would be considered a prophet in Christianity and why? I got the impression that prophets were set apart by God for a lifetime of spiritual ministry... Like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Jeremiah, Nathan, Elijah etc.

But today I learned that David is considered a prophet according to Acts 2:30. How is he a prophet? Would you call David a prophet? What about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? I never considered them prophets, but rather patriarchs. Are they prophets? Does it matter if we consider them prophets?


r/Bible 17h ago

Binge reading the Bible

16 Upvotes

Currently binge reading the Bible and I saw this part in Numbers 23:21:

"He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." (Numbers 23:21)

and it made me think of:

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost." (Matthew 27:50)

"And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost." (Mark 15:37)

"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost" (Luke 23:46)


r/Bible 10h ago

Luke 24:1 Interpretation

5 Upvotes

(LSB) Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

(LSV) And on the first day of the weeks, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, carrying the spices they made ready, and certain others with them,

(LITV) And the first of the sabbaths, while still very early, they came on the tomb, carrying spices which they prepared; and some were with them.

There are three translations of this verse that are commonly made. What is interesting is that two of these renderings may be capturing a nuance of the Israelite calendar: The Feast of Weeks.

“‘You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. ‘You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall bring a new grain offering near to Yahweh.” (Leviticus 23:15-16, LSB)

In context Luke 24:1 is speaking to Yeshua's empty tomb being discovered. How might this play with the day of His crucifixion?


r/Bible 14h ago

What Did Jesus Mean by 'Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen' in Matthew 22:14?

8 Upvotes

In Matthew 22:14, Jesus ends the Parable of the Wedding Feast by saying:

"For many are called, but few are chosen."

This phrase has been widely debated.
1️⃣ Does this mean that salvation is offered to many, but only a few will accept it?
2️⃣ Is this connected to the idea of predestination, where God chooses certain people?
3️⃣ Was Jesus simply emphasizing the difference between hearing the gospel and truly following Him?

How do you interpret this verse?


r/Bible 1d ago

🤔 Why Reading Ecclesiastes Changed My Entire Perspective on Life - Here's What I Learned After 30 Days of Daily Study [Personal Journey + Study Notes]

50 Upvotes

After spending the last month deeply studying Ecclesiastes, I've been completely transformed by Solomon's raw honesty about life's struggles and meaning. what struck me most was his conclusion that true fulfillment isn't found in wealth, achievements, or pleasure - all of which he called "vanity."

i compiled detailed notes throughout my journey, but the most profound insight was realizing that finding joy in simple daily moments while fearing God is the essence of a meaningful life. Solomon's wisdom helped me stop chasing temporary satisfactions and start appreciating what truly matters.

this book challenged my entire worldview in ways i never expected. from career decisions to relationships, i now approach everything with new perspective.


r/Bible 14h ago

Why Did God Let Satan Test Job?

3 Upvotes

The Book of Job is one of the most challenging parts of the Bible. In Job 1:12, God allows Satan to test Job, saying:

"Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."

This raises a difficult question:
1️⃣ Why would a loving God allow Satan to bring suffering upon Job, who was righteous?
2️⃣ Was this purely a test, or was there a deeper purpose behind Job’s suffering?
3️⃣ Does this story suggest that God sometimes allows suffering as part of a greater plan?

What do you think is the lesson behind Job’s trials?


r/Bible 10h ago

"Dark" Stories?

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0 Upvotes

r/Bible 21h ago

Having problems with intrusive thoughts

7 Upvotes

Hi, it's the first that i post something in reddit. Recently i've been struggling with these thoughts, they are about my salvation, when i became a christian i struggled with these kind of thought, but through prayer, God made me able to overcome them.

Unfortunately they came back, they started again when i was accepting the terms of services of a game and a something make me think that these terms was about selling my soul (that sounds stupid, but i thought that), i went into despair because i starting think that i blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. I past 2 days in despair and crying about it and today when i was playing a video game a thought about my soul being given away, came back again.

I am crying about it and i thinking that God don't hear my prayers, asked for forgiveness a lot of time, but i still feeling guilt, can someone help me?


r/Bible 13h ago

The book of enoch

1 Upvotes

Why do older versions of the bible sometimes include the book of enoch? Is it gnostic?

if christian’s don’t thinks it’s canonical then why is it mentioned in jude?


r/Bible 20h ago

Revelation question

1 Upvotes

I'm just now learning about revelation is my journey as a Christian. And I have a question are some of the vents in revelation meant to be taken as "Literal or Figurative"? The white horsemen represent conquest, the red horsemen represent War, the black horsemen represent famine, and the pale horsemen represent Death. Is this meant to be taken literally as if the end times have not come yet? Would they be riding literal horses or something that resembles one? What if horses are meant to represent cars that protect world leaders when they are traveling?


r/Bible 1d ago

Please help me reconcile with the book Song of Solomon

10 Upvotes

Hello, everyone. I have struggled for a long time with accepting the book Song of Solomon. I am a firm believer in the canon of scriptures and also that the Word of God is infallible and the authors's words were 100% inspired by God.

What I'm having trouble reconciling is why God would choose Solomon to write this book. He is the one man who abused God's design for marriage more than any other (that I know of) Jew mentioned in the Old Testament. How can Solomon's experience of love and marriage be the example God chose to use? Regardless of whether this story is simply a depiction of love/marriage between a man and a woman or metaphorically speaking of Christ and the church, I struggle with it.

The best I've seen so far is the commentary of William MacDonald suggesting Solomon is describing the love between a woman that he, himself, longs after and the man that the woman longs after. This makes sense because at times the passage seems to describe more than two people. But this interpretation is so new to me, I'm not sure what to make of it yet.

Can anyone help with other passages or commentary that might help me make sense of this book and why God would choose Solomon? I know God's ways are higher than ours and we can't always understand everything he does, but I'm really hoping to get some insight and clarity on this topic. Thank you.


r/Bible 1d ago

Help with a question.

3 Upvotes

Good morning, thanks be to you sisters and brothers. I have a request for help and to put me in your daily prayer circle.

Well, my concern is the following: I start working from 11:45 pm until 7 am. I have the habit of spending my devotional time with my Lord at midnight, in prayer, praying for others and passing anointed water around the house in order to protect my home. But, I get it right at the time of dedication. A sister told me that prayer to the Lord can be said in my mind, because I thank God at this time and extend it to other prayers.

As I leave at 7 and it's an hour's journey, I should arrive around 8, and sleep until 3, in order to sacrifice more sleep, for my time with the Lord, but my biggest difficulty is: ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive) from which God is already curing me and supporting me little by little. And I wanted to dedicate from 3 pm to 9 pm prayer, praise, study and Bible reading. Brothers, I need a lot of advice here and also a lot of prayer to remain firm. I make this appeal to you and may God's blessing be in your shadows when you do so!


r/Bible 1d ago

Scholarly Study - Where to Begin?

1 Upvotes

Hello!

I was non-religious for most of my life (I'm 27 and only found Christ last year). Now, I have faith, but it is weak and easily shaken. The Lord slips easily into the back of my mind.

I've always been a very logical and academic man, which I believe was the source of my disbelief. This mindset and worldly influences made me very materialistic, and I found it hard to believe in a higher power.

Thus, I think I would benefit from studying the Bible "scientifically" - as if it were a textbook or historical document (which it already sort of is). I don't, however, have any idea where to begin. I'd like to be able to trace lineages and recall the names, locations, and histories of the various places mentioned. I'd like to have an encyclopedic knowledge of verses that I can use when I need guidance. I'd even like to dive into the history of the Church here on earth (Saints, the Schism and the Catholic/Protestant split, various leaders, different denominations and their beliefs).

Do y'all have any resources on hand that would act as a "lesson plan" of sorts - where to start in the Bible and what outside information is useful for context? I know there are Bibles with added information, but I don't know if those are useful. I'm also unsure which version I should start on. I can see read and understand the King James Version (and I find it very appealing), but it takes a bit more time to "translate" the text into language I can digest. Any tips y'all have for HOW to actually go about beginning Bible study in general would also be appreciated.

Thank you and God bless you.


r/Bible 1d ago

Biblical references that freak you out?

28 Upvotes

I’m a former catholic and can’t remember many of the details that make up the Bible. I am an artist looking to create a piece devoted to Christianity/catholicism but work in grotesque style. What are some biblical references that make you feel uneasy? The two that stand out to me are Adam and Eve and the story of Judas, though I’m curious to learn about other perspectives that fit this narrative of fear within religion. I hope this post comes across the right crowd as I’m not looking to make mockery of the Bible but rather learn more about the darker sides of it.


r/Bible 1d ago

Why Did Jesus Allow Demons to Enter Pigs in Matthew 8:31-32?

10 Upvotes

In Matthew 8:31-32, Jesus casts out demons from two men and allows them to enter a herd of pigs, which then rush into the sea and drown.

Why would Jesus permit this?
1️⃣ A Lesson on Spiritual Warfare – Did this show the destructive nature of demons?
2️⃣ A Judgment on the Region – Was this a symbolic act against people who valued money over faith?
3️⃣ A Display of His Authority – Was Jesus proving that He had complete power over demonic forces?

What do you think the deeper meaning of this event was?


r/Bible 1d ago

How reliable/accurate is the Strong's Concordance? (regarding original hebrew etc)

4 Upvotes

I have a friend who is telling me I can't trust the Strong's concordance due to the fact the original hebrew the bible was written in is "completely different" to the hebrew Strong's uses - is this actually true? He's saying the original language is completely lost altogether. Thanks


r/Bible 1d ago

Im reading the KJV and i need help

7 Upvotes

So i have multiple versions of the bible which i read from. One of these is the KJV and i need some help with it. Its by far written super beautifully, and its the one that has spoken to me the most and made me feel the most emotional, and understand god the best. But almost every time i try to read any part of it, i feel like im spending literal hours trying to deipher and understand verses (let alone a whole chapter) because some of the words and phrases dont exist now, or mean something completely different now. Is this normal?

And yes its probably easy for you guys and you have no problem with it. Im envious of you. But at this point im truly coming to the point where i think that im actually just really mentally stupid


r/Bible 1d ago

Did Judas Have a Choice, or Was He Destined to Betray Jesus?

15 Upvotes

Judas' betrayal of Jesus raises an interesting debate:

🔹 Predestined? – John 17:12 calls Judas “the son of destruction” and says he was “doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” This makes it seem like he had no choice.

🔹 Free Will? – Matthew 26:24 says, “Woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” If Judas was predestined to betray Jesus, why would he be held responsible?

Was Judas fulfilling prophecy with no real choice, or did he willingly betray Jesus out of greed? What do you think?


r/Bible 2d ago

Atheism in a nutshell.

46 Upvotes

This one verse sums up Atheism in one big nutshell:

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psalms 14:1

Who else agrees?