Difficulty reading the Bible.

Archeron

Just wondering if I'm alone on this.

I enjoy reading, and read quite a lot. Maybe 5-6 books a month, so I have no problem with my actual ability to read.

Recently, I wanted to read the Bible to see what I can learn from it, especially in relation to my own faith as I am a Catholic, but I dont understand much about my faith. I picked up a Bible off eBay, and I have to be honest, I find it staggeringly difficult to read. (King James edition, with a forword by a number of high ranking Catholic officials)

Between the language that is used, and the amount of text that seems to be irrelevant to the the actual message that the Bible tries to portray. I have gotten about 1/4 of the way through the Bible, and I just wanted to give up. Occasionally I pick it up again, but only manage a few pages. It feels like a serious struggle to get through it, and I really feel that this is not how it should be.
Is there such a thing as a modern bible that has been written with modern times and dialects and language in mind, or would such a thing be considered blasphemous? I dont mean updated stories with modern technology, but just something that is easier to connect with?
I thought that perhaps the New Testament would become easier with stories from the life of Jesus as opposed to the older stories, but I dont want to just skip around to the parts that I like, as I dont think that is a good way learn from it.
thanks.

BrianCalgary

My version of choice is the New International Version or NIV, for straight reading. For study I do refer to other versions as well. I don't know if the NIV is available with the Apocrypha though.

When I tried to read the Bible I always got bogged down in Deuteronomy, then I would start at Genesis again, when I should have gone straight to Joshua.

I didn't read the whole thing until I took an OT course, followed by a NT course. It was a blessed experience.

maitri

Here are some links to modern translations of the Bible:

http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm

http://www.catholic.org/phpframedirect/out.php?url=http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/index.htm

Unfortunately they are without the Apocrypha which is a part of the Catholic Bible (both the Book of Judith and the Book of Tobit are really cool reading, and there are (if I remember rightly) some beautiful things in the other deuterocanonical books as well). The Apocrypha I have found on the internet is unfortunately written in a very old-fashioned manner.

You'll find some links if you scroll down on these pages:

http://st-takla.org/pub_Deuterocanon/Deuterocanon-Apocrypha_El-Asfar_El-Kanoneya_El-Tanya__0-index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterocanonical

Good luck!

M.

Archeron

Thank you both for those replies.