The Bible can become a sticky subject in the midst of a faith transition. Things you thought you knew don’t make sense anymore. The way God behaves can be distasteful, if not completely disgusting. The stories that seemed so cut and dry no longer work the way they used to.

Following are info and links about Bible resources. Take some time to read passages in different translations. See how the words flow and the images change. Dive into one of the books about the Bible and see things in ways you never have before. Does that word mean what we think it means? How does the culture change the way we interpret a story or behavior? What are some of the cultural norms that impact how women, people of color, or LGBTQ folx are treated? These are some of the basic questions that inform our “understanding” of the Bible.

Shedding light on this can be a disconcerting process. But, we’re here to walk with you as you start to discover the Bible in new ways.

About Bible Translations

BIBLE TRANSLATIONS

If you’re exploring a wider faith, exploring Bible translations can be helpful. Here’s a quick guide to different translations. Please let us know if you’d like a more detailed list.

You can experience these translations, and many more, at www.biblegateway.com

WORD for WORD

NRSV - New Revised Standard Version
NASB - New American Standard Version

PHRASE for PHRASE

NIV - New International Version
CEB - Common English Bible - (Egalitarian)
ESV - English Standard Version - (Conservative Bias, Patriarchal)
NLT - New Living Translation
KJV and NKJV - King James Version and New King James Version

THOUGHT for THOUGHT

The Message by Eugene Peterson
The Living Translation

STORY BIBLES/FAMILY BIBLES

The Jesus Story Bible (shorter, more conservative)
The Spark Story Bible
Shine On - A Story Bible

Other Translations

Jewish Tanahk
The Complete Psalms: The Book of Prayer Songs in a New Translation
The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary (3 Volume Set) by Robert Alter

Resources About the Bible

How the Bible Actually Works: In Which I Explain How An Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse Book Leads Us to Wisdom Rather Than Answers—and Why That’s Great News by Peter Enns

The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It by Peter Enns

What Is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything by Rob Bell

Apps and Online Resources