Has anyone read the bible?

[Soso0]

I've been wanting to read the Bible. I'm not religious in any sense but could be considered spiritual. I've looked online to read a bible but end up with so many different versions and I don't know which one to choose.

[splooge gook]

poorly written, boring, and duplicitous

[millionsofdeadcats]

1611 king james version

[splooge gook]

but you're looking for The New Testament

[Built To Last]

I've skimmed through it once or twice. I prefer to read the New American Bible (NAB) or the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

[Soso0]

What's the difference between the versions. Has anything been removed/added?

[millionsofdeadcats]

AFAIK, without getting into wierd ethiopian gnostic insanity, the old king james version is the earliest 'normal' translation one can get.

[splooge gook]

What's the difference between the versions. Has anything been removed/added?

the Old Testament is full of lists of lists of lists, birthdates/deathdates of random historical figures that are not relevant to anything, and generally other Shit That Nobody Cares About.

the New Testament tries to get rid of the parts that are basically unreadable and make it more of the novel that it is.

the only person you're going to see reading the Old Testament is a pope blowing an inch of dust off a 6000 page tome before performing an exorcism on the little girl he impregnated

[millionsofdeadcats]

the Old Testament is full of lists of lists of lists, birthdates/deathdates of random historical figures that are not relevant to anything, and generally other Shit That Nobody Cares About.

the New Testament tries to get rid of the parts that are basically unreadable and make it more of the novel that it is.

the only person you're going to see reading the Old Testament is a pope blowing an inch of dust off a 6000 page tome before performing an exorcism on the little girl he impregnated

The only thing you have ever used a bible for is as a platform to roll shitty syncan blunts. 

[Obbe]

I read the book of genesis illustrated by R. Crumb.  It's worth looking at if you're into that sort of thing.  It also includes his interpretation of the writings at the end of the book.

[splooge gook]

modc raises a good point. if you feel ripped off by your purchase, at least you have an endless supply of rolling papers

[Obbe]

What's the difference between the versions. Has anything been removed/added?

You should also ask yourself what's the difference between translations, as it has been re-translated multiple times over the centuries.  I don't know if anyone has the answer.

[Arnox]

Currently going through it. I highly recommend the standard King James version. The Bible is already incredibly full of holes so preferably, you want to get the version that's closest to the source material while still being readable for you. The King James version fits that.

[mizled]

It's a weighty thesis, but it lacks verifiable sources.

Good prequel to the Book of Mormon though.

[equanimity]

I took a "The Bible as Literature" class.  We skipped over most of it.