With all due respect to everyone involved go to your local college which teaches Koine, and learn to read the New Testament in its original (or near original) language. You will better understand the text as received translated into English.
With this motivation, then study Ancient Hebrew.
Good luck in your journey.
I wish we all had time to study Koine and Hebrew and Aramaic.
In the meantime I would recommend people buy the RSV2CE (especially the Ignatius Study Bible New Testament coming out in May), the RSV2CE Concordance (Emmaus Road Press), and a copy of Dom Orchard’s Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (IIRC). Fuller’s (?) later edition is good too.
That’s a good start.
I’ve been thinking on doing that myself, particularly the Hebrew part. I don’t know why, I just know I would love to learn Hebrew. My question is, if all I’m planning on doing is reading Scriptures, can I learn it on-line? I mean, do I need to be able to pronounce it? I’ve found a few good sources for modern Hebrew, would it help any or would I be wasting my time? Thanks
Sure, Tom Paine, I’m with you on the importance of learning the biblical languages, but very few people today have the time, temperament, and aptitude for that.
So, with all due respect, your comment doesn’t really address the vast majority of people who want to more deeply study and understand God’s written word. That’s why I recommended those Scripture-study resources in the first place.