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Holy Bible: CEV - Contemporary English Version
This is simply a good-quality, low-cost Contemporary English (CEV) outreach bible. Outside you will find an attractive new cover. Inside you’ll find helpful reader’s aids such * An overview of all the books in the Bible * A mini dictionary * Book introductions and outlines * An easy-to-follow daily Bible reading plan * Simple suggestions on how to read the Bible devotionally * Readings for special days * Famous passages * Reference maps and listings of people, places, event, dates and more! This is an ideal Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible for home, church or outreach and is an exceptional value, especially in case lots!
1376 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1995
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* 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 6, 2023
It always cracks me up when reviewers hate this version of the Bible since it does not adhere to their already deeply held dogmatically imposed suppositions. There is something refreshing to see that one should ‘respect the Lord’ as with this translation rather than ‘fear the lord’, or that instead of ‘God gives grace’, he gives “unearned favors.” Those kinds of changes make the language used in this Bible flow more directly to modern readers. Besides, I ended up with this version because Audible makes it free to plus members, and I have been currently reading the Complete Works of Philo of Alexandria and that made me realize it was time to reread the Bible.
The Bible is really meant to be read straight through in as much as each of the chapters were written such that a familiarity was assumed by the author of each section that the other sections in the bible had already been read by the reader. Each chapter was written for a particular time and place and the context for what the writers were getting at are as important as the beliefs that the readers were bringing with them. For example, Jesus really knew his Zechariah and the Gospel writers know him too and Jesus makes more sense when you know Zechariah too.
I always learn something every time I reread the Bible. Hebrews is the best book in the New Testament. The Pauline letters are a slog, and Revelations grates on me every time I re-read it, it just seems so incoherent and irrelevant, and this time through I realized the Luke is by far the best of the Gospels, and the synoptic Gospels are redundant, “Good teacher, how do I get eternal life’ and Jesus replies do not call me Good only your Father in heaven is Good, that is in each of the synoptic Gospels.
When one reads both the New and Old Testaments one gets immediately how modern readers incorrectly stumble into believing that end times are near. The twice destruction of the temple (586 BCE and 70 CE), makes it seem that the end times predictions were meant for modern times because after all the prophecies are still yet to come since they haven’t been fulfilled. Eschatology runs throughout both sections, and the sense of unfulfilled predictions linger for modern readers, to such an extent that Albert Schweizer said that Jesus not returning within the first century makes the prophecies moot and weakens his divine nature argument.
Special pleading (using a set of truth criteria against all beliefs but your own) such as divine inspirations and inerrancy makes the Bible not worth reading, but if you read it as if it was a series of books written by different authors over a long period of time with different messages for different readers the book is worth reading. It never ceases to amaze me that Baal seems to be a better God then Jehovah and that the people who knew both often rejected Jehovah and preferred Baal until after the Babylonian exile.
Paul is a superstitious psychotic madman, yet he creates Christianity through his zeal for the vicarious suffering of another who haunted him. He believed a slave woman was predicting the future and he cursed her after he had visions that asked him no longer to murder people who he disagreed with on how people felt on matters of ideology that had no meaning except for the person with the said beliefs.
This translation is a fun translation. I always enjoy the irrelevancy of the lists of shekels, the names of families, the accounting of sheep and all that silly stuff. That just adds to the story. Homer does a similar thing when he enumerates the names of Greek cities, and I often imagine a child listening to the story eagerly anticipating the mentioning of their city and its role in the great Trojan story. The Bible is a fun read and gives insights to how people can believe anything.
The Bible is really meant to be read straight through in as much as each of the chapters were written such that a familiarity was assumed by the author of each section that the other sections in the bible had already been read by the reader. Each chapter was written for a particular time and place and the context for what the writers were getting at are as important as the beliefs that the readers were bringing with them. For example, Jesus really knew his Zechariah and the Gospel writers know him too and Jesus makes more sense when you know Zechariah too.
I always learn something every time I reread the Bible. Hebrews is the best book in the New Testament. The Pauline letters are a slog, and Revelations grates on me every time I re-read it, it just seems so incoherent and irrelevant, and this time through I realized the Luke is by far the best of the Gospels, and the synoptic Gospels are redundant, “Good teacher, how do I get eternal life’ and Jesus replies do not call me Good only your Father in heaven is Good, that is in each of the synoptic Gospels.
When one reads both the New and Old Testaments one gets immediately how modern readers incorrectly stumble into believing that end times are near. The twice destruction of the temple (586 BCE and 70 CE), makes it seem that the end times predictions were meant for modern times because after all the prophecies are still yet to come since they haven’t been fulfilled. Eschatology runs throughout both sections, and the sense of unfulfilled predictions linger for modern readers, to such an extent that Albert Schweizer said that Jesus not returning within the first century makes the prophecies moot and weakens his divine nature argument.
Special pleading (using a set of truth criteria against all beliefs but your own) such as divine inspirations and inerrancy makes the Bible not worth reading, but if you read it as if it was a series of books written by different authors over a long period of time with different messages for different readers the book is worth reading. It never ceases to amaze me that Baal seems to be a better God then Jehovah and that the people who knew both often rejected Jehovah and preferred Baal until after the Babylonian exile.
Paul is a superstitious psychotic madman, yet he creates Christianity through his zeal for the vicarious suffering of another who haunted him. He believed a slave woman was predicting the future and he cursed her after he had visions that asked him no longer to murder people who he disagreed with on how people felt on matters of ideology that had no meaning except for the person with the said beliefs.
This translation is a fun translation. I always enjoy the irrelevancy of the lists of shekels, the names of families, the accounting of sheep and all that silly stuff. That just adds to the story. Homer does a similar thing when he enumerates the names of Greek cities, and I often imagine a child listening to the story eagerly anticipating the mentioning of their city and its role in the great Trojan story. The Bible is a fun read and gives insights to how people can believe anything.
October 28, 2018
So readable, you can't miss the message!
I have read more than a dozen excellent translations but the Contemporary English Version is one of the most readable for me.
I would urge you to buy this translation if you find it difficult to understand the Bible. It's so readable that you will have several aha! moments. For example, John 11 v 25 in NKJV quotes Jesus as saying, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." But in the CEV, it reads: " I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. "
Another instance is Hebrews 13 v 4 in NKJV reads: "Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." But in the CEV, it reads: " Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage. "
I have enjoyed it so much that I've bought one for my son. May God bless you as you read and make His Word your way of life!
I have read more than a dozen excellent translations but the Contemporary English Version is one of the most readable for me.
I would urge you to buy this translation if you find it difficult to understand the Bible. It's so readable that you will have several aha! moments. For example, John 11 v 25 in NKJV quotes Jesus as saying, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." But in the CEV, it reads: " I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. "
Another instance is Hebrews 13 v 4 in NKJV reads: "Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." But in the CEV, it reads: " Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage. "
I have enjoyed it so much that I've bought one for my son. May God bless you as you read and make His Word your way of life!
July 29, 2012
My mom might be a good Catholic, or she might be a bit of a nut. But at one point, she agreed to buy me a plane ticket to Europe were I to read the Bible in it's entirety.
"Did you really do it?", people often ask, knowing I took and used the ticket.
Of course, I'm a good son. It took over a year to complete, and I still have my notes somewhere - all the bits of OT hatred, parts that seem to contradict, things here and there that stick out as interesting. But in all, it's rather dull. What's amazing is how this book continues to have such "relevance" in the modern world. I blame mass idiocy-
Don't take me for one of those Richard Dawkins arrogant types who lack imagination. I'm a solid Deist. I just don't see how someone could seriously attempt to guide the course of their life and take inspiration from this book.
"Did you really do it?", people often ask, knowing I took and used the ticket.
Of course, I'm a good son. It took over a year to complete, and I still have my notes somewhere - all the bits of OT hatred, parts that seem to contradict, things here and there that stick out as interesting. But in all, it's rather dull. What's amazing is how this book continues to have such "relevance" in the modern world. I blame mass idiocy-
Don't take me for one of those Richard Dawkins arrogant types who lack imagination. I'm a solid Deist. I just don't see how someone could seriously attempt to guide the course of their life and take inspiration from this book.
September 25, 2015
A very enjoyable modern language translation of the Bible. Like most translations, there were parts where I really liked the way it was translated, and there were other sections that disappointed.
Genesis - foundational to any hope of understanding the rest of the Bible. Do I believe in the supernatural or not?
Exodus - God chooses a people, demonstrates that He is the greatest and most powerful God ever and begins trying to mold and shape them to His purpose. Are the various commandments, laws and rules for all people in all times, or only for the Israelites at that time? Do these laws and rules tell us what God is like, and what His will is, or do they tell us what the Israelites were like, tailored very specifically for their needs?
Leviticus - Sacrifices, rules and regulations. God needed this? The Israelites needed this? Lev. 26:1-13 is quite a powerful blessing.
Numbers - The Israelites fail and spend 40 years in the desert.
Deuteronomy - Moses' final words to Israel. A restating of the laws they should live by; many of which are incomprehensible to me, and will probably remain so until I learn more of the culture, world view, etc. of the Israelites of that time. What is the nature of inspiration? Did every word of the Bible come as dictation straight from the mouth of God? Is Scripture inspiration-less opinions/beliefs about God and His dealings with humans? Is there some middle ground?
Joshua - The Israelites finally enter Canaan, massacre its inhabitants and divide the land. Barbaric, uncivilized, nationalistic, violent; I have little common ground in my world to understand the times, issues, worldview of this book.
Judges - Barbaric, violent, bloody, interesting attitude toward women.
Ruth - A romance, an example of how God wanted them to care for widows and keep a man's family name going, a story of King David's ancestors.
1 Samuel - The life & death of Samuel & King Saul; David's early days.
2 Samuel - David's later days & mistakes.
1 Kings - Solomon & the division of the 10 tribes. A succession of kings & Elijah's ministry.
2 Kings - Elisha's ministry, the destruction of the northern tribes, the Babylonian exile begins.
1 Chronicles - Kind of a dry historical records type of book.
2 Chronicles - Solomon builds the temple. That is quite the prayer in vs. 6. An interesting record of the kings of Judah from Solomon to the Babylonian captivity.
Ezra - Ezra, an expert in the law of God, brings the 2nd wave of people back to Jerusalem. He finds that the people are not following the plan God has set out for them. The people meet and decide to correct course and get back on the path set for them even though it causes much suffering and heartbreak to the innocent.
Nehemiah - Hung out with Ezra; helped put the returned Israelites on the path to obedience. He helped people instead of exploiting them.
Esther - God takes care of His people, even those that did not return after the captivity.
Job - I'm not really sure what to make of this one.
Psalms - Emotions & feelings poured out to God.
Proverbs - Some are so so, some are excellent and some are real head-scratchers.
Ecclesiastes - A depressed old king writes about life without God.
Song of Solomon - God invented love and passion and sex.
Isaiah - Very interesting reading it right after Revelation. A lot of similar passages. Brings an interesting overview to the phrase, "Babylon is fallen."
Jeremiah - The prophet who tried to get Judah & Benjamin to avoid the Babylonian captivity.
Lamentations - A short (5 chapter) poem of the sins, destruction & hope of Jerusalem.
Ezekiel - The prophet in Jerusalem after her leaders went into captivity. He relays messages from God to the Jews in Jerusalem, the Jews in captivity and all the nations around.
Daniel - Does God know the future?
Hosea - That is a pretty hardcore object lesson.
Joel - God's Judgment on the nations.
Amos - The Day of the Lord.
Obadiah - Judgments on the Edomites.
Jonah - The rebelious prophet.
Micah - Judgements on Jerusalem & Samaria, on the evil leaders & lying prophets. But, God will make things right in the future.
Nahum - Judgments on Ninevah, Assyria
Habakkuk - Lord, why all the evil, injustice and violence? Why don't You do something?
Zephaniah - The day of the Lord is coming. Judgments on Judah and all the surrounding nations.
Haggai - Rebuild the temple.
Zechariah - Various visions covering everything from judgments on the wicked, to the final victory, and the coming Messiah. Some of the visions seem to be translated oddly from what I have seen in other versions.
Malachi - Judgments against Israel's priests & leaders. The Day of the Lord.
Matthew - seems to be focused quite strongly on Jesus teaching and proclaiming "The Kingdom of Heaven." Mt. 6:25-34 always encourages me; I must be a worrier. Ever notice that the Bible is not a book of systematic theology?
Mark - The Good News about Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, short and fierce. I wish Mark had explained the background and significance of what he records Jesus saying and doing. What is "faith" and how does it work?
Luke - Good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers. I like Luke; he has a logical and organized approach to things. And he goes out of his way to explain things that his fellow gentiles might not understand.
John - Quite a bit different from the other gospels. Something interesting about this version is all the times the phrases, "Faith in Me/Him/Jesus/God" are used, eg. 3:16 reads,"God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die."
Acts - Luke's account of the early Christian church and the ministry of Paul. I have a bad attitude about Acts; probably because it is so often held up as a shame inducing example of what Christians should be doing, rather than as a delightful description of what God did.
Romans - I'm afraid I don't find Paul to be an example of clarity and simplicity in communication.
1st & 2nd Corinthians - A mix of profound spiritual insights, weird rants and incomprehensible (to me anyway) logic; all without the benefit of much context or setting. It is kind of like listening to one side of a phone conversation.
Galatians - Amazing! deep! "Fallen from grace;" misused?
Ephesians - Some pointed advice on Christian living.
Philippians - A short encouraging letter with gems such as 1:6; 2:13; 3:6-9, 20, 21; 4:6, 8, 11, 12.
Colossians - A few words of encouragement and advice on Christian living.
1 & 2 Thessalonians - Two short letters by Paul, Silas and Timothy; some of the richest verses on the 2nd coming are in these letters.
1 & 2 Timothy - Advice on the day to day of being a pastor.
Titus - A little more advice to a young pastor & church.
Philemon - A short letter to one of the early Christian leaders about a runaway slave that has become a Christian.
Hebrews - Jesus, a better priest & sacrifice, the new covenant.
James - Faith & works.
1 & 2 Peter - Letters of encouragement to the early church.
1, 2 & 3 John - More short letters of advice to the early church.
Jude - And another short letter to the early church.
Revelation - I've got to think that it had some sort of meaning and encouragement to the early church; There is some pretty wild stuff in here.
Genesis - foundational to any hope of understanding the rest of the Bible. Do I believe in the supernatural or not?
Exodus - God chooses a people, demonstrates that He is the greatest and most powerful God ever and begins trying to mold and shape them to His purpose. Are the various commandments, laws and rules for all people in all times, or only for the Israelites at that time? Do these laws and rules tell us what God is like, and what His will is, or do they tell us what the Israelites were like, tailored very specifically for their needs?
Leviticus - Sacrifices, rules and regulations. God needed this? The Israelites needed this? Lev. 26:1-13 is quite a powerful blessing.
Numbers - The Israelites fail and spend 40 years in the desert.
Deuteronomy - Moses' final words to Israel. A restating of the laws they should live by; many of which are incomprehensible to me, and will probably remain so until I learn more of the culture, world view, etc. of the Israelites of that time. What is the nature of inspiration? Did every word of the Bible come as dictation straight from the mouth of God? Is Scripture inspiration-less opinions/beliefs about God and His dealings with humans? Is there some middle ground?
Joshua - The Israelites finally enter Canaan, massacre its inhabitants and divide the land. Barbaric, uncivilized, nationalistic, violent; I have little common ground in my world to understand the times, issues, worldview of this book.
Judges - Barbaric, violent, bloody, interesting attitude toward women.
Ruth - A romance, an example of how God wanted them to care for widows and keep a man's family name going, a story of King David's ancestors.
1 Samuel - The life & death of Samuel & King Saul; David's early days.
2 Samuel - David's later days & mistakes.
1 Kings - Solomon & the division of the 10 tribes. A succession of kings & Elijah's ministry.
2 Kings - Elisha's ministry, the destruction of the northern tribes, the Babylonian exile begins.
1 Chronicles - Kind of a dry historical records type of book.
2 Chronicles - Solomon builds the temple. That is quite the prayer in vs. 6. An interesting record of the kings of Judah from Solomon to the Babylonian captivity.
Ezra - Ezra, an expert in the law of God, brings the 2nd wave of people back to Jerusalem. He finds that the people are not following the plan God has set out for them. The people meet and decide to correct course and get back on the path set for them even though it causes much suffering and heartbreak to the innocent.
Nehemiah - Hung out with Ezra; helped put the returned Israelites on the path to obedience. He helped people instead of exploiting them.
Esther - God takes care of His people, even those that did not return after the captivity.
Job - I'm not really sure what to make of this one.
Psalms - Emotions & feelings poured out to God.
Proverbs - Some are so so, some are excellent and some are real head-scratchers.
Ecclesiastes - A depressed old king writes about life without God.
Song of Solomon - God invented love and passion and sex.
Isaiah - Very interesting reading it right after Revelation. A lot of similar passages. Brings an interesting overview to the phrase, "Babylon is fallen."
Jeremiah - The prophet who tried to get Judah & Benjamin to avoid the Babylonian captivity.
Lamentations - A short (5 chapter) poem of the sins, destruction & hope of Jerusalem.
Ezekiel - The prophet in Jerusalem after her leaders went into captivity. He relays messages from God to the Jews in Jerusalem, the Jews in captivity and all the nations around.
Daniel - Does God know the future?
Hosea - That is a pretty hardcore object lesson.
Joel - God's Judgment on the nations.
Amos - The Day of the Lord.
Obadiah - Judgments on the Edomites.
Jonah - The rebelious prophet.
Micah - Judgements on Jerusalem & Samaria, on the evil leaders & lying prophets. But, God will make things right in the future.
Nahum - Judgments on Ninevah, Assyria
Habakkuk - Lord, why all the evil, injustice and violence? Why don't You do something?
Zephaniah - The day of the Lord is coming. Judgments on Judah and all the surrounding nations.
Haggai - Rebuild the temple.
Zechariah - Various visions covering everything from judgments on the wicked, to the final victory, and the coming Messiah. Some of the visions seem to be translated oddly from what I have seen in other versions.
Malachi - Judgments against Israel's priests & leaders. The Day of the Lord.
Matthew - seems to be focused quite strongly on Jesus teaching and proclaiming "The Kingdom of Heaven." Mt. 6:25-34 always encourages me; I must be a worrier. Ever notice that the Bible is not a book of systematic theology?
Mark - The Good News about Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, short and fierce. I wish Mark had explained the background and significance of what he records Jesus saying and doing. What is "faith" and how does it work?
Luke - Good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers. I like Luke; he has a logical and organized approach to things. And he goes out of his way to explain things that his fellow gentiles might not understand.
John - Quite a bit different from the other gospels. Something interesting about this version is all the times the phrases, "Faith in Me/Him/Jesus/God" are used, eg. 3:16 reads,"God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die."
Acts - Luke's account of the early Christian church and the ministry of Paul. I have a bad attitude about Acts; probably because it is so often held up as a shame inducing example of what Christians should be doing, rather than as a delightful description of what God did.
Romans - I'm afraid I don't find Paul to be an example of clarity and simplicity in communication.
1st & 2nd Corinthians - A mix of profound spiritual insights, weird rants and incomprehensible (to me anyway) logic; all without the benefit of much context or setting. It is kind of like listening to one side of a phone conversation.
Galatians - Amazing! deep! "Fallen from grace;" misused?
Ephesians - Some pointed advice on Christian living.
Philippians - A short encouraging letter with gems such as 1:6; 2:13; 3:6-9, 20, 21; 4:6, 8, 11, 12.
Colossians - A few words of encouragement and advice on Christian living.
1 & 2 Thessalonians - Two short letters by Paul, Silas and Timothy; some of the richest verses on the 2nd coming are in these letters.
1 & 2 Timothy - Advice on the day to day of being a pastor.
Titus - A little more advice to a young pastor & church.
Philemon - A short letter to one of the early Christian leaders about a runaway slave that has become a Christian.
Hebrews - Jesus, a better priest & sacrifice, the new covenant.
James - Faith & works.
1 & 2 Peter - Letters of encouragement to the early church.
1, 2 & 3 John - More short letters of advice to the early church.
Jude - And another short letter to the early church.
Revelation - I've got to think that it had some sort of meaning and encouragement to the early church; There is some pretty wild stuff in here.
October 23, 2025
The Holy Bible - Contemporary English Version
I. The Bible contains rules for community life.
1. Worship the Lord in the right way.
2. Deuteronomy 14 - Animals that can be eaten. You can eat any clean bird.
Don't eat the meat of a dead animal.
Don't do disrespectful acts to animals who are going to be slaughtered for food.
3. The Lord says, "Sometimes, loans do not have to be paid back."
4. Deuteronomy 15 - Setting slaves free. Slaves must be set free after six years.
5. Deuteronomy 15 - First-Born Animals: Treat first-born animals better than you would treat other animals.
6. Perform traditions that make you remember where you came from.
7. Deuteronomy 16 - Eat bread made with yeast or thin bread.
8. It is okay for a parent to correct his child.
It is okay for an adult to correct a child.
If you have to correct someone, correct them as you would a child.
9. Deuteronomy 17 - Difficult Cases: It may be difficult to find out the truth in some legal cases in your town.
Was property damage done by accident or on purpose?
10. Deuteronomy 18 - Designate an approved site to burn the remains of a sacrificed cow or sheep.
11. Deuteronomy 17:8 - Accidental vs Intentional crimes - Killing someone by accident is okay, but killing someone who you are angry with is a problem.
Safe Towns - If one of you accidentally kills someone, then you can run to a Safe Town and find protection there from being put to death.
You are chopping down a tree with an axe, when the ax head slips off the handle, hits your friend, and kills him.
In Safe Towns they might even choose one of the men from their family to track you down and arrest you. He will hand you over to the police in your home country.
The Safe Towns may themselves be encouraging criminal activity.
12. Witnesses must tell the truth.
13. For particularly heinous crimes, there should be severe punishments.
14. Property Lines - It is not acceptable to harm someone simply because they crossed a property line.
15. If you accuse someone of a crime, but seem to be lying, then both you and the accused must be taken to court. There the priests and judges will find out if you are lying or telling the truth.
16. If you are lying and the accused is innocent, then you will be punished by the judge.
17. "Israel, the crime of telling lies in court must be punished."
18. A person shouldn't threaten the witnesses.
19. It is wrong for one army to stereotype the army of another country.
20. Using analogies in court is acceptable.
However, the analogy you present to the court should make sense.
21. Before you attack a town that is far from your land, offer peace to the people who live there.
But if they reject your offer of peace and try to fight, then declare war on their town.
22. Deuteronomy 20 - Unsolved Murder: If a body is found in a field and no one knows who murdered him, then ask the officials of the town to investigate.
23. A Son Who Rebels - If a son rebels, then his father and mother may treat him badly.
24. Lost and Found - If you find a lost wallet and don't know who the owner is, then bring it to an official you trust, who can then try to return it to the rightful owner. This is what you should do if you find anything that belongs to someone else.
25. Don't pretend to be the opposite sex.
26. Don't take a mother bird. Leave some eggs and the mother bird, and the Lord will bless you.
27. Laws Against Mixing Different Things - If you plant a vineyard, don't plant any other fruit tree or crop in it. If you do plant something there, you must bring it to the place of worship.
28. Don't hitch an ox and a donkey to your plow at the same time.
29. When you leave cloth for clothing, you can use thread made of flax or wool, but not both together. And when you make a coat, sew a tassel on each of the four corners.
30. Be careful when selling old clothing. For example, make sure it is washed so that no one gets a disease from the previous owner.
31. There was a curse put on Balaam, but God turned Balaam's curse into a blessing.
32. Keep the army camp acceptable and clean.
33. In the camp, if there is no plumbing, then set up latrines.
34. Eating Someone Else's Produce
35. A Law about Divorce
Their marriage would pollute the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and he would be disgusted.
36. Newlyweds - If a man and a woman have been married for less than one year, then they must be allowed to stay home and be happy with each other.
37. Poor People's Wages - If you hire poor people to work for you, don't hold back their pay. Pay them their wages at the end of each day, because they live in poverty and need the money to survive. By doing this the Lord will bless you.
38. Don't cheat people out of their wages.
39. Don't Mistreat the Powerless
40. Leave Some of Your Harvest for the Poor
41. Don't muzzle an ox.
42. A Son for a Dead Brother - Suppose two brothers are living on the same property. Families are subject to government laws just as the rest of society are.
43. Be Honest in Business - Don't try to cheat people. If you run an honest business, then Lord your God will let you enjoy a long life in the land he is giving you. But the Lord is disgusted with anyone who cheats or is dishonest.
44. When building, don't use scarce material, use common, readily available material.
45. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who makes an idol or worships idols, even secretly.
46. Curse those who do not show respect for their father and mother.
47. Curse anyone who keeps the poor from getting justice.
48. Curse anyone who refuses to obey the laws.
49. Obey the Lord and your harvests will be so large that your storehouses will be full.
50. The Lord promised your ancestors that this land would be yours, and he will make it produce large crops for you.
II. 1. The Lord will open the storehouse of the skies...You will have plenty of money to lend to other nations and you won't need to borrow any yourself.
2. Moses said, if you don't obey the teachings of the Lord your God, then he will put many curses on you.
Your businesses and farms will fail. The Lord will make you fail in everything you do. No matter what you try to accomplish, the Lord will confuse you, and you will feel his anger.
3. Deuteronomy 21 - Many accounts in The Bible may be fictitious.
4. Foreigners will be sent to attack you. They will have no respect for old people or pity for children.
5. They combed their hair with olive oil.
6. Disobedience brings destruction.
7. No matter what you try to accomplish, the Lord will confuse you, and you will feel his anger.
8. If the Lord makes you wealthy, then he will send enemies to attack you. Then you will live in fear.
9. Refers to a plant that produces bitter-tasting, poisonous fruit.
10. You offered sacrifices to demons, those useless gods who never helped you.
11. You turned away from God, your Creator. You were the Lord's children, but he made you angry.
12. Deuteronomy 32 - The tribe didn't do anything wrong to live under drought-plagued land.
13. Deuteronomy 32 - I wanted to scatter you, so no one would remember that you had ever lived.
14. Deuteronomy 32 - But you don't have good sense and you never listen to advice.
15. Tell the heavens to celebrate and all gods to bow down.
16. The Lord came from Mount Sinai. Thousands of his warriors were with him.
17. The Lord who appeared in the burning bush wants to give you the best the land can produce.
18. The land will make you wealthy, so invite other tribes to celebrate with you.
19. The Lord's greatest blessing is for you, tribe of Asher. You will be the favorite of all the other tribes. You will be rich with olive oil and have strong town gates. Your people will be powerful for as long as they live.
20. Please visit my blog, www.scholarlyinformation.com for more university-level book reviews, food ideas, and more.
Thank you,
🌹🌹Toren Spencer-Gray
I. The Bible contains rules for community life.
1. Worship the Lord in the right way.
2. Deuteronomy 14 - Animals that can be eaten. You can eat any clean bird.
Don't eat the meat of a dead animal.
Don't do disrespectful acts to animals who are going to be slaughtered for food.
3. The Lord says, "Sometimes, loans do not have to be paid back."
4. Deuteronomy 15 - Setting slaves free. Slaves must be set free after six years.
5. Deuteronomy 15 - First-Born Animals: Treat first-born animals better than you would treat other animals.
6. Perform traditions that make you remember where you came from.
7. Deuteronomy 16 - Eat bread made with yeast or thin bread.
8. It is okay for a parent to correct his child.
It is okay for an adult to correct a child.
If you have to correct someone, correct them as you would a child.
9. Deuteronomy 17 - Difficult Cases: It may be difficult to find out the truth in some legal cases in your town.
Was property damage done by accident or on purpose?
10. Deuteronomy 18 - Designate an approved site to burn the remains of a sacrificed cow or sheep.
11. Deuteronomy 17:8 - Accidental vs Intentional crimes - Killing someone by accident is okay, but killing someone who you are angry with is a problem.
Safe Towns - If one of you accidentally kills someone, then you can run to a Safe Town and find protection there from being put to death.
You are chopping down a tree with an axe, when the ax head slips off the handle, hits your friend, and kills him.
In Safe Towns they might even choose one of the men from their family to track you down and arrest you. He will hand you over to the police in your home country.
The Safe Towns may themselves be encouraging criminal activity.
12. Witnesses must tell the truth.
13. For particularly heinous crimes, there should be severe punishments.
14. Property Lines - It is not acceptable to harm someone simply because they crossed a property line.
15. If you accuse someone of a crime, but seem to be lying, then both you and the accused must be taken to court. There the priests and judges will find out if you are lying or telling the truth.
16. If you are lying and the accused is innocent, then you will be punished by the judge.
17. "Israel, the crime of telling lies in court must be punished."
18. A person shouldn't threaten the witnesses.
19. It is wrong for one army to stereotype the army of another country.
20. Using analogies in court is acceptable.
However, the analogy you present to the court should make sense.
21. Before you attack a town that is far from your land, offer peace to the people who live there.
But if they reject your offer of peace and try to fight, then declare war on their town.
22. Deuteronomy 20 - Unsolved Murder: If a body is found in a field and no one knows who murdered him, then ask the officials of the town to investigate.
23. A Son Who Rebels - If a son rebels, then his father and mother may treat him badly.
24. Lost and Found - If you find a lost wallet and don't know who the owner is, then bring it to an official you trust, who can then try to return it to the rightful owner. This is what you should do if you find anything that belongs to someone else.
25. Don't pretend to be the opposite sex.
26. Don't take a mother bird. Leave some eggs and the mother bird, and the Lord will bless you.
27. Laws Against Mixing Different Things - If you plant a vineyard, don't plant any other fruit tree or crop in it. If you do plant something there, you must bring it to the place of worship.
28. Don't hitch an ox and a donkey to your plow at the same time.
29. When you leave cloth for clothing, you can use thread made of flax or wool, but not both together. And when you make a coat, sew a tassel on each of the four corners.
30. Be careful when selling old clothing. For example, make sure it is washed so that no one gets a disease from the previous owner.
31. There was a curse put on Balaam, but God turned Balaam's curse into a blessing.
32. Keep the army camp acceptable and clean.
33. In the camp, if there is no plumbing, then set up latrines.
34. Eating Someone Else's Produce
35. A Law about Divorce
Their marriage would pollute the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and he would be disgusted.
36. Newlyweds - If a man and a woman have been married for less than one year, then they must be allowed to stay home and be happy with each other.
37. Poor People's Wages - If you hire poor people to work for you, don't hold back their pay. Pay them their wages at the end of each day, because they live in poverty and need the money to survive. By doing this the Lord will bless you.
38. Don't cheat people out of their wages.
39. Don't Mistreat the Powerless
40. Leave Some of Your Harvest for the Poor
41. Don't muzzle an ox.
42. A Son for a Dead Brother - Suppose two brothers are living on the same property. Families are subject to government laws just as the rest of society are.
43. Be Honest in Business - Don't try to cheat people. If you run an honest business, then Lord your God will let you enjoy a long life in the land he is giving you. But the Lord is disgusted with anyone who cheats or is dishonest.
44. When building, don't use scarce material, use common, readily available material.
45. We ask the Lord to put a curse on anyone who makes an idol or worships idols, even secretly.
46. Curse those who do not show respect for their father and mother.
47. Curse anyone who keeps the poor from getting justice.
48. Curse anyone who refuses to obey the laws.
49. Obey the Lord and your harvests will be so large that your storehouses will be full.
50. The Lord promised your ancestors that this land would be yours, and he will make it produce large crops for you.
II. 1. The Lord will open the storehouse of the skies...You will have plenty of money to lend to other nations and you won't need to borrow any yourself.
2. Moses said, if you don't obey the teachings of the Lord your God, then he will put many curses on you.
Your businesses and farms will fail. The Lord will make you fail in everything you do. No matter what you try to accomplish, the Lord will confuse you, and you will feel his anger.
3. Deuteronomy 21 - Many accounts in The Bible may be fictitious.
4. Foreigners will be sent to attack you. They will have no respect for old people or pity for children.
5. They combed their hair with olive oil.
6. Disobedience brings destruction.
7. No matter what you try to accomplish, the Lord will confuse you, and you will feel his anger.
8. If the Lord makes you wealthy, then he will send enemies to attack you. Then you will live in fear.
9. Refers to a plant that produces bitter-tasting, poisonous fruit.
10. You offered sacrifices to demons, those useless gods who never helped you.
11. You turned away from God, your Creator. You were the Lord's children, but he made you angry.
12. Deuteronomy 32 - The tribe didn't do anything wrong to live under drought-plagued land.
13. Deuteronomy 32 - I wanted to scatter you, so no one would remember that you had ever lived.
14. Deuteronomy 32 - But you don't have good sense and you never listen to advice.
15. Tell the heavens to celebrate and all gods to bow down.
16. The Lord came from Mount Sinai. Thousands of his warriors were with him.
17. The Lord who appeared in the burning bush wants to give you the best the land can produce.
18. The land will make you wealthy, so invite other tribes to celebrate with you.
19. The Lord's greatest blessing is for you, tribe of Asher. You will be the favorite of all the other tribes. You will be rich with olive oil and have strong town gates. Your people will be powerful for as long as they live.
20. Please visit my blog, www.scholarlyinformation.com for more university-level book reviews, food ideas, and more.
Thank you,
🌹🌹Toren Spencer-Gray
October 7, 2012
A dynamic equivalence translation of the Bible coming out of the same stable and ideology of the "Good News/Today's English Version" of the Bible, but based on a lower reading age and aimed at people who are not familiar with the traditional language and concepts of Christian faith. Some have accused the translators not only of simplifying the language (which brings its own problems) but also skewing some of the theological meaning... but given that many of these critics are themselves approaching the text with a definite theological predisposition I would take such criticisms with the proverbial pinch of salt, and, when it comes to taking a specific theological stance on anything, would recommend not basing it on a single version or indeed a single verse from this or any other translated version of scripture. Whilst the translators claim it was written to be read aloud (which they seem to suggest is unique in Biblical translation history, but I am sure that was part of the rationale for the New English Bible) I have to say that the short sentences, limited vocabulary and lack of a strong poetic sense in the psalms etc make it a bit dull to my ear... But I do enjoy using it for private devotion as it is so readable... This edition stays true to the original intention of being aimed at the "unchurched" in that it has short, but useful, introductions to each book, a few clear footnotes, but also a helpful glossary and an alphabetic index of books at the beginning... Which is even useful for forgetful preachers who can't remember where Philemon is to be found...
All in all a good translation for new Christians but I don't think it is in print today with a lot of it's potential market being taken by the heavily marketed New Living Translation.
All in all a good translation for new Christians but I don't think it is in print today with a lot of it's potential market being taken by the heavily marketed New Living Translation.
January 1, 2016
The Bible never disappoints, and I enjoyed this translation which was new to me. I try to read it through in a year every couple of years, and I finished right on schedule today. This translation is in modern language and is particularly designed for reading aloud. They've tried to make phrasing choices that minimize confusion when you're hearing the text. There were times when the wording was quite different from my old familiar NIV and gave me a fresh perspective on the text. This was a good addition to my collection.
December 31, 2022
Excellent translation. It allowed for clarity in areas I didn’t understand before or easier to get. It also helped take familiar passages and sound different enough to pay attention and learn something fresh from God’s word. This is a version that could help new believers or young in one’s faith to bring God’s Word alive. Loved it and have given several copies away as a result.
December 31, 2022
I try to read a different version of the Bible through every year. This is by far my least favorite version. I've done RSV, ESV, NASB, KJV NKJV, NRSV, AMP, Living, NLB, Darby, Phillips, etc. All of them have verses that I've grown from or have memorized - but not this one. I'll be glad to be out of it and into something better next year.
May 26, 2012
This is my favorite Bible. While easy to read, the translation stays true to the original text. It's printed on quality paper and I love the modern cover design. I found this book years ago in a bargain bin for five dollars. It's the best investment I ever made.
August 17, 2009
The bible is brand new & in very good condition. It contains the Old & New Testaments & very easy to read.
April 30, 2010
OMG (who probably is laughing) I hate hate hate this version of the Bible. My pastor likes to read Ecclesiastes in this version, which BUTCHERS the book.
August 15, 2013
This is the instruction book for my life. I want to live like Jesus and follow his teachings.
March 6, 2016
I spent the year reading the bible and completed it. Very happy!
November 11, 2019
I found this to be the easiest version of the Bible to read. It's quite different compared to other translations and possibly from the original Greek, but I believe this version is the best for understanding the point of the text, which is what I was looking for in a Bible translation. I recommend it to people who are reading the Bible for the first time.
February 27, 2024
Couldn’t finish. Got about 300 pages in when I realized I hated every second of what I was reading. I didn’t agree or believe and was only reading for the sake of saying I read it. Then I realized… why? Why do I care? So I stopped. Added it to my DNF pile. There’s now two books in there.
December 21, 2025
read in conjunction with the NKJV and The Message. I found that I did not like the CEV and the way some things were interpreted. It seemed to change the meaning a bit. I did like how it condensed some of the repetition thought
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2023
Horrible translation. Truly awful
January 16, 2024
In the translation notes it says clearly that this version of the Bible is more for the listener than the reader. So it's great to listen to on an audio format.
October 13, 2024
My new least favorite translation
August 20, 2025
easy to read
December 31, 2025
An easy to read version
Read
June 1, 2008Not long ago I completed my fourth reading of the Bible. The translation I read this time was a version of the Contemporary English Vervsion (CEV) which I had been given in 1997 at the ELCA Lutheran National Youth Gathering in New Orleans. The picture accompanying this review is not the same cover as my Bible, but I think it is the same text.
All four that I've read are fairly common protestant translations that have had either the official or tacit endorsement of the ELCA church I grew up in. However, one can still notice differences when comparing reading experiences. According to the translators of this version, it was designed primarily to be read aloud, and thus uses simple language and relatively short sentences. There's not much in the way of footnotes, except the very basic notes on alterative translations. There is nothing in the text to indicate a footnote and the reader has to guess about when the read them.
For someone hoping to get a real learning experience out a Bible--including historical, cultural, and political context--I can't say I would much recommend this version. It's very bare bones--exactly the type of thing you might imagine is being given away at a Lutheran national youth gathering. In this case, you get what you pay for.
All four that I've read are fairly common protestant translations that have had either the official or tacit endorsement of the ELCA church I grew up in. However, one can still notice differences when comparing reading experiences. According to the translators of this version, it was designed primarily to be read aloud, and thus uses simple language and relatively short sentences. There's not much in the way of footnotes, except the very basic notes on alterative translations. There is nothing in the text to indicate a footnote and the reader has to guess about when the read them.
For someone hoping to get a real learning experience out a Bible--including historical, cultural, and political context--I can't say I would much recommend this version. It's very bare bones--exactly the type of thing you might imagine is being given away at a Lutheran national youth gathering. In this case, you get what you pay for.
October 19, 2021
This bible, like many others, is an up to date version which makes it easier to understand. I read it from cover to cover and found it easy to follow. It has to be said, though, that I would recommend reading an earlier version, King James bible for instance, along side this to make comparisons. Sometimes the meanings seem to have changed and it is worth knowing what a previous version is staying so as not to loose the meaning. Not that it has set out to alter the sacred scripts but sometimes when something is explained clearer it comes across different.
March 4, 2024
This Contemporary English Version Bible is excellent for outreach, particularly for handing out at church. This Bible contains a large size print so you probably wont need a magnifying glass. Helpful features in this Bible include Book summaries, paragraph summaries, references at the beginning of some paragraphs, maps, charts, a list of Bible stories, etc. Its a blue paperback that I highly recommend for children, teens and adults. Also makes a great gift. This Bible is published by the American Bible Society
Here is the 13 digit ISBN
9781585160556
The ABS item number is
106348
Here is the 13 digit ISBN
9781585160556
The ABS item number is
106348
February 11, 2017
I bought this because I wanted a Bible for my Kindle, and it's a version I really like that you can't get on the Bible Gateway app. I don't regret buying it because it's easy to navigate through the books and chapters using the Search facility. However, it's a shame all the footnotes are at the back instead of within the text, and there were some verses where I had to go back to the New Century Version for clarification (the NCV is still my favourite Bible overall).
January 9, 2016
*I haven't quite finished this one yet, but since I can't count "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" again and I didn't start reading this one in 2015, I am counting it now. I actually finished this book on January 9, 2016.*
reference
December 29, 2009Too many people hold conservative views without knowing what the Bible actually says.
FYI, the CEV is not very poetic. I know some writing teachers recommend that anyone wanting to improve their prose should read the Bible - they specifically mean the King James Bible, not the CEV.
FYI, the CEV is not very poetic. I know some writing teachers recommend that anyone wanting to improve their prose should read the Bible - they specifically mean the King James Bible, not the CEV.
Read
November 27, 2014The most "readable" version of the Bible for modern readers looking to move through the scripture, in my opinion. It varies quite a bit from the versions I grew up with, which makes the "famous" scriptures a bit weird to come across, but very relateable and applicable.
April 25, 2011
I don't like this version as much as the HarperCollins version, but sometimes I just want to see something worded slightly differently
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