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26 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
http://earlychristianwritings.com/ http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html
You can also get a lot of early Christian writing for free on the e-sword program, but I'm not sure if they have the Didache:
Here are some:
I have used the first two and they are both good, I prefer Esword though.
Check out e-Sword It's a free downloadable Bible software that you can download a number of translations, commentaries, and even dictionaries onto it for free. Some have to be paid for, but over all, the majority of it is free. It has the greek and hebrew you're looking for for sure, as well as a few commentaries.
Reading Romans and Hebrews with a commentary in hand can really help. My favorite is John Gill, and a lot of people love Matthew Henry. There's a neat program called e-Sword which is free, and you can download all these commentaries (and many more), also for free, and then as you read it automatically pops up the commentaries and helps for the verses you're actually looking at.
If you want to understand what the Bible means (both in its original form, to scholars and to Christian apologists alike) then I've found using esword to compare translations and read all the commentaries is very valuable.
Best of luck to you.
Reading the Bible cover to cover isn't a really great way of going about it. There are reading plans out there that stick to the highlights. YouVersion has some really good ones. I agree that there are boring parts, I read cover to cover once, it was brutal sometimes. I think if you started with the Gospels, you'd learn a lot. There is a lot of Old Testament references you can then read afterwards to learn more. For example, Jesus mentions Jonah and Adam and Eve a few times, you could then go and read about them.
There are also study Bibles out there that will have the Biblical text in the middle, and at the bottom it'll have commentary about it. Each study Bible will have different commentary from different points of view, but there ought to be a lot of different commentaries out there. E-Sword is an amazing Bible software that's free to download. It has different downloadable translations and commentaries, and even Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. Again, they'll be different based on the person's point of view, but you have to start somewhere!
Hope that helps!
I prefer the ESV, but I think looking into the Greek is always important.
I use a computer software called E-Sword. It's free to download, and has TONS of free version downloads. It starts off KJV, but you can download a number of different versions, including the Greek versions of the New Testaments, the Hebrew version of the Old Testament, and even the LXX [Greek version of Old Testament]. So while I fall somewhere in the middle between word for word and thought for thought, E-Sword helps me look at different translations [often at the same time in parallel mode].
NKJV study bible, NKJV slimline (g/f's), NKJV on my Kindle, a 4-translation parallel bible (NIV, KJV, NASB, ESV), and eSword, which has many translations including Hebrew Old and Greek New Testaments (both with and without strong's concordance). I have a hardback version of strong's concordance but I find using the digital version in eSword is much easier. I think everyone has the random low-quality KJV and NIV copies lying around, not to mention the little pocket NT with psalms.
TBH, I only use my NKJV study bible for general study, my NKJV kindle for light and on-the-go reading, and use eSword for more complicated studies involving many different books of the bible and/or greek/hebrew studies. It has a great topical note taking and study system built right in, not to mention you can download many different references and commentaries, and even full color ancient maps!
If I were going to order my favorite translations I would do it as follows:
- NKJV - Retains the beautiful language of the KJV, also using formal equivalence, while modernizing the text (thee's thou's etc).
- NASB - It is one of the most formally equivalent english translations besides the literal translations that aren't casually readable. I go to it for clarification.
- ESV - Like the NASB and NKJV, the ESV uses formal equivilance, though it sacrifices some for readability. I think I would go with the ESV as my main reading and study bible even though I rank NASB more highly
- NIV - Even though the NIV is based on dynamic equivalence, there are ways that the NIV reads that I specifically like when posting scripture that I think is confusing in the other translations. While it leaves a lot to be desired for a study-oriented translation, it is great as a casual reading bible in conjunction with one or more translations.
So I don't think this is necessarily exactly what you're looking for, but e-sword has to be my favorite Bible study tool. It's an electronic free software you download onto your computer, and you can download commentaries, dictionaries, different translations, the original Greek/Hebrew [with reference numbers that will show the English word too]. You can pull up a verse side by side in different translations, or even the whole chapter side by side.
I don't think it's a "concordance" in the typical use of the word. Actually, you can use it as a concorance if you search for the Strong's definition in certain translations.
Here's their website. It's definitely work a look at. http://www.e-sword.net/
I LOVE reading all things Spurgeon and do that a lot. Also huge, huge fan of John Gill's commentary on the Bible, which I read with e-Sword when I'm on the computer or Tecarta app on my phone. It's super in depth and usually dead on (especially considering he lived a couple centuries ago). Also J.C. Ryle... and I don't see Piper's Future Grace on here, that's probably my favorite modern theology book. Denise Sproul's "Tending Your Garden" is great although very dominionist, which prevents me from randomly recommending it to people. But it's very inspiring toward holiness.
Download e-sword (Bible software): http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
After you install it, open the program and click on Downloads > Bibles.
Download different versions. If comprehending old English is difficult for you, I'd recommend the Bible in Basic English (BBE), the Contemporary English Version (CEV), the Easy to Read Version (ERV), and the American Standard Version (ASV).
Also try an audio Bible and reading along. That'll definitely help and there are a number of free ones available on the internet. They also have dramatized versions. You'll have no trouble following along the stories, especially the stories in Genesis that are quite amazing.
I don't see a problem with using the kindle. There is a free program called e-sword to download and it lets you do great searching and stuff for studying the King James. It's at: http://www.e-sword.net/
Yeah you pretty much called it there. If you come to accept the gospel you will have your mind renewed:
Rom_12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
2Co_5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
I wish you all the best. I'll be praying for you.
A couple of great things about the KJV:
1) You get to use Strong's concordance to look up the definition of every word. This carries over to programs like eSword which is very helpful: http://www.e-sword.net/ There's also an app which I use a lot.
2) The English we speak was developed around the same time the KJV was written. For a few generations, this would have been the main printed literature for English-speakers. It's at the root of our language, so it's easy to learn.
Try comparing versions yourself and see what rings true for you. But do give the KJV a chance if you're looking to get into the multidimensional poetry of the sciptures. Other versions may be like diamonds in the rough, but the KJV is like a glorious diamond cut to perfection so the facets reveal all kinds of meaning hidden beneath the surface. The other versions seem flat to me.
Sometimes if I have a vague idea of what I want but am not sure, I check out The Bible Design Blog. Basically I get to see high quality photos and read someone's feedback about the product. It's going to focus on the design, layout, font size, etc. This is a good starting point if you have an idea of what you want.
From there I would venture to Amazon or another online retailer. If you are waivering between things I would recommend going into a local Christian Bookstore and actually grabbing one of these bibles and seeing if you like it.
My overall suggestion to you is having a few translations that you can work with. Maybe incorperate software with your studies as well. Something like E Sword is free. Alternatives can be as complex as you like. Some folks like Logos for example.
You are welcome. I recommend a very useful program named e-Sword, which allows you to search the whole Bible (this was of use to me as I hadn't remembered all those verses but searched for keywords such as "determined" and "foreknowledge"), read many commentaries such as the exhaustive (I say exhaustive because you can click on any verse and read some commentary on it) of [John Gill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gill_(theologian) who was a genius at Hebrew, Latin and Greek (this was of use to me when I look up Acts 2:23, and read commentaries such as Albert Barnes' Notes, and it showed me some other related verses which I used), and can download from their library of books including the 'Ante-Nicene Fathers' and 'Institutes of Christian Religion'.
This is what I use most often. It allows you to put most translations side by side in many, many languages. Note that these translations come from the greek/hebrew/aramaic and not from one language onto another than translated again and again and so forth. It also has commentary from historians and respected bible scholars. It has been immensely helpful.
There are plenty of cheap and free ones. Websites such as www.biblestudytools.com. I like using the Olive Tree Bible Study app which is available both on mobile and computer. Then there is also E-Sword and Scripture4All.
I use E-Sword. It's a free bible study tool, which a really good search system. It lets you upload whichever version you want to read, and has Greek and Hebrew translations. It is a really handy tool to have for having discussions with Christians.
> I am in no way neat enough to fit that many notes in the margins
Me either! I wish I were. I consider myself lucky if my underlining is straight. My notes are legible only to me. I also have notebooks filled with verses and notes.
I've actually switched over to e-Sword for most of my Bible study now, and I absolutely love it. I have it on my desktop and my laptop and use Dropbox to sync my study notes.
Don't just stick to one translation. You can get about two dozen different English translations, along with many other languages, for absolutely free. It has been invaluable to me. Consider donating to them instead. Also I recommend an Android, I-Phone, or relatively cheap e-reader or tablet pc Bible to bring to church.
I use e-sword a lot, it's convenient for when you want to look stuff up without going online. Plus you can add your own notes with links to verses, so it's like having your own mini-commentary.
The major downside is that while the program itself is free, most of the more popular translations (like the NIV) cost money, due to copyright.
if you get a program like "e-sword" (free: http://www.e-sword.net/), it has a lookup ability on words and you can see what the names are that are translated as God, Lord, Lord God, Almighty, Most High, etc. This requires a little work on your part, but worth it!
added link
I've used it too.
I suggest making a contribution (non-deductible),
to support the developer and all his efforts through the years.
check out e-Sword. It is a free bible study tool that allows you to view multiple translations of the bible at the same time. It comes with the KJV when you install it, but you can download other versions for free. There are a bunch of other nifty features as well. I found this when watching one of Matt Dillahunty's lectures.
I actually fired up my copy of e-Sword to see which word was used in the original text, and how it can be translated. Here's what I found:
Dictionary
>H5288
> נער
>na‛ar
>nah'-ar
>From H5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication a servant; also (by interchange of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age): - babe, boy, child, damsel [from the margin], lad, servant, young (man).
Treasury of Scripture Commentary
>The words nearim ketannim not only signify little children but young men; for katon signifies not only little, but young, in opposition to old; and naar signifies not only a child, but a young man grown to years of maturity. Thus Isaac is called naar when twenty-eight years old, Joseph when thirty-nine, and Rehoboam when forty.
So it seems that the christian person might actually be right in this case, but that doesn't make the killing of 42 people by two she-bears any more moral or less absurd.