What do you think?
Rate this book
One Year Bible-NIV: Entire Bible Arranged in 365 Daily Readings [B-NI-TYN 0224569]
"The One Year Bible," which helps customers read the entire Bible in one year in as little as 15 minutes a day, has a fresh, new look. "The One Year Bible" guides readers through God's Word with daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1996
13721 people are currently reading
3752 people want to read
About the author
Anonymous
791k books3,374 followersBooks can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,047 reviews
February 14, 2009
I am always reading this. When the year ends, I just begin again. God is the most important part of my life. Without Him there is nothing.
August 27, 2015
I grew up reading the King James Version ("KJV") of the Bible. A few years ago I laughed at modern Bible translations. "They don't even come close to the historic and poetic language of the KJV," I would argue.
That was until I actually picked up the New Living Translation ("NLT") and read the whole thing. It was refreshing! I could actually understand the Bible! I especially enjoyed the NLT's thought-for-thought translation. This is important because many phrases used in Hebrew hundreds of years ago don't make sense to us today when we read their word-for-word translation.
The result: I loved reading the Bible. Many books that I struggled with before, such as Isaiah, became page turners. I even found new favorite verses that I had not noticed before.
While I will always look to my church leaders for guidance involving interpretation of the scriptures, the NLT is a great way to gain a greater understanding of the Bible.
That was until I actually picked up the New Living Translation ("NLT") and read the whole thing. It was refreshing! I could actually understand the Bible! I especially enjoyed the NLT's thought-for-thought translation. This is important because many phrases used in Hebrew hundreds of years ago don't make sense to us today when we read their word-for-word translation.
The result: I loved reading the Bible. Many books that I struggled with before, such as Isaiah, became page turners. I even found new favorite verses that I had not noticed before.
While I will always look to my church leaders for guidance involving interpretation of the scriptures, the NLT is a great way to gain a greater understanding of the Bible.
February 12, 2008
Okay, this book will never leave my "currently reading" list at all. This book, the Bible, is a book that I need each day ~ without it I cannot live life. It is the breathe of God and bread of my life, without it, I am lost!!
December 26, 2018
I finished! This is my first time reading the entire Bible!
The idea of reading it intimidated me, because I worried that I wouldn’t understand it. I decided that I was being a coward and that nobody fully understands it the first time. I love the daily readings format in the print book and the Audible narration. It made my year of Bible reading less daunting. If this is your first time reading the Bible, I recommend this version and suggest you do your own read-along as I did.
By the way, my rating is strictly on the book formatting and the audiobook narration. I don’t feel comfortable judging the contents of the Bible.
The idea of reading it intimidated me, because I worried that I wouldn’t understand it. I decided that I was being a coward and that nobody fully understands it the first time. I love the daily readings format in the print book and the Audible narration. It made my year of Bible reading less daunting. If this is your first time reading the Bible, I recommend this version and suggest you do your own read-along as I did.
By the way, my rating is strictly on the book formatting and the audiobook narration. I don’t feel comfortable judging the contents of the Bible.
Read
November 4, 2024Crikey. I did it. Thanks to the Filament Chronological One-Year Reading Plan. Fascinating. Beautiful. Disturbing. Vital.
June 30, 2023
This is an easy to read and understand version although I did compare with the New King James version often....I like the poetic style of KJV but not the thees nor thous etc......
December 31, 2025
Let me begin with a disclaimer: I only listened to the Old Testament portion of this audio Bible, as I had a different version for my daily New Testament reading.
Now, for my review: The NLT is a great translation, and this audiobook helped me get more out of my study. Stephen Johnston has a great voice, and the other voices were good, too.
However, this audio Bible was far from amazing, as you probably guessed from the three stars. The other voices weren't utilized enough; they didn't even have a woman read the words of Job's wife. As good as Mr. Johnston's voice is, it gets tiresome after a bit. The cheesy, video-game-style music was annoying at times. Worse yet, there were some technical glitches; I'm not sure if those were the publisher's fault or Apple's, as I got this from the iBooks store.
So, if you decide to listen to this, don't be surprised if you find it a bit lackluster. A better choice of audio Bible is The Word of Promise; that has Hollywood talent in both voicing and production, and is reminiscent of the radio shows of yesteryear.
Now, for my review: The NLT is a great translation, and this audiobook helped me get more out of my study. Stephen Johnston has a great voice, and the other voices were good, too.
However, this audio Bible was far from amazing, as you probably guessed from the three stars. The other voices weren't utilized enough; they didn't even have a woman read the words of Job's wife. As good as Mr. Johnston's voice is, it gets tiresome after a bit. The cheesy, video-game-style music was annoying at times. Worse yet, there were some technical glitches; I'm not sure if those were the publisher's fault or Apple's, as I got this from the iBooks store.
So, if you decide to listen to this, don't be surprised if you find it a bit lackluster. A better choice of audio Bible is The Word of Promise; that has Hollywood talent in both voicing and production, and is reminiscent of the radio shows of yesteryear.
July 4, 2012
i love the fresh, modern language of this version. The Word comes alive for me :) i'm studying the book of philippians at the moment and although short, it is packed from beginning to end with spiritual food. my favorite passage today, and one i've been meditating on is, "...you are holy and blameless as you stand before God, without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it." How many times do we try to earn God's love and favor by our own works and goodness, when all we have to do is believe and receive?! I know I'm guilty of this from time to time, but what a beautiful promise to hold on to :) oh, and the pink and brown suede cover doesn't hurt!
September 10, 2012
It's funny to think one can write a review on the Bible. To me, this is not a normal book. It keeps me grounded, reminds me to treat others well, to live a life pleasing to God, and most importantly, reminds me of how very much God loves me even when I am at my worst. This is a book that gives me peace. No matter what is going on in my life or how chaotic my world seems, I can open this book, spend some time with God, and feel totally refreshed with a calmness that is unexplainable.
If you've ever had a hard time reading through the whole Bible, this is definitely the way to go. A pre-established section of reading for each day is exactly what I needed to stay on track.
If you've ever had a hard time reading through the whole Bible, this is definitely the way to go. A pre-established section of reading for each day is exactly what I needed to stay on track.
December 31, 2024
I loved the chronological sorting of the historical accounts! As someone who has read through the Bible 10 times or more, this approach gave me new insights into the different viewpoints and therefore the writers themselves (and, of course, the Author), when there are two or more accounts of the same subject matter. The Kings of Judah and Israel have often fascinated me and this Bible version will help me immensely on my Excel chart of them (yes, I know that's really nerdy!). The Gospels displayed side by side are invaluable, and I will refer to this version whenever I want to dig into more study on our Savior's walk here on earth!
Spoiler alert: Jesus is coming back!
Spoiler alert: Jesus is coming back!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2023
horrible worldbuilding
July 28, 2022
I have enjoyed listening to this One Year Audio Chronological Bible. I thought that the narrator was very good . I didn’t start this one year Bible in January but in July of 2021. I started it reading from a printed Bible but then had issues with my eyes that caused me to have eye strain so bought the audio book and continued on until I finished this version. Years ago I had read this NLT Chronological Bible and decided to read it again. It is written in the order of when the events are believed to have occurred. For example Genesis comes first and then Job is next. All the books of the Bible are in this version and nothing is taken away. It is different and it kept me on my toes.
I always enjoy reading the different versions of the Bible. It’s just something I like to do.
I always enjoy reading the different versions of the Bible. It’s just something I like to do.
May 5, 2016
Because there are not six stars.
December 27, 2023
I just finished reading the Bible all the way through for the first time using the BibleRecap’s chronological “Bible in a Year Plan.” My year plan became nearly 3 years - but I am so grateful for my “slow” journey through scripture.
There were days I wanted to rush. Days I didn’t read. Days I read, but felt guilty because of my own shame, but God? God is so kind and patient, He was just glad to have to me in His word.
My view of Him has greatly expanded. I used to be especially confused by and fearful of what I thought I knew of Old Testament God. I am more in love with Him than I thought I’d be when I started. His mercy is so evident in the OT and it’s what made the NT possible. Even Revelation was not scary to me in context. God is always more loving, more just, more patient, more kind, more present, and more good than we can imagine.
I had some fears going into the NT that I would read, Paul’s writing especially, and feel shame. I prayed for God’s help in helping me treasure it and He answered. He always did.
Thank You God!
”For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
”All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
Do I understand everything? No. Do I want to go deeper on some harder matters? Yes. Am I still growing? Absolutely. And I’m so glad to be here. His word is always waiting. Always welcome. Always knocking.
”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.“
Revelation 3:20 ESV
”The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.“
Revelation 22:17, 20-21 NLT
Thank You God!
If you’re looking to start a Bible reading plan, don’t be intimidated by the timeline. Just take it one step at a time and God will always be there. He’s not bound by one year or two years or three.
There were days I wanted to rush. Days I didn’t read. Days I read, but felt guilty because of my own shame, but God? God is so kind and patient, He was just glad to have to me in His word.
My view of Him has greatly expanded. I used to be especially confused by and fearful of what I thought I knew of Old Testament God. I am more in love with Him than I thought I’d be when I started. His mercy is so evident in the OT and it’s what made the NT possible. Even Revelation was not scary to me in context. God is always more loving, more just, more patient, more kind, more present, and more good than we can imagine.
I had some fears going into the NT that I would read, Paul’s writing especially, and feel shame. I prayed for God’s help in helping me treasure it and He answered. He always did.
Thank You God!
”For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
”All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
Do I understand everything? No. Do I want to go deeper on some harder matters? Yes. Am I still growing? Absolutely. And I’m so glad to be here. His word is always waiting. Always welcome. Always knocking.
”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.“
Revelation 3:20 ESV
”The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.“
Revelation 22:17, 20-21 NLT
Thank You God!
If you’re looking to start a Bible reading plan, don’t be intimidated by the timeline. Just take it one step at a time and God will always be there. He’s not bound by one year or two years or three.
December 31, 2025
This year of 2022 was the year for me to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation chronologically. I wholeheartedly recommend this version of the Bible. I read it each day using the Youversion Bible App. When I finished this morning, I was elated with joy and can say with the Apostle John "Come Lord Jesus"!
Again I recommend this because if you are busy and can't read the daily portion you can listen to it going to work or working on chores in the house. It will be the best blessing in your life!!
Again I recommend this because if you are busy and can't read the daily portion you can listen to it going to work or working on chores in the house. It will be the best blessing in your life!!
June 1, 2018
Best Book Ever. No one else can beat it. Nothing else can replace it.
December 31, 2025
This is my 10th consecutive year reading the Bible through and this plan is my favorite on the you version app. This is one way in which my phone and an app has become a great blessing to me.
May 27, 2024
For the first time in history, I read, snippet-reviewed on Facebook and finished the 39 Books of the Old Testament in 19 consecutive days.
It was a good experience; and for this, the time was right to make an Integrative Book Review here on Goodreads, both for Old and New Testaments.
Style of Writing
It was one of the best decisions of my life to research what version of the Holy Bible to read before starting the Old Testament.
The New Living Translation (NLT) made my reading experience happier as the writing style was made simpler, clearer and smoother.
All the unnecessary words of the Old English were omitted; and the sentences were following the subject-verb agreement in prose writing.
NLT translated the Holy Bible like all its Books were meant to read by high school and college students or professionals.
The choice of words was lighter too. There was no need to look into the dictionary to find the meaning of those big words that make a sentence complicated.
In truth, great stories were written to connect to anyone on a personal human level.
If there was anything to say negative about NLT Bible was its word repetition was all over the place.
In the Book of Leviticus, I noticed the frequent use of select words such as “un-ceremonially unclean” and “ceremonially unclean” for every page until you finished the book.
Substance and Quality
I could learn something great with the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
From the Book of Genesis to Book of Malachi, the intensity of thought-provoking storytelling never stopped.
It would offer anyone varying degrees of excitement, shock and wisdom.
The Old Testament made me question a lot of times, but my curiosity was answered immediately once I take time to Google for answers.
We now live in an AI-era too. Therefore, anyone could use Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT for research for free.
Sometimes, there were times I wonder if the stories were real or not.
For example, in the Book of Numbers, there was a talking donkey in the middle chapters that was way impossible to exist in life.
There were a lot of times it was a need to understand the stories of the Old Testament figuratively.
Instead of questioning myself if donkeys could talk long time ago, I better asked myself what this donkey represent to.
Was the talking donkey a representation of a miracle?
Was the talking donkey a representation of a blessing in disguise?
Another subject matter worth discussing was when God repeatedly considered himself the Jealous God.
What was the meaning of a Jealous God?
Did it mean He felt envious when you have more money than Him; or did it refer to a healthy kind of jealous like when a wife flirts with another handsome man?
Perception mattered while reading the Old Testament.
The imagination was challenged; and the reasoning was heavily tested.
Whether the stories of the Old Testament sounded real, anecdote or prophetic, the message it sent to you was the same. Be good and do good.
Plot
All the Books of the Old Testament were connected in a non-chronological approach.
The flow of events was jumpy especially after the 2 Chronicles.
Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were supposed to be placed in the last five, which preceded the Book of Malachi.
There were also standalone books that tell stories that were completely separated from Pentateuch and historical books such as:
Genesis.
Exodus.
Leviticus.
Numbers.
Deuteronomy.
Joshua.
Judges.
Ruth.
1 Samuel.
2 Samuel.
1 Kings.
2 Kings.
1 Chronicles.
2 Chronicles.
Ezra.
Nehemiah.
Esther.
The standalone books did not follow the chronological timeline as it should be. Their stories emphasized a deeper understanding of life that could be confusing if they merged with the other books listed above.
Minor prophets wrote these standalones. These prophets were:
Hosea.
Joel.
Amos.
Obadiah.
Jonah.
Micah.
Nahum.
Habakkuk.
Zephaniah.
Haggai.
Zechariah (This book made me cry),
Malachi.
My Favorite Characters
Apart from the amazing plots and writing quality, the Old Testament was highly remembered due to its characters.
There were hundreds of amazing names mentioned in each book. Jeroboam was my favorite.
I wanted to re-baptize myself with that name every time I read it, but on a serious note, seven were a real stand-out based on quality, substance and page-time.
God Himself was written as the most well-developed character due to its multiple appearances in every book.
Though to give chance for other names, it was best to pay attention to the following:
7 – Samson.
Samson was a popular character of the Holy Bible. His limitless strength and unbreakable courage were his primary qualities that could never be forgotten despite of all his flaws.
6 – Ezra.
Ezra was a priest who was highly remembered due to his conscience. As he helped the people return to the Holy Land, he felt responsible for the sins they made. He asked God to give him time to make their wrong practices right.
5 – Jeremiah.
Of all the prophets, Jeremiah was the one who experienced countless of hardships. The people of Jerusalem did not believe him. His intentions were pure, but he was imprisoned instead. His Book of Lamentations highlighted the value of hope amid calamities.
4 – Talking Donkey.
The page-time for the talking donkey was short but created a permanent mark on me. Talking donkey was the representation of a miracle that could happen during the unexpected times. Someone could have died without this donkey.
3 – King Solomon.
The Old Testament mentioned a number of kings. Solomon was clearly the most popular not only for his great contributions for Israel but also for his appearances in three books namely 1 Kings, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes.
The Book of Ecclesiastes revealed how vulnerable King Solomon was. He was lonely, he was suicidal; and he was hated. Of these negative vibes, Solomon kept his wisdom alive. His wisdom saved him from his imperfections both as a king and as a person.
2 – Joseph The Dreamer.
Joseph was one of the biggest characters to remember in the Book of Genesis. His story started in Chapter 37 and ended in Chapter 50.
In truth, Joseph closed the Book of Genesis with multiple lessons to learn. One was jealousy.
Joseph’s story would make you realize your family could be your biggest foe once the emotional instability was high.
Joseph had no control over his 10 immature brothers. They allowed their jealousy to devour them, and their level of conscience was low.
Great thing with Joseph, his resiliency gave him the chance to recover from the betrayal and temptations.
He stayed healthy, he looked good; and he took care of himself even if everyone treated him as a slave.
It was a rare moment when Joseph forgave his brothers and chose to be close with them again.
Not everyone had the ability to forgive like Joseph. It would be simpler to forgive yourself first than forgive others face to face.
This was the part when Joseph’s story became unrealistic. His blood betrayed him and sold him as a slave, which was unacceptable.
It was admirable for Joseph to forgive them.
The drawback was, forgiving and re-accepting them inside his support system meant he allowed them to break the boundary he built to protect his self-esteem.
The Book of Job is one of the popular books in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
1 – Job.
Book of Job was special. It was considered as 1 of the 5 Wisdom Books of the Old Testament.
Job and Joseph were similar in many ways. Both suffered heavily.
The difference was, Job was not aware why he was suffering. His life was near perfection before he lost his children, health and wealth.
Like Joseph, Job experienced grief, anxiety and depression. Every day was a heavy burden, giving him reasons to give up.
Job stayed faithful, however. His humility and spirituality gave him the understanding to also accept the point of views of his friends without necessarily believing them.
Their conversation went deeper to a point that Job became skeptical about the existence of God.
Then, when Job least expected it, a miracle happened right in front of him. This was a miracle that changed his life for the better.
On to the New Testament...
After 7 days of nonstop reading and snippet-reviewing on Facebook, I finished the New Testament of the Holy Bible for the first time.
Substance and Quality
The New Living Translation (NLT) stayed consistent with the tone of writing of the 27 books of the New Testament.
Just like the Old Testament, the level of readability was made for high school, college and professionals.
Each book was shorter if compared to the books of the Old Testament. The longest books were Matthew and Acts of Apostles, which both had 28 chapters.
The shorter books were letters written by Paul to the people living in:
Philippi.
Ephesus.
Colossae.
Churches in Galatia.
Corinth.
Thessalonia.
Half-brothers of Jesus Christ also had books with one chapter in a letter form.
Overall, the digital version of the NLT New Testament more as it highlights the dialogues of Jesus Christ in red.
The one negative feedback I had was the Book of Tobit was scraped out. Someone told me Archangel Raphael played an essential role in the story.
Plot
The four Gospels were plot-driven books. The sequence of the most notable events was fast, except for the character of Jesus Christ.
The Gospels were strong character-driven books for Jesus for He received 90% of the page-time due to His miracles and analytical parables.
The contents of Books of Matthew and Mark narrated the life of Jesus Christ in chronological similar order.
The way these books were written, you could tell the three highlighted events of His life were birth, crucifixion and resurrection where Magdalene was present in the last two.
The rest of His life in between birth and crucifixion proved he was an extraordinary human being.
After the gospels, the New Testament re-directed the flow of the story to the Apostles of Christ until the Book of Revelation.
My Favorite Characters
4 – Apostle John.
John was best remembered as the youngest apostle who narrated the Book of Revelation. Jesus Christ selected him to witness the War in Heaven and the introduction of a New Earth after the total devastation.
John wrote these events in vivid details. I could imagine the scenery in my head like you were watching a movie in 3D glory.
Apart from the Book of Revelation, John was also the author of one of the gospels that was kind of different from the other three (Luke, Matthew and Mark) still, it highlighted the key points of the life of Jesus.
3 – Mother Mary.
Mary was the symbol of beauty and elegance of The Holy Bible. She opened the Gospel of Luke like no one else could.
Her vulnerability and courage represented the qualities every woman could have.
However, her character disappeared completely after the four gospels. Apostle John briefly described her presence in the Book of Revelation but without a single dialogue.
2 – Mary Magdalene.
Magdalene was the most mysterious character of the New Testament. She was present during in two of the most iconic events in Jesus’ life namely crucifixion and resurrection, but she had a limited amount of dialogue.
The descriptions about Magdalene in the gospels revealed the depth of her character but it seemed filtered and carefully thoroughly edited.
The real Magdalene was not totally flesh-out. Somehow, it seemed okay.
If the gossips about her were true, her every appearance would remind anyone that she was a symbol of repentance, especially in the Book of John 12:3.
All-Time Favorite Character
Before reading the Holy Bible, I decided to choose My Number 1 Favorite Character in the Old and New Testaments.
1 – Paul or Job?
Job was my Number 1 in the Old Testament, and Paul was my pick for the New Testament, who is some ways was nearly like Job.
Paul is one of the faithful apostles of Jesus Christ.
Both Job and Paul were well-educated and insightful. They expressed their thoughts in a way that they do not have to please everyone.
Both were humble. Both suffered too much.
Job and Paul were not ashamed to reveal how vulnerable and flawed they were.
There was a point in his life that Job questioned the existence of God without becoming the villain.
Paul started the Book of Acts as a bad character, but he had an immediate change of heart after a miracle.
The difference was Job was a married servant of God while Paul stayed single while spreading the Good News to the world.
Despondency almost consumed Job. Paul found his inner strength amid the greed of power and false accusations from the public.
The life of Job ended happily as God rewarded him more than what he had before.
Due to his mission, Paul’s sufferings were endless until his last breath but accepted his death wholeheartedly for he stayed faithful.
Question: Between these two, who had the better story to remember for years and years to come?
Answer:
The life story of Paul was closer to me. We were both singles and were persons with disabilities who could express our deeper thoughts and feelings through writing.
While Paul has recurring problems with his vision, I had permanent problem with my locomotion since five.
Yet, we did not allow our physical conditions to define us. We continued to thrive in an imperfect world filled with uncertainty, envy and temptations.
Paul and I were both survivors. He is my favorite Bible Character of all-time.
It was a good experience; and for this, the time was right to make an Integrative Book Review here on Goodreads, both for Old and New Testaments.
Style of Writing
It was one of the best decisions of my life to research what version of the Holy Bible to read before starting the Old Testament.
The New Living Translation (NLT) made my reading experience happier as the writing style was made simpler, clearer and smoother.
All the unnecessary words of the Old English were omitted; and the sentences were following the subject-verb agreement in prose writing.
NLT translated the Holy Bible like all its Books were meant to read by high school and college students or professionals.
The choice of words was lighter too. There was no need to look into the dictionary to find the meaning of those big words that make a sentence complicated.
In truth, great stories were written to connect to anyone on a personal human level.
If there was anything to say negative about NLT Bible was its word repetition was all over the place.
In the Book of Leviticus, I noticed the frequent use of select words such as “un-ceremonially unclean” and “ceremonially unclean” for every page until you finished the book.
Substance and Quality
I could learn something great with the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
From the Book of Genesis to Book of Malachi, the intensity of thought-provoking storytelling never stopped.
It would offer anyone varying degrees of excitement, shock and wisdom.
The Old Testament made me question a lot of times, but my curiosity was answered immediately once I take time to Google for answers.
We now live in an AI-era too. Therefore, anyone could use Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT for research for free.
Sometimes, there were times I wonder if the stories were real or not.
For example, in the Book of Numbers, there was a talking donkey in the middle chapters that was way impossible to exist in life.
There were a lot of times it was a need to understand the stories of the Old Testament figuratively.
Instead of questioning myself if donkeys could talk long time ago, I better asked myself what this donkey represent to.
Was the talking donkey a representation of a miracle?
Was the talking donkey a representation of a blessing in disguise?
Another subject matter worth discussing was when God repeatedly considered himself the Jealous God.
What was the meaning of a Jealous God?
Did it mean He felt envious when you have more money than Him; or did it refer to a healthy kind of jealous like when a wife flirts with another handsome man?
Perception mattered while reading the Old Testament.
The imagination was challenged; and the reasoning was heavily tested.
Whether the stories of the Old Testament sounded real, anecdote or prophetic, the message it sent to you was the same. Be good and do good.
Plot
All the Books of the Old Testament were connected in a non-chronological approach.
The flow of events was jumpy especially after the 2 Chronicles.
Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were supposed to be placed in the last five, which preceded the Book of Malachi.
There were also standalone books that tell stories that were completely separated from Pentateuch and historical books such as:
Genesis.
Exodus.
Leviticus.
Numbers.
Deuteronomy.
Joshua.
Judges.
Ruth.
1 Samuel.
2 Samuel.
1 Kings.
2 Kings.
1 Chronicles.
2 Chronicles.
Ezra.
Nehemiah.
Esther.
The standalone books did not follow the chronological timeline as it should be. Their stories emphasized a deeper understanding of life that could be confusing if they merged with the other books listed above.
Minor prophets wrote these standalones. These prophets were:
Hosea.
Joel.
Amos.
Obadiah.
Jonah.
Micah.
Nahum.
Habakkuk.
Zephaniah.
Haggai.
Zechariah (This book made me cry),
Malachi.
My Favorite Characters
Apart from the amazing plots and writing quality, the Old Testament was highly remembered due to its characters.
There were hundreds of amazing names mentioned in each book. Jeroboam was my favorite.
I wanted to re-baptize myself with that name every time I read it, but on a serious note, seven were a real stand-out based on quality, substance and page-time.
God Himself was written as the most well-developed character due to its multiple appearances in every book.
Though to give chance for other names, it was best to pay attention to the following:
7 – Samson.
Samson was a popular character of the Holy Bible. His limitless strength and unbreakable courage were his primary qualities that could never be forgotten despite of all his flaws.
6 – Ezra.
Ezra was a priest who was highly remembered due to his conscience. As he helped the people return to the Holy Land, he felt responsible for the sins they made. He asked God to give him time to make their wrong practices right.
5 – Jeremiah.
Of all the prophets, Jeremiah was the one who experienced countless of hardships. The people of Jerusalem did not believe him. His intentions were pure, but he was imprisoned instead. His Book of Lamentations highlighted the value of hope amid calamities.
4 – Talking Donkey.
The page-time for the talking donkey was short but created a permanent mark on me. Talking donkey was the representation of a miracle that could happen during the unexpected times. Someone could have died without this donkey.
3 – King Solomon.
The Old Testament mentioned a number of kings. Solomon was clearly the most popular not only for his great contributions for Israel but also for his appearances in three books namely 1 Kings, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes.
The Book of Ecclesiastes revealed how vulnerable King Solomon was. He was lonely, he was suicidal; and he was hated. Of these negative vibes, Solomon kept his wisdom alive. His wisdom saved him from his imperfections both as a king and as a person.
2 – Joseph The Dreamer.
Joseph was one of the biggest characters to remember in the Book of Genesis. His story started in Chapter 37 and ended in Chapter 50.
In truth, Joseph closed the Book of Genesis with multiple lessons to learn. One was jealousy.
Joseph’s story would make you realize your family could be your biggest foe once the emotional instability was high.
Joseph had no control over his 10 immature brothers. They allowed their jealousy to devour them, and their level of conscience was low.
Great thing with Joseph, his resiliency gave him the chance to recover from the betrayal and temptations.
He stayed healthy, he looked good; and he took care of himself even if everyone treated him as a slave.
It was a rare moment when Joseph forgave his brothers and chose to be close with them again.
Not everyone had the ability to forgive like Joseph. It would be simpler to forgive yourself first than forgive others face to face.
This was the part when Joseph’s story became unrealistic. His blood betrayed him and sold him as a slave, which was unacceptable.
It was admirable for Joseph to forgive them.
The drawback was, forgiving and re-accepting them inside his support system meant he allowed them to break the boundary he built to protect his self-esteem.
The Book of Job is one of the popular books in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
1 – Job.
Book of Job was special. It was considered as 1 of the 5 Wisdom Books of the Old Testament.
Job and Joseph were similar in many ways. Both suffered heavily.
The difference was, Job was not aware why he was suffering. His life was near perfection before he lost his children, health and wealth.
Like Joseph, Job experienced grief, anxiety and depression. Every day was a heavy burden, giving him reasons to give up.
Job stayed faithful, however. His humility and spirituality gave him the understanding to also accept the point of views of his friends without necessarily believing them.
Their conversation went deeper to a point that Job became skeptical about the existence of God.
Then, when Job least expected it, a miracle happened right in front of him. This was a miracle that changed his life for the better.
On to the New Testament...
After 7 days of nonstop reading and snippet-reviewing on Facebook, I finished the New Testament of the Holy Bible for the first time.
Substance and Quality
The New Living Translation (NLT) stayed consistent with the tone of writing of the 27 books of the New Testament.
Just like the Old Testament, the level of readability was made for high school, college and professionals.
Each book was shorter if compared to the books of the Old Testament. The longest books were Matthew and Acts of Apostles, which both had 28 chapters.
The shorter books were letters written by Paul to the people living in:
Philippi.
Ephesus.
Colossae.
Churches in Galatia.
Corinth.
Thessalonia.
Half-brothers of Jesus Christ also had books with one chapter in a letter form.
Overall, the digital version of the NLT New Testament more as it highlights the dialogues of Jesus Christ in red.
The one negative feedback I had was the Book of Tobit was scraped out. Someone told me Archangel Raphael played an essential role in the story.
Plot
The four Gospels were plot-driven books. The sequence of the most notable events was fast, except for the character of Jesus Christ.
The Gospels were strong character-driven books for Jesus for He received 90% of the page-time due to His miracles and analytical parables.
The contents of Books of Matthew and Mark narrated the life of Jesus Christ in chronological similar order.
The way these books were written, you could tell the three highlighted events of His life were birth, crucifixion and resurrection where Magdalene was present in the last two.
The rest of His life in between birth and crucifixion proved he was an extraordinary human being.
After the gospels, the New Testament re-directed the flow of the story to the Apostles of Christ until the Book of Revelation.
My Favorite Characters
4 – Apostle John.
John was best remembered as the youngest apostle who narrated the Book of Revelation. Jesus Christ selected him to witness the War in Heaven and the introduction of a New Earth after the total devastation.
John wrote these events in vivid details. I could imagine the scenery in my head like you were watching a movie in 3D glory.
Apart from the Book of Revelation, John was also the author of one of the gospels that was kind of different from the other three (Luke, Matthew and Mark) still, it highlighted the key points of the life of Jesus.
3 – Mother Mary.
Mary was the symbol of beauty and elegance of The Holy Bible. She opened the Gospel of Luke like no one else could.
Her vulnerability and courage represented the qualities every woman could have.
However, her character disappeared completely after the four gospels. Apostle John briefly described her presence in the Book of Revelation but without a single dialogue.
2 – Mary Magdalene.
Magdalene was the most mysterious character of the New Testament. She was present during in two of the most iconic events in Jesus’ life namely crucifixion and resurrection, but she had a limited amount of dialogue.
The descriptions about Magdalene in the gospels revealed the depth of her character but it seemed filtered and carefully thoroughly edited.
The real Magdalene was not totally flesh-out. Somehow, it seemed okay.
If the gossips about her were true, her every appearance would remind anyone that she was a symbol of repentance, especially in the Book of John 12:3.
All-Time Favorite Character
Before reading the Holy Bible, I decided to choose My Number 1 Favorite Character in the Old and New Testaments.
1 – Paul or Job?
Job was my Number 1 in the Old Testament, and Paul was my pick for the New Testament, who is some ways was nearly like Job.
Paul is one of the faithful apostles of Jesus Christ.
Both Job and Paul were well-educated and insightful. They expressed their thoughts in a way that they do not have to please everyone.
Both were humble. Both suffered too much.
Job and Paul were not ashamed to reveal how vulnerable and flawed they were.
There was a point in his life that Job questioned the existence of God without becoming the villain.
Paul started the Book of Acts as a bad character, but he had an immediate change of heart after a miracle.
The difference was Job was a married servant of God while Paul stayed single while spreading the Good News to the world.
Despondency almost consumed Job. Paul found his inner strength amid the greed of power and false accusations from the public.
The life of Job ended happily as God rewarded him more than what he had before.
Due to his mission, Paul’s sufferings were endless until his last breath but accepted his death wholeheartedly for he stayed faithful.
Question: Between these two, who had the better story to remember for years and years to come?
Answer:
The life story of Paul was closer to me. We were both singles and were persons with disabilities who could express our deeper thoughts and feelings through writing.
While Paul has recurring problems with his vision, I had permanent problem with my locomotion since five.
Yet, we did not allow our physical conditions to define us. We continued to thrive in an imperfect world filled with uncertainty, envy and temptations.
Paul and I were both survivors. He is my favorite Bible Character of all-time.
April 21, 2021
So I always wanted to do the Chronological Bible version, but a few things jumped out over the year.
First, reading chronologically definitionally means you're reading The Pentateuch (first five books) right off the bat with no jumping around. And as everyone jokes, when they start reading the Bible straight through, most usually make it to Leviticus and die out somewhere in Numbers. Same here, started this effort in June and struggled to make it through the summer.
I'm not crazy about the way they mixed in the Psalms and Proverbs into the plan, which they sprinkled throughout the reign of David and Solomon (respectively). Some of that seemed guessed and/or not a fit. But some seemed appropriate as a lament after a big defeat and/or persecution.
I did like seeing where the major and minor prophets fit into the Samuel/Kings/Chronicle timelines. And, I thought it was fascinating to read the 4 gospels simultaneously and see the similar stories and/or the differences. Acts and the Epistles aligned was also fascinating to see the letters to the churches within the timeline of Paul's various journeys.
Overall, glad i read this version, although I started another Bible Reading effort on Jan 1 first with some friends through YouVersion Bible App and trying to read two separate reading plans every day is a challenge. I do think overall I like getting a little variety of scriptures each day, than just reading it straight through.
First, reading chronologically definitionally means you're reading The Pentateuch (first five books) right off the bat with no jumping around. And as everyone jokes, when they start reading the Bible straight through, most usually make it to Leviticus and die out somewhere in Numbers. Same here, started this effort in June and struggled to make it through the summer.
I'm not crazy about the way they mixed in the Psalms and Proverbs into the plan, which they sprinkled throughout the reign of David and Solomon (respectively). Some of that seemed guessed and/or not a fit. But some seemed appropriate as a lament after a big defeat and/or persecution.
I did like seeing where the major and minor prophets fit into the Samuel/Kings/Chronicle timelines. And, I thought it was fascinating to read the 4 gospels simultaneously and see the similar stories and/or the differences. Acts and the Epistles aligned was also fascinating to see the letters to the churches within the timeline of Paul's various journeys.
Overall, glad i read this version, although I started another Bible Reading effort on Jan 1 first with some friends through YouVersion Bible App and trying to read two separate reading plans every day is a challenge. I do think overall I like getting a little variety of scriptures each day, than just reading it straight through.
December 27, 2023
I haven’t completely finished reading through the Bible in a year since my highschool days when my family did it together. I’ve attempted many times and get bogged down in genealogies or Jeremiah, get discouraged that I’m behind, and give up. 😂
There are many personal disciplines I wish I could have done “better” in this year—most, because of my pride, relate to physical appearance and things that are “seen”😝—but I’m gently reminding myself that I DID add a discipline to my life this year that has an “eternal weight” 😉, and that is I read my Bible a little bit every day for the first year in maybe forever.
I actually really liked reading this translation. Even though it seemed brusque in its wording and sentence choices, I felt like I understood parts, especially of the epistles, in their overall message and continuity much more than I ever had before.
My favorite part was reading through Acts and the epistles in their chronological order. The reasons for the writing of the letters because of what was taking place in the early church was helpful to me.
Onward and upward! This is a book you’ll hopefully find on my yearly reading from here on, and a discipline that will continue in my life. 🥰
There are many personal disciplines I wish I could have done “better” in this year—most, because of my pride, relate to physical appearance and things that are “seen”😝—but I’m gently reminding myself that I DID add a discipline to my life this year that has an “eternal weight” 😉, and that is I read my Bible a little bit every day for the first year in maybe forever.
I actually really liked reading this translation. Even though it seemed brusque in its wording and sentence choices, I felt like I understood parts, especially of the epistles, in their overall message and continuity much more than I ever had before.
My favorite part was reading through Acts and the epistles in their chronological order. The reasons for the writing of the letters because of what was taking place in the early church was helpful to me.
Onward and upward! This is a book you’ll hopefully find on my yearly reading from here on, and a discipline that will continue in my life. 🥰
May 2, 2012
I am currently using this in the ESV version. The layout of this is dated for every day of the year, though not by the year, so it can be used year after year. It is broken into Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, for the reading. At the end of the year, one has covered the entire Bible. It is extremely fulfilling to use for a daily routine, especially to begin one's day. My preferred version is the English Standard Version, as it is quite an accurate translation from the Greek. The book has no commentary, and just a few definitive explanatory notes on some translation. It is available in other versions: New Living Translation, New International Version, New King James, King James.
December 23, 2021
This was quite the journey in completing the full Bible....took two years instead of one but powerful+++. Such an historical account, words of wisdom galore; especially from Proverbs, life changing gospel, backgrounds for so many of our expressions today (writing on the wall, red sky at night, sailor's delight, Babbel tower etc)......life map and guide, prophecy so up to date it's eerie when we see how it's coming to pass with the cashless society so prevalent, vax passes a a precursor to the mark of the beast..... Incredible collection of books! Next version to read is the New King James; still the poetic type I was used to growing up with and memorized verses of the original KJV but without the older language of thees and thous....
February 21, 2016
I don't get how people could base so much of their identity or morality on a book with so many blatant contradictions and immoral teachings. I still have to read other religions texts, and I sure hope they are a little bit better than this. If there is a god and this is what he is like I got say he ranks with Hitler among the worst beings ever to live.
May 2, 2024
Toxic and outdated. Not enough smut for an adult fantasy novel. Do not recommend. 👎🏻
August 24, 2020
For the past couple of months, I've made my way through the NLT Bible in rather an unorthdox order. I read the Gospels late last year, and Acts early this year. I picked it up again at Joshua and read through to the end of the Old Testament. Then I went back and read Genesis through Deuteronomy, and then I read the Epistles and Revelation.
Despite having attended a somewhat religious school (and studied Religious Studies as an option in high school), I was reading a lot of the books for the first time. Many of the Epistles I had never read, and basically all of the Prophetic Books of the Old Testament were foreign to me.
Of course, at the end of these couple of months, I have nothing but praise to heap on the book. Sure, there are books which are challenging - some of them extremely so (Leviticus, I'm looking at you), but to complain of difficulty is to miss the point. Many of the books simply need to be difficult to be of any meaning or value. When we talk about the Old and New Testaments, we often forget gloss over an extremely important word: 'Testament'. For many people, the term 'Old Testament' conjures up images of a dusty old tome full of obtuse religious language. What these people do not imagine, is that it contains perhaps the most thorough testament to the complex and multifaceted nature of a civilization ever assembled.
I should probably clarify what I mean. In the Old Testament, Jewish civilization is contained. An entire history of a people is told through literature of every form. From poetic works to historical annals to long accounts of the visions of prophets. There is a book of proverbs, collections of folk tales and volumes of religious law. It paints a picture of every element of life in that civilization. It is impossible to read the Old Testament and not come out with a feeling of having known the ancient Israelites, and to some degree, to having travelled with them. Certainly, in among this there are areas which are difficult to read and challenge you intellectually, but these sections were never meant to entertain. You are engaging with the words that would have organized and defined life in an ancient civilization. As you become invested in their struggle, you engage with them through the emotional highs and the emotional lows. The Book of Lamentations should bring you to tears, but the Book of Esther should make you rejoice when the Jews are saved from annihilation.
I have no shortage of praise for the books Nehemiah, Esther and Job. Without a doubt, these three books are my favorite of the whole Bible. Nehemiah paints such a vivid picture of life in the challenging period of Jerusalem's reconstruction. The Book of Esther is a dramatic story of court intrigue with tensions and suspense more reminiscent of Shakespeare than of most of the rest of the Bible. And then there is Job, which is a brilliant work of philosophy, concerning the nature and character of God. It is no less relevant today than it the day it was written.
Anyway, I'll leave this here, or else I could go on all day heaping praise on the literary and historical qualities of the Bible. I read it in the NLT translation, which is easy to follow, albeit lacking in the majesty one would otherwise encounter in a KJV or NKJV translation. When checking particular verses on the internet, I took to using the NKJV translation, and I'll probably use it again in the future. For the prose passages, I think NLT does an acceptable job, but for the poetic passages (particularly the Psalms), I can't recommend it.
Whilst I was reading, I also made a few notes on the basic content of each book of the Old Testament. I'm including them below. I didn't make any equivalent notes on the New Testament, mainly because I didn't make notes on the Gospels when I read them last year and only started when I picked up the Book of Joshua.
Genesis - The book of Genesis is a great place to start the Bible. It begins at the dawn of time, and continues through to more or less the beginning of the Jews' captivity in Egypt. It consists mainly of what I imagine were once folk tales. It's an engaging read, and some of the stories are very entertaining.
Exodus - This book builds on Genesis and tells the story of the the escape from Egypt, and includes the famous scene in which Moses parts the red sea. I found Exodus even more entertaining than Genesis. Unlike the books which follow it, Exodus, like Genesis, consists mainly of stories, but unlike Genesis, it has much more limited historical scope. I think it's to its benefit. Genesis covers a great deal of ground, and deals with lots of complex stories very briefly. The fact that Exodus moves somewhat slower really works to its benefit from a narrative point of view.
Leviticus - This is where things start to get tough. There's a real contest between Leviticus and Numbers for driest book of the Bible. There's a lot about oxen in this book - and about all kinds of matters of division of property and proper etiquette when sacrificing animals to the lord. It's not easy reading.
Numbers - If Genesis and Exodus can be read as a narrative pair, Leviticus and Numbers can be read as a legal pair. Although there's a lot more narrative in Numbers than in Leviticus, Numbers is still mostly law and as a result is a difficult read. It is also in the book that God establishes that Moses will not lead the Jews back to the promised land. They only make it so far as the river Jordan.
Deuteronomy - This book consists of the speeches of Moses. It's mostly a recap of the previous books (particularly Leviticus and Deuteronomy). That means there's a lot of religious law in this book too. It's a little more readable in this case though, as it comes in the form of speeches, which are not without rhetorical flourish.
Joshua - This picks up from the death of Moses. It's a readable historical account of the Israelites settlement of the holy land, after they leave Egypt. Like much of the Deuteronomistic History, it does become very focused on minor details that are often less interesting for the modern reader, but much less so in the first half.
Judges - A rather cyclical account of a long period of Jewish history, in which Israel is judged again and again by different prophetic individuals. In each instance, the people fall into sin, and a judge helps them back out of it. Of course, the narrative is repetitive, but many of the stories are fascinating in and of themselves. It also presents the famous story of Hercules-esque Samson and his wife Delilah.
Ruth - A very short book telling the story of David's grandmother, who was a convert. This is a tale of dedication one's family, as well as a key text in understanding (ancient) Jewish attitudes to conversion.
Samuel 1 & 2 - The books of Samuel are, in my opinion, some of the most readable in the whole Bible. This is pre-temple stuff, but it does mark the first appearance of King David (in 2 Samuel) as well as the less well-loved King Saul (in 1 Samuel), both of which are great stories.
Kings 1 & 2 - This is when the temple gets built under King Solomon who, according to the Bible, was the wisest man who ever lived. He also, by traditional accounts, wrote some of the books of the Bible. Once it gets into its stride, Kings is a lot like Judges. It moves fast, explaining briefly the lives of a great many rulers. At the beginning it gives a lot of details about the design and materials of the temple at Jerusalem. If you're into that sort of thing (and I guess I am) then it's fascinating.
Chronicles 1 & 2 - Chronicles are a kind of recap of the books Joshua through 2 Kings (minus Ruth). It's often light on details, but it covers the most salient points. It was probably written after the return from the Babylonian exile to allow Jews to reconnect with their heritage. It contains a lot of name-dropping.
Ezra - The book of Ezra was originally combined with the book Nehemiah. It first presents a relatively brief account of the end of the Babylonian exile, before switching to the first person to tell the story of Ezra assembling a group of Jews in Babylon before travelling back to Jerusalem. After that Ezra talks with the Jews who remained in Jerusalem and is concerned about their having married foreign wives.
Nehemiah - This is one of my favorites. Nehemiah concerns the trials the Jews encountered in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem during the reign of Cyrus. Although it was permitted to rebuild them, they still faced a great deal of opposition, and wind up guarding the builders whilst their working. I really like this book. When I was reading it, I really felt I had a sense of what it was like to live in Jerusalem in those days. I found it really vivid.
Esther - This is my absolute favourite book in the Bible. It's nothing like anything that comes before it. It's a really gripping story, about a plot in the court of Cyrus in which the Jews almost wind up annihilated. It's a royal court drama more or less in which all kinds of maneuvering are required to prevent an appalling tragedy. I recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history. Alike to Nehemiah, it really paints a vivid picture of life in this period - this time life in the Persian court rather than a ruinous Jerusalem. (As an aside, this story is also the basis for the Jewish festival of Purim)
Job - Nehemiah through Job, for me, is the best part of the Bible. Job is one of the only books of the Old Testament that we spoke about a lot when I took Religious Studies in high school. Job is a brilliant reflection on the nature and character of God, and it is simply beautifully told. Starting at Genesis, Job is also the first book which isn't a historical or legal text. It's undoubtedly one of the richest books of the whole Bible.
Psalms - These are the traditional songs of the Jewish faith. Many of them are traditionally attributed to King David (although most scholars reject that he actually wrote them). If you've lived in a Christian country for more than one or two years, many of these will already be familiar. You probably know at least the opening to Psalm 23, even if you didn't realize it: "The Lord is my shepherd; / I shall not want. / He makes me to lie down in green pastures; / He leads me beside still waters." And so on.
Proverbs - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs, are traditionally attributed to King Solomon, the third king of Israel. Proverbs is quite accurately described, it consists of many short proverbs, to serve as examples of Solomon's wisdom.
Ecclesiastes - This one's something special. Ecclesiastes is a philosophical discussion about finding meaning in one's life. If I had to pick the book of the Bible which is most accessible to modern man, it would be this one. In it, Solomon laments the perceived shallowness of human life, and tries to build on his despair to find meaning.
Song of Songs - These are the Bible's love songs. Song of Songs is very short and consists of messages between lovers, with a lot about desiring the 'fruits' of one another. I don't doubt it's beautiful in the Hebrew, but the NLT translation doesn't do it justice.
Isaiah - From Isiah to the end of the Old Testament, every book is considered prophetic (excepting I suppose Lamentations, but we'll get to that). Isaiah consists mostly of visions and has historically been very popular with Christians, as it's the main source for accounts of prophecy for the coming Jewish messiah. Besides this it's perhaps most well-known for the words which are later echoed in Revelation, Isaiah 44:6: "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." For simply reading start to finish, I think Isiah is one of the harder books of the Bible.
Jeremiah - The book of Jeremiah is traditionally attributed to the judge Jeremiah, who is referenced in a few other books of the Bible. Scholarship generally rejects this however, and instead believes it to be the work of many different authors. Lots of information is repeated again and again, and the narrative moves slowly. It begins with a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians, and continues until the prophecy is fulfilled, and then tells a little of the aftermath.
Lamentations - This book is also traditionally attributed to Jeremiah. It's a sad song lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem. Although not a prophetic text, it's included with the prophetic texts in Christian tradition (probably because it was written by a prophet). In Jewish tradition, it is placed with the poetic works. Even in the NLT translation, it is a very moving read. The level of destruction portrayed is immense, and it really heightened my appreciation of The Book of Nehemiah.
Ezekiel - I think this one's a little easier to read than Isaiah and Jeremiah, but it follows the same basic theme. There's a lot of visions (some of which seem pretty psychedelic) mostly about the destruction of Jerusalem, but also sometimes about the destruction of other civilizations. They're followed by a very in-depth discussion on the dimensions and specifications of the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem.
Daniel - This book begins with several court tales, reminiscent of the book of Esther. It then transitions into a series of visions. Daniel is a major source of prophecy pertaining the the messiah, as well as to the apocalypse. The visions cover a lot in quite a small number of words.
Hosea - This is the first of the 'Minor Prophets', the small books which occupy the end of the Old Testament. Hosea uses the story of a man who is told by God to marry a prostitute as a frame for a series of messages from God, largely about the dangers of idolatry, and the destruction and restoration of Jerusalem.
Joel - This books is a lot about locusts. It's a lament to the arrival of a number of locusts followed by a prophecy of better times to come.
Amos - I found Amos to be one of the easier prophetic books to read. It consists of a number of different prophecies and symbolic visions. I found it to be quite a bit more vivid than most of the prophetic texts.
Obadiah - This is the shortest book of the Old Testament. It consists of a brief account of the destruction due to be delivered to the people of Edom for turning away from God.
Jonah - I remember this one very well from school. Jonah contains the famous tale of the man thrown overboard at sea and eaten by a whale. It's very short, but contains a lot of action for a prophetic book.
Micah - For Christian readers, perhaps the most interesting part of the book of Micah is the claim that the Messiah will come out of Bethlehem. The rest of the book consists of warnings, judgments and restorations.
Nahum - A prophecy of the fall of Assyria and the destruction of Nineveh. Undoubtedly, this would have been a satisfying read for those Jews who lived through Assyria's conquests.
Habakkuk - This is one of the more unusual prophetic books. It consists of a kind of Q&A with God on a handful of different topics. It's somewhat more philosophical than the other minor prophets.
Zephaniah - There's a good deal of judgement in this book. It's a prophecy in which God judges Judah, and then various foreign nations.
Haggai - This book mainly concerns the prophet Haggai's encouraging the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Zechariah - This is a series of visions culminating in a few chapters discussing the coming of the Messiah, and the triumph due to follow it.
Malachi - This is quite a nice (and appropriate) book to end on. The prophetic texts contain a lot of darkness, but Malachi focuses on the goodness of those who don't turn away from God. It ends with a very brief reminder of the coming judgement.
Despite having attended a somewhat religious school (and studied Religious Studies as an option in high school), I was reading a lot of the books for the first time. Many of the Epistles I had never read, and basically all of the Prophetic Books of the Old Testament were foreign to me.
Of course, at the end of these couple of months, I have nothing but praise to heap on the book. Sure, there are books which are challenging - some of them extremely so (Leviticus, I'm looking at you), but to complain of difficulty is to miss the point. Many of the books simply need to be difficult to be of any meaning or value. When we talk about the Old and New Testaments, we often forget gloss over an extremely important word: 'Testament'. For many people, the term 'Old Testament' conjures up images of a dusty old tome full of obtuse religious language. What these people do not imagine, is that it contains perhaps the most thorough testament to the complex and multifaceted nature of a civilization ever assembled.
I should probably clarify what I mean. In the Old Testament, Jewish civilization is contained. An entire history of a people is told through literature of every form. From poetic works to historical annals to long accounts of the visions of prophets. There is a book of proverbs, collections of folk tales and volumes of religious law. It paints a picture of every element of life in that civilization. It is impossible to read the Old Testament and not come out with a feeling of having known the ancient Israelites, and to some degree, to having travelled with them. Certainly, in among this there are areas which are difficult to read and challenge you intellectually, but these sections were never meant to entertain. You are engaging with the words that would have organized and defined life in an ancient civilization. As you become invested in their struggle, you engage with them through the emotional highs and the emotional lows. The Book of Lamentations should bring you to tears, but the Book of Esther should make you rejoice when the Jews are saved from annihilation.
I have no shortage of praise for the books Nehemiah, Esther and Job. Without a doubt, these three books are my favorite of the whole Bible. Nehemiah paints such a vivid picture of life in the challenging period of Jerusalem's reconstruction. The Book of Esther is a dramatic story of court intrigue with tensions and suspense more reminiscent of Shakespeare than of most of the rest of the Bible. And then there is Job, which is a brilliant work of philosophy, concerning the nature and character of God. It is no less relevant today than it the day it was written.
Anyway, I'll leave this here, or else I could go on all day heaping praise on the literary and historical qualities of the Bible. I read it in the NLT translation, which is easy to follow, albeit lacking in the majesty one would otherwise encounter in a KJV or NKJV translation. When checking particular verses on the internet, I took to using the NKJV translation, and I'll probably use it again in the future. For the prose passages, I think NLT does an acceptable job, but for the poetic passages (particularly the Psalms), I can't recommend it.
Whilst I was reading, I also made a few notes on the basic content of each book of the Old Testament. I'm including them below. I didn't make any equivalent notes on the New Testament, mainly because I didn't make notes on the Gospels when I read them last year and only started when I picked up the Book of Joshua.
Genesis - The book of Genesis is a great place to start the Bible. It begins at the dawn of time, and continues through to more or less the beginning of the Jews' captivity in Egypt. It consists mainly of what I imagine were once folk tales. It's an engaging read, and some of the stories are very entertaining.
Exodus - This book builds on Genesis and tells the story of the the escape from Egypt, and includes the famous scene in which Moses parts the red sea. I found Exodus even more entertaining than Genesis. Unlike the books which follow it, Exodus, like Genesis, consists mainly of stories, but unlike Genesis, it has much more limited historical scope. I think it's to its benefit. Genesis covers a great deal of ground, and deals with lots of complex stories very briefly. The fact that Exodus moves somewhat slower really works to its benefit from a narrative point of view.
Leviticus - This is where things start to get tough. There's a real contest between Leviticus and Numbers for driest book of the Bible. There's a lot about oxen in this book - and about all kinds of matters of division of property and proper etiquette when sacrificing animals to the lord. It's not easy reading.
Numbers - If Genesis and Exodus can be read as a narrative pair, Leviticus and Numbers can be read as a legal pair. Although there's a lot more narrative in Numbers than in Leviticus, Numbers is still mostly law and as a result is a difficult read. It is also in the book that God establishes that Moses will not lead the Jews back to the promised land. They only make it so far as the river Jordan.
Deuteronomy - This book consists of the speeches of Moses. It's mostly a recap of the previous books (particularly Leviticus and Deuteronomy). That means there's a lot of religious law in this book too. It's a little more readable in this case though, as it comes in the form of speeches, which are not without rhetorical flourish.
Joshua - This picks up from the death of Moses. It's a readable historical account of the Israelites settlement of the holy land, after they leave Egypt. Like much of the Deuteronomistic History, it does become very focused on minor details that are often less interesting for the modern reader, but much less so in the first half.
Judges - A rather cyclical account of a long period of Jewish history, in which Israel is judged again and again by different prophetic individuals. In each instance, the people fall into sin, and a judge helps them back out of it. Of course, the narrative is repetitive, but many of the stories are fascinating in and of themselves. It also presents the famous story of Hercules-esque Samson and his wife Delilah.
Ruth - A very short book telling the story of David's grandmother, who was a convert. This is a tale of dedication one's family, as well as a key text in understanding (ancient) Jewish attitudes to conversion.
Samuel 1 & 2 - The books of Samuel are, in my opinion, some of the most readable in the whole Bible. This is pre-temple stuff, but it does mark the first appearance of King David (in 2 Samuel) as well as the less well-loved King Saul (in 1 Samuel), both of which are great stories.
Kings 1 & 2 - This is when the temple gets built under King Solomon who, according to the Bible, was the wisest man who ever lived. He also, by traditional accounts, wrote some of the books of the Bible. Once it gets into its stride, Kings is a lot like Judges. It moves fast, explaining briefly the lives of a great many rulers. At the beginning it gives a lot of details about the design and materials of the temple at Jerusalem. If you're into that sort of thing (and I guess I am) then it's fascinating.
Chronicles 1 & 2 - Chronicles are a kind of recap of the books Joshua through 2 Kings (minus Ruth). It's often light on details, but it covers the most salient points. It was probably written after the return from the Babylonian exile to allow Jews to reconnect with their heritage. It contains a lot of name-dropping.
Ezra - The book of Ezra was originally combined with the book Nehemiah. It first presents a relatively brief account of the end of the Babylonian exile, before switching to the first person to tell the story of Ezra assembling a group of Jews in Babylon before travelling back to Jerusalem. After that Ezra talks with the Jews who remained in Jerusalem and is concerned about their having married foreign wives.
Nehemiah - This is one of my favorites. Nehemiah concerns the trials the Jews encountered in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem during the reign of Cyrus. Although it was permitted to rebuild them, they still faced a great deal of opposition, and wind up guarding the builders whilst their working. I really like this book. When I was reading it, I really felt I had a sense of what it was like to live in Jerusalem in those days. I found it really vivid.
Esther - This is my absolute favourite book in the Bible. It's nothing like anything that comes before it. It's a really gripping story, about a plot in the court of Cyrus in which the Jews almost wind up annihilated. It's a royal court drama more or less in which all kinds of maneuvering are required to prevent an appalling tragedy. I recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history. Alike to Nehemiah, it really paints a vivid picture of life in this period - this time life in the Persian court rather than a ruinous Jerusalem. (As an aside, this story is also the basis for the Jewish festival of Purim)
Job - Nehemiah through Job, for me, is the best part of the Bible. Job is one of the only books of the Old Testament that we spoke about a lot when I took Religious Studies in high school. Job is a brilliant reflection on the nature and character of God, and it is simply beautifully told. Starting at Genesis, Job is also the first book which isn't a historical or legal text. It's undoubtedly one of the richest books of the whole Bible.
Psalms - These are the traditional songs of the Jewish faith. Many of them are traditionally attributed to King David (although most scholars reject that he actually wrote them). If you've lived in a Christian country for more than one or two years, many of these will already be familiar. You probably know at least the opening to Psalm 23, even if you didn't realize it: "The Lord is my shepherd; / I shall not want. / He makes me to lie down in green pastures; / He leads me beside still waters." And so on.
Proverbs - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs, are traditionally attributed to King Solomon, the third king of Israel. Proverbs is quite accurately described, it consists of many short proverbs, to serve as examples of Solomon's wisdom.
Ecclesiastes - This one's something special. Ecclesiastes is a philosophical discussion about finding meaning in one's life. If I had to pick the book of the Bible which is most accessible to modern man, it would be this one. In it, Solomon laments the perceived shallowness of human life, and tries to build on his despair to find meaning.
Song of Songs - These are the Bible's love songs. Song of Songs is very short and consists of messages between lovers, with a lot about desiring the 'fruits' of one another. I don't doubt it's beautiful in the Hebrew, but the NLT translation doesn't do it justice.
Isaiah - From Isiah to the end of the Old Testament, every book is considered prophetic (excepting I suppose Lamentations, but we'll get to that). Isaiah consists mostly of visions and has historically been very popular with Christians, as it's the main source for accounts of prophecy for the coming Jewish messiah. Besides this it's perhaps most well-known for the words which are later echoed in Revelation, Isaiah 44:6: "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." For simply reading start to finish, I think Isiah is one of the harder books of the Bible.
Jeremiah - The book of Jeremiah is traditionally attributed to the judge Jeremiah, who is referenced in a few other books of the Bible. Scholarship generally rejects this however, and instead believes it to be the work of many different authors. Lots of information is repeated again and again, and the narrative moves slowly. It begins with a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians, and continues until the prophecy is fulfilled, and then tells a little of the aftermath.
Lamentations - This book is also traditionally attributed to Jeremiah. It's a sad song lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem. Although not a prophetic text, it's included with the prophetic texts in Christian tradition (probably because it was written by a prophet). In Jewish tradition, it is placed with the poetic works. Even in the NLT translation, it is a very moving read. The level of destruction portrayed is immense, and it really heightened my appreciation of The Book of Nehemiah.
Ezekiel - I think this one's a little easier to read than Isaiah and Jeremiah, but it follows the same basic theme. There's a lot of visions (some of which seem pretty psychedelic) mostly about the destruction of Jerusalem, but also sometimes about the destruction of other civilizations. They're followed by a very in-depth discussion on the dimensions and specifications of the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem.
Daniel - This book begins with several court tales, reminiscent of the book of Esther. It then transitions into a series of visions. Daniel is a major source of prophecy pertaining the the messiah, as well as to the apocalypse. The visions cover a lot in quite a small number of words.
Hosea - This is the first of the 'Minor Prophets', the small books which occupy the end of the Old Testament. Hosea uses the story of a man who is told by God to marry a prostitute as a frame for a series of messages from God, largely about the dangers of idolatry, and the destruction and restoration of Jerusalem.
Joel - This books is a lot about locusts. It's a lament to the arrival of a number of locusts followed by a prophecy of better times to come.
Amos - I found Amos to be one of the easier prophetic books to read. It consists of a number of different prophecies and symbolic visions. I found it to be quite a bit more vivid than most of the prophetic texts.
Obadiah - This is the shortest book of the Old Testament. It consists of a brief account of the destruction due to be delivered to the people of Edom for turning away from God.
Jonah - I remember this one very well from school. Jonah contains the famous tale of the man thrown overboard at sea and eaten by a whale. It's very short, but contains a lot of action for a prophetic book.
Micah - For Christian readers, perhaps the most interesting part of the book of Micah is the claim that the Messiah will come out of Bethlehem. The rest of the book consists of warnings, judgments and restorations.
Nahum - A prophecy of the fall of Assyria and the destruction of Nineveh. Undoubtedly, this would have been a satisfying read for those Jews who lived through Assyria's conquests.
Habakkuk - This is one of the more unusual prophetic books. It consists of a kind of Q&A with God on a handful of different topics. It's somewhat more philosophical than the other minor prophets.
Zephaniah - There's a good deal of judgement in this book. It's a prophecy in which God judges Judah, and then various foreign nations.
Haggai - This book mainly concerns the prophet Haggai's encouraging the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Zechariah - This is a series of visions culminating in a few chapters discussing the coming of the Messiah, and the triumph due to follow it.
Malachi - This is quite a nice (and appropriate) book to end on. The prophetic texts contain a lot of darkness, but Malachi focuses on the goodness of those who don't turn away from God. It ends with a very brief reminder of the coming judgement.
Read
December 31, 2021Sometimes I do Bible reading plans that take me through the Bible in a year. I just finished this year’s.
I’m not going to give the Bible a star rating. And I’m really not sure how to review it!
I have a complicated relationship with this book.
I struggle with a lot of parts of it…the violence, the long descriptions of temple measurements and religious laws and genealogies, the misogyny and slavery and other stuff that looks plain WRONG to my modern mind/conscience.
But then I read about how Jesus loved individuals who were rejected by their peers. How he upended ideas of what it meant to love God. How he prioritized people and sacrificial love over long lists of rules.
And, despite all my difficulties with the Bible, I just keep falling in love with this God-man who lived on Earth so long ago. I keep hoping to know him better and be more like him.
I have…issues…with the Bible. But Jesus? He and I are overall good. And I’m willing to wrestle with my issues with this complicated, ancient text, written over hundreds of years by many authors, in order to seek to know Jesus better.
Is it irreverent for me to talk about my difficulties with a sacred book? My constant wrestling with it? I hope not. Because let’s be honest—this sacred book is FULL of stories of people who wrestled with what truth is and who God is. It’s full of people who glimpsed pieces of the truth and got other chunks terribly wrong…and God seems to have stuck with them despite their errors. I have to hope/believe he’ll do the same with me.
It’s a wrestling match worth having. At least for me it is.
I’m not going to give the Bible a star rating. And I’m really not sure how to review it!
I have a complicated relationship with this book.
I struggle with a lot of parts of it…the violence, the long descriptions of temple measurements and religious laws and genealogies, the misogyny and slavery and other stuff that looks plain WRONG to my modern mind/conscience.
But then I read about how Jesus loved individuals who were rejected by their peers. How he upended ideas of what it meant to love God. How he prioritized people and sacrificial love over long lists of rules.
And, despite all my difficulties with the Bible, I just keep falling in love with this God-man who lived on Earth so long ago. I keep hoping to know him better and be more like him.
I have…issues…with the Bible. But Jesus? He and I are overall good. And I’m willing to wrestle with my issues with this complicated, ancient text, written over hundreds of years by many authors, in order to seek to know Jesus better.
Is it irreverent for me to talk about my difficulties with a sacred book? My constant wrestling with it? I hope not. Because let’s be honest—this sacred book is FULL of stories of people who wrestled with what truth is and who God is. It’s full of people who glimpsed pieces of the truth and got other chunks terribly wrong…and God seems to have stuck with them despite their errors. I have to hope/believe he’ll do the same with me.
It’s a wrestling match worth having. At least for me it is.
December 31, 2011
This has really been a one year project, starting January, 2011. I feel like I really was inspired and have a true sense of accomplishment. This book made it possible for me to read the entire Bible in one year, very easy to read an Old Testament, New Testament, Psalm and Proverb selection for that day every night before going to bed. Highly recommend.
December 17, 2023
Plot was all over the place. Too many people writing their own story and none of them were coherent. And the main character died! Really stupidly written, too many rules. They kinda seem full of themselves. Idk. 0/10. Don't recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2024
I did it you guys!!! I completed the Bible in one year. Go me! I don't know if I will continue to use this version though. I like the NIV better. At any rate I'm finished and it was a wonderful read.
June 1, 2024
I wouldn't normally record this but wanted to say it's the best book I've read in the last 12 months 😊
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,047 reviews