Yesterday on the radio program Greg suggested the idea of reading the Bible at times without the chapters and verses, as they were originally written, to get a better sense for the entire context and original style of the writings. The chapters and verses can put mental barriers in our way, forcing us to break down the text into those units, and that can prevent us from getting a good sense of the flow of the entire text. Sometimes we stop reading at a chapter or verse when the actual context of the thought extends beyond it.
But it can be laborious to take out the chapter and verse numbers. So I was excited when Justin Taylor pointed me to this feature for the ESV online Bible to turn the chapters and verses on and off so you can do what Greg suggested very easily. Very cool.
Update: Bible Gateway has an option to do this, too, under page options after you've searched for a passage. And there are many translations available.
That's great. I have several of the NT letters re-typed for myself where I have removed the chapters and verses.
I'll have to check out the ESV version. That's great!
Posted by: Shawn White | January 10, 2011 at 08:19 AM
Yay! I love the ESV.
Posted by: laurie | January 10, 2011 at 08:44 AM
The greatest method I've discovered recently is that of listening to the Bible as an audiobook, particularly if I listen to a whole Gospel or Epistle whilst out on a long walk...
Posted by: Paul Rodden | January 10, 2011 at 09:35 AM
If anyone is interested, there is an open-source, free bible study software package for Windows and Linux called Xiphos, which also allows you to turn the chapters and verses off, in addition to many other useful features.
www.xiphos.org
Posted by: Eric P. | January 10, 2011 at 11:53 AM
Are any of the above available as an app for an andriod phone?
Posted by: Brad B | January 10, 2011 at 01:43 PM
Does anyone know of any printed editions like this?
Posted by: anair | January 11, 2011 at 10:35 AM
We should petition ESV for a chapter-and-verse(and headings; I can't stand headings)-less print edition!
Posted by: CMM | January 12, 2011 at 01:01 PM
there is a bible without chapters and verses you can buy called - the books of the bible
Posted by: Dom | January 13, 2011 at 11:31 AM