Listening to the Bible vs Reading It

[PrincessLDG]

Is it bad listening to the Bible and better reading it? I am talking about something like an audiobook. I can read the Bible, but sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and read. I enjoy listening to it though. Also, every day I actually read a daily Bible verse before listening to an audio recording. Am I being lazy? I have a goal to get through all of the Psalms and Proverbs this year.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

Sounds good, I love to listen while working in the kitchen.

 

[Gregorikos]

For the first 1500 years of the church, the spoken word was all most Christians ever got. Before that time, all Bibles were written out by hand, and were prohibitively expensive. Few people could own one.

I think you should read it too, but by all means listen to it. And the entire Bible can be listned to in about 70 hours. You might want to set your goal a little higher.

 

[St_Worm2]

I do both @PrincessLDG, as I often get different things from the text when I hear it (perhaps from the inflection of the speaker's voice, etc.). I rarely listen when I am studying a short passage, but having an audio Bible for listening through entire Books, and of course then, through the entire Bible, is a GREAT blessing IMHO

When I listen, I keep pen and paper nearby in case I want to remind myself to go back and look something up later.

God bless you in your study of His word (whether you are reading it or hearing it)!!

--David

Psalm 1
1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.​

 

[PrincessLDG]

For the first 1500 years of the church, the spoken word was all most Christians ever got. Before that time, all Bibles were written out by hand, and were prohibitively expensive. Few people could own one.

I think you should read it too, but by all means listen to it. And the entire Bible can be listned to in about 70 hours. You might want to set your goal a little higher.

70 hours? That's interesting! I did not know that.

 

[pescador]

Is it bad listening to the Bible and better reading it? I am talking about something like an audiobook. I can read the Bible, but sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and read. I enjoy listening to it though. Also, every day I actually read a daily Bible verse before listening to an audio recording. Am I being lazy? I have a goal to get through all of the Psalms and Proverbs this year.

There is no "better" IMHO. Listening to the Bible will give you a different experience than reading it. They are both valid ways of absorbing the Word of God. I also suggest that you read/listen to different translations as (of course) none of them are in the original languages of Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek.

 

[Gregorikos]

70 hours? That's interesting! I did not know that.

I know, it's shocking! Because the Bible seems like such a big book that is so hard for people to read completely. But it's really not- I read it cover to cover in 40 days one time, reading a couple of hours per day.

 

[PrincessLDG]

There is no "better" IMHO. Listening to the Bible will give you a different experience than reading it. They are both valid ways of absorbing the Word of God. I also suggest that you read/listen to different translations as (of course) none of them are in the original languages of Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek.

I have two translations of the Bible: The KJV and the NIV. Sometimes the King James Version can be tricky to understand due to the old English, so I have the NIV to help me make sense of some things.

 

[ImAllLikeOkWaitWat]

Comprehension is the same for listening and reading so no it's not bad to listen to it.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Is it bad listening to the Bible and better reading it? I am talking about something like an audiobook. I can read the Bible, but sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and read. I enjoy listening to it though. Also, every day I actually read a daily Bible verse before listening to an audio recording. Am I being lazy? I have a goal to get through all of the Psalms and Proverbs this year.

I'm a big fan of listening too the Bible. The audio function of Bible gateway is great (you can hear the Bible in both NIV or KJV).

I had problems for 5 years being able to upgrade my glasses for reading, because it made my long distance vision worse for driving. So reading was a real chore etc.

But there is so much stuff you can learn from just listening too the bible, especially in the background when you do other tasks, or maybe even play computer games etc. You can learn stuff you would normally not realize, because many things get highlighted, and people often get in the habit of just reading topical proof text verses that they often miss other important ones that give context, or other kind of insight. I actually just posted a thread a few days ago about that, that was originally inspired by something I noticed from listening to the Bible a few years back.


Moses was right the first time (killing the Egyptian)

 

[Sabertooth]

Both are good. Also, people have different learning styles, so one might resonate with you better than the other. But God blesses both.

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit,
"He will teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." John 14:26 NKJV

Further, Scripture-laced praise & worship music is a great way to memorize Bible verses!
(Maranatha! Singers have many such songs.)

 

[chevyontheriver]

Is it bad listening to the Bible and better reading it? I am talking about something like an audiobook. I can read the Bible, but sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and read. I enjoy listening to it though. Also, every day I actually read a daily Bible verse before listening to an audio recording. Am I being lazy? I have a goal to get through all of the Psalms and Proverbs this year.

Faith comes by hearing.

For most of history most people HEARD Scripture read to them rather than reading it themselves. You are in good company with most Christians over the centuries who HEARD Scripture but may not have been able to read or had their own Bibles.

 

[Sophrosyne]

I've read the Bible a few times and got hooked on a Bible study program on TV and have watched/listened through the bible several times in 27 minute chunks I record on my DVR. I've got to where I listen to the show instead of watch it and I do pick up more and more even the third and fourth times through. I also find reading and participating in discussions/debates over the years has helped me learn more and more. I think that reading and listening and watching even if you could smell and taste scripture are all good ways to absorb God's word.

 

[dunricky]

With my schedule I tend to have more time reading at night. Then in the morning on my way to work I like to listen to the same passage I read. I catch things both methods that I didn’t catch in the other. There is nothing wrong with either.

 

[xaris]

It's a tie!

Luke 11:28 (KJV) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Revelation 1:3 (KJV) Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

The important thing is...

Psalm 119:11 (KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 

[GOD Shines Forth!]

Is it bad listening to the Bible and better reading it? I am talking about something like an audiobook. I can read the Bible, but sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and read. I enjoy listening to it though. Also, every day I actually read a daily Bible verse before listening to an audio recording. Am I being lazy? I have a goal to get through all of the Psalms and Proverbs this year.

I am a BIG believer in listening to the Scriptures. I get so much out of it, and absorb so much of God's Word that way.

 

[Sketcher]

Is it bad listening to the Bible and better reading it? I am talking about something like an audiobook. I can read the Bible, but sometimes it can be hard to just sit down and read. I enjoy listening to it though. Also, every day I actually read a daily Bible verse before listening to an audio recording. Am I being lazy? I have a goal to get through all of the Psalms and Proverbs this year.

Whatever helps you best with comprehension and retention.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

There is no "better" IMHO. Listening to the Bible will give you a different experience than reading it. They are both valid ways of absorbing the Word of God. I also suggest that you read/listen to different translations as (of course) none of them are in the original languages of Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek.

https://www.koinegreek.com/

Koine Greek is not a dead language!

 

[elytron]

I enjoy listening to the Bible and reading at the same time in sync. For some reason I prefer the NKJV

 

[sunshineforJesus]

As long as you are getting the word in,I dont think it matters how you do it.