What is the easiest verison of the Bible to read?

I am only fifteen. What would be the easiest for me to understand.|||well, the "easiest" would be wrong. The modern American Protestant versions have been watered down considerably to cater to their uneducated, almost illiterate audience. Many important biblical verses have been altered (and this from people who claim it should be read "literally.")


So, you might want to actually read the more accurate, but slightly more difficult versions, like King James for instance.|||I recommend the Contemporary English Version.|||"Christianity for Dummies"|||I would recommend having two separate Bibles, one for regular reading and study that is easy and enjoyable to read, and one that is more technically correct so that you can engage in deeper study.





I would recommend the New Living Translation for ease of reading and study, and the English Standard Version for accuracy. Taken together, the two will help you come to a deeper understanding of the Word of God.|||a KJV study bible is good|||They make bibles that are geared for teenagers.|||Ok - let's talk about this a little first.





The bible is a translation from foreign languages. The most precise and accurate translations use whatever words most precisely and accurately convey the meaning of the original language.





When a translator intentionally simplifies language, that eliminates some of the precision and accuracy of the translation. Generally speaking, the *more* a translation is simplified, the *less* precise that it is.





So - what you really want is not the easiest version of The Bible, but instead the easiest version that you are completely comfortable reading. To put it another way: you want a bible that uses the most advanced language that you are comfortable reading.





This is a very good starting place:


http://www.bibleselector.com/reading_lev鈥?/a>





At 15, I'm guessing that you're in 9th grade - so most of the bibles are going to be fine for you, but some are clearly more difficult than they need to be. If you're a "good reader", you can probably read the 10th and 11th grade bibles. If you're pretty horrified by the idea of having to read entire books for school, you probably want a simpler version.





Also, there is the matter of the additional content. There are some really excellent educational study bibles (meaning: excellent for students of your age) that help to explain things in the bible as you are reading. Once you decide on a bible *version*, you also have to decide what type of bible you want. I'll be glad to help you pick a specific bible - if you want me to do so, send me an e-mail





Now - here are my recommendations for bible versions.





** level 1 **





The Contemporary English Version is, in my opinion, the best of the "very easy to read" bibles. Get that only if you don't like the other choices I mention below (which are more advanced in language and better).





If you are Roman Catholic, the New American Bible is really not as easy to read (in my opinion) as suggested in the chart above. I would recommend the Good News Bible instead as the simplest Roman Catholic Bible.








** level 2 **





Here the HCSB Second Edition stands out for Protestants in my opinion, but the NIV and the ESV are also very good, and the NIV comes in a really excellent educational study edition. For Roman Catholics, I would recommend the New American Bible, which has notes that make it a decent educational study bible whether you want them or not.








** level 3 **





Here the New Jerusalem Bible stands out - for both Roman Catholics and Protestants. In my opinion, this is the most accurate bible translation available today. However, it does *not* come in an educational study bible edition.








Now - if I were you I would pick one bible from each level and compare them to see which you find comfortable to read. You can see them all online. If the NJB is not a problem for you, choose it. If it is too difficult, choose a level 2 bible. If those are too difficult, choose a level 1.








Most of these bibles can be found at BibleGateway. Others:





the NJB


http://www.catholic.org/bible/





the NAB


http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/genesis/g鈥?/a>





the CEV (complete) and GNB (complete)


http://www.biblija.net/biblija.cgi








I recommend comparing the bibles with the same difficult chapter - like Romans 7, which is hard to understand even with the easiest bibles.





Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like any further help.





Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com|||King James version is one of the easiest version. You can also read online Bible at http://www.Read-the-bible.net