I’ve searched for many years for the perfect Study Bible. I’ve tried many of the Bibles on the market and I’ve found things that I like and things that I don’t like in all of them. Through my years of Bible study, I have found what does and does not work, and what I do and do not need in a Study Bible. I also have developed opinions as to what every person needs in personal Bible study. Let’s examine some features of Study Bibles and determine what makes a good Bible. For an interesting article about how the Bible compares to mythology, visit Greek Mythology vs Bible Essay.
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Translation
First of all… all Bibles in English are translations. The scriptures were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. No translation can be considered equal to the original languages. A Bible translation should be chosen according to its purpose. Is the Bible for general reading or serious study? Maybe you want a Bible that will perform both tasks well.
There are two basic types of Bible translations: formal equivalent (literal, or word for word) and dynamic equivalent (thought for thought).
Some literal translations include KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV.
Thought-for-thought translations include NIV and NLT.
The KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV versions are well suited for serious study since they are literal translations. The NIV and NLT are better suited to general reading than serious study. Since they are thought for thought translations they will not have the higher level of accuracy that literal translations do.
There is another type of Bible available: the paraphrase. Paraphrases include The Message and TLB. A paraphrase is when someone rewrites a text in their own words. Paraphrases should not be considered the Word of God and should be avoided.
I consider the topic of the best Bible translation to be a personal choice. If you believe that one version is the only version to use- that would be your personal conviction. You should not place that conviction upon others. Many people will tell you to stay away from modern translations. They forget that the KJV is a translation. It is my personal favorite translation, but it is a translation. The KJV is largely based on the work of William Tyndale. Tyndale’s goal was to offer a translation of the scriptures to the common reader of his day. William Tyndale would strive to do the same thing today. He would work to bring an English translation to the modern reader.
My basic guidelines are:
For reading, choose something you can enjoy reading that is as accurate as possible. NIV and NLT are good choices, but I still prefer a more literal translation even for reading. I read the KJV, NKJV, and ESV. I also occasionally read the NIV.
For study, choose the most literal you can feel comfortable with. I use KJV primarily. I also use NKJV and ESV. Many consider the ESV a more accurate rendering. I am simply more comfortable with King James.
Stay away from paraphrases.
For choosing one Bible for reading and study, stick with the literal translations.
Text
I prefer at least a 9-point font. My regular-size Thompson has an 8-point font. 8 points is OK, especially if the text is bold enough on the page, but the Kirkbride Thompson’s text is a little too light for me. Red letter is another key area for reading Bibles. My Thompson’s red letters are more pink than red. That’s OK too if you like the text, but red letters make it more difficult to highlight and color code. I prefer red letters for reading and black letters for marking.
Notes
Many Bibles have notes already in them. These are the notes of someone else who has already done their Bible study. I do not recommend using these Bibles for personal study as they include the writer’s biases. They can be handy as a commentary if needed, and some of them have useful dictionaries and word studies. In hardcover editions, they are usually much cheaper than buying full volumes, but I still do not recommend them as a personal Study Bible.
Features
Good Bible study comes through the use of good study tools. The tools that I use the most are:
- Concordance
- Dictionary
- Topical list
- References
Study Bibles usually include some of these features and a few others:
- Introductions
- Outlines
- Biographical studies
- Harmony of the Gospels
- Essays and articles on doctrinal topics
- Devotional helps
- Maps
- Charts
- Self-pronouncing text
- Wide margins
- Ribbon marker (preferably 2)
A good Study Bible is a Bible that will give you the tools you need to do your own study- not give you someone else’s study. A good Study Bible will give you the tools you need to come to your own conclusions. It will give you the tools you need to compare scripture with scripture.
Quality
The Bible you choose should be purchased with the idea that it’s going to get a long use. For this reason, you will want a Bible that will last. Some areas to pay attention to are:
- Binding
- Cover
- Paper
A good binding will be sewn and have good stitching. Smyth sewn is the process of sewing groups of paper together and then sewing the groups together. This allows the Bible to lay flat when open.
The cover should be leather or hardcover. Bonded leather is OK, but do not expect it to last even if the Bible is kept in a Bible case. Bonded leather is a very cheap material and will not hold up to heavy use. The higher-end materials are not a requirement for a quality Bible, but the higher the quality of the cover the longer it will last. Even calfskin will last for many years. Other choices are goatskin and Morocco leather. A good quality hardcover will also last many years and is far less expensive than leather. Many of my Bibles are hardcover.
A good Study Bible will give you good paper to write on and enough room to do that writing. Text from the other side should only be slightly visible. There will be some visibility, but the paper shouldn’t be so thin that the text is distracting. A thicker paper is better for writing. Thin paper will allow your pens and pencils to bleed through and leave indentions in the page.
Reading verses Study
A good reading Bible is a Bible that has a readable text and some basic features such as references, maps, and concordance. A reading Bible can be used in Bible study. Just look for a good-quality Bible with good text, good paper, and a little room for writing.
Recommendation
I recommend a wide-margin Bible. Ideally, it will have plenty of good quality paper for writing and really wide margins. Other helps are nice, but most tools, such as concordances and dictionaries, can be purchased separately.