Bible Research help needed. (page 2)

Leolaia

If you live near a university, go to the library and lose yourself in the religion section. There are many great commentaries and it is helpful to read and compare, and it is a great discovery to see what each biblical book has to offer on its own terms. Then you might see how superficial Watchtower publications are on the most part...and how much there is yet to learn. I have been reading this stuff for 20 years and I feel like I've only just started.

jonathan dough

If you live near a university, go to the library and lose yourself in the religion section. There are many great commentaries and it is helpful to read and compare, and it is a great discovery to see what each biblical book has to offer on its own terms. Then you might see how superficial Watchtower publications are on the most part...and how much there is yet to learn. I have been reading this stuff for 20 years and I feel like I've only just started.

Amen.

Black Sheep

If you are a real cheapskate like me you can read the NIV online. There are others available too.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1&version=NIV

glenster

The public library interlibrary loan system is free, too.

There are some free Internet Bibles, etc., at the next link:
http://www.freewebs.com/glenster1/gtjbrooklyn6b.htm

jamiebowers

Once you find an appropriate translation of the Bible, make sure to also check out additional writings by Judas, Mary and Thomas on Google.

delivered

Hi! I am new to the site. There is a book entitled, "Reasoning from the Scriptures with Jehovah's Witnesses", written by Ron Rhodes. It is reasonably priced at about $19.00 (paper back) and I believe it can be purchased online. I found it to be very helpful to me because it compares the Watchtower's interpretation (NWT, Watchtowers, etc.) to Christian Biblical interpretation.

My husband has recently been reunited and studying with the JW's. He was disfellowshipped several years before we married. I am very upset by his return, so I have decided to study on my own what he's being taught (as he reads soooooo many of the WT's publications). I am a born again Christian for many years. Also, Ron Rhodes' book has helped fortify what I know to be true. Although I've shared the truth with my husband, he's closed minded and very focused on being a good JW right now. I realize that I'm in for a ride; so, I prayerfully wait for the Lord to deliver him from this cult.

However, by reading your bible, and using biblical commentaries, concordances and dictionaries along with prayer and patience, you'll experience the love, peace and joy that true knowledge can bring.

God Bless.

betterdaze

http://www.studylight.org/

Interlinears, Parallels, Commentaries, Concordances, Lexicons, etc. plus a whole lot more... for free!

~Sue

JosephMalik

CL,

You are getting good advice and if you want to look at information specifically written for JW's you can download the material at:

http://home.earthlink.net/~jmalik/ Click on the pictures to get to the download section. Hope something there helps.

Joseph

cantleave

Thanks everyone. This exercise is more for my wife than for me, but saying that it will be a really interesting excercise. I would like to undertake a really objective comparison, I know to do that a comparison of other religious texts not just the bible should be made, but she isn't ready to demolish her belief that the bible is gods word.

Chalam (Stephen), I intend to take this seriously if only to show support for my wife, and will ask for the guidance of the spirit. I am not sure whether I can build a faith to the extent that you have, I do read your posts and recognise a sincerity of heart in you which I used to have as a witness. There is a part of me that recognises a spiritual need but how that is satisfied I don't know. Your prayers would be appreciated.

wobble

Dear Cantleave,

You have received great advice above, especially about the on-line stuff that is available, it really is a doddle now to "study" , and to compare renderings of particular verses etc. The W.t made it a pain and a chore as they do everything.

I have not had time to re-read the whole thread but would like to add a bit from my own experience.

Firstly the Bible I use most is the Contempory English Version (English edition- they do an American one for those over the pond who cannot comprehend English ) I use this for day to day reading, it is not perfect, which translation is ? but I think it is honest.

As a previous poster said, throw away the NWT, not yet perhaps, but you will use it less and less, and you will have to check it if you do use it, it is SO dishonest. (I only use the NWT Concordance now to find a verse, coz after so many years in I remember the NWT rendering, even if it is crap !)

The commentary series I have used for years is called the Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, published by Inter-Varsity Press. These are available on Amazon quite cheap.

I used them extensively, along with some others when I was an active Dub. of course I read them with WT goggles on, and filtered out a lot of stuff, but when I left a young Bro. wrote me a lovely letter which said in part that he felt I was the only one at the Hall who really knew what the Bible was about !

That was due to reading commentaries ,as well as the Bible in many translations, I always liked to be ahead of the game !

As to praying for the Spirit to guide you, please ,please do ! you will be amazed at the result, I was !

I got to feeling that I was not sure of anything, even if God existed, or if He did that He was interested in me, but I prayed in faith and BANG the answers to so many questions just fell out of the page at me !

O.K , I still have big questions, I still have a very small faith, hanging on by a thread, but what have you got to lose by trying out the strength of the Spirit ?

I wish you and your good lady all the best on your journey,

Much love, and hope to share a pint with you soon ! (share ? I don't share my beer !)

Love

Wobble

p.s I have just been quaffing some Brakspear Triple , 7.2% lovely stuff !

Bible Research help needed.

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