Study Bible

[Redheadedstepchild]

Ma'am,

Usually, the notes in the Bibles are often given to help the reader know the variants between manuscript families as it relates to textual criticism. The translator is telling you how they arrived at their translation, and the translator is telling you how the translation would go if he or she would have went with a different textual family (i.e. Byzantine, Western, Alexandrian, Coptic, etc.)

For the NASB, that is the goofiest literal-equivalent translation out on the market. I would rather have a NKJV, NRSV, or NJB.

Hope This All Helps,

Greg

Doh! That's good to know. The last thing I need is a goofy Bible.

I'm excited about the new Wesley Study Bible coming out. Worth waiting for I think.

 

[GraceSeeker]

Still playing with the space-time continum. I've managed to copy this post below in it's appropriate post order.

 

[GraceSeeker]

X

Can anyone recommend a good study bible? And also, does anyone have any thoughts or heard anything about this one: Archeological Study Bible

I've not felt the need to buy a new Bible in some time, so I'm sort of out of the loop on what is currently available. (Marycita could probably help with that though.)

Hollyroller did an excellent job of explaining the purpose of the footnotes that you find in many Bibles. They are not just in study Bibles, nearly all Bibles have them.

The other types of notes that you see in some Bibles, like a Ryrie, Scoffield, Dakes or Oxford Annotated are just a form of commentary on the verse. You could get the same thing by buying a commentary rather than a study Bible and you would probably have a better commentary, as well. In this regard, I myself use the Expositor's Bible Commentary, but that's an expensive 12-volume set that assumes at least some working knowledge (not fluency) of the original languages. For many people, even though it is from the 19th century, I believe that Barclay's Daily Study Bible series would be a good choice. It too is a multi-volume commentary. It isn't a Bible and doesn't have cross-references, maps or concordances, but it is very good for one who wants to read the Bible devotionally, but also wants some good information to enlighten one's reading. The problem with even the best of these (be it a study Bible with notes or a full-fledged commentary) is that you are getting one man's or one committee's interpretation.

Now, that is what some want. If so, just be sure you are in agreement with the basic philosophy, theological point of view and approach to scripture of the author of those notes before you start depending on them to tell you what the Bible says, because I've seen many people quit thinking for themselves when they get some study Bible in their hands. But if that is what you want, the Wesley Study Bible mentioned here might be well worth the wait.

The other things that go into most study Bibles are all manner of helps: dictionaries, concordances, topical indexes, maps, harmonies, listings of major people and places, background information on feasts and festivales and culture, timelines, book outlines and introductions (these run the same risks that commentaries do), tables for weights and measures, questions to help one dig and apply what is being read, cross references, chain references, photographs, and a whole host of other things. You just have to decide what is unimportant enough that you would be satisfied with the abridged version that might be included as an attachment to your Bible and what is important enough that you want a separate book that is actually dedicated to that information spefically?

 

[AquilaGT]

The Learning Bible published by the American Bible Society is a Study Bible jam packed with visuals. It is available in CEV (Contemporary English Version) or NIV. I have the CEV version - the basic, clear direct English in the CEV works really well with the study aids that are in this Bible.

 

[cristianna]

Oh yes Moriah! Greek one is definitely cool!

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

It bes a great site, Moriah goes there a lot!

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

I love Biblegateway. I've also been using the Bible study tools at Crosswalk.com. They have a parallel Bible setting that I like.....I've been reading in NASB and NRSV to see which one I like better, is more understandable, how much they vary, etc.

 

[cavell]

Can anyone recommend a good study bible? And also, does anyone have any thoughts or heard anything about this one: Archeological Study Bible

The commentary which I turn to when I want to know the meaning.......is

Dakes Annotated Reference Bible

It is Authorized version by Finis Jennings Dake.

Dake Bible Sales, Inc. P.O. Box 1050. Lawrenceville, Georgia 30246

I have had this bible many, many years.

The commentary afforded by F.J.Dake is second to none

 

[Ignatius the Evangelist]

I have several study bibles, and I would recommend almost all of them. While the Archaelogical Study Bible is a wonderful tool, I find the ones which are more Christ centered to be of more value.

I really like the Faith and Action Study Bible. I think this bible has a lot of good descriptive matireal, as well as practical advice on how to serve the world through your own service. It was co-sponsored with World Vision and takes the stance that we should serve our neighbors. If any of you like the service aspect of CHristianity, this one is for you then.

 

[cristianna]

Oh I will definitely check that one out too! Thanks Kirkhaven!

 

[AquilaGT]

Update on the new Wesley Study Bible to be published in the Fall this year:

Here are some editors and contributors, and this small sample reflects the spectrum of Wesleyan/Methodist churches. This is going to be good!

Editors

Joel B. Green, General Editor, Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Fuller Seminary, prior to that served for ten years at Asbury Theological Seminary as professor of New Testament interpretation.
An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and he earned the PhD in New Testament Studies from the University of Aberdeen.

Karen Strand Winslow, Ph.D. is the Old Testament Editor. She is Professor of Biblical StudiesHaggard Graduate School of Theology - Azusa Pacific University
She is an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church and Director of the Free Methodist Center. Ph.D. – Biblical and Jewish Studies, Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Washington, 2003

Clinton Andrew “Andy” Johnson Jr. is the New Testament Editor. He is Professor of New Testament at Nazarene Theological Seminary. Ph. D., 1995, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN: Scripture with a focus in New Testament, M. Div., Magna Cum Laude, 1989, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City

Some contributors

Teresa L. Fry, Associate Professor and Director of the Black Church Studies Program at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University and an ordained Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Associate Minister at New Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lithonia, Georgia.
PhD in Religious and Theological Studies from the Iliff School of Theology

Thomas Phillips, Professor of New Testament & Early Christian Studies at Point Loma Nazarene University, and an ordained Nazarene minister.

Daniel F. Flores, Ordained Elder, Rio Grande Conference of The United Methodist Church and Adjunct Professor at Westwood College, Fort Worth, Texas.
President of Sociedad Wesleyana (The Hispanic Wesleyan Society)
Ph.D. Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.

Mark J. Boda, Professor in Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, ON, Canada, Ph.D. Old Testament, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Oropeza, B.J., professor at Azusa Pacific University
Ph.D. - New Testament Theology, Durham University, Durham, England, 1998
Local minister/conference ministerial candidate for the Free Methodist denomination

Kenneth L. Carder, retired United Methodist Bishop and professor at Duke Divinity.

 

[ContraMundum]

Update on the new Wesley Study Bible to be published in the Fall this year:

Here are some editors and contributors, and this small sample reflects the spectrum of Wesleyan/Methodist churches. This is going to be good!

I'm excited!

 

[Celticflower]

Told Dh about this one and he says to keep an eye out for it, esp if it is out in time for Christmas!!

 

[Ignatius the Evangelist]

This is really great news! I know the Orthodox have just released a study bible for their own and has received positive comments from those who pre-ordered their copy. And now one for us too? Fantastic!

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

Good news - sometime in the next year or so, Abdingdon Press will release a completely new Wesley Study Bible that has solid contributors who are scholars from across the Methodist/Nazarene/Wesleyan universe. I am very excited and can't wait to get my hands on one. I think it would be worth waiting for if you want a good Study Bible. It will use the NRSV.

In the meantime, the out of print Reflecting God Study Bible (NIV) and the NKJV Wesley Study Bible are both good, if you can find one. The Reflecting God Study Bible is especially good, and since it is basically a Wesleyan re-working of the NIV Study Bible, I use it to compare against my NIV/TNIV Study Bible, which has a bit of a Calvinist gloss.

Other good study bibles are the Oxford Annotated and the New Interpreter's Study Bible, both NRSV.

Another excellent study Bible is the Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible. It is focused on how we let the Word transform our lives more than history or explanation of every passage. The contributors are ecumenical, but include 3 Wesleyan heavy hitters: Thomas Oden (one of the General Editors), Ben Witherington of Asbury Seminary, and Bishop William Willimon.

I know this is kind of an old post to bump, but would you happen to have a link to the info about the new study Bible?

 

[AquilaGT]

Have not seen anything official, so I would still expect the Fall 2008 time frame. Some times book publishing does tend to run behind in schedule, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was later in the year but before Christmas. If you check every so often at Cokesbury.com, I am sure there will be a big splash when it comes out.

It's already on my Christmas list!!

 

[ContraMundum]

I've been looking for an official link for ages..none yet, not even on Thamoas Nelson Pub's website.

I have heard fall 2008 though.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

Can anyone recommend a good study bible? And also, does anyone have any thoughts or heard anything about this one: Archeological Study Bible

I have one of those, and I enjoy it a lot! There's so much background on the history and culture of biblical times, and I love that stuff!

Although mine is a hardcover edition, heavy, bulky and not so handy to carry around. I've seen more compact, leather bound editions, but the print in those is too small for me. So I guess I'll just keep mine at home, and learn from it there.