Growing up, I remember pastors championing the King James Version of the Bible as the only reliable translation.  It is, indeed, exceptional—and, even for a hyperintelligent Übermensch like yours portly, exceptionally difficult to read.  I now primarily use the New King James Version, which retains the KJV’s accuracy, while updating the syntax and language for modern readers.

That said, the NKJV still loses some of the poetry of the KJV.  Christianity is a reading religion, but it’s also a spoken one, and like all poetry, the Bible is meant to be read aloud.  Not many of us do it well.  When it’s done right, however, it pierces our souls.

Audre Myers graciously wrote this beautiful piece about the recorded King James Version, available on YouTube.  Actor Alexander Scourby reads the entire Bible, and from the videos I’ve listened to so far, it’s gorgeous.

I have to make a little confession; I have gotten to the age where I don’t read much anymore. I haven’t got the patience and honestly, books today seem to have smaller print than they used and not all books we might be interested in come in large print. But! Look what I found!

I highly recommend a gem on YouTube – the actor Alexander Scourby reading the King James Bible; book by book! He has a wonderful voice, exceedingly easy on the ears and he’s quite a voice actor. Without seeming or sounding ridiculous, you can hear the different voices of the characters in the text. Don’t be put off by the ‘thee’s and ‘thou’s and ‘eth’s of the King James – you fall right into the cadence and meaning as you’re listening.

I have a habit of playing games when I listen to long videos – idle hands are the devil’s workshop and we can’t have any of that, can we? The games I play are as simple as I am and really require no brain power to succeed so what I listen to truly has my undivided attention. So for me, it’s a win/win situation – I’m in the Word and my hands are busy!

The five shortest books of the Bible are 3 John, 2 John, Philemon, Obadiah, and Jude. On the off chance you’re not up for the Old Testament right away, I chose 3 John for you to listen to. It’s too short to get a real feel for Scourby’s reading but you get the impression of it. I have to laugh … I enjoyed the last couple of sentences the most – an Apostle getting righteous, lol!

Oh! Forgot to mention! For those of you who prefer to read along, the video displays the text Scourby is reading and so you can be more fully immersed. It’s a wonderful way to spend some time in the Good Book. Enjoy!