The notes, however, are not inspired by God. They are written by men and women and are based on their particular interpretations of scripture. While their comments can certainly be helpful in understanding the text, they don’t require obedience of any sort. Only the Bible itself commands that kind of obedience. Best Study Bible: Interpretive or Application? There are obviously differences between each of these Bibles, and scholars will debate the merits of the study notes, but overall I think these are your best bet. The Final Word: Obedience Matters Most First, let me say that both interpretive and application study Bibles are wonderful resources, and calling one type the “best study Bible” probably isn’t the most helpful way to think about the subject. With an included reading plan, and two different types of reading plans, you don’t have to know where to start. You just choose one and allow the study bible to guide you through it.

Dynamic equivalence study Bible translations attempt to translate the Bible in a “thought-for-thought” manner. In other words, instead of translating each word individually, they attempt to translate the original thoughts behind each word and phrase.

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Essentially literal study Bible translations are those that seek to examine the original Greek or Hebrew word, then translate that word into English as literally as possible. The scripture text is double-column with cross-references in between and notes in a single-column below. Book introductions are brief. Graphics are extremely minimal. This study Bible has zero fluff, and some serious study tools. Now let’s dive into the nitty gritty of choosing a good study Bible for you. Which Is The Best Study Bible Translation? Overall, this is a big simplification of the two methods of translation, but I think you get the point. There are Bibles for men, women, college students, high-school students, kids, military members, and on and on. It’s a flabbergasting, overwhelming blessing.

The Quest Study Bible was first created in 1989 by the Zondervan publishing company and Christianity Today International. The bible was developed in a way that would provide readers with the ability to provide persons with answers to challenging life questions. Some of these questions may already be in your mind while some of them may arise as you read through the scripture. Because you want the translation to be as close to the original as possible, while still being readable. God chose specific words to include and exclude in scripture, and our job as readers is not to change those words, but wrestle with their meaning. So yes, take some time to do research before you choose a study Bible. But even more importantly, obey the word of God. The Jeremiah Study Bible is a great option. It is the type of study Bible that does not feel overly academic. They note that while it does guide you through a study of the Bible, it does so in a more intimate way than other study bibles. It does meet the aim that Dr. Jeremiah indicates he wanted it to meet when he authored it. It is a good choice for beginners or believers who are not entirely adept at their biblical knowledge and how to apply it to their everyday lives. Even more seasoned readers of the Bible will find this Bible study guide useful. It will provide readers with an easy-to-read unit that will not be intimidating. This, of course, will simply just make it easy to enjoy reading the word. With this Bible Study, you can look forward to your Bible study each day as you can now read with better understanding and with more clarity as to how to apply the word of God to your everyday life.While there is no “best” Bible study guide, you can find one that is just right for your needs. It is the features of a study Bible and how they help you to remain engaged and provide you with clarity that is what makes a good Bible. Knowing what features will enrich your Bible reading experience is what will help you to figure out which Bible Study guide is best for you. Bottom line: When it comes to choosing the best study Bible, I would recommend one that focuses on interpretation rather than application. Bringing It All Together: Best Study Bible Recommendations Before you decide on a good study Bible for you, it’s really important to determine the best translation of the Bible to use. This beautiful full-color Bible provides a complete resource for study, including thousands of notes, articles, extensive cross-references, and features contributed by top evangelical scholars. These multilayered study tools, combined with the accuracy and clarity of the New King James Version, make this Bible a perfect choice to help you understand and deeply engage with Scripture.

The KJV Study Bible from Holman is a great choice. It is complete with good notes, better than most other study bibles. The full-color images and maps are beautiful and the study Bible is quite a feature-rich one. It is the only full-color KJV study bible available and that alone puts it in a class of its own. But this bible study is much more than simply pretty to look at. It is designed with a feature to help the reader to be transformed and grow in their faith and knowledge of the Lord and is the aim of our lives here on earth. At first glance, the different little numbers and letters inserted throughout may seem overwhelming. If you feel like you need a guided tour to use this Bible, you’re right. Fortunately, that’s included in the front, where the annotation system is explained in detail. The Inductive Bible Study method is explained in detail in the front section. Each book of the Bible has an introduction and overview, but chapter headers and book outlines are left blank for you to fill in as you study. Other than minimal prompts on keywords to look for as you study, there is very little commentary. If you want to pull scriptural truths from the Bible for yourself, without getting too technical you will love this Bible. Because I believe that the Holy Spirit is primarilyresponsible for helping us apply God’s word to our lives. He is the one who makes convicts us of sin and righteousness. He is the one who reveals Christ to us. He is the one who comforts us in our afflictions and encourages when we’re downtrodden.

Additionally, I don’t want someone else doing the hard work of wrestling through how to apply various verses. I want to prayerfully grapple with the text, seeking God’s help to pull out the various meanings and applications. When choosing, I would recommend using this formula (that sounds too precise, but you know what I mean): Usually, these Bibles have loads of study notes underneath the text, plus maps, diagrams, cross-references, and dozens of other helpful tools. Now let’s bring it all together. Given all the information above, what study Bible should you choose?