James Davilla posted a link at PaleoJudaica to a free version of the Reformatted Soncino Babylonian Talmud. As Davilla notes, this version was translated and prepared for the Soncino Press in 1935 – 1948. These files are PDF so they can be read on a side variety of devices. I used the new Send To Kindle app from Amazon to send the first Tractate to my iPad Kindle App. Loading the files into a regular PDF reader allows for copy / paste of text.
The text is very readable and well-organized, with clear markers for sections (Berakoth 2b). I find the text more readable than many of the other versions of the Talmud available. Logos (for example) sells the Neusner translation, but the way the text is formatted is more difficult to read. The text is available at the Internet Sacred Text Archive, but these files are much easier to read. What is missing is an index or table of contents so you can go directly to a given section. These files include introductory material as well.
If you want to study the Talmud, I suggest buying the Koren edition or the Artscroll edition.
Thanks for the comment Matthew, and I wholeheartedly agree there are better editions available for serious study. And I always prefer real books to electronic formats (especially web-based books!) I do use the Neusner translation of the Mishnah and Talmud in the Logos Library, although that has some drawbacks. I do have real copies of his Mishnah and Tosefta.
However, this link to the Socino version is free and online, for some readers it is a first step into the Talmud.
SHALOM!
Sorry to ask this bold question:
Can I receive the complete Babylonian Talmud as hardcover edition (new) as well [sponsored]? -Thank You. -shengren.caspar@yahoo.com
I do not have a hardcopy of the Talmud, sorry. The post above was from two years ago and only promised the online version. I just checked the link and the site is still online.
If you want to buy the Talmud, I suggest the New Koren edition or the Artscroll…Both are great but meant for somewhat different audiences….it is very worthwhile and you will understand the Talmud way better than from the Soncino…
SHAL0M L0NG!
Well I invited the new public main library in 0SL0 (N) to purchase the 73 volumes of bilingual TALMUD {Complete Full Size Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud English Volumes (73 Volume Set) (Hebrew) Bilingual Edition; ISBN-10: 1578190673; ISBN-13: 978-1578190676} while their response was NEGATIVE! -It is disappointing.