just my two cents.

I think for a new believer, a paraphrase like the living bible, or even the message, is good. Keep in mind it is not technically a translation and it does not have the scholarly chops of an NIV or NASB or ESV ... but the liviving bible is easy to read and gives you a good overall easy to digest picture.

From there its good to use several, or different ones. NIV, NASB, ESV ... and there are computer programs you can get free that have dozens of translations. :)