Check out the Revised Standard Edition, and particularly the "newer" books of Maccabees, Esdras and Sirach. These are also known as the Apocrypha, a collection of books that many Bible translations considered more than necessary for their purposes. They are quite interesting. I've found an incredibly exciting close friend that talks to me verbally...Jesus Christ. Interfaith.org has an incredible collection of the texts online at no charge. Extra information that truly is transformational.