Advice for purchasing a bible

[ACTUAL_SCHIZOPHRENIC]

I am planning on going to my local bookstore to buy a Bible but there are so many versions I'm not sure which one I should get. When I was kid for my baptism I got the perfect Bible, It had every single story from the Bible inside and every single page had a beautiful gothic renaissance painting depicting the stories. I have no idea what it was called or what happened to it. What would you guys suggest I buy? I want one that is as close to the original text as possible.

 

[HyperboreanRightsActivist]

Don't buy anything translated from the masoretic.

 

[MrTroll]

I strongly advise buying one that is translated from the masoretic. Much better Bible imo

 

[A Cat in a Minefield]

I'm still waiting on mine, but a dear friend of mine recommended the Complete Jewish Bible and its commentary by David Stern (especially the new Testament commentary). He is a messianic Jew and his deep understanding of both Christian and Jewish traditions and ways of thinking. Christianity's roots are Jewish and it is important to see Christianity in the Jewish context. This close relation can sometimes go under in Bibles like the NIV.

Edit: the old testament is translated from the masoretic as well. The new testament is from Greek texts, as it should be.

 

[Hweeks]

I use the New King James Version, although the old King James is closer to the original text.

 

[Mike Matei's Penis]

 

[MTN Dew Rat]

I like the NASB 1995 (Specifically the 95 edition, the newer one is too modern-y for me based off of a certain passage in Timothy)

 

[Neo-Nazi Rich Evans]

I like the NASB 1995 (Specifically the 95 edition, the newer one is too modern-y for me based off of a certain passage in Timothy)

that's the version i read when i check out biblical passages. i find the english to be very readable and i like that it is a literal translation.

 

[Squawking Macaw]

@Preacher ✝ your thoughts?

 

[reptile baht spaniard rid]

Local bookstore bibles are usually flashy and not very fashy.

But you can always use online tools to compare. https://www.biblegateway.com for example.

It sounds like you may have had a more "story" oriented Bible. Lots of books of the Bible are mostly ignored because they don't have terribly exciting stories in them.

I would try a used bookstore because in general older translations are better because there's less faggotry.

If you're Catholic-leaning the Ignatius Study Bible is an old favorite, but probably not available.

You can do worse than finding one where the words of Jesus are in red ink.

 

[I hate women (like you)]

pick whichever looks the coolest; ideally you will look at so many additional materials and compare shit online so much that the physical version will be more of an accessory anyway

 

[Neodanthril]

I started with ESV but I'm going to second to recommendation for NASB. I would not recommend the complete Jewish Bible. That is just unnecessarily muddying the waters for your salvation because a Jew at the time of Jesus and a Jew today are two entirely different things culturally. You do not have to be a Jew to be saved. You do not have to hold to the Old testament to be saved.

 

[fresh pair of socks]

I like the NASB 1995 (Specifically the 95 edition, the newer one is too modern-y for me based off of a certain passage in Timothy)

that's the version i read when i check out biblical passages. i find the english to be very readable and i like that it is a literal translation.

Came here to recommend this.

This Bible is what I used as a study Bible in college, as it's a very accurate translation of the original text. Some people use a separate Bible with a more poetic translation for worship, but NASB is great for study or simply wanting to get a better understanding of biblical text.

 

[Adolf Hulkler]

Nononono you people got it all wrong...

 

[Mortan Shekelstorm]

NIV Study Bible is quite good, KJV is harder to read for modern audiences as well as Geneva and Douay Rheims.
You can always use sites like Bible Gateway to compare different translations of The Bible verse to verse.

Spoiler: Example Comparison

Bibles can fall on a sliding scale between Word for Word and Thought for Thought, furthest end of Thought for Thought being something like The Message Bible given to children and to people while on missions, who may not be able to understand the English used in a KJV for example.

This is a chart I pulled of a Christian website but I think its pretty good as a lay person
edit: God bless you

 

[EyeGuy]

I recommend Artscroll. This one has lots of footnotes so you get the authoritative rabbinic interpretation. Also doesn't have that weird Greek stuff tacked on to the end.
https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422610398.html

 

[Elf Supremacist]

I highly recommend listening to @reptile baht spaniard rid and @MTN Dew Rat as they know what they're talking about.
ESV, NIV, NASB (95), and Legacy Standard are all great translations and you cannot go wrong with any of them.
As for the Jewish stuff that's been discussed, it is extremely important to understand the cultural, historical, and spiritual context of every verse and I recommend reading commentary on those subjects from Christian Theologians rather than Jewish ones.

 

[Steve Martin Short]

Rather than suggest a specific translation (good ones have already been mentioned), I'm going to suggest some features to look for.

A concordance in the back will help you find specific passages about a particular topic. Cross references in the text are nice as well, as they can point you to other places that talk about the same thing, without having to flip back to the concordance.

Book introductions. Many reference-type editions will provide information at the start of a book about the author, the purpose, and the historical setting of that particular work.

Get a hardcover for your first Bible. It will last longer than a paperback, imitation leather, or bonded leather copy, and be much less expensive than a genuine leather cover.

Most importantly, make sure the text on the page is something you can comfortably read.

 

[reptile baht spaniard rid]

Get a hardcover for your first Bible. It will last longer than a paperback, imitation leather, or bonded leather copy, and be much less expensive than a genuine leather cover.

I'd add that make sure it can lay flat, if you're the type to read at a table.

Otherwise, make sure it's comfortable in your hands when sitting.

There are some weird bibles that are too big to comfortably hold, but won't lay flat from Genesis to Revelation.

 

[A Cat in a Minefield]

You do not have to be a Jew to be saved. You do not have to hold to the Old testament to be saved.

True, but you can't ignore the old testament. Salvation comes from Christ which can only be found in the new testament. And I don't think that the Jewish influence that is brought into the bible comes from modern Judaism but from traditions and customs that were present during Jesus lifetime, but I might be wrong on that.