Every year I read a different version of the Bible, such as King James Version, NIV, etc. One year I enjoyed reading a Bible that had a word-for-word translation from English to Hebrew in the Old Testament and from Greek to English in the New Testament. I challenged myself to learn the Hebrew alphabet and I began to sound out words. It was especially fun when I found a word that I knew such as the names of people or "shalom." Another thing I enjoyed about that particular Bible is that the English words were printed directly above the Hebrew words, so I had to read the English from right to left, as Hebrew is read. Reading that Bible every day for a year reminded me to be thoughtful about how I understand words that were written in a different language and culture from mine. At the same time, reading the original words, as best I could, gave me a connection to people who wrote 3000 years ago.