I think so too, especially for someone just starting their journey with God’s Word! The goal for a beginner is to fall in love with Scripture and build a consistent reading habit - and the NLT does that beautifully. Once someone is comfortable and hungry for more depth, they can always pick up an ESV or NIV alongside it for comparison.
You can always grow into deeper study tools later! Amen.
The Good News Bible came to me through answered prayer during one of my darkest moments. I couldn’t make sense of the KJV after years away from Scripture, and this was something I could actually understand.
Has anyone else felt like God guided them to a specific translation?
The CEV worked really well for me when I was starting out. The NIV became my go-to after that.
The best Bible is just the one you’ll actually open and read. Don’t overthink it just get started (I really like that YouTube suggestion) and you can decide if you need to change to a different one from there.
The RSV-2CE is terrible for beginners… and I love it anyway.
I would make sure it actually has all 73 books. A lot of protestant versions only give you 66, which means you’re missing chunks right out of the gate (unless that is what you are looking for, of course).
The RSV-2CE is my personal favorite for accuracy, but it’s not an easy read. A study Bible might actually be your best bet since they break things down in plainer language. Just know that every study Bible comes with its own slant, there’s no getting around that part.
A lot of people find ESV and NKJV really accessible, but if you want to stick with the original KJV, a study Bible helps since it explains those archaic words that can trip you up, especially in Genesis through Deuteronomy.