I’ve been doing a lot of listening to the bible (NIV….yes, I know… ‘Nearly Inspired Version’) during my drive time as well as at work. Sometimes, the NIV’s plain ‘average’ rendering of the text into basic english and storybook format is helpful in understanding what’s going on. Most of the passages I hear, I also have memorized or semi-memorized in NKJV.
So I’m wondering…..how good is ‘just listening’ as a tool for some of you (provided you have audio Bibles) ? I know for me personally, there’s something about having the actual text there. Even though I do occassionally rewind the iPod to hear certain things over and over again, there’s nothing like having the text there and wrestling with it directly.
So I asketh…. do audio bibles help you ? have they been helpful.
Toss me some feedback in the comments section.
Yes, that means YOU. Leave a comment. 
Please.
Redeemed [Visitor]
Listening is beneficial, but there’s no substitute for reading. More mental energy is expended in the active reading of a book as opposed to the listening to it or the watching it on TV.
Audio Bibles are beneficial, but reading is a greater disicipline that yields longer lasting results in the long run.
I believe this is addressed in the book “Amusing ourselves to death”.
William L Pershing [Visitor]
You are a teacher. Depending on your learning style listening maybe a better way for you to absorb the word. Since I have switched to the ESV translation. I have found myself absobing scripture much quicker.
Dan [Visitor]
I’ve been listening to sermons on my iPod as I run each day, and most of the time I have found that to be very worthwhile. Although there are days like today, where I had to shut it off because my mind was elsewhere.
I don’t think that there is any substitute for reading since it requires your full attention, but when reading isn’t possible, I think that listening works as long as you’re paying attention. There have been people in history who’s only contact with the word was audio.