Each year for the past several years, I have included a Bible review in 'round about the church.  There are so many excellent study Bibles and compact Bibles and now Bibles on CD that make excellent choices for gifts for others as well as for yourself.  In ministry there are many opportunities to present a new believer with a study Bible.  Families also have opportunities throughout the year to present a Bible to a child or parent.  Since there are so many Bibles available, I like to take the time each year to review some new releases as well as some of the ones I find to be the most effective for study to help you as you make selections for your Bible purchases.  I hope you will find the information in the following reviews helpful - as always, you can find reviews from previous years in our archive section.

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Thinline Bible - NIV Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• easy to understand NIV
• Red Letter edition
• concordance and maps
• family record pages in the front
• available in Eggplant bonded leather - I would personally love to see more study Bibles in the Zondervan line available in the Eggplant color!

    I especially like the size of this Bible as it makes an excellent size to carry along.  This Bible is an excellent choice for the reader who wants to study God's Word without the commentary of study notes in their Bible.  Extremely well done Zondervan Publishing!

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Trimline Bible - NASB Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• easy to understand NASB
• Red Letter edition
• presentation page

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Compact Reference Bible - NIV Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• easy to understand NIV
• Red Letter Edition
• in text maps and charts included - excellent!
• center-column references
• available with a snap closing
• presentation page
• each Book in the Bible begins with:
• title and background info
• author and date of writing info
• theme and message
• outline
• dictionary and concordance
• Bible verses for Daily life

    I like how these Bibles are sized for carrying in a purse or pocket making them an excellent selection for someone who likes to be able to read their Bible wherever they are.  Extremely well done Zondervan Publishing!

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Serendipity Interactive Study Bible Publisher - Serendipity House

• Favorite Features:
• thorough directions on how to effectively utilize this Bible for personal and group Bible study
• explains five interactive methods for Bible study
• 100 courses with 624 lessons in five categories in the margins of the text - excellent!
• group life
• community life
• spiritual life
• personal life
• Biblical subjects
• over 4600 index to lesson subjects
• over 200 key Bible stories
• Bible includes complete curriculum with the goal of
• encountering God personally
• engage in authentic community
• experience transformed lives
• each book of the Bible includes introduction with
• information on the Author
• date written
• purpose
• historical background
• theme
• personal reading schedule
• group study, topic and reading chart
• in text studies complete with opening ice breaker, complete study and application activities
• in text verse commentary
• charts, diagrams and maps

    This is a truly amazing study Bible individuals and groups will genuinely understand and be able to live.  The in text notes and verse explanations make Scripture clear and add to it being remembered, understood and lived.  Extremely well done Serendipity!  This Bible is not just for reading, but for being understood so it can truly be lived!

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The New Inductive Study Bible - NASB Publisher - Harvest House Publishers

• Favorite Features:
• easy to understand NASB
• 32 pages to explain how to study a Bible the inductive way
• step by step explanations for how to mark a Bible for studying
• wide margins for note taking
• full color charts, timelines and maps
• cross references and concordance
• in text maps and charts - excellent
• each book begins with -
• things to do before reading this Book
• things to think about
• time line for the book
• insight in the margins - to highlight special points

    This Bible is designed to not only explain what inductive study is all about, but to have you experience it as you actually study the Bible so you will truly understand what observing, interpreting and applying God's Word is all about.  Extremely well done Harvest House!

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Woman of Faith Study Bible - NIV Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• NIV for ease of understanding
• page to write the beginning of your faith life - excellent!
• indexes for weekly studies and character sketches
• each book includes:
• introduction
• quick study with information on -
• Author
• date written
• setting
• key passage
• woman of the the book
• outline
• timeline of Women in the Bible
• genealogy of Jesus
• Jesus and New Testament Women
• Dictionary and Concordance and Maps

    I like all these features for a study Bible for women, but the best and most unique feature of this Bible is that the studies correlate with the studies in the Young Women of Faith Bible for girls ages 8 - 12, (also available from Zondervan Publishing), so that mothers and daughters could take a year to study God's Word and grow together!  This is a tremendous resource for mothers and daughters - extremely well done Zondervan Publishing!

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NASB Study Bible Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• NASB for accuracy and understandability
• Time line of Old and New Testament history
• introduction to each Book includes:
• title
• background
• author & date of writing
• theme & message
• literary features
• outlines
• in-text maps and charts - excellent!
• in-text study notes - excellent!
• chart showing time from Malachi to Christ as well as time between the Testaments - history, literature and social development
• New Testament introduction to each Book includes:
• Recipients
• Purpose
• Structure
• Words of Christ in Red
• Chart of the life of Christ
• maps, concordance and index in the back

    This is an excellent study Bible for those who prefer the NASB.  It has to be one of the most complete and well thought out study Bibles available in the NASB.  Extremely well done Zondervan Publishing!

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NIV audio Bible  Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• available in cassette and CD
• includes the entire Bible - Old and New Testaments
• dramatization and background music makes listening to the Bible an experience to remember and enjoy - extremely well done!
• book introductions help the listener understand the setting and overview of the Book they are about to listen to

    This tremendously well done presentation of the Bible on audio makes it something individuals and families can enjoy listening to and learning from.  Extremely well done Zondervan Publishing!

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The Quest Study Bible Publisher - Zondervan Publishing

• Favorite Features:
• NIV for ease in understanding
• in-text maps and notes - excellent!
• questions and answers in the margin throughout make this a tremendous resource for studying God's Word
• introductions to each Book include:
• background information as to why you should read this Book
• info on the Author
• audience for the book
• When and why it was written
• what to look for
• time lines
• key events
• dictionary, indexes, concordance and maps in the back

    This Bible was truly designed to help the reader understand the questions they may have as they read the Bible.  It is an excellent study Bible!  Extremely well done Zondervan Publishing!

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Life Application Study Bible Publishers - Zondervan Publishing and Tyndale House

• Favorite Features:
• available in the NIV and NKJV
• in-text maps - excellent!
• in-text notes - excellent!
• in-text charts - excellent!
• timelines throughout to help reader understand the setting and time for what was written - excellent!
• each Book's introduction includes:
• purpose
• Author
• audience
• date written
• setting
• key verses and people
• outline
• megathemes with their explanation and importance
• maps with key places
• index to notes, dictionary, concordance and maps in the back
• read through the Bible plan

    This has to be one of the most complete and thorough Study Bibles - for the person who truly wants to study, understand and live God's Word, this Bible is an excellent choice!  Extremely well done Zondervan Publishing and Tyndale House!