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Audio Bibles

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Pine_Island_Mrs

New Member
I'm seriously considering purchasing an audio Bible and I need lots of opinions about the best one to get. I use NIV (and others also to compare) but I find NIV easier to read. I used to have a great memory but have had several serious surgeries that have affected my short term memory and reading comprehension ability. I was thinking that maybe hearing the Word of God would help me absorb info. What do you think? I've read reviews on the Zondervan Audio Bible that stated the "actors" were flat and boring. Anyone heard of the Complete Listener's Bible? Is it NIV, KJV or what? Any advise or info would be appreciated thanks.
 
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Phillip

<b>Moderator</b>
Here is my opinion of audio Bibles. They are good to listen to the Word of God when reading might be difficult, or when you are too tired to read. . . or driving, or like your case.

Yes, if you have short term memory problems, I would recommend the NIV since it is easier to understand.

What you need is not necessarily actors or someone with a heavy accent (trying to sound like a formal reading). You also want one that is read slow enough to comprehend.

I have the entire Bible on cassette tape and the major problem (its KJV) is the guy reads so fast to keep the number of tapes low that it is hard to stay up with him.

I don't think boring should be a criteria. If you love God's Word, you will enjoy it anyway.

I would go to their website and see if they have some sample readings. Listen to them and decide for yourself and see what you think. Audio Bibles, especially the NIV can be somewhat expensive because of not only the cost of hiring readers, but for copyright fees.

If you do not mind some other translations, there are some in the public domain (free).

I will try to do some research for you and post it here so that all can see--if they are interested.
 
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Pine_Island_Mrs

New Member
Thanks for the quick response, Phillip. I'm very much interested in your research on the matter. I will continue to do the same also. Already I've learned something from you. It never occurred to me that they'd be reading fast. The ones I looked at were on CD's. Wouldn't it be hard to quickly note chapter and verse? Say if I was driving and heard something special. How would I be able to find it again?
 
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Phillip

<b>Moderator</b>
I honestly don't know. Maybe someone who uses CD's can answer that. Mine are tapes and since I am an investigator, so I always have a notebook and pen in my car (I know, I know, be careful when writing and driving)...just jot down a note of where the disk counter is (time, etc.) Or Book, chapter and verse.

The ones I have heard say: John Chapter one, verse one. Then later: Verse 2 or just 2. If you were to know what book you were listening to you could write it down before you start and then just write the chapter down and the verse. If you don't get the verse, it wouldn't take much to read a single chapter to find what you were looking for.

If you are using standard CD's and not MP3 compressed files, each CD is only 80 or 90 minutes in length, so finding the verse should not be too hard, but that's easier said than done. If your cd has a track number and timer, write those down as your reference.

If you are listening while sitting at home, then writing should not be a problem. You might even consider following along in a Bible. I think that using two senses (ears and eyes) will help you remember better. But, this may be difficult depending on your own situation.

CD's are better than tapes because, unless they are scratched badly or are broken, they will last longer. Tapes have a way of demagnetizing over time, and getting more noise.

They can also be ruined quite easily if a tape deck should pull the tape out and wrinkle it or you leave the tape in a hot car where it stretches and/or make it brittle.

With CD's only take one out at a time and place it in your machine, making absolutely sure you don't lay it on top of a CD already in the machine. I have ruined CDs because I wasn't watching and put a CD on top of another one and when the bottom one would spin, it would scratch the top one.

I don't know if you wanted all of this info, but thought it might help someone here.

I notice that you are SBC. You might want to try the Holman Christian Standard Bible. It is very much like the NIV in readability, but it is said to be a little more literal on the translation. I know it is very easy to understand and I just love reading in it. It is a good Bible not only for SBC, just because it is printed by Holman.

I have read much of it and don't see any particular doctrinal bias that is added or subtracted in comparison with other translations.

I know they have an audio version because I tried to get the rights to record one for them and they already had it done. (Just call me a jack of all trades, I was a DJ in college and now also run a Christian FM radio station out of my house.)

You have to get permission to tape a copyrighted Bible and pay royalties on each one sold.
 
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Marathon Man

New Member
IMHO, the best audio Bible available in the NIV is the Listener's Bible. Max McLean is superb.

It's also just been released in the ESV, for anyone who's interested (I realize it has been out in the NT for a while, but now the OT is also available).
 
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Phillip

<b>Moderator</b>
Marathon Man, Do you know if it is available to listen to a sample on the internet? I haven't done a search yet, but I thought you might have the address.

I would really like to have the ESV on audio.
 
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EaglewingIS4031

New Member
I heard some of Johny Cash Reading the NKJV (I think it was the NKJV)a few years ago. I would lIke to by the whole set. Of what I heard I thought he did a good job. What say you?
 
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Marathon Man

New Member
Originally posted by Phillip:
Marathon Man, Do you know if it is available to listen to a sample on the internet? I haven't done a search yet, but I thought you might have the address.

I would really like to have the ESV on audio.
Click to expand...
Not sure, but if you go to Max McLean's website, I think it's listenerbible.com, they might have a sample. I do know they carry the entire Bible for sale on their website (that's how I found it).

Right now, I'm pretty sure this is the only game in town for the entire ESV on audio.
 
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Rich_UK

<img src =/6181.jpg>
I just purchased the zondervan Dramatized NIV. It comes on 64 CD's. I love it.
I have an attrac 3 CD player, so have already compressed the entire new testament onto one cd. (Thats 16 cd's onto 1) ..... I really think its the best audio bible out there. The multi voice and subtle music is fine and doesn't distract at all from the text. This bible, IMO, is the best audio bible out there for those who like the NIV.
 
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Phillip

<b>Moderator</b>
The accent is part of the "acting" portion of the reading. It is like reading poetry. Unless you are really "into" it and listen to experts read their poetry, you can never understand exactly what they are getting out of this.

Professional readers view themselves this way and there are even contests and awards given for professional reading, very much like acting.

I listened to several of the Bibles on the site you mentioned and although they were all good, sometimes the "reading" got in the way of listening to the content. Speeding up and slowing down for instance, was quite annoying in Genesis chapter 1.

I think the accent is part of this "high-end reading".

They also always try to get someone with a very low voice, much like the disk jockeys of the 1960s. Little do people realize that most of those people got their deep voices from smoking tons of cigarettes (at least that was my observation while I was around radio).

Some have naturally deep voices. However, a voice that is too deep can also get in the way of listening. If you will notice a trend in radio today is not so much to "ANNOUNCE", but to "TALK" to the listener. Therefore, many announcers don't have such deep voices and actually have a high pitched voice (for men, that is) which, in my view can sometimes help a person LISTEN to what is being read, rather than focusing on the READER.

Now, James Earl Jones has the most beautiful and resonant voice I have EVER heard. Unlike many of the others his voice is so naturally low, that his reading is great.

I know he has read some versions (I believe the NKJV), you might want to try his.
 
TC

TC

Active Member
Site Supporter
I like the Alexander Scourby KJV, but I don't think he reads any other versions.
 
Ziggy

Ziggy

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
tc: "I like the Alexander Scourby KJV, but I don't think he reads any other versions."

Scourby also had recorded the entire RSV (1959), both OT and NT. That version used to be distributed by the American Bible Society on 16-2/3rpm phonodiscs (of which I have some, but can't play them anymore). So far as I know, his RSV recordings have never been released either on tape or CD, which is a pity.
 
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Phillip

<b>Moderator</b>
Is the Alexander Scourby KJV in the public domain?

It seems like I heard that it was.

If so, it would be one of the very few audio Bibles that is.
 
Ziggy

Ziggy

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Philip: "Is the Alexander Scourby KJV in the public domain? It seems like I heard that it was."

It must be, since everybody and their brother seems to be marketing it, either on tape, CD, or for sale on the internet, without any mention of copyright or royalties paid to the American Bible Society or the estate of Scourby. I read somewhere that there was a "lack of copyright" issue involving audio recordings made before the 1960s, but someone better informed than I needs to speak to that.

I really would like to see mp3s of Scourby's reading (either KJV or RSV) made publicly available for download on the internet. Seems that if such indeed are public domain, that this could be done.
 
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EaglewingIS4031

New Member
Today was driving around 2 p.m., the local christian radio station played Hebrews chs.5-9 from the Dramitized NIV. I loved it, it was better than listening to some "Jesus is my Boyfriend" song on the CCM station. And I don't even care much for the NIV.
&lt;&gt;&lt;
Eaglewing
 
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Rich_UK

<img src =/6181.jpg>
Eagleswing its really good. I paid £135...(Around $200) for it, which is quite expensive, but its really a blessing. Everythings more expensive here :rolleyes: but I don't mind when its gonna bless me for years.
 
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Phillip

<b>Moderator</b>
"Jesus is my boyfriend?" haha I own a local Contemporary Christian Station, although we are quite picky about what is aired, but this one takes the cake.

Regarding MP3's on the internet. Well, I've got a reseller server leased that has about 12 domains on it, I'll check into the legality of Scourby and see what we can do.

I certainly want to make sure it is in the public domain. I've worked too many patent infringement and copyright infringement cases to have one aimed at me. :eek:
 
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EaglewingIS4031

New Member
"Jesus is my boyfriend songs" is my personal term for CCM music that is weak on doctrine and praise or worship. alot of these songs could be secular if they just changed Jesus' name to something else.

I enjoy CCM when it is good. I also like Southern Gospel when its not all about "streets of gold."
Any way this is a topic for another thread.
 
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