Easy to read Bible

[pleasethanks]

I have been thinking about reading the Bible, never having looked at it since school. Can anyone recommend an easy to read version, as I think the traditional version will be a little heavy going for me!

thanks

[MamaMary]

Good, easy to read versions include:

New Living Translation
New International Version (1984 and a more recent, 2008 I think one)
Today's New International Version
Good News Bible
The Message - this is a paraphrase rather than a direct translation but many Christians find it very useful.

[MirandaGoshawk]

The NIV (New Inrernational Version) is modern English. I've got the 'Study' version which has explanatory notes, which can be quite helpful.

[CappuccinoCarrie]

If you're looking for the whole bible for an adult, the New Living Translation is very readable.
But there's an absolutely brilliant kids bible called The Jesus storybook Bible which is more comprehensive than other children's ones, and will give you more depth in the stories and in all of them makes the link to Jesus to show the cohesiveness of the whole story of the Bible, not just as a collection of books. It could be a really good place for you to start to set the context before you go on to read the full thing, just an idea!

[MirandaGoshawk]

New International Version, that should read.

[madhairday]

I would second the New Living and the Message versions - both not completely accurate (NLT more so than message which is more narrative/paraphrase) but they are really helpful versions to get started. NIV is good too and a fairly accurate translation, if you want the most accurate but still modern day language I'd go for the NRSV. All the best!

[sarahtigh]

The message is good but it is just one persons paraphrase and is inaccurate in places and I think should be read in conjunction with a translation which is as near as possible in English to the orginal hebrew and greek, The NIV is a good translation . good news is easier but is a paraphrase/ translation by a group of scholars not one person

there are overviews of bible available which put it in historical context and the development of narrative as old testament is not in chronological order also bible cross references itself Jesus frequently quotes psalms refers to abraham and other prophets

the new testament is not that long, it is much shorter than a harry potter novel

[Viperidae]

I have a Study Bible which is great as it has margin notes, explanations, a concordance and reading plans for a month, a year, etc. No idea where it came from as a friend got it for me but I love it.

[BackforGood]

'Word On the Street' gives a different take on it.