The Bible Online
Finding The Holy Book on the Internet
The internet can be a great blessing, but with all the information out there, a lot of it is bad or misleading. This is especially true with the study of the Bible and religion online. Finding good translations of the Bible on the internet can be frustrating because the internet is filled with both accurate and less accurate translations.
First, we want to examine what to look for when searching for an actual Bible online, because that is what a lot of people are looking for. Two great examples of online Bibles are the King James Version and the Douay-Rheims. These translations are both over 400 years old and in the public domain. Thus, any website can put them up and they've endured the test of time.
You can find other examples of online translations, including The Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible. These are newer translations, which doesn't make them better or worse. In fact, both of the previous examples are excellent.
The best way to pick a Bible online is to examine its source. Is it associated with a genuine and orthodox Christian Church or has it been translated by a suspect group? If in doubt, check the scholarly credentials of the translators. Any Bible that hides the names of its translators may be unreliable, since very few people are competent in ancient Greek and Hebrew.
Another factor to consider when looking for an online Bible is the notes that may be included with that Bible. Anyone can take a public domain translation and add their own notes. As always, be careful, since the person could have no training. It's best to read study notes that come from a competent scholar or a person trusted by the Church.
Thus, when looking for an online Bible, it's important to do your research. We have included a few links to sites that we find helpful and sound.
Revised Standard Version Bible
Bible Gateway (includes multiple trusted translations)
Crosswalk Multiple Translations (includes multiple trusted translations)