Bible Version Books

The ESV Study Bible has launched with eight editions: Hardcover, TruTone Nat Brown, TruTone Classic Black, Black Bonded Leather, Burgundy Bonded Leather, Black Genuine Leather, Burgundy Genuine Leather and Premium Calfskin Leather.

In any edition the ESV Study Bible looks great. It is contemporary in its coloring (white is dominant with orange accents in the hardcover) and in the rectangle which shows up throughout (on the cover, to mark headings, and even as a bullet for lists of information). The rectangle has no deeper significance than a simple design element. In an interesting but effective design decision, the TruTone editions have this triangle stitched to the cover. The leather editions have "ESV" in large gold letters on the spine with "Study Bible," "English Standard Version" and "Crossway" in smaller gold type. The TruTone has the same text but with the "ESV" embossed. The hardcover features black and orange backgrounds on the spine with the text printed over top. The standard ESV guarantee applies to these Bibles, meaning that a customer who discovers manufacturing defects during normal use can return the Bible to have it replaced with one of equal or greater value.

The Bible is made to be durable. It is smyth sewn which is the binding process considered by many to be the best and longest-lasting method. It allows the Bible to lie flat even on page one and on page 2,752 (at least in the TruTone). It is printed on "high-opacity, high-quality French Bible paper" and in a single-column format with the cross-references in the inside margin. The paper is thin and light but still sturdy. My two year-old put the Bible to the test when she inadvertently stepped on it while it was lying open. The page wrinkled under her heel but did not tear. I also learned from her that chewing gum can be removed from the cover of the TruTone while permanent marker cannot. The fonts are very dark and easy to read with a heavy black serif font for the biblical text and a thin black sans-serif for the notes and cross-references. The page headings are in a bold gray with page numbers in a thin gray. Chapter numbers are a large gray serif font while headings are italicized black sans-serif. The pages display a fair bit of bleed-through where, when you look at a page, you can see the ink showing through from the previous page or two. Most of us are accustomed to this bleed-through in our Bibles. Where it is a bit more apparent and distracting is where it shows through on the maps and illustrations.

One feature that has received much attention in the ESV Study Bible is its use of color. Most study Bibles offer maps and illustrations only in grayscale. The ESV Study Bible, though, offers full-color illustrations and maps. This is quite a nice feature. The splashes of color throughout, including colored highlighting and shading, are unexpected to my eye but very effective. Though the standard glossy maps in the back of the Bible are superior in quality to the ones scattered throughout, even the smaller maps are nicely done and provide important geographical context without having to slip to the Bible's final pages. The illustrations, commissioned specifically for this project, are very well done and nicely supplement the notes.

ESV Study Bible Online
The ESV Study Bible is one of only a couple of study Bibles to offer an extensive online component to accompany the Bible. Included with each Bible is a registration code that will allow the customer to access the ESV Online Study Bible. There they will find the complete text of the Bible along with all of the study notes, articles, maps, and all the other features of the Bible. Unique online features include the ability to create and save personalized online notes; to search and follow interactive links between notes, maps, articles, charts, timelines, illustrations, and cross-references; and to listen to audio recordings of the ESV. It adds interactive features that are only possible in a computer-based environment. While the online component is a useful addition to the Bible (and a free one!), at this time it seems under-developed and I suspect many readers will find that they do not refer to it very often.

Format
Each book of the Bible begins with an extensive introduction. This may include sections dealing with Time, Date and Title; Author; Theme; Key Themes; Purpose, Occasion and Background; Literary Features; Outline; and so on. Particularly important is the History of Salvation Summary which sets each of the books within the context of the wider body of Scripture and hence within the history of salvation. Introductions may also include timelines, maps, and notes on literary features specific to that book. In every case, the reader will receive a thorough explanation as to the book's authorship, purpose and context in God's plan of salvation.

The text notes vary in density but typically comprise about half of each page in the New Testament and perhaps a third in the Old Testament. They focus primarily on explanation and rarely on application. In one handy feature, highlighted notes correspond to primary points in the outline while highlighted verses and headings within the notes correspond to secondary points in the outline.

Scholarship
The ESV Study Bible has been produced by as good a group of scholars as any study Bible. The General Editor is Wayne Grudem, the Theological Editor is J.I. Packer, the Old Testament Editor is C. John Collins and the New Testament Editor is Thomas Schreiner. The study note contributors represent a broad cross-section of reputable Evangelical scholars. The articles included within the Bible have been contributed by some well-known pastors and scholars, including John Piper, David Powlison, Darrell Bock, Leland Ryken, R. Kent Hughes, Daniel Wallace, and many more.

Controversial Theology
One concern people are likely to have when considering a new study Bible concerns the theological perspective offered in the notes. Does this particular study Bible take a Reformed or Arminian position on salvation? A complementarian or egalitarian perspective on gender roles? An amillennial or premillennial position on the end times? I looked through many of the notes seeking what this Bible says on some of the more common controversies: end times, spiritual gifts and soteriology. I found this an interesting comparison with the Reformation Study Bible. It seems to me that the Reformation Study Bible came from a much more narrowly-defined theological position; it was Reformed, it was cessationist, it was amillennial. The ESV Study Bible, on the other hand, offers a wider or less-defined perspective. Where the doctrine is clear and undisputed among Evangelicals, so too are the notes. But where doctrines are controversial and within the area of Christian freedom or disputable matters, the notes tend not to take a firm position, even when the author or editor is firmly in one camp or the other. Whether this is positive or negative may well depend on the individual reader.

To satisfy my curiosity, I opened my NIV Study Bible, Reformation Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible and ESV Study Bible and compared their notes on several areas of controversial theology--spiritual gifts, predestination and spiritual gifts. None of these Bibles offered notes that were unbiblical so I was left looking for the differences in perspective. In general I found that the MacArthur Study Bible offered the most defined position. This makes good sense as it represents the position of a single individual. This was followed by the Reformation Study Bible which offers the position of many individuals but each of them drawn from a very consistent theological position. The ESV Study Bible came next, offering a charitable but open view on most of these issues. The NIV Study Bible seemed almost to shy away from some of the issues. So while it is clear that the ESV Study Bible is not distinctly Reformed in its position, neither is it Arminian. It is not cessationist or continuationist and is neither amillennial nor postmillennial. In fact, it seems as if it emulates the parent who tells one of his children to cut the last piece of cake in half and the other to choose the first piece. In many cases a person from one perspective wrote the notes while a person from the other perspective screened them. This ensures the notes maintain both charity and some degree of objectivity in those areas of dispute.

Having looked at the areas of dispute, I would not hesitate to recommend the ESV Study Bible to either new or mature Christians. The matters at the heart of the faith are described and defended while the matters of lesser importance are presented charitably and non-dogmatically.

Conclusion
I suspect that many of the people reading this review will already be owners of at least one study Bible. I feel it is important to affirm that there is nothing innately wrong with the Reformation Study Bible, The New Geneva Study Bible, the MacArthur Study Bible and many of the other similar products. If you are currently using one of these Bibles and are happy with it, there may be few compelling reason to rush out and purchase the ESV Study Bible. I have used the Reformation Study Bible and its predecessor for many years with great benefit. I have no doubt that I will continue to refer to it.

With that said, I think the ESV Study Bible is an incredible resource. A long list of endorsers have expressed their excitement for its theological faithfulness, its accessibility, its insight, its scholarship, its practicality and its sheer excellence. I would simply append my name to this list. I agree wholeheartedly with C.J. Mahaney who writes, "I can't imagine a greater gift to the body of Christ than the ESV Study Bible. It is a potent combination indeed: the reliability and readability of the ESV translation, supplemented by the best of modern and faithful scholarship, packaged in an accessible and attractive format. A Christian could make no wiser investment for himself, a pastor could recommend no better resource for his congregation." This is a powerful resource and one that can aid any reader of Scripture. It is one I recommend wholeheartedly.

Early in this review I wrote, "Today, if you drop by my home in the early morning, you are likely to see me reading from the Literary Study Bible." I think it's safe to say that, if you drop by my home early tomorrow morning, you are likely to see me reading from the ESV Study Bible.

Perhaps a balanced review would be helpful at this point. I have written some negative reviews of the ESV translation. My primary objection is the lack of gender inclusive terms. Actually I prefer the NRSV, but read both translations along with several others. I have owned or currently own several NIV study Bibles, HarperCollins, Oxford, New Interpreters, Discipleship, Apologetics, Spiritual Formation, Life Application, and other study Bibles. This may be the very best study Bible for lay people. Not only are there plenty of notes, but many fantastic visual helps, including charts, maps and architectural reconstructions. There are thousands of cross-references and a concordance. The scholars who wrote the annotations come from Cambridge, Oxford and other respected seminaries. The maps are included with book introductions, so you don't have to keep flipping to the back of the book as with other study Bibles. There are about 50 articles on theological topics in addition to the notes at the bottom of each page. I totally recommend this Bible. If you have a few bucks on that credit card, go for it!

Sadly, I am told that there are people saying that you have to have this particular Bible to hear the word of God! I have not read or heard these comments, but if it is true, it is unfortunate that anyone could be such an idiot. This Bible really is a great learning tool, and it would be unfortunate if it became associated with radical Christianity and general stupidity.

Scandalous Sanity has received copies of the long awaited ESV Study Bible. We approached the newly formed ark of the covenant with consecrated hands, and revealed it's contents to the world.

We discovered that the presence of God has been reboxed, BUT can now speak directly to you(just as he does John Piper, Tony Evans, Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris) without the need to buy the aforementioned guys books or of mumbling pastors.

Each copy comes with glare reducing cream for the brightness with which you will be gleaming, sunglasses for your family to be able to look at you after you delve into it(Moses looked like a firefly compared to the way you'll be glowing), and earplugs to tone down the volume of God's voice.

Those who purchase the hardback and tru-tone leather copies will become known among their people(We have already ascended the hiearchy of our communities). But those who purchase the suffering baby calfskin manuscript will sit at the right hand of God (after Jesus, John Piper, J.I. Packer, Mark Driscoll, and Joshua Harris, but before the rest of the generations of people. It's guaranteed on the side of the box).

We do warn you, the ESV is the closest to God you will ever get, even after you die(probably). Being in close proximity is dangerous. We recommend you proceed with caution.

We give this Study Bible 2 stars for it's maps and detailed portraits of the temples and cities(Those things are awesome! It's like a world class architectural firm came up with them). Another star for the outstanding and sensational promotion of the Bible. A quarter star for the endorsement by the biggest and most theologically correct speakers/preachers of the day. A quarter star for the triangle on the front of the Bible. A quarter for the recently found truths that no one has unearthed before, and we've been missing all this time. And a final quarter star for the smooth feel of suffering baby calfskin.

In all seriousness this Bible is pretty sweet. The introductions to each book are a bit more detailed than the new NLT study bible, and the study notes are ridiculous in number and content.

The only real problem we had with it was the article on "christian" ethics(The amount of articles in this thing are ridiculous as well). It seemed like a bunch of middle class white guys promoting their political views, and putting them in a Bible for the rest of us to believe as absolute theological truths because they have a Ph.D next to their name. (I think Kierkegaard would call them a bunch of "scheming swindlers" seeing as how the rest of that quote would apply to them. . . that crazy existentialist)

That took away a half star from our review of the Bible, the other half was taken away because of Tullian Tchividjian's unruly excitement in the promotional video (take it easy brother).

So, we hope you enjoy your new ESV study Bible as much as we have. There is nothing more convenient than having a group of people who believe the same thing you do, think the same way you think, and speak the same way you do come together and make a Bible that speaks the same voice of God that you listen to (Seriously).

I am not a tech savvy individual and I get frustrated having to scroll through many pages to get to the chapter and verse I want to read. Time is a precious commodity, and this kindle version of the King James Bible has just given me more bible reading time! No more endless back and forth scrolling, the navigation is easy-to-use and takes me where I want to go in just a few clicks.

When I first used my Kindle, I inadvertently downloaded the wrong KJV. It had no table of contents and to get to the New Testament I had to turn every single page. I wasn't through the first chapter in Genesis when I realized the futility of my task. I began a more thorough search for a Bible that was more "user friendly." This one caught my attention because Diana Mecom, the lady who formatted this version, offered to send a sample of it. I requested it and was pleasantly surprised to receive a personal note from Ms. Mecum which instructed me in how to transfer it from my computer to my Kindle. The sample was ample. It gave me Old and New Testament books to experiment with. I bought it and am delighted with it. I was extremely impressed with Ms. Mecom's kindness and follow-up on this transaction. I highly recommend this version of the greatest story ever told. STLemos

This was one of the easiest books to navigate through that I have ever seen because it emulates the hardcopy. In fact, it's better because I don't have to keep paging and paging to get to where I want to read. Instead, each chapter or individual book is just a click away. This decreases my frustration which increases my enjoyment. Thank you, it's fantastic.

This offers book and chapter navigation - without such an ebook of this size is useless. I have tried a number and this is by far the best and worthy of 5 stars. Also includes a previous and next link on each chapter so you can easily navigate to the next. Great formatting of each page.

This was the 3rd or 4th purchase I made when I received my Kindle. I was pretty hesitant that the Kindle version of the Holy Bible would be as good of quality as an original paper copy. I took a few minutes to see if I could navigate through the books and chapters with ease. I am pretty critical when it comes to a Bible in terms of what I want and expect. But after a few short minutes of searching through the text, I had forgotten that I was actually reading the Kindle version. It is very impressive. I am enjoying having the Holy Bible at my fingertips. I have given this 5 stars...for the simple reason that I notice nothing different between my Kindle version and my favorite hard copy of the Holy Bible. A perfect addition to my newly expanding Kindle Library.

Desmond Tutu writes the Foreword to this landmark new edition of the Bible. He concludes with this powerful affirmation: "It is possible to have a new kind of world, a world where there will be more compassion, more gentleness, more caring, more laughter, more joy for all of God's creation, because that is God's dream. And God says, 'Help me, help me, help me realize my dream.'"

This new edition of the Bible is just one stepping stone toward that dream -- just one new religious tool in a new kind of toolbox.

By simply marking Creation-care passages in green -- like the earlier red-letter edition launched a century ago -- new generations of Bible readers will find fresh focus on the green themes in Scriptures. That was the same basic principle that led to the red-letter Bibles that first appeared about 100 years ago. People needed to change their focus when reading scriptures in the 20th Century, the creators of the red-letter concept believed. For their century, they thought the central challenge was encouraging people to return to the teachings of Jesus, so they marked Jesus' words in red.

Now, at the dawn of a new century, the creators of this new edition realize that many of us want to rediscover the Bible's many teachings about the compassionate commitment we all should make to our planet and to the creatures, plants and humanity living all around us on the fragile blue ball that God provided for us. So, they've marked Creation-care passages in green for us.

That's so simple and yet so helpful. If you're a typical Bible reader, you already own several Bibles -- and this one is a smart addition to your devotional choices.

This is far from the end of the green trail for people of faith. There is a long way yet to go, even with green Bibles. For example, this is a Bible with an introductory reflection from the writings of Pope John Paul II -- but only the Protestant books of the Bible between its covers. Obviously, we also need a Catholic edition of the Green Bible. This is a weighty book. We need shorter portions of scripture printed this way. Most of the supplements for Bible study are printed as a series of introductory essays, written as this green movement is just emerging broadly in Christian churches. We will need another edition down the road, as our prayerful reflections deepen and our collective responses mature.

This truly is a milestone. If we could turn back the clock to the dawn of the 20th Century, I'm sure that most Bible readers would go out and snap up copies of the first red-letter edition to hit bookstore shelves. Now, as the first Green Bible emerges, you'll want this on your shelf.

Yes, it's a first step, but it is a major step on a crucial journey.

I love this Bible! The moment I heard about it, I was excited to get a copy. I'm happy I pre-ordered it- it's a lovely edition of the NRSV, my preferred translation, with over 1,000 passages outlined in green to show the role of creation in God's story.

There are folks who no doubt are suspicious of anything "green" or "eco-friendly", but I hope they would take a look at this Bible and realize how important the earth and the environment are to God. Numerous introductory essays highlight the crucial relationship between scripture, the divine, and creation, and the lovely concordance at the end that points to all of the "green" passages help us to find our way through the Bible with an ecological emphasis.

For years, the NRSV was slowly on its way to becoming irrelevant, supplanted by other hipper translations like "The New Living Translation" and "The Message". Thankfully, it seems that with somewhat better marketing ideas, and a more directed focus, more and more Christians will be purchasing the NRSV as their translation-of-choice.

I recently purchased a Green Bible before release date at the local bookstore in my city. At first I wasn't sure what to make of this Bible with its eco-friendly emphasis, but I am glad that I remained open to take a look at it and consider it!

For one the Bible is a devotional one, and one that is not as intrusive as most devotional Bibles that force the reader to adopt or consider the publishers views and interpretative moves throughout the text. Here you'll find essays at the beginning of the Bible and a list of references and study helps at the end. Secondly, the font and paper quality is amazingly durable and comfortable on the eyes. As many know, the NRSV is a great translation but finding an NRSV that you can read and enjoy is like trying to find Atlantis. The Green Bible delivers in that area and I would say that this is the best NRSV Bible in the market for readability.

The green highlights throughout the text, while not intrusive, does take some time to get used to. Especially when you are reading it for devotional purposes or for study, but don't let that hamper you from buying it. After a few days you begin to ignore the highlights and can read it with ease.

The only negative is that cover for the Bible does not feel sturdy and durable. I've carried it in my messenger bag for the past few days and have not seen any pages folded over or torn out. However, I'm careful with it. As well, expect some oil marks from your hands to develop over time on the cover since it is made from cotton.

Overall, I've been happy with my Green Bible and will begin to use it on a daily basis. I know many people will find theological fault with this Bible but I challenge those who do to actually pick one up and see what they think. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and perhaps not so judgmental.

If you have been on the fence about buying a study bible, wait no longer!
You won't be dissapointed with this one. Its easy to understand.

This is a wonderful bible, wish I would have discovered it sooner. It explains every verse. I highly recommend this bible.

NIV Application bible is really good
to helps us understand more about bible.
And encourage us to practice the value from God into our life.

I was introduced to this bible through a friend and it has been a Godsend! I am not too familiar with the information of the bible because I did not understand what I was reading. This NIV bible has eliminated that issue. It is easy to read and follow the book chapter to chapter. The concordance at the end of each page is the best tool to learn what you have just read. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone! Happy reading!

The NIV Life Application Study Bible is great BUT I've definitely appreciated upgrading to get the BEST one, which is the exact same on the inside as this product but has a genuine leather cover (rather than bonded leather) AND indexed thumb tabs to make finding the books of the Bible easier. This 'best' one is available here on Amazon for just a few dollars more -- find it, and my full review, at: NIV Life Application® Study Bible (New International Version).

I am really happy with these cd's, I think they're great, they really bring the Bible to life...Deuteronomy however, is SO annoying, Moses sounds like he's drunk, so irritating.

I thank my teacher friends, who gave me this phenomenal recording as a retirement gift. From the first sound of the music and sound effects, through the incredible narration, to the comprehensibility (thanks to the NIV version), I am mesmerized. I have read the Bible a number of times, but I have never experienced it until now. I thought the readers were going to be identified, but I'm glad they were not because as I listened they became the people from the Bible, not actors. I greatly appreciate the attempts at pronouncing some of those names that I don't think anybody really knows how to pronounce, particularly given the way we spell and pronounce some of our children's names these days. A stellar project.

This is a wonderful way to hear the Bible in a manner that allows it to come alive. I have heard some other audio versions of the Bible and they always sounded boring. This one makes the Bible sound like what it really is EXCITING!

My shipment came right on time and was in perfect condition. All the CD's were present in the case with no scrates or marks. Listening to the audio Bible has been awsome for me, it's helped me read along some of the books I find difficult and long. Am a single mom of two and it's the audio Bible has been a perfect away for me to spend time in the word.

If you want a good audio Bible for either your home or your Church for Bible studies this is the complete audio Bible for you "Inspired by the Bible Experience" is the one that you should have cause it has great audio effects as well as a wonderful script and great actors playing the parts the best way they know how. also if you use this for a Bible study this will be a good way to tell the story so they can really get the feel of what the bible is really about. So I highly recommend "Inspired by the Bible experience"

This order was handled professionally and I received it as ordered. This is a plus for me. A number of places or not as prompt. Thanks

This is a GREAT study bible. What I like best is the detailed introduction to each book - information about the author and date, the setting, the theological theme, and outline. It's great for a beginner or for a "veteran" bible reader.

A very easy reading Bible with notes to help understand THE WORD. I highly recommend it for everyone; young Christians, mature Christians and non-believers.

You need this, it is so much easy to understand. Good info on all topics.

My husband and I have used an NIV Study Bible for years, and we recently purchased this one for our son. The print is a little on the small side for Personal Size, but the black leather and gold edges are classically beautiful. The translation is one of the mostly widely used with helpful notes and illustrations throughout the book for deeper study and discussion. The red letter edition highlights Jesus' words. Our vendor had a very good price, so I don't think I could have done any better.

As a conservative Christian layman, I have found this breathes new life into the Scriptures. I was looking for the New Testament on CD and found this dramatic reading of the NKJV. What can I say? Just a reading of the cover will tell you of the great talents involved in this wonderful effort. I came away after listening to the entire set feeling as if I had watched an epic motion picture (and you can't quit; you are compelled to listen to one book after the other). It is not only a great witnessing tool, it is great for Bible study and entertainment. You will receive a blessing! Highly recommmended. P.S. The Book of Revelation is especially dramatic!

The Word of Promise is fun to listen to because of the multimedia production which includes numerous voices and sound effects. I am surprised that I haven't seen any media advertisement on this project. If people knew it was available, they would buy it. Great to listen to in the car.

I feel kind of guilty for criticizing anything that promotes the Bible but in all honesty it was good & had the cherished King James Version, but it was not great like The Bible Experience. The reason being is the Actors could have put more emotion into their voices esp. Jim who played Jesus. I wonder were most of the actors in The Word of Promise born again Christians and realized the depth of what they were saying. ALot of the actors in the Bible Experience professed Christ as their Lord so they put all they had into their speaking parts. Jim sounded kind of robotic and not as natural, this may have been a carry over from the movie when he did not speak in English so we did not get a good grasp of the how his voice sounded in English (only the visual) in the "Passion of the Christ) which he was great in & should have won an Oscar if Hollywood was not at the time so bias against Christian movies but in any event I expected alot greater passion as would give it a B not an A plus. If any actors read this next time you make a Christian audio put more passion in your voice. This is God we are talking about afterall!

I received this as a birthday gift. It is an amazing production! I listen to this set while I am getting dressed in the morning and it is so inspirational. I appreciate all of the artistry that went into creating this product. I highly recommend this to everyone.

This is the first time I have listened to the bible on cd and it is wonderful. I would definately suggest this to anyone. I often read along with the cd or sometimes listen alone. This has really helped me in my quest of reading the bible in a year. The voices and the added background sounds makes it seems alive. As you listen, you can almost picture the scenes.

I bought this Bible for my EFM class. It was recommended and I'm glad it was. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because it's so well annotated that sometimes it is distracting. It's best to read the chapters and verses first then the notes second.

This book was in exact condition specified when I received it and Book arrived promptly

I am involved in a Bible Study course and this Bible was recommended by our pastor who is leading the class. I have enjoyed reading the information on each book of the Bible as well as the additional information on each verse including interpretation and/or background of many of the words within the verses. This is also the Bible that is used for scripture reading in our Chapel sessions each Sunday. It is easy to read and understand in most cases. I am really enjoying this study Bible.

My favorite Bible and my favorite Bible Version. The Annotations at the bottom give so much information.

The Bible commentaries are written from a decidedly liberal theological perspective. It is obvious that the authors believe the Bible is just a product of ancient myths and storytelling. They disbelieve miracles and explain away prophecy by assigning late dates for the books. Their notes are not balanced and does not really present opposing points of view or evidence to the contrary. More a work of anti-Christian / anti-Jewish propaganda than a balanced, scholarly work. Also, while it is not a bad translation, the NRSV does have some gender-neutrality inserted into it. All in all, I cannot recommend this study Bible. It reads like skeptics and non-believers wrote it. Instead, I would recommend the NIV Study Bible or NKJV Study Bible.

The book came well before it was marked to and it was in perfect condition. Will certainly buy from them again.

This NRSV version of the study Bible is in an English translation which is easy to comprehend yet not missing out on certain contents which some versions of the Bible (of English translation) tend to miss out on when they try to simplify the language for the benefit of the readers. The introduction of each book in the Bible is also very helpful and gives the reader a better understanding before they embark into each book of the Bible. It is worth the price.

I requested for a brand new copy and the product came in a good condition like it is from off the book shelf. However, i only rated it 4 stars because at the book store it is sealed in a plastic wrapper but mine came without and a corner of the binding is a little dented. Other than that, it is still worth the price I paid for. Thank you Amazon for this value for money purchase!

I love the full color maps! Unlike some other reviewers, I have no problems with the visual quality of the maps. I used to think New Interpreters Study Bible was the best because of the articles scattered throughout in addition to end page annotations. But HarperCollins has increased and updated its annotations since the last edition, which, in my opinion, puts this latest edition over the top. This is now the best academic study Bible in publication. If you are expecting fundamentalist commentary, you need to look for another study Bible. Most of these commentators are theologically liberal or moderate. This is an excellent academic study, exploring word meanings, cultural nuances, archaeology and comparisons to pagan mythology. The editors have not tried to smooth out the disagreements between contributors, which helps to give the reader a glimpse of the range of interpretations and views on Scripture of those in academe. The commentaries are detailed and scholarly, but all of it is very readable. The Oxford Study Bible now has a lot of catching up to do. And Zondervan's NIV Study Bible does not hold a candle to this! The annotations are by the cream of scholars who have written some excellent articles here on reading strategies, Israeli history, archaeology, Hebrew and Greco-Roman religions. This edition also includes a historical timeline and concordance. The translation, of course, is NRSV.

Many people, myself included, find the NRSV to be the most reliable translation of these books extant. The NRSV Bible is produced by the 5500-member Society of Biblical Literature. While that group includes representatives of practically every conceivable religious and scholarly perspective, this translation is definitely not typical of committee products nor does it compromise. You will find that the text of the NRSV corresponds very well with the more scholarly (religious or secular) works about the Bible. Of course, many of them are based on the NRSV to begin with. And many well-known authors are members of the Society.

The added value of the Harper Collins Study Bible is the textual and footnotes. They are an education in and of themselves. Making up something like 25-30% of the book, they are so packed with information that you'll constantly find yourself moving back and forth as you read.

The notes provide general information critical to understanding these ancient books, suggest likely interpretations of difficult or obscure passages, and point out places where scholars differ on substantive points of interpretation. They also provide heavy cross-referencing. These notes accord very well with what you're likely to find in mainstream secondary literature, such as a college textbook.

In fact, I've been reading a textbook on the New Testament and everything mentioned in the textbook (that isn't a straight quote) appears in the footnotes.

Finally, each page has a few notes on the actual wording of the translation where existing manuscripts differ in important (and not so important) ways. These notes provide alternate readings.

Having spoken of "interpretations" and "alternate readings" let me make one thing clear. The scholarly apparatus in this text DOES NOT favor any particular creed so far as I can tell (cf. NIV). In those cases where a possible interpretation disagrees with how you see it, this book shows you the choice and lets you make the decision.

You really want this if you want to study the Bible.

The reviews noted on this publication reflect the angst of conservative believers who insist on dogmatic literalism and the more scholarly readers who clearly fall into the "Historical/Critical" category, many of whom remain, like myself, faithful adherents to either Christianity or Judaism.

The footnotes and commentary are excellent, and reflect current scholarship, not only in textual analysis, but also archeology.

I'm awarding only 3 stars because, as another reviewer has pointed out, the printing is less-than-helpful. The print on a following or preceding page "bleeds" through onto the text being read. The print quality doesn't reach that of the The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Oxford UP, 2007), and I think that both copies suffer from too much effort to insert color topo maps. The Jewish Study Bible wisely sticks with simpler diagrams.

I bought the paperback, but when visiting a bookstore, I opened a hardback and found the same problem with the print. Clearly, the printers were attempting to give the bible the 'feel' of a upscale bible with "velum" pages, but wrecked the "readibility" in the process.

Still, it is a great reference, and remains in my library. Sadly, those who have relegated their copies to the "trash," as apostasy, suffer from the same inflexibility of intellect that is discussed so often in this body of this great work. Some things never change.

This Bible even comes in large print. It is the best "study Bible" I have found. The design is so "user-friendly". I can't see how anyone would be disappointed. It is excellent!

The Bible is well-made, and well bound. The study helps are comprehensive, and the best I've used. Background and historical information is helpful, and notes on translation variations are illuminating.Recommended for anyone wanting to study the Bible without a lot of extra books out at the same time. It doesn't completely eliminate the usefulness of a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia, but for the average reader who wants to get a full sense of the meanings of the texts without getting bogged down in other resources and commentaries, it's a great choice.

great study Bible, has information on each book at the beginning. lots of help on each page, loaded with maps.

This is the 3rd of these that I have purchased. I got one for myself, 2 for 2 of my daughters, and we are all very happy with them. The type is very easy to read, the intros and footnotes are informative and I find it to be very sturdy, as well, as it gets carried around quite a bit. The price is excellent for a Bible of this quality.

I've found the NIV to be the easiest translation to read, and at times quite poetic. But more importantly (for poetry I'll hit up the King James) it helps bring the Word to me. ANd the study Bible is a valuable tool.