Bible

[Protector]

Does anyone know where I can get the oldest readable Bible

[thelerner]

Sure, any synagogue, but its in scroll form, almost no punctuation, only goes up to Deuteronomy and its written in Hebrew.

 

You may be looking for Apocrypha, the many books that didn't make it into the New or Old testament. Here's a good site.

http://sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/index.htm

Edited September 18, 2011 by thelerner

[Protector]

damn, everyone has links to these things except me

[thelerner]

I'd also add for a bible, first 5 books anyway, a good combination of readability and authenticity ie not the goblygook of a precise translation, or the anglicized poetry and less accurate transaction of King James, there is the translation of Everett Fox. Where he (IMO) captures the meaning and word plays of the bible accurately. So it may be the closest to how a native hebrew reader reads the bible.

 

here is a link http://www.amazon.com/Five-Books-Moses-Leviticus-Deuteronomy/dp/0805211195

Edited September 22, 2011 by thelerner

[taoistChristian]

The Fox translation is excellent.

 

There is no one overarching excellent 'original' translation that is textually purer.

 

The situation is more like the tao teh ching.

 

Get several excellent translations with commentary:

 

I suggest:

 

Jerusalem Bible - study edition [more traditional/Orthodox commentary. very modern and traditional at same time. The Translation uses the same prinicipleas Fox, sound as much like the original as possible, not smooth or 'King James' English.

 

The Revised Standard Version - uses the same English words to translate the same greek words. But better is the Amplified Bible. [puts shades of meaning in parentheses] though the Old is done skimpy compared to the new.

 

 

The Septuagint [Greek] Old Testement by Brenton is very good but tiny font, should be online.

 

The Lattimore translations of the 4 gospels and Rev. and 'the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles'

are excellent and the jewish New Testament are informative.

 

Any of these can compliment the King james. Which is a gold Standard only to fanatics. Beautiful Phrasing. the 'orignal' 1611 version can be read with as much difficulty as Chaucer. Some modern versions have foot notes explaining the archaisms...'suffer the children' for instance is not advocating torture...

 

Also rec'd are guides to the meditative tradition, Aryeh Kaplan is respected by many, my experience is with the Way of A Pilgrim and The Philokalia:4-14th century commentary on the bible, prayer, meditation and asceticism that flowed from the essenes and then desert Fathers.

 

See also Works on the Dead Sea Sscrolls. anything written or edited by charlesworth and co. vermes reans. is excellent.