Bible study resources
BIBLES AND OTHER BOOKS TO BUY!
NEW TO READING THE BIBLE?
I would NOT read the Bible straight through. I would use The People's Bible series, and I would read in approximately this order:
Luke, Romans, John, Acts, 1 Corinthians, Genesis, Mark, Exodus, Galatians, Matthew, Psalms, and at that point whatever interests you.
THE BEST FREE BIBLE APP - the YouVersion Bible App! They have free text Bible AND AUDIO BIBLES! So you can listen if you don't have time/patience to read.
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS:
Any mainstream Bible translation will be acceptable and end up saying essentially the same thing. But here are your main options, from Pastor West's perspective:
BEGINNERS
If you are new to Bible study, the best way to start a Bible study habit at home is by reading through The People's Bible Series. Don't try to tackle the whole Bible, just books of the Bible at a time. We have these available at church for you to check out, so there need not be any cost. I would go in approximately this order: Luke, Romans, John, Acts, 1 Corinthians, Genesis, Exodus, Galatians, Matthew, Psalms, Mark, and at that point whatever interests you.
INTERMEDIATE
I like STUDY BIBLES because they have notes on the historical backgrounds and connections to other books of the Bible that you might have missed. In my opinion, you can provide your own insights and applications about faith and your daily life, but it's nice to have an expert tell you historical information concisely at the bottom of the page. So, for the purposes of historical background and MAPS, and important, often overlooked component of a study Bible, my favorites are:
The ESV Study Bible - they have my favorite notes, but the translation isn't as easy to read.
The Zondervan NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible - This Bible does a great job of tracing the main themes of each book so you don't lose the forest for the trees. It's also a very readable translation.
ADVANCED
The Daily Bible - if you've decided to read through the Bible in a year, an ambitious but rewarding challenge, this Bible is great because it covers the Bible in chronological order. BUT - I would not start here. This is more for people with a pretty good grasp of the general contents of the Bible but looking to better understand how it all fits together. Also, this is very Old Testament heavy because it skips the repetitive parts of the four gospels.
OTHER BOOKS
Please call Pastor West for a custom recommendation based on your interests and prior experience: 509-217-9617. You do not need to be a church member to take advantage of this exciting offer!!
NEW TO READING THE BIBLE?
I would NOT read the Bible straight through. I would use The People's Bible series, and I would read in approximately this order:
Luke, Romans, John, Acts, 1 Corinthians, Genesis, Mark, Exodus, Galatians, Matthew, Psalms, and at that point whatever interests you.
THE BEST FREE BIBLE APP - the YouVersion Bible App! They have free text Bible AND AUDIO BIBLES! So you can listen if you don't have time/patience to read.
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS:
Any mainstream Bible translation will be acceptable and end up saying essentially the same thing. But here are your main options, from Pastor West's perspective:
- New Living Translation - the easiest to read by far! When I listen to the audio Bible, this is what I use. But sometimes it's more of a paraphrase. Best if you are not much of a reader but want to start reading the Bible.
- New International Version or Christian Standard Version - These are still pretty readable, but they don't paraphrase as much. These are what we use in church. If you regularly read things, I would go with one of these.
- English Standard Version or New American Standard Version - These follow the Hebrew and Greek text of the Bible VERY closely. But sometimes they feel a little clunky and are hard to follow. These are for people who want to carefully study the Bible slowly. I use them when I'm looking at the Greek and Hebrew.
- The NET Bible also has some very advanced notes on the text. It gives you very advanced, technical details about the Greek and Hebrew. Very advanced readers (as in, you've read the Bible many times and frequently attend Bible study) might enjoy this.
BEGINNERS
If you are new to Bible study, the best way to start a Bible study habit at home is by reading through The People's Bible Series. Don't try to tackle the whole Bible, just books of the Bible at a time. We have these available at church for you to check out, so there need not be any cost. I would go in approximately this order: Luke, Romans, John, Acts, 1 Corinthians, Genesis, Exodus, Galatians, Matthew, Psalms, Mark, and at that point whatever interests you.
INTERMEDIATE
I like STUDY BIBLES because they have notes on the historical backgrounds and connections to other books of the Bible that you might have missed. In my opinion, you can provide your own insights and applications about faith and your daily life, but it's nice to have an expert tell you historical information concisely at the bottom of the page. So, for the purposes of historical background and MAPS, and important, often overlooked component of a study Bible, my favorites are:
The ESV Study Bible - they have my favorite notes, but the translation isn't as easy to read.
The Zondervan NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible - This Bible does a great job of tracing the main themes of each book so you don't lose the forest for the trees. It's also a very readable translation.
ADVANCED
The Daily Bible - if you've decided to read through the Bible in a year, an ambitious but rewarding challenge, this Bible is great because it covers the Bible in chronological order. BUT - I would not start here. This is more for people with a pretty good grasp of the general contents of the Bible but looking to better understand how it all fits together. Also, this is very Old Testament heavy because it skips the repetitive parts of the four gospels.
OTHER BOOKS
Please call Pastor West for a custom recommendation based on your interests and prior experience: 509-217-9617. You do not need to be a church member to take advantage of this exciting offer!!
