I had to resort to an audiobook to make it through the New Testament, but it worked. While the reader was a bit dramatic, he helped keep people separate and gave appropriate emphasis in the correct places. I chose this translation because I had heard it was the most "scholarly" and it seemed to be pretty legitimate.

As for the New Testament itself, it was interesting to compare the actual writing to what preachers and conservative Christians think the Bible actually says. The strongest impression is found in the four gospels, where Jesus consistently preaches about love for all and getting along with one another. There's no hate, but lots of emphasis on not judging other people. It's sad how distorted this message becomes when in the mouths of the wrong people. Once you get into the letters of Paul and so forth, more of the judgmental ideas start to surface. But if you focus on what Jesus says, it's really all about loving each other.

I think this needs several listens to really understand, so I look forward to going through it again at some point in the future. ( )