Today’s review is a little different in that it’s a review of the Tyndale Chronological Bible, NIV translation. About eleven years ago I taught abstinence education in the schools, going into different schools and classrooms. One day one of the teachers remarked that she’d read through the Bible every year for the past ten years, and she challenged me to do the same thing. Up until that time I had never consciously set out to read the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I’m sure I’d read all of it, just not purposefully.
Anyway, I accepted her challenge and found the Tyndale Chronological Bible someone had given me a few years earlier. It was near the end of December, and I thought reading through the Bible would be a good New Year’s resolution. Reading chronologically literally changed the way I felt about the Bible! It made it come alive for me (not that parts of it weren’t already, but come on, reading 1st and 2nd Chronicles? That’s hard!) Now I’m able to absorb so much and I have a better understanding of so many things in God’s word.
I like that the Tyndale Bible has Job placed right after Abraham is introduced, which is when most scholars think Job lived. And it’s broken down in manageable chunks. Reading it in order gave me a new appreciation of God’s mercy. Over and over the Israelites sinned and God forgave. And reading David’s faith in God during the times of his flight from Saul and Absolom was amazing!
So, like that teacher who challenged me years ago, I challenge you to either pick up a chronological Bible or do a Google search for a chronological order and read for yourselves. I promise it will give you a greater understanding of God. This is my eleventh year to read and I plan to keep on reading it every year.
How about you? Do you have a favorite translation of the Bible? Leave a comment and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library.
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Comments 44
You challenged me to do the same and it’s about my 4th year of going through the one above. I had read the Bible through in a year in other versions previously. I do like this and learn something new each time, but I also just bought a Life Study Bible which has all kinds of supplemental notes.
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I’ll have to look at your Life Study Bible, Delores. Thanks for stopping by.
I prefer the ESV . I agree that a chronological reading would open our eyes to many things. It helps to put things in perspective when they are in order. Thanks Pat!
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Yes, Paula…order gives us a different perspective. Thanks for dropping by.
I do have a favorite translation. It’s The New Jerusalem Bible (not the abridged, not the study version, but the “complete text” version. It’s huge, loaded with footnotes. I bought one used for a college class years ago. It was already in rough shape. Then it eventually fell apart. So now I read an NIV women’s study Bible, which is fine. It’s just not my fave.
I read the Bible through in a year for the first time when I was 10, and it was a King James version. Ei-yi-yi, that was hard!
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Oh!MY! Priscilla. The King James version when you were 10???? That had to be totally hard. lol. The Bible I use for study and church is the Living Tree translation. It was translated by Messianic Jews and gives a little different perspective. Thanks for stopping by!
I found The Living Bible when I was a teen, and it’s still my go-to for my Bible reading!
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I like the Living Bible, too, Regina. So much easier to understand…and the Message–I like it, too.
I have that exact same Bible and NIV version in an older format. I’ve not been very good about staying with it because I do think that I like the ESV version better. I have read through the Bible a few times, but I need to stick with it. I do agree that the chronological format makes it easier.
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Perrianne, I try to start each day off reading in the Chronological Bible then the day’s devotion in Jesus Calling. I’ve been using JC since October 2009. 🙂
I have several Bibles but my favorite is the NIV Life Application Bible. I have read through the Bible but I just may check into a Chronological Bible as per your suggestion. Thanks, Pat!
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For me, the Chronological just makes sense and gives meaning to some of the passages I’ve had trouble with in the past. Thanks for stopping by, Gloria!
I am currently reading The Inspirational Study Bible, NKJV, edited by Max Lucado. From early 2012 until late last year, I read through the Bible nine times in different versions. In the last couple of years, my goal was to read through the Bible each year. I decided this year that trying to read it all in one year was not working very well for me. At times, I simply pushed through the chapters for that day with minimal comprehension. I decided to slow down and use the study Bible with a goal of gaining greater insight rather than simply pushing ahead regardless. So I have read about a third of it but the devotional thoughts shared with each portion of Scripture is helping to bring more meaning to it. I have never tried a chronological Bible but it sounds like it is worth checking out.
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I like the idea of doing it slower, Edward. Last year, I read through the New Testament three times instead of reading the whole Bible because I felt I wasn’t reading enough of the NT. When you read through the Old Testament, sometimes you read the same passage two or three times. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by, Eward!
Yes, mine is the King James Version
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We use the KJ version in Sunday School. It’s the one I learned Bible verses on and when I’m trying to memorize verses, it’s my go-to Bible because the cadence makes memorizing easier. 🙂
I have read the Bible through for several years; different versions (loved The Good News); but I plan to read The Chronologic beginning in January. Must order my copy now! Thanks for encouraging me. I have used JC since 2013; love it. I find it so helpful to visit biblegateway.com to compare different versions.
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Yes, I like to compare the different versions, too, Jackie! biblegateway.com is a great resource! Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve been reading the Bible annually for about 10 years now, using the You Version App and their Bible devotional program. Last year, I read the Chronological Bible and I have to honestly say that although I learned a lot about the history of the authors of the Bible, I was a little put off by the order of things since I was so used to the regular Bible. I did finish it, though. This year I’m back to the regular Bible in One Year program. I can have two translations side by side in this app and compare them. My favorite translation is the Passion one, but it only has Proverbs, Psalms and the New Testament completed.
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I know how you feel about being used to the regular Bible, Vickie! Since I’ve been reading the Chronological, it’s hard for me to find the books of the Bible in the regular one. lol. Used to, I could flip right to it, but now I have to think a second to remember the order. lol
I have the same chronological bible as you, Patrica. I have read it through for several years in a row. Still learn something new every time & I think, I know I read that last year, how did it not register then? I’m sure God makes it clearer to us as we can understand. Love reading it in order.
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I’m always amazed at what I miss the year before, Charlotte! And what I learn each year. Thanks for stopping by!
I really like the NIV. Version. I have been using it since it first came out. To me it is easy to read and understand.
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I agree, Faith. It is easy to understand. Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve grown up with NIV but my husband prefers ESV. For my children, NLT has worked well to help them understand the Bible better.
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The NIV is the one I used for years, Mindy, then I got a NKJV and liked it. Isn’t it neat that we have so many different translations that basically say the same thing!
I’ve read through the Bible a couple of time, now I am trying to take a book and slowly study it more. I grew up using the KJV, because that’s the version my school used, but switched to NIV because it was usually easier to understand than KJV, then more recently switched to NKJV. To me it is actually easier to understand than NIV, maybe because I spent so many years using KJV…
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I think the one we grow up with is the one we usually gravitate back to, Colleen. And the NKJV is very similar to the KJ, just without the thees and thous. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Colleen.
I haven’t read the Bible cover to cover in about 15 years, our late pastor ask everyone to read it thru, The KJV. It was hard , but, learned a lot. The NKJV is my go to version
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I have a NKJV as well, Phyllis. And an American Standard. But I think my favorite is the Tree of Life that I carry to church. Thanks for stopping by.
I have different translations, but I love the poetry of the king James.
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I love the cadence of the KJ Bible and it is like poetry, Lucy. Thanks for stopping by.
I have read the KJV Bible since I was 4 years old and I still use it after 11 years. I try to read through the Bible every year sometimes I get through it all, sometimes I don’t!
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Good for you, Victoria! I find the Chronological Bible easier to read. Thanks for stopping by.
My husband and I have been reading the entire Bible each year for decades. I have read dozens of versions but now read mainly the King James because it was the one from which I learned to memorize when I was a child (I’m 71) and much easier for me. Recently, I’ve gone on YouTube and downloaded Alexander Scourby’s audio KJV reading for free so I can hear the words as I follow along in my large-print Bible. Sometimes my eyes get tired.
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What a great idea to listen as you read, Christine! That way you not only get information from reading but hearing as well. Thanks for dropping by and leaving that idea.
I have a Thomas Nelson NKJV Study Bible and I like it because it has helpful footnotes & cross-reference verses in the middle. It has many illustrations with descriptions and other helpful information to bring Biblical times to life. Our church has a read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year layout that I’ve followed now for about four or five years. I read my Daily Bread devotional and my scriptures for the day in the morning while drinking my coffee. It helps me get into the right mindset to start my day. I really do need to do more deeper study more often than I do now. I used to do that when I was a new Christian and it helped me learn more about God and what His Word said about Him.
I’ve never read a chronological Bible, your excitement about it has me wanting to scout one out for myself. I think anything that can get us into God’s word more is a good thing!
I have a King James Study Bible. I love the Amplified Bible too.
Yeah I understand that. I’ve always read that version so it’s just easier to read. When I’ve come across a verse in a different version I’m scratching my head trying to figure out what it means. LOL
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I know how you feel, Victoria! The KJV is the hardest for me to understand. Thanks for stopping by!
The Amplified is my favorite too. But reading in ch order is a great idea. I will start this since I have the NIV Version thanks to Pat Trainum.
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🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Debra!
My go-to Bible is a NKJV, but I also like the ESV. I use a different Bible-in-a-Year plan each year in order to get the Bible in different perspectives. I remember the first time I read through chronologically…it was amazing! It was great to put events together which had always been so separate in my head.
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Diane, I so agree about being able to put events together when they happened! I love seeing where the Psalms belong. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!