Last Tuesday I finished reading through my Bible. I try to read through the Bible every year. Since Covid I have been able to complete a reading through the entire Bible twice a year. I try to choose a different translation or version with each reading. Sometimes my reading will include a translation from a particular study Bible.

My choice for this year’s reading was the King James Bible. It was the Criswell Study Bible. It is one of my older Bibles. As a matter of fact, it was my very first Bible given to me. When the kids’ mom and I were dating her family got it for me for my 20th birthday in 1981.

I have been reading the Bible through every year since 1993 (I think). I have succeeded almost every year. I have read many translations. I have read the King James, New King James, Revised Standard, New Revised Standard, American Standard, New American Standard, Living Translation and New Living Translation, Contemporary English, English Standard, Holman Christian Standard, Amplified, New International, New Century, The Berean Study, The Message and a couple of more.

I have read study Bibles by Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, Charles Ryrie, Wallace Criswell, Hank Henegraff, Jerry Vines, Henry Blackaby, Warren Wiersbie and John McArarther. Just plain study Bibles include The Reformation, The Way, Thompson Chain Reference, The Serendipity, Zondervan, Nelson, The Inspirational (Max Lucado), Baker Illustrated, Life Essentials, Apologetics, The Chronological, The Everyday, The Life Application and a few more.

I have about 45 different Bibles on my shelf and have read approximately 35+. I can tell you a good discipleship Bible is the Life Application Study Bible. A good preacher’s Bible is the Thompson Chain Reference Bible with the Amplified coming in a close second. My favorite translation has been the New King James until recently. Now I use the English Standard in its place. My least favorite is probably the New Living or Message translation. Both of those being a paraphrase. They are easy reads but some of the impact of the wording is lost in the translation.

Yes, as you can see I have a lot of Bibles. These books are not just for show, to fill shelves in the library or make people think I am smart. These Bibles have been read, re-read and studied. Each Bible adds study notes, translations and understanding to help me know God better, help me be a better Preacher and better equipped to handle life, questions and situations that come up every day. And, to just be a better person.

This is just my opinion, but I think it is important for all Believers to be consistently reading God’s Word. I have a saying, “If the man of God wants to know the Will of God he must read the Word of God.”

The world we live in, I believe, is Biblically illiterate. We do not know God’s Word. We do know parts or phrases from the Bible, with no contextual understanding, and it sounds good. The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Good verse but relate it back to “Judge not” and it can take on a little different perspective.

“God is love” is another one that gets totally twisted. Some think because God loves us no one will spend an eternity separated from Him in a sinners’ Hell. Yet, if you read the message of God’s love in the whole Bible you will see that because of God’s love, judgement will come and there will be people in Hell.

Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 to “Study” to show yourself a worker that does not need to be ashamed “rightly dividing the Word of God.” (NKJV) The English Standard Version states it this way, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Do your best, don’t be ashamed and handle correctly are all given concerning God’s Word.

Would you take your car to a mechanic who looked at a manual, went to a couple of classes and bought a crescent wrench and a pair of plyers so he could work on your $50,000 car? Or would you go to a doctor who watched a couple of YouTube videos on appendix removal to remove your appendix? Of course not, that would be ridiculous!

Yet we go through life with most people having NEVER read the Bible from cover to cover. Maybe a couple of chapters or a possibly a book in one sitting but not the whole Bible. You cannot learn from the Bible, understand the Bible or live/obey the Bible by only picking it up once a week and opening in Bible Study or Worship on Sunday.

Find a Bible in a translation you will understand, be able to easily read and dig into it. Make time every day to read it. And make it a goal to read it in a year. I have certainly given you some options of what is available.

Opening the Book, Turning the Pages, Bro. Tim