Best products from r/Bible

We found 50 comments on r/Bible discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 111 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

Top comments mentioning products on r/Bible:

u/CatholicGuy · 3 pointsr/Bible

From the Gospel of Saint John, 21:15-19:

"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”

----------------

Three times Peter reaffirms his love for Jesus as a personal retribution for the three times he denied him (John 13:38). The dialogue in Gren makes use of several synonyms: two different nouns are used for sheep, and two different verbs are used for feed, know, and love. Although this may be a stylistic feature to avoid redundancy, others think it more significant, especially with the word love.

In his first two questions, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him with "willing love" (Gk. agaoao), but in the third question he asks if Peter loves him with merely friendly affection (Gk. phileo), which is the word Peter uses in all three of his responses. An intended distinction between these terms would indicate that Jesus, desirous of a complete and heroic love from Peter, was willing by the end of the conversation to settle for his friendship.

Look at verse 15, "more than these?" - Peter is challenged to live up to his own words, since earlier he declared that even if the other disciples should fall away from Christ, his commitment would never falter (Matt 26:33).

When Jesus says, "Feed my lambs" Jesus is entrusting to Peter the task of shepherding his entire flock. This supreme leadership position over the Church gives a unique share in the authority of Christ, who is still acknowledged by Peter as the "chief shepherd" (1 Peter 5:4). Is important to recognize that no tension exists in the mind of Jesus between his role as the "good shepherd" and the delegation of pastoral authority to Peter (John 10:11; CCC 553, 881). Vatican I declared that in this episode Christ made Peter the visible head and chief pastor over the universal Church (Pastor aeternus, Chap. 1).

From the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RWSARS

u/Jen9095 · 1 pointr/Bible

I recommend "The Harper Collins Study Bible". It's NRSV, with all the footnotes, nice introductions before each book, etc. I'm also a fan of the ESV. Please avoid King James (KJV and NKJV)

Also, I highly recommend How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. This is written for Christians, so it might be a little dense (I haven't read it for 10 years). But it is an excellent tool for learning how Christians (especially Christian leaders - theologians and pastors / priests) read.

I will point out one major thing, since you're so new to the topic. There are two basic approaches to reading the Bible. One is more academic and the other more experiential. Neither is right or wrong, and as a Christian, I think it's important to do both. But sometimes you'll notice people will kind of make it seem like you should only do one or the other. Here are details of each:

Experiential
Read it, meditate on it, let God speak to you through it, try to apply it to your life, put yourself in the story - General method used by Christians when they read the Bible every day and pray. This a daily practice recommended in most Protestant denominations, often called "devotions" - Catholics and Orthodox might use approaches that are more about daily rituals / prayers, but Protestantism grew out of the Enlightenment and the idea that people could and should read for themselves, but unfortunately that also tended to lead to a rejection of ritual / tradition.

(Aside, in case you don't know, there are three major branches of Christianity: Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. Many people hear about all the Protestant denominations like Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, even Amish and don't realize that they are all grouped together under "Protestant" because they grew out of the Reformation. Church history is a subject that can explain how these groups arose.)

Academic
Understand the historical context, use literary analysis (some books of the Bible are letters, some are poetry, some are allegory, so they should be read differently), and developing a cohesive theology (a set of beliefs that fit together and don't contradict each other). Some people find this approach to be offensive / showing a lack of faith since you aren't "letting God interpret / guide you."

Ultimately, the best approach, used by Christian leaders, combines the two into one process. The book I recommended explains this process and quite a bit more. It's meant for Christian leadership, but might give you a good understanding of the Bible and how to approach it.... or it might confuse you with it's technical jargon. Anyway, here's the basic process. Read to understand these things in this order:

  • What the passage meant in its original time and place (historical, literary)
  • What universal truths it teaches about God and the world (theology)
  • How to interpret it for our modern life / your personal life (experiential)

    Hopefully this gives you some structure for approaching the topic.

    I also agree with several people here about where to start:

  • Genesis for creation, the fall, and God choosing the Isrealite - these tend to be the Old Testament sunday school stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, etc
  • Gospels = Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John, they all told the story of Jesus. Many people really like John. He tells the story of Jesus from a more approachable perspective - less Jewish ideas because he was trying to appeal to a broader audience. This is the book where you hear ideas like "Jesus is the light".... everyone can understand how important light is in a dark night, without needing to understand the Jewish traditions that predicted Jesus and stuff. But it also makes John a bit more poetic and sometimes cryptic. Luke was more of a "just the facts" type.
  • Acts tells about the early church. It's important to realize they weren't "Christians" with a different faith than "Jews" - they were originally just a sect of Judiasm.

    Finally, here are the most common areas of study if you want to learn about Christianity:

  • Biblical Studies - most of the stuff I mentioned above, basically ancient languages, how to read the Bible, etc
  • Theology - basically like philosophy. But philosophy is about the nature of humans, while theology is the nature of God. This is where you get the great debates (What is the Trinity? What is the nature of God? Why did Jesus "have to" die? What is atonement?)
  • Church History - Basically everything that's happened for 2,000 years. Includes theological debates that led to church splits.
  • Other categories: Christian ethics, missions, ecumenical studies (Christians studying other Christians and working together), leadership, etc. Most of these are more about how the church works today. At this point, I think you'd be more interested in the first three.
u/shockwolf85 · 1 pointr/Bible

To become a better person takes intentionality, meaning you have to make a decision to make a change every time something new and unwholesome presents itself to you regarding yourself. The Bible is certainly a plumb line on major things to do to become a better person, but it's also full of pictures of individuals who showed the way for being amazing people.

I've found that the more I study leadership, psychology, emotional intelligence, etc., the more I see a blue print for it in the Bible, in particular, demonstrated by Christ himself.

If you want to be the best version of yourself, study servant-based leadership. Jesus was a servant leader. The apostles learned from Jesus how to be servant leaders. Servant leadership is the mortal granularity that made the gospel so transformative and helped it spread like a wildfire. If you are essentially having to "sell" a new religious belief system in the 1st century, you've got to be able to believe the salesman as well as the integrity of the product, right? The product is salvation and the sales pitch is a new way of walking in freedom and living a wholesome, abundant life. Christ's leadership model did just that.

If you want some good reads on leadership, check these out, and then read the new testament chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Keep in mind, you don't need a title or position to be a leader -- that's what servant leadership is all about.

"Spiritual Leadership" by J. Oswald Sanders: Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence For Every Believer (Sanders Spiritual Growth Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802416705/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_u.ZhDbPEN8952

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis: Mere Christianity https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060652926/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ma0hDbTCSG70T

More leadership for business and for life:

"The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You (10th Anniversary Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785288376/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cc0hDbRCMAGMZ

"The 5 Levels of Leadership" by John C. Maxwell: The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential https://www.amazon.com/dp/1599953633/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6c0hDbK4RV56Y

u/MJStrider · 1 pointr/Bible

Great question! I'm going to recommend two helpful books by Gordon D. Fee to you that I hope you will find very encouraging and easy to read. These are incredible, well written, non-technical resources to help us improve as readers of the Bible so that we can be certain we are reading the Bible as it was originally intended.

  1. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
    https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Bible-All-Worth/dp/0310246040

  2. How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0310518083/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0310518083

    Also I'd like to recommend some additional, more technical or scholarly resources that can help you in your study of Revelation specifically.

  3. The ESV Study Bible
    https://www.christianbook.com/esv-study-bible-hardcover/9781433502415/spd/502415?dv=%7Bdevice%7D&en=google&event=SHOP&kw=bibles-20-40%7C502415&p=1179710&gclid=Cj0KCQjwq7XMBRCDARIsAKVI5QZrZ2Z-su8Xe2eUMq9AiYRO-aW1oI8w6RycLpq4E1d-M9_w8ze_AgIaAmrIEALw_wcB

  4. The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation by Vern Sheridan Poythress
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875524621?ie=UTF8&tag=ligoniminist-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0875524621

  5. The Book of Revelation (NICNT) by Mounce, Robert H.
    http://www.wtsbooks.com/the-book-of-revelation-robert-mounce-9780802825377?utm_source=challies&utm_medium=challies

  6. If you want to listen to a full class from D. A. Carson on the book of Revelation, here are 26 lectures that are very helpful.
    http://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library?f%5Bbook%5D%5B%5D=Revelation&f%5Bcontributors%5D%5B%5D=Carson%2C+D.+A.&f%5Bresource_category%5D%5B%5D=Lectures

    Praying the the Lord enriches your study and fills you with the knowledge of his will in Christ Jesus. Have fun!!
u/_RennuR_ · 2 pointsr/Bible

Agreed I 100% reccommend the ESV

This Study Bible is absolutely amazing for such a great price! It has so much study content to better understand the bible, and is great for people new to english as well

However KJV and NIV are prefectly fine, KJV is quite hard to understand, because it uses much older slang I guess is the word. NIV is great as well, I just find ESV more useful. I do see many teenagers and grade schoolers utilizing NIV as it is found in bibles like the message and a popular teenage bible that I forget the name of.

In conclusion I reccomend ESV :)

u/silentcontributor · 1 pointr/Bible

The ESV Reader's Bible has a lovely volume: A little pricy, but lovely. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Readers-Gospels-Cloth-Board-Timeless/dp/1433549816/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522233494&sr=8-1&keywords=gospels+esv+reader

NOTE: The Reader's Bible doesn't have chapter breaks like normal, and is set out more like a novel than as a typical bible. But it's lovely.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/Bible

You might check out the Amplified Bible. There is a new (2015) edition out. I haven't read it myself, but I heard a Russian Orthodox priest (in the U.S.) quote from it. Orthodox are probably the most conservative Christians that exist, so I suppose it should be safe.

Personally for the New Testament, I prefer The Orthodox New Testament. It's fairly pricy, though. There is a two volume version with commentary from the Church Fathers as well, but it seems to be out of print.

I don't know what to say about the Old Testament. The vast majority of the English translations available are translating the medieval Masoretic Text, which is not the original Hebrew. The oldest Old Testament we have is the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures dating to the 2nd century BC (i.e. around a millennium before the Masoretic Text). I have read in some sources that parts of the Masoretic Text were actually translated out of Greek back into Hebrew because the Hebrew had been lost.

If you are interested in the Septuagint, you might try the Old Testament part of the Orthodox Study Bible. If you are stuck on something that is Hebrew in some sense, then I would recommend the Oxford Jewish Study Bible over any Christian translation: at least the Jewish editors are pretty diligent about pointing out which verses contain Hebrew that is uncertain (there are hundreds). The RSV Old Testament does point out inconsistencies between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint from time to time in its footnotes.

If you do settle on the KJV, make sure you get one with all the books. Cambridge publishes a version that is faithful to the original KJV and contains all the "Apocrypha".

u/fschmidt · 1 pointr/Bible

One can't explain a religious service with words, one just has to see for oneself. You should visit a local mosque to see what it is like. I have been attending mine for about half a year.

I heard of Mr. Rogers but not Bob Ross or Christina Grimmie. America was a moral country in the past, but its morality has been declining continually since at least the 1960s. I don't know of a single moral or intelligent member of modern culture today.

Judaism survived because it clung to at least part of the Torah throughout history. There was always a minority that was serious and kept the sabbath, for example. It is this minority that allowed Judaism to survive. Modern mainstream Christianity keeps absolutely nothing from the Bible. I think traditional Anabaptists will survive, but modern culture is like Rome and will be completely wiped out.

Since you are Christian and appear to not be a complete degenerate, I recommend these to you:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DPCXW28

http://www.mikraite.org/The-Rise-and-Fall-of-Christian-Culture-tp102.html

u/eternalvision12 · 2 pointsr/Bible

Just watch out for the single volume ESV readers. It’s got the typical thin paper. (I enjoyed it to be clear but doesn’t meet your requirement of paper thickness) The real readers bible are really designed and formatted like a typical book. And don’t go for the cheaper softcover esv multivolume set as I’ve read complaints on the quality.

I highly recommend everyone try a readers bible tho.

Here are some options in ESV that all have normal thick paper.

https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Bible-Cloth-Permanent-Slipcase/dp/1433553473?

https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Gospels-Cloth-Board-Timeless/dp/1433549816/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?

https://www.amazon.com/Gospels-Readers-Cloth-over-Board/dp/143356209X/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?

https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Letters-Paul-Cloth-Board/dp/1433557967/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_1?

If you prefer NIV their multivolume hardcover set is about half the price of the ESV. Pretty sure we’ll be having more translation coming out in this format soon.

NIV


https://www.amazon.com/NIV-Sola-Scriptura-Bible-Project/dp/0310448123/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?

u/rapitrone · 1 pointr/Bible

I Corinthians 14 is talking about going up in front of the church and speaking in an unknown tongue, which is pointless unless you have someone with the gift of interpretation to interpret. People aren't doing that in my church or any Pentecostal church that I know of.

It's not chaotic, people speaking in tongues are praying in the spirit to God. It edifies that person. It's not a focus, it's more a part of the scenery. It's something folks who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit do on their own.

Why would it be limited to men only? Where does that come from? Cornelius' whole family spoke in tongues in Acts. Acts 2:18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

I think you don't know what you are talking about. I recommend this book https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Filled-Believers-Handbook-Derek-Prince/dp/0884193292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539818570&sr=8-1&keywords=spirit+filled+believers+handbook

Or at least listen to this for some clarity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv6IeWaJbSI&t=24s

u/arachnophilia · 5 pointsr/Bible

> Christian bookstore

if you want a different take, try a jewish bible.

this is my favorite translation of the old testament: https://smile.amazon.com/Jewish-Bible-Scriptures-Translation-Traditional/dp/0827603665/

you can read any or all of it online here: http://taggedtanakh.org/Chapter/Index/english-Gen-1

it adheres to the masoretic a bit more strongly than christian bibles (some important passages won't say what you expect them to). it's not purely formal equivalent, but sticks pretty close to the wording where possible, while maintaining a very easy to read and comprehend style.

u/TheProphetElijah777 · 2 pointsr/Bible

I have this collection https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Books-Bible-Forgotten-Meridian/dp/0452009448/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539492052&sr=8-4 which seems to be okay. Not sure how good the translation is but it’s probably decent. It has some junk like the Infancy Gospels (TBF they do have some interest because false prophet Muhammad got some of his ideas from these books.) but it also has all the works of the Apostolic Fathers that you list except for 2 Polycarp and Diognetus. I personally really like Hermas so far. And of course the KJV Apocrypha https://www.amazon.com/Apocrypha-King-James-Version/dp/0521506743/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539492693&sr=8-2&keywords=kjv+apocrypha and the Septuagint translated by Brenton https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0913573442/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1.

u/roonerspize · 1 pointr/Bible

to help get more information, i suggest reading the notes in a study bible that correspond with your reading (ESV Study Bible) or get a book like "Talk Thru the Bible" by Wilkinson & Boa.

These will help with understanding key concepts, date, setting, author, themes, purposes, and provide outlines and maps to really understand why certain books/passages are in the Bible and what they mean.

And, ask questions of trusted individuals about stuff that doesn't make sense.

u/ITzNybble · 1 pointr/Bible

Well said, I read a book on Genesis 1 recently that went into the other early far eastern text and how they speak to creation and all the books were more focused on the functionality or purpose of the creations not the actual creation itself. I.E. They didn't seem to care how the trees were made, it was more important to know whom made them and what they purpose was for, in this sense science is helping reveal to us more the why and how.

​

link to the book just to source it. I obviously paraphrased the entire book in one sentence which does not do it justice

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-World-Genesis-One-Cosmology/dp/0830837043?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0830837043

u/RickGrundyLive · 2 pointsr/Bible

I have three thoughts.


First, the NLT is a great translation because it makes the language quite understandable. NIV is also good, but I find that I need to explain the English much more than when I use the NLT to teach from.


Second, the Life Application study Bibles are really good. Basically, they include a short version of the full Life Application Bible Commentary within the Bible. It's the kind of commentary that one could get into without a seminary degree.


Third, I use the OliveTree software/apps. All of my study Bibles and commentaries and dictionaries... you name it, are with me all the time on that app.

​

Here's an example of a Life Application study Bible.


https://www.amazon.ca/Application-Study-Bible-Large-Print/dp/1414307209/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2VNFYACYF14UP&keywords=nlt+life+application+study+bible&qid=1568034119&s=gateway&sprefix=NLT+Life+Application+%2Caps%2C544&sr=8-1

​

Here's the website for the software/apps that I use.

https://www.olivetree.com

​

Is this helpful?

u/malki-tsedek · 5 pointsr/Bible

I recommend you check out /r/exjw. Many there are atheists, but its also for everyone in your situation. (but be careful: you REALLY DON'T want your aunt or mum to learn you visit that place) Many on that subreddit have personal experience of living with Jehovah's Witnesses and not being able to reveal that they think differently about things.

Another advice I would give is similar to what shotokando gave you: they can't really argue against you reading the Bible in another translation than NWT.

The reason is this: many JWs, at least those who have been JWs for a long time, have different translations already in their homes, and many Kingdom Halls have multiple translations in the library (though I have heard a rumour that they have been throwing away the content in the KH library, I don't know if that rumour is true). In addition to this, an argument they use when people accuse them for having their own translation is "any translation will do" or "we use all translations". This is something you could use.

So you could argue that you will simply read the Bible in both NWT and some other translation side by side to understand it better.

A study Bible I recommend is The New Oxford Annotated Bible. It contains a lot of scholarly notes, and the translation is NRSV, which is really good. Because those notes are part of the study Bible, you might get away with them. But be careful about how you get this volume: if your aunt or mum discovers it being delivered, they might still overreact.

u/guitaoist1987 · 0 pointsr/Bible

“Historical truth always defeats tradition” agreed now go read the truth and try not to presume that I “lack the omniscience to declare it less valid.” Ive studied this subject for years and can read hebrew and greek, if you’d like to join the club how about YOU not assume scholarly work hasnt already disproven the WH’s “validity”
https://www.amazon.com/Unholy-Hands-Introduction-Textual-Criticism/dp/1878442635
https://youtu.be/WW6US5DskDU

u/penguincandy · 1 pointr/Bible

I have this thinline NIV edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310448468/ It's about an inch thin but it's not pocket size, it's a very comfortable size for taking to small group. The pages are not so thin that the text bleeds through on each page, I find it comfortable to read and like you I'm sensitive to the text bleeding through on too-thin pages.

It has comfort-size font (10 pt I think) and no articles, no images, no commentary. Occasionally there is a brief footnote with another translation of a word or a verse reference. But these are really 1-2 words, not an actual study footnote.

If you're willing to have a hardcover, here is a non-thinline version: https://www.amazon.com/Value-Worship-Bible-Hardcover-Black/dp/0310446201/

u/SabaziosZagreus · 2 pointsr/Bible

Different Christian groups have slightly different Old Testaments. The standard Protestant Old Testament is the Hebrew Bible as preserved in the Masoretic text. For the Tanakh, Jews exclusively use and translate from the Masoretic text. The only difference between a Protestant Old Testament and a Jewish Tanakh is translating style, book order, and occasionally verse numbering. So if you want an Old Testament without the New Testament attached, then purchase a Jewish Tanakh. The best translation is the New JPS Tanakh which is the translation used in the Oxford Jewish Study Bible mentioned by another user.

u/gasinek · 2 pointsr/Bible

Maybe this is of no help for you, but personally I don't make marks in the Bible itself. Instead I write notes on my computer, where I have text files for every book of the Bible. I make notes in the same files when I read different translations, so I have it all together. This means I can read the Bible without being distracted or influenced by previous notes, and it also means my notes are searchable, making it easier to find things again.

This is my main Bible.

u/Slayde4 · 1 pointr/Bible

Does she ravage normal books this way?

If you're looking for a Bible with thick pages it's either going to be huge - or be divided into volumes. Here's a few with thicker paper (it's still paper though - no paper used for books is eat-proof).

ESV Reader's Bible (6 volume set)

Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Bible-Cloth-Permanent-Slipcase/dp/1433553473/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=esv+reader%27s+bible&qid=1573532888&sr=8-3

Softcover: https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Bible-Softcover-Permanent-Slipcase/dp/1433558947/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=esv+reader%27s+bible&qid=1573532888&sr=8-4#customerReviews

Bibliotheca (5 volume set)

The Bible itself is an edited version of the American Standard Bible (precursor to the NASB). I'm kinda skeptical, but maybe that's just me.

https://bibliotheca.myshopify.com/

Barnes and Noble King James Version (one volume, pages are thick but maybe not as thick as the other two)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/barnes-noble-leatherbound-classics-the-holy-bible-gustave-dore/1106658795

u/SpecificTale · 1 pointr/Bible

Orthodox Study Bible.

"Apocrypha" is a Greek word that means something like "hidden". Early Greek Christians never referred to these books as "apocrypha", but rather as the "deuterocanon" (2nd canon).

The original KJV contained the deuterocanon, as did even the Geneva Bible. Cambridge publishes the complete KJV (i.e. without the deuterocanon taken out). Someone else has suggested the RSV, but you need to purchase one with the "Apocrypha" (Oxford publishes one).

u/mashiku · 1 pointr/Bible

The Jewish Study Bible and NJPS and the New Oxford Bible with Apocrypha and NRSV have good reputation among scholars. I have seen them frequently recommended over at /r/academicbiblical, and I've heard they are used at universities and seminaries. (E.g. the Open Yale Bible courses use them.)

u/blammer84 · 2 pointsr/Bible

Pick up a copy of the book "How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth". That will help.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Bible-All-Worth/dp/0310246040

u/NotADialogist · 3 pointsr/Bible

If you are looking for the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, try the Brenton translation (parallel Greek/English).

If you are looking for the Masoretic Text version, I recommend the Oxford Jewish Study Bible (2nd ed.).

u/sohu86 · 3 pointsr/Bible

Some of the Psalms are known as "Imprecatory Psalms". In here, the psalmist is expressing his anger verbally to and through God, as a way of channeling those negative emotions rather than letting them out in violent actions, either verbally or physically, to other people or things.

Most of these imprecatory psalms are a part of lament psalms that were written in response to the Israelites' sufferings during that time, such as during their exile (see Psalm 137).

What is important here to note is that these imprecatory psalms do not contradict Jesus' teachings on love. The word "hate" can also mean "to be unable to put up with" and "to reject". So for example 139:22, the psalmist is expressing his inability to put up with those who hate God.

If you're interested in learning more, I recommend these books:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Bible-All-Worth/dp/0310246040/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415814178&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+read+the+bible+for+all+its+worth

http://www.amazon.com/Read-Bible-Changing-Times-Understanding/dp/0801072832/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415814197&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+read+the+Bible+in+changing+times