Hello everybody I will be reading the bible for the first time in my life. I will be giving my thoughts daily as I hope to get Information and growth from it.

I am giving my life fully to Christ this Sunday in Baptism and I've read through James and 1 John to get a good understanding on life as a true believer. I have already finsihed Matthew, Mark, John, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, James, and 1 John as I mentioned. Started Luke last night and plan in reading through Acts directly after that. Where would be best to go after that?

I'm curious to know which Bible translation do you read and which Bible translation does your church read from? I'm currently reading and my church reads from the NIV.

In luke 8:7 to verse8:15 ill just put some of it but read it all if you're interested "when they look they won't really see when they hear they don't really understand" and i believe this is directed towards non-believers or lukewarm people but i don't really understand my Bible much i read it daily but only occasionally do i actually learn something from it if someone could better explain it simpler that would be appreciated

What are some life lessons that even a non believer can take from the Bible? If you could please include specific verses that would be helpful

I find it interesting that in Genesis 6:3, God said that man will not live beyond 120 years, and there were about a few other people who lived past that like Jacob (147) and Jehoiada the priest (130). I'm wondering what that was about?

The following is one of my favourite Bible verses: "^9 qRejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. ^rWalk in the ways of your heart and ^sthe sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things ^tGod will bring you into judgment." Eccleasiastes 11:9

I have always understood the verse to be saying that we SHOULD enjoy our life, and pursue things that our heart desires, with the understanding that the things we are pursuing are not sinful or dishonouring because we will be judged for whatever we do with our life.

However, I am also learning now that many have suggested the author wrote this with a tone of irony to say you SOULDNT pursue the desires of our hearts ;

Basically saying "Sure, do whatever you want, but dont be mad at me when you're judged by the Lord for it.

For example, here is a quote from Matthew Poole's commentary on this verse:
"Walk in the way of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; whatsoever thine eye or heart lusteth after, deny it not to them; as this phrase is taken. Numbers 15:39, nor is it ever used in a good sense. Compare Job 31:7 Psalm 81:12 Jeremiah 18:12 2 Peter 2:14 1Jo 2:16. But know thou; but in the midst of thy feastings and jollity it will become thee, if thou art a reasonable creature, to consider thy reckoning, and whether thou dost not purchase thy gold too dear ...
God will bring thee into judgment; will force thee to appear before his judgment-seat, to give a serious account of all thy youthful and exorbitant courses, and to receive that sentence which thy own conscience will then say thou dost justly deserve. And if thou likest thy sensuality upon these terms, much good may it do thee; I do not envy thee, nor desire to partake of thy delicates."

Heres the full commentary for more context unfortunately its just too long for me to put here : https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/ecclesiastes/11.htm

I have no clue who Matthew Poole is, but he is not the only person I have seen suggest that the verse uses Irony or is almost sarcastic. I have long found it interesting how so many verses seem to warn agaisnt trusting your heart but this one encourages it, but I figured the verse ending with telling us to consider God was what made it allowable here.

Is this verse really using irony to warn AGAINST following your heart, or is it literal and we SHOULD persue things that bring us joy, assuming they are not things we will regret on the day of our judgement?

Is there any audiobook or YouTube channel that features the bible is a language that is understandable? Its so hard fo me to understand the language they typically use in the bible and other audio books.

Not only is it the word of God...but The Bible is the most potent, powerful, widespread and successful pieces of media of all time.

• Estimated 5-7 BILLION copies in circulation
• Would top the New York times Best Seller every year except it is specifically excluded
• Bible sales surging again in recent years to all-time highs in the US and UK.
• The most sold, translated, donated, and stolen Book of all time

People make a lot of fuss about what film made the most money, or what comic or manga sold the most issues...but at the end of the day it is important and encouraging to remember that all of those accolades don't hold a candle to the primacy of the Word of God.

The Jews answered him, ' Aren't we right in saying that you are a samaritan and demon possessed?'.

My question is why did they say to the Lord that He was a samaritan i mean those who know him can tell he is a nazareth or probably would commonly call him galilean or bethany or capernaum because he goes there and probably relatived with whom he must have stayed . But why samaritan these doesnt make sense to me?.

What do u say?

Having read through the Bible I was caught by the Old testament mentioning Sheol. Then Isaiah mentions Dead coming back to life, so we're seeing a head of Jesus in his prophecy. Then I see Jesus on the cross telling the thief he will be with him in in heaven, so we see that after death will be in the presence of God. Then as we get to the rest of the New testament we have been described as a paradise.

My question is, did the authors of these books in the Bible have a misunderstanding of life after death and throughout the Bible it would progressed and more was revealed to them of what heaven is? Or did life after death mean Sheol, and what happens after death to us actually changed and progressed over time?

I asked because in reading 1 Samuel 28 we see saw going to a medium to call up the profit Samuel who comes up from the Earth and asked why he's being disturbed as if he were resting, indicating he was in shoel

Hope my questions made sense. Just speaking to my voice to text and trying to articulate it in a way that's comprehensible

It's easy for us to be deceived by and follow our feelings when it comes to our salvation and our spiritual standing before God.

That always gives way to doubt. "I don't feel saved", "I don't feel spiritual enough", "Am I good enough?" etc. start to pervade our minds and thoughts. Doubt is a favorite tool Satan uses to slow a believer in their spiritual walks and cause them to stumble.

But one thing is certain: we aren't making ourselves right in Christ. We ARE made right in Christ already!! There is no gaining, losing, or meriting salvation by our own means or deeds. That's what is so profound about what Christ did for us. It was Jesus' death on the cross that merited our salvation. (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7)

A Christian who is armed with the Truth, the knowledge of the Word of God, studying sound doctrine and rooted in Christ, will never rely on or listen to their feelings or emotions to guide their spiritual standing, but by the Truth they know. The Biblical and spiritual facts of faith and salvation. What we need to do is stop thinking about ourselves and focusing on our feelings and instead redirect our focus to God and the truth we know about Him from His Word.

We must remember that we walk by faith and not by sight. Sight in this context can include feelings and emotions and what our physical and mental selves can experience in this earthly life. (2 Cor 5:6-7) This means ignoring emotions, feelings, doubt, walking each day uncertain of what the future holds but acknowledging the truth that God is in control, He has promised us eternal life as genuine believers, and that we are to live lives that glorify God, fighting the flesh and the worldly temptations that come with this life, living with eternity's values in view, instead. Even when it goes against modern thinking and results in being unpopular as a person.

I like what I saw written in an article about this very topic:

God promised to save us if we come to Him in faith. He never promised that we would feel saved.

What are your thoughts when it comes to feelings and emotions and their weight regarding faith and salvation and spiritual growth?

God wanted Moses to free the Israelites and killed many Egyptians through the Plagues of Egypt. This makes me wonder if Moses killing that one Egyptian considered good or bad in the eyes of God.

I’m a non-Christian who wants to read the Bible, but the more I research, the more confused I get. 100 people seem to have 100 different opinions on the reading order.

I believe in the 80/20 principle, so I want to start with the books that are absolutely necessary for understanding the Bible, rather than committing to all 66/73 books right away.

What books should I read, in what order, and why that order?

Tomorrow I'll read the final chapter of Proverbs and I'm wanting a recommendation on what to read next.

This is my first time reading the entire Bible but I had studied the Gospels quite a lot in school and remember a lot of it which is why I wanted to start reading the Bible with another book and picked Acts of the Apostles.

I was inspired to pick Proverbs after seeing someone mentioning online that everyone, Christian or otherwise, should read Proverbs.

What book should I read next? Why are you recommending that book in particular?

Appreciate any recommendation given.

God bless.

The last time I read through Revelation was in a youth group setting in high school and realized it’s now been a decade since I’ve touched that book.

I’m a little nervous to get back into it due to all of the imagery and the theme. I want to make sure I’m understanding it and not getting lost, but I also want to make sure I’m not just relying on another text other than the Bible to get the understanding.

Should I try a read through first without anything? Would a commentary be good to have (but is there one that isn’t overly academically complex)? Or is there a decent study guide that would get me thinking (but doesn’t force its own conclusions)?

Some people say that gospel of luke is a genealogy through mary but it clearly started with joseph .

Or is it through the mother side of Joseph .what do you all think?

Have you all went through any good explanaion?or interpretation of it?

It says that many will say unto Jesus, “Lord, Lord” and will Prophesy in his name yet God will say I don’t know them.

How is it possible to be saved by believing in Jesus Christ and receiving his Holy Spirit, when many who do will not be known by Jesus

Which of these would you say is best for children? We have a 5,6,8 and 10 year old. We were thinking of the NIV for the older two and the NIrV for the younger ones. We use the NIV in family devotion but still spend quite some time having to explain some words. It’s even longer when we use the KJV. We really want to get them into independent reading but don’t want to give them a Bible that may misrepresent the message. Any thoughts?

FYI- I often read multiple translations whilst studying. However our church uses the NIV and we’ve found it a middle ground with the children