Dear Deagle,
May I suggest the New International Version” of the Bible (NIV). It is written in 20th Century English and flows very nicely. I would also suggest you start in the New testament with the Gospel of Luke, a Greek Physician who was very compassionate and human in his tender details.
The Gospel of Mark is the oldest of the four, and was written for a Roman audience. So it’s action-packed, and “Just the facts”. It is also the shortest Gospel, and a therefore, another good place to begin.
Matthew was written to the Jews, so it begins with the Genealogy of Jesus, to establish His family line. It’s OK to skip over that for now and go to the next chapter. Matthew has most of the action of Mark, but with the Sermon on the Mount, it dives into the Sayings of Jesus.
John focuses on Theology, but in my opinion, is the most poetic and “deep” of the Four Gospels.
The Book of Acts, written by Luke, reads like a Adventure Story. It chronicles the history of the Early Church.
Another translation I have just gotten into is the NLT (New Living Translation) with its latest update in 2007, published by Tyndale House. It is scholastically sound, and was worded to be read aloud, so it “flows” even better. I am enjoying this new translation and am reading it like a novel!
Since the King James was done in 1611, it is going to read like the era, with a lot of archaic words and expressions that might mean something else today. The Psalms are particularly beautiful though, as they have a cadence reminiscent of the sonnets and language of Shakespeare’s century.
The NIV is available on line at Bible gateway, but I love the feel of the book in my hands, the texture of the pages, the smell of the leather, and the rustle of the paper.
best wishes for your journey!
Hey, thanks. I do have sight problems so have to read online and enlarged text but thank you for you suggestions. I will do the online reading because I can expand the text.
I am Christian, not Jewish but thank all who have suggested other readings.
If one does go with the NIV, make sure it's the original 1973 edition of the NIV. The "TNIV" released around 10 years ago and the NIV updated edition released three or four years ago are politically correct monstrosities which take massive liberties with the text and are horrible translations.
I enjoyed and find great value in your helpful insights and opinions and copied it so I can easily refer to it for later reference.