What Will Make It Interesting?

Boring? Or refreshing? What will Bible reading be for you? Much depends on how you approach your reading. Let us take a look at what you can do to increase your interest and enjoyment.

Select a reliable, modern-language translation. If you read material that contains a great many difficult or out-of-date words that you do not know, you are not likely to enjoy reading it. So look for a Bible that uses easy-to-understand language that will touch your heart. At the same time, though, it should be carefully and accurately translated.a

Use modern technology. Today the Bible is available not only as a bound, printed book but also as a digital book. Some Bibles can be read online or downloaded for personal reading on computers, tablets, or cell phones. Certain versions include additional tools that allow you quickly to check other Bible verses on the same topic or even compare several translations. If you prefer to listen rather than to read, the Bible is also available in recorded form. Many people enjoy listening while they commute by public transportation, do laundry, or engage in some other activity that permits listening. Why not try a method that suits you?

Use Bible study tools. Bible study tools can help you get much more out of your reading. There are maps of the Bible lands, which will help you locate places you encounter in your reading and put events in perspective. Articles such as those in this magazine or in the “Bible Teachings” section of the jw.org website can help you explore the meaning of many parts of the Bible.

Vary your approach. If reading the Bible from cover to cover seems daunting, why not stimulate your interest by starting with a portion that especially appeals to you? If you want to find out about famous people in the Bible, you could try character-based reading. A sample of that approach is included in the accompanying box “Dig Into the Bible by Getting to Know Its People.” Or maybe you want to read the Bible by topic or by the order in which events occurred. Why not try one of these approaches?