Which is your personal favorite?

[Liz]

Alright, once again I have a question and I can't seem to find the right forum for it. I am putting it here, 'cause this one is labeled "Bible and Related Items" and it is related to Bible.

Which study Bible do you like the best and why? I have just seen a Bible called the Rainbow Study Bible and it has every verse color coded according to 12 different themes. I have been toying with the idea of getting it, when I decided I would ask ya'll's opinion of what you like in your Study Bible's.

I have one Bible that is broken up, and you are supposed to read it through in one year; if you read each day's selection. I got stuck somewhere in July. So January 1st, I am starting it again; or rather, I will hopefully finish it up. I think if I start all over I will get discouraged again, probably along in July, and I will never find out how it ends. <Big cheeky grin>

So please give me your opinions of study Bible's.

[Jeannieb43]

I have different versions which I prefer for different occasions.

At the moment, I'm reading The New Living Translation, starting from Genesis and reading through to the end. Didn't finish it last year, so I'm still pursuing it in 2008. I like to underline passages which have special meaning to me. Sometimes I underline doctrinal passages in blue, warnings and admonitions in yellow, and promises in red.

About 20 years ago I read through Today's English Version, also known as The Good News Bible. Opening it today I find numerous notations in the margins from the excellent pastor we had at that time.

If you're asking for an actual "study Bible," the Harper Study Bible is one I enjoy (in the New International Version).

[Taylor]

I loved making my own study Bible. I used all the Bible Study Guides and books I could get my hands on, and color coded texts in my Bible on the various topics. I tried to give them colors that made sense for instance, purple for judgement, grey for death, green for money or tithe, pink for health, etc. I have a wide-margin Bible that has extra pages in the back and I wrote a one line synoposis of every text by Topic in the back. It is so handy because sometimes you know a verse very well but you can't remember where it was found. This is a quick reference for me. The wide margin has been so helpful as I have room to write notes etc, especially to explain "difficult texts".

[Gerr]

If I'm not mistaken, the Rainbow Bible is based on the NIV translation. It is a so-called "dynamic" translation, i.e. thought for thought translation. I personally believe the NIV is a fairly good translation, but just like any other translation, it has its shortcomings.

For doctrinal Bible study, the word for word translations (or close to it) like the NKJV & NASB are probably more appropriate. For memorization and Bible study, I prefer the NKJV. However, I have a Logos software that uses at least a dozen different translation and certainly use many if not most of them during Bible study. I still use the KJV only because it is the only version I know of that has Strong's numnbers which allow me to study the original Hebrew or Greek.

The paraphrases like the Living Bible, NLT, or Good News Bible are excellent for devotionals, but I wouldn't use them to established doctrine.

Gerry