Session 9: Section 1Study tools (Part 2)We are going to have a look at some more aids to your study of the Bible. Most of these are rather more advanced than the previous ones. We are also going to look a little closer at the different translations available. It will help you to know more about the different Bibles available. Bible atlasesThese give the geographical background to the Bible, and often provide additional information to fill out the Bible story. Useful atlases are:-
History booksThese give historical background to Bible times. There are many history books available; probably your local library is a good place to start if you want background to a specific period. There are two very useful atlases of world history:
Most of these books are expensive, but are generally available in the larger reference libraries. Versions of the BibleWe looked briefly at translations in the first session. We are now going to look in more detail at the various translations of the English Bible. There are four different types of translation:- a) "Word-for-word" translations.
b) "Phrase-for-phrase" translations.
c) Catholic translations.
d) Paraphrase translations.
The Interlinear Bible is popular with some Bible students. This edition is two versions in one - the Authorised and Revised Versions. Where the two versions vary in translation of the original, the text is split and reduced in size; the AV text is below with the RV text above it. This means that the two versions can be compared instantly. There are other parallel versions available where two versions are side by side on each page. Examples are the New King James Version parallel with King James Version, and the New International Version parallel with the King James Version. Large Print and Wide Margin versions are also available. Some of these special Bibles are expensive, so we recommend that you see a particular Bible before buying it to make sure that it is right for you. Home Page Information Overview of the Bible books Contact us: e-mail links |