This is a great question, because so many people still have not read the Bible, and many Christians do not read the Bible often. Yet the Bible is the key to your spiritual life, along with prayer and helping others.
Jesus said that we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that God speaks. Unless you read the Bible daily, spiritual life will not be in your soul. But what Bible should I buy as a beginner? Are there Bibles that are better than others? Are there Bibles that are easier to read than others? Let us find out.
Which Bible Is the BestThe best Bible is the Textus Receptus. This Bible is known today as the King James Version. This is the Bible that Jesus read. The Textus Receptus is the same Bible that people in ancient times had. We can know this from the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Bible commentaries.
What Bible should I buy as a beginner? I would go for the King James Version. But many people are put off, as the King James Version uses 1611 English.
I am from Europe, and English is not my first language. Yet I understand the King James Version very well. There are only a few words that are Old English in the King James — once you identify the Old English words, such as “thou,” and word endings such as “-eth,” the rest can be understood fairly easily.
The King James Version is the true Bible, as the text comes down through thousands of years. We have hundreds, if not thousands, of manuscripts that confirm the King James Bible as the original Bible. In fact, reading the Isaiah scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls, which dates back roughly 2,000 years, and comparing it with the book of Isaiah today, we see that it is exactly the same book.
The King James is the most accurate.
This does not mean that when you ask, “What Bible should I buy as a beginner?” the King James Version always translates every word perfectly. Even the King James Version does not translate every word from Greek and Hebrew with complete accuracy. This is why, as a Bible student, it is important to also read the Word in its original language, to see the original meaning of each word.
For example, the King James Version says in Revelation that Jesus is “the beginning of creation.”
Yet the Greek word is arche. Arche does not mean “beginning” but “beginner” (or “originator”). The translation is not entirely precise. This does not mean the Bible itself has any fault — but we are responsible to study the original language. Most of the time, the King James Version will be accurate.
Which Bible Is the Easiest to Read?
One of the most popular Bibles today is the New International Version. It is very simple to read. However, the manuscript tradition behind it does not come from the Textus Receptus. The New International Version comes from the Westcott and Hort text. What Bible should I buy as a beginner? This, or any modern version, could be the answer to your question.
Because the New International Version is in modern English, it is very easy to read and understand. Nevertheless, because the manuscript is not the Textus Receptus, it will contain some differences. The Westcott and Hort manuscript was found in a monastery in Egypt, in a wastebasket — and there the men found this manuscript, which became the basis for all modern Bible versions. For example, where the King James Version says:
“This kind cometh not out, but by prayer and fasting.”
The NIV says:
“This kind can come out only by prayer.”
The New International Version is easy to read and enjoyable. If you do not want to wrestle with complex Old English and need to think through every phrase, then the New International Version may be the answer.
Which Bible Should I Read?
This will depend on you, and on whether you prefer an easy-to-read version of the Bible or a more textually precise version. In fact, all the modern versions of the Bible are based on Westcott and Hort. But the changes are not extensive. It is not as though the Bible has been changed beyond recognition.
What Bible should I buy as a beginner? In response to your question, you can use a modern Bible version safely. Just understand that there are a few verses that have been altered slightly. The overall meaning is not changed, and all modern versions of the Bible are still the Bible.
Personally, I prefer reading the King James Version. It is the most popular Bible in the world. The King James Version is the best-selling Bible in the world — in fact, it remains the best-selling book in the world every year.
Is a Parallel Bible a Good Idea?
A parallel Bible is a Bible that compares different Bible versions side by side on the same page. For example, one column might have the King James Version, while another column has a Bible in French or Spanish. This is very useful for comparing Bible versions.
What Bible should I buy as a beginner? This technique of using parallel Bible versions is a good idea. As you can see, the original verse can be expressed in different ways, and you can gain a deeper sense of meaning as you study.
Are Bible References Important?
What Bible should I choose as a beginner? I would buy a Bible with extensive cross-references. This is one feature that really helped me understand the Bible much better. A great technique for improving your Bible study is to compare the verse you are reading with other similar verses in the Bible, so that you gain a broader understanding of the topic.
If you are reading a verse about hell, a Bible with references will have side notes pointing to other related texts elsewhere in Scripture. This is very useful. To go even deeper with this technique, you can use a concordance, so that you can read every Bible verse related to a topic. I believe this is one of the most important factors in knowing the Bible well.
This method — called cross-referencing — gives you an overall view of the Bible and its meaning. There are excellent cross-reference Bibles, such as the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, and other publishers that specialize in printing Bibles with extensive cross-references. What Bible should I buy as a beginner? Without cross-references to aid your study, your Bible study can become dull and tedious.
This is, I believe, the main reason many people do not read their Bible often. Simply reading a chapter will not give you the fuller meaning found through the Greek, the Hebrew, and related passages elsewhere in Scripture. As God leads us in our understanding of the Bible, the Holy Spirit gives us greater insight into a verse because of what that same topic reveals elsewhere in Scripture.
Was the Bible Corrupted?
Some people say the Bible has been corrupted. We cannot prove this claim — and in fact, Bible prophecy is proof that the Bible is true. Can a man say what will happen on January 1st in the year 3000? No one can. Yet God very often tells us things in advance in the Bible.
This demonstrates that God lives outside of time, that He is divine, and that the Bible can be trusted. What Bible should I buy as a beginner? Every Bible contains all the Bible’s prophecies, such as Daniel 2, which describes the future course of world history. It was written 2,500 years ago. Some 300 prophecies were written concerning Jesus, many of them 500 years before His birth. The Bible is remarkably accurate and true. Studying Bible prophecy will expand your understanding and give you insight into what is happening on earth today.
“Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God will be opposed and derided. They can stand only in the Lord. In order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them.
None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict. To every soul will come the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men? The decisive hour is now at hand. Are our feet planted on the rock of God’s immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?” (The Great Controversy, p. 593)
In this passage, we find that only by studying the Bible can we have a right understanding of God’s plans and purposes. God gives us wisdom and helps us understand spiritual things. What Bible should I buy as a beginner? The King James Version, the New International Version, or any faithful Bible version will be right for you. But let us understand that God promised to preserve His Word.
If the modern versions have a few verses that read differently, let us understand that God promised to preserve His original Bible — the Textus Receptus, also called the King James Version.
“Before His crucifixion, the Saviour explained to His disciples that He was to be put to death and to rise again from the tomb, and angels were present to impress His words on minds and hearts. But the disciples were hoping for temporal deliverance from the Roman yoke, and they could not endure the thought that He on whom all their hopes were centered should die a shameful death. The words which they needed to remember were banished from their minds, and when the time of trial came, it found them unprepared.
The death of Jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if He had not forewarned them. So, in the prophecies, the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble are clearly presented. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed.
Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready.” (The Great Controversy, p. 594)
This passage is from the book The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White. She tells us that understanding Bible prophecy gives us hope for the future, because the Bible can be trusted based on what has already happened, and prophecies in the Bible are always fulfilled. We can be confident that the events foretold for the future — the mark of the beast, the seal of God, the seven last plagues, the loud cry, and many other prophecies — will also come to pass.
In this, you can also find peace of mind, knowing that the future belongs to God, and that God knows how to deliver you from trouble and difficulty. God is the great problem-solver. God can help you and bring you out of the fire. God is good and merciful. The Bible tells us of many times when God intervened to save people from total ruin and disaster. God can do the same for you now.
“When God sends men warnings so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message. The fearful judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image (Revelation 14:9–11) should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark of the beast is, and how they are to avoid receiving it.
But the masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth, and are turned unto fables. The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last days: ‘The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.’ (2 Timothy 4:4). That time has fully come. The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love.” (The Great Controversy, p. 594)
This passage tells us that reading the Bible can keep us from the errors and deceptions embraced by the majority. The Bible is the way of truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Truth is found in the Bible. When I studied the Bible, I discovered that many things I had once believed to be true had no scriptural basis.
“But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible alone, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority — not one of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support.” (The Great Controversy, p. 595)
This passage tells us that truth is found only in the Bible. Human beings cannot create truth — only God can establish truth. In fact, God is truth. This means that by reading the Bible honestly, we will arrive at the truth. All honest people will accept the truth; all dishonest people will reject it. As we read the Bible, we discover that we cannot simply trust the claims of major religious bodies without first verifying their teachings against Scripture.
What Bible should I buy as a beginner? You have the choice between a more textually precise version, such as the King James Version, or a modern version, such as the New International Version, which is easier to understand — keeping in mind that the differences between them are not substantial. Visit our Bible bookstore, where you can find the largest selection of Bibles to invest in your spiritual and eternal welfare.