My 22 year old daughter has expressed interest in reading The Bible. I was raised Catholic (school and all) I absolutely believe God Wins but I haven't practiced Catholicism in a long time, with the exeption of a daily phrase on The Bible app first thing every morning. My question is, is there a recommendation on what Bible she should read that she won't just get overwhelmed and not finish it. My first one was The Children's Bible as a kid. I'm not sure one of my traditional Bibles would keep her interested.
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There is no Bible that will not overwhelm if it is carrying God's Word. But it is like reading War and Peace. You cannot go into it with the idea that it is a walk in the park.
I was an atheist for 40 years and, somewhat like Jordan Peterson, I was forced eventually by constant inquiry to recognize God and Jesus. I read 3 Bibles front to back, excluding nothing, different translations, as my to-bed reading. My favorite is the Geneva Bible, which was prevalent among the Protestants at the colonization of the American states. It had extensive commentaries on the Biblical text (you can take them or leave them). But it was in a decision of editorial intolerance of the commentaries that King James commissioned a subsequent version more to his liking. Because the KJV is a political rendition of the Bible, I don't consult it. The Geneva Bible is archaic English, but once you get started, it is possible to get the hang of it, and it is worth learning some new vocabulary. By reading something that has a separation of 468 years from our time, the changes in language impress on the reader such time passage...and also a totally serious tone.
The point (and advantage) of daily reading before lights-out is that one needs only digest 3-4 pages at a time. And then you must reflect on it the following day. Sometimes the meaning is immediate. Sometimes (like for me, King David's instructions to Solomon re the final fate of his enemies), the meaning is subtle. The Book of Numbers is surely a mystery, but there is a purpose. Pastors are wedded to the thesis that everything in the Bible points to Jesus, but I can't go along with that at all. There is much in the Bible that indeed points to God, and amounts to important lessons about the meaning of life and duty. It was all meant to be read. My favorite test question: between the Books of Job and of Jonah, which one had the happy ending and which the unhappy ending?
So, put it to her straight: This is the Word of God. It is not a comic book. It is not a podcast. It is not an action movie. It is not a romance novel. It is not even a Russian novel (though they come close). It is the inspired Word of the Creator of the Universe and the Father of Mankind. It is the heaviest stuff that one can lift. She can either read some "easy to read" glossy comforter, or she can read it as the most serious of men understood it in their day. "Can you take it?" If she has gumption, she will pick the latter. And the Geneva Bible would be a good one to read. "But Mom, it's hard to understand." "Yep, and those who made the translation had to understand ancient Greek and Aramaic and Hebrew in order to render it into English. That's how hard it REALLY is. You are getting off easy. I told you it was no pushover."
And, in fairness and as something good in itself, get yourself a copy of what she is reading, and read in parallel with her, so you can discuss the content of whatever Book she is in. You will not regret it. She will not regret it. And you will have an experience shared that is literally divine. Instead of a solitary chore, it will become a mutual exploration.
Good luck.
Well said. I 2nd this resolve.