Reddit mentions of A Reader's Guide to the Bible

It's okay if you feel confused about which version to read. Christianity is very diverse. On top of that, there are dozens and dozens of English Bible translations of varying quality. The NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) is the kind you'd commonly see in a classroom setting, so I will start with that one. The Access Bible (NRSV) is a beginner's academic study Bible designed for undergrad college students, and I think it's quite good.

For something simpler, there is the CEB Navigation Bible, designed for people completely new to the Bible. The CEB (Common English Bible) is a newer translation that is designed for a simpler reading level.

A simple abridged version of the Bible is The Story. It's in the NIV (New International Version), by far one of the most popular English translations, and feels somewhere between the CEB and NRSV in reading level. The Story shortens the Bible and divides it into chapters like a novel to covers key events of the biblical narrative.

In terms of companion books - The Abingdon Introduction to the Bible is good for a beginner. And so is A Reader's Guide to the Bible.

An online resource that I like quite a bit is Enter the Bible, which was created by scholars for students. In terms of material it would be most similar to the Access Bible because it tries to distill academic insights for students. https://www.enterthebible.org/