Is there a Bible with no verses, chapters or headings?

Pat Flanakin said:

Certainly.  In any Bible, you can click on the visual filters options and select "Bible Text Only."  Should work for any version.

It still has chapter and verse numbers in that mode, and the verses are separated.

Todd Phillips said:

Your picture trumps my speed.

Well, that and I had to boot up the windows 7 VM that runs L4 to check and make sure I was remembering correctly. 

Daniel R. Smith said:

Jacob, my method is very similar to yours. I will put the verses in MS Word like you, but then I will go through the text document and determine the paragraph separations. I started doing this when I realized that the different transations started and stopped paragraphs differently. Since I like to study at the paragraph level, I did some personal education of what constitutes a paragraph.

It would be nice to be able to have a filter that allowed us to form our own paragraphs and pericopes in the L4 itself!

Just remember the paragraph breaks are not inspired and at times are interpretive decisions.

When I study scripture I take out all the verses and chapters and paragraphs so the text is plain and then begins the work of study.

Here is the method I use most of the time. Some parts of scripture like Psalms and Proverbs I don’t treat this way. In my method I am studying a whole letter or book. For longer books I modify this method some.

1)      Make 2  plain texts (2 copies of the same text being studied) no verse chapters or paragraphs

2)      Read the text (book, letter) through 4 times and each time ask a different question

a.       What’s the mood

b.      Who are the recipients

c.       What is the stated or implied reason for the letter or book

d.      What is the theme

e.      What’s the occasion

f.        Ect.

3)      Use some bible dictionaries or Encyclopedias to see what they say concerning the questions I asked above as well  as date, historical background, ect and reevaluate my conclusions (never assuming the dictionaries are always right about everything or I am always right in my conclusions but reading and reasoning through what others say)

4)      Reread the text and decide where I believe the paragraph divisions are

5)      Compare my paragraph divisions with 3 or 4 translations and reevaluate mine (again never just assuming the translations are always right or that a majority are or assuming I am always right)

6)      Sum up what is contained in each paragraph in a short sentence

7)      Use that summed up sentence to create a basic outline

8)      Take my second blank text and circle any words that are key to the sentence or paragraph or words that I don’t know the meaning of.

9)      Do a word study on all the circled words.

10)   Write a basic commentary on my findings and thoughts on what I believe the text is saying and what it means.

11)   Reading a few commentaries to see what they have to say

12)   Reevaluating my conclusions and thoughts (once again never assuming that commenters are always right or that I am always right or that a majority must be right but thinking and reasoning through things)

13)   Make my final commentary

This can be a long process but I find it is a very fruitful one. I will post a few pictures when I go down stairs to my office after I finish my tea.

Dan DeVilder said:

okay, how does copy command get rid of all the verse numbers in word?

The bible text only formatting option in the bible copy utility removes them.

MJ. Smith said:

Looking at text verse by verse can result in a portion of a sentence being treated as a complete unit which can result in misunderstandings. Chapters share the same arbitrariness - they may or may not represent a reasonable pericope boundary. Again partial units can lead to improper interpretation.

Kevin Becker said:

The downside for verses is that
they can isolate a thought from its context; an isolated thought can be
misinterpreted very easily.

[quote
user="Kevin Becker"]

Does this sentence go at the end of that
paragraph or the beginning of the next? it can make a difference for
interpretation.

Ok, it seems I am getting the same idea of responses here. 

It seems there are two types of problems that could occur.  There are misunderstandings and misinterpretations.  Let me define a misunderstanding as compared to a misinterpretation.  A misunderstanding is passive.  A misunderstanding would be a  small twisting of meaning.  A misinterpretation is active.  It is taking something as written and really screwing up the meaning.  I just do not see these problems myself in reading scripture with or without the verses and paragraphs or "parts" divided up.  Maybe one or both of you might provide some examples and show how each example was either a misunderstanding or a misinterpretation?

I have considered my last question and see how it would be against policy of the forum.  Please send the examples to  my email account.  Myemailaddressisluvmath03ATyahooDOTcom.

William

Hi Ron,

I found one.  It's the American Standard Version.  No verses.  Here are some links if you're interested:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/bks/2204294591.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983279500?ie=UTF8&seller=A3HJAYQMT8RK9M&sn=Magnanimous%20Enterprises

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983279519?ie=UTF8&seller=A3HJAYQMT8RK9M&sn=Magnanimous%20Enterprises

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983279527?ie=UTF8&seller=A3HJAYQMT8RK9M&sn=Magnanimous%20Enterprises

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983279535?ie=UTF8&seller=A3HJAYQMT8RK9M&sn=Magnanimous%20Enterprises

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0983279543?ie=UTF8&seller=A3HJAYQMT8RK9M&sn=Magnanimous%20Enterprises

Annie

Ted Weis said:

The other interesting thing I'm noticing among the comments is that many of you still do your Bible study with some sort of pen and paper. I'd be interested to know, for what reason do you not complete your study entirely electronic?

I like to underline and circle words that I want to do word studies on, I like to add questions and notes quickly on the paper. I sometimes draw lines between things that connect, ect. I find trying to do these things on the computer are either difficult or impossible for me. Also I find I retain things better when I read and write them out. I sometimes will even write out the biblical text by hand (If it’s not too long of a passage) just to get as many senses as possible involved.

See my screen captures and scans above.

Robert M. Warren said:

If one were to purchase a print Bible that didn't have chapters and verses, should that edition have page numbering?

Not if it were printed on a scroll. [:)]

Ronald Quick said:

I was just wondering if anyone knew of a Bible, preferably in Logos, that did not display the verses, chapters and section headings?

Thanks

Ron

Easy,  if you have smart tags, but not in Logos. Install smart tags http://wiki.logos.com/Smart_Tags  then just type the reference you want to read in your word processor and select 'replace with passage'.

There is a way to remove verse numbers and chapters: Tools -> Copy Bible Verses -> Enter Bible Verse (or the name of the Book ex. Nahum) -> Choose from Options in the Blue Font (Copy from “Bible Text Only” from “ESV” to “Microsoft Word”) -> Open up a blank Microsoft Word document (or a blank document of your choice) -> Click “Copy and Paste” ->View your blank document which should now have your preferred verses or book pasted to it.  Stay blessed.

I've got the entire New Testament of the ESV version in a Word document formatted without verses and chapters in the text. I hope to do the same to the Old Testament one of these days. I sent the text file off to an on-demand publisher and they sent me back a hardcover New Testament that reads like a regular book.

It was a fun project to do, and reading the Bible that way was a lot easier, I think. I searched long and hard for a print Bible that did the same thing, but couldn't find any I was happy with. So I made my own.

I'm not sure whether this is legal or anything, but if it is I can post the Word file here and others can make a PPB of it. I put chapter numbers in the side margins for navigation purposes, and these show up within the text when converted to a PBB, so they may need to be deleted first before compiling.

Jerry M said:

I did the same thing with the NASB, however I left the chapter markers in the text.  With a table of contents and the search window(added chapter milestones) I find it easier to navigate in.  I used a base text with paragraphs.  I agree it is much nicer to read without the clutter.  I would like to have a NT in ESV and NIV, but it took me about an entire day to do it.  I also converted the Word document to a pdf so I could read it on iPad.  About how long do you think your project took?

I'm a stickler for details, so the formatting had to be just right. Putting the chapter numbers in the margins (as opposed to in the text) took extra time too, as did getting it ready for "publication". All in all it took me about a month to do everything, from copying the text off the ESV website (you can change your setting there to take out the chapter and verse numbers) to formatting it and putting in the chapter numbers.

Here's Philippians in PDF form if you want to take a look at it: 8867.50 - Philippians.pdf

Jerry M said:

Your PDF looked really good.  I worked on mine over a period two days off and on, so I don't know for sure how many hours it took.  I have made about 200 personal books so I have streamlined the process where I could (I got the macro tool from here in the forums, thanks).  I copied about 8 chapters at a time.

Thanks!

What's the macro tool?

In the next few years I'd like to start making PBBs. Don't really have the time for it now. Would love to create my own library of classics in PBB form!

Greg,

Any chance of you posting the entire NT file? I've been looking for exactly that...that ESV is my prefered version.

" rel="nofollow">Keep Smiling 4 Jesus said:

 If want to see chapter and verse numbers, can check "Bible Text Only"

I think this highlights the problem with this option! I really does something quite different then what it says! 

I use another mac bible software program that does this with a simple click in the format box "Omit Entire Reference" (you can even make it the default). 

I can also highlight, take notes, search, etc... all while putting chapters and verses out of my head. 

In annotating I would LOVE to see the ability to tie words together with circled words and connecting lines... what an amazing, totally differentiating feature that would be!!! (and more complex/long term/requires-other-change to do then any currently planned feature out there right now!)

I would love to see this in uservoice as it seems I'm not one of few, but I'm a bit concerned for the state of real added features like this would be fighting against getting L4 up to L3 levels of functionality (e.g. GNT read aloud speed adjustment). 

I'm looking to buy a nasb bible preferrably wide margin that has chapter and verse headings laid out like the kjv but without any chapter and verse headings also without a concordance, referrences, maps, introductions, etc. Just straight text. Could you direct me to one. I have looked everywhere but havn't found one.

one preferably that is calfskin or goatskin or leather but yes a paper bible not digital