NLT HelpFinder Bible Review
For those who have questions and want to use the Bible for the answers, Tyndale has created The NLT HelpFinder Bible.
ISBN: 9781496422958
Tyndale provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Construction and Materials
I have the black Leatherlike edition with silver gilt edges, 1 attached red ribbon bookmark, and red endpapers. It measures 8 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ and weighs 1 pound 13 1/2 ounces. It has a sewn binding.
The paper is soft white and somewhere in the low to mid 30s gsm (I think). The paper is relatively opaque and not noisy. I did find myself grabbing two pages instead of one a little more often than usual (maybe I’m getting too used to journaling Bible paper). Other than that they were very easy to turn.
This Bible is also available in Pink Leatherlike, hardcover, paperback, and digital editions.
Typography and Layout
The Helpfinder Bible has an 8 point font. It is laid out in double column, paragraph format with the poetry set in stanzas. Letters and quotes are offset.
This is a red letter edition and both the red and black ink are medium darkness and consistent throughout the Bible. Section headings are bolder and italicized.
The chapter numbers are large (2 lines) and bold while the verse numbers are light and blend into the text. This makes it slightly harder to find an individual verse quickly but does cause almost no disruption of flow while reading.
The footnotes are translation notes and references for quotes. They are at the bottom of the inside column of each page that includes them. Stars within the text indicate a footnote.
The header has the page number on the inside corner and the book name and chapter number on the outside corner. Pages that include more than 1 chapter give you the first chapter that begins on that page on the left and the last chapter that begins on that page on the right.
Study Helps
“God’s Word at your point of need” is how Tyndale describes this Bible. Focused on today’s issues, these carefully designed study aids help anyone (familiar with the Bible or not) find answers to common questions.
HelpFinder Section
368 pages in the front of the Bible cover over 2oo topics from Abilities to Worship. The prime focus of these notes is not doctrine but Christian living in today’s world. A wide range of topics are included covering emotional topics (depression, self-worth), current issues (atheism, abortion, racism & prejudice), Biblical concepts (truth, purpose) and Christian living (communication, priorities).
This section is numbered separately from the Biblical text.
As with all study notes, we caution you to read the Biblical context and take scripture over any added comments. I can agree with most of what I’ve read of these notes but there are a few that could be more complete or that have noticeable doctrinal slants
Each topic starts with a list of related topics and a paragraph description. Next, are a series of related questions with relevant scriptures printed in full beneath them. Some of these include brief explanations of how the writers think this verse applies. Finally, there are a couple of verses that show God’s promises about the topic.
In Text Helps
The HelpFinder Bible has unique book introductions. They include commonly found book outline and key verse sections that many readers find useful. The introductions themselves focus on the specific emotional or Christian walk situations each book is particularly relevant to.
Nearly 500 in-text application notes on specific needs are included. These add to the information found in the front of the Bible.
They are located on the outside bottom corners on the page next to the related passage and are distinguished from the Biblical text by the light gray background and the red in the heading of the note.
Many promises of God are highlighted by printing them in a larger italicized red font within the text. I like this feature. It is a good reminder of both how many promises God has made to his children and what the specific promises are.
Lists
A very useful Quick Topic Finder is included in the back of the Bible. It indexes all the HelpFinder subjects, in-text notes, and promises. I particularly like that it has lots of alternate words directing you to the word they chose to put that topic under.
There are two other lists in the back of the Bible: Great Bible Passages to Study and Memorize and Great Bible Stores for Discovering God’s Truth. Both include the Biblical reference, the passage subject, and the page number.
Also included in the back of the Bible is the Introduction to the New Living Translation. I always like when they include the translators’ notes to the readers in Bibles because it can answer so many questions you have when reading a translation you are not familiar with.
Final Thoughts on the NLT HelpFinder Bible
The NLT Helpfinder Bible is a nice study Bible with an extremely useful focus. It is most useful for new Christians, people getting back into Bible study, or those working with new coverts or others with lots of questions.
Tyndale provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Photos by Lucinda Brown
