Book Review - Which Bible Should You Buy? A Quick Look at 8 Options
There are a variety of quality bibles to choose from in the market place today. Looking for the right one to meet your needs should be done before you start shopping for one. Here are 8 options from which you can choose to better help you find the right bible to minister to your spiritual needs.
1. The Basic Reference Bible. This one has the text along with reference notes that reflects you to other scriptures that speak that reiterates and support what you are reading. Typically they have a concordance / dictionary included with a couple of maps in the back. This one is great for anyone who is looking for a no-frills, working reference bible.
2. The Text Bible. This bible does not include any references or maps. It is generally used as a "pew bible" in churches.
3. The Thin-line / Ultra Thin Bible. This one is like the reference bible but typically has Thinner pages and is than 1 inch thick. Portability is its calling card.
4. The Devotional Bible. This one has short devotions placed through the chapters or segments of scripture that draw attention to a certain verse or theme and expound on the theme or verse. Great for daily reflection / meditation on the scriptures.
5. The Parallel Bible. This one includes more than one version / translation in it. Generally there are only 2 translations included but can contain as many as 4. The translations are placed side by side for easy comparison. Great bible for getting a second / different view of the meaning of the text.
6. The Chronological Bible. This one places all of the events in the order in which they chronologically occurred. This allows you to see a time-line of events. This bible does not work well as reference or "follow-along" bible because books and scripts have been taken out of their original order.
7. The Study Bible. This one is good for studying scripture and typically has commentaries notes on the bottom of the page. These notes are written by one author for example; Scofield study bible This is the classic study bible for the ages. Some study bibles have the notes written by the people who worked on the translation of that version or were theologians who have an expertise in certain books of the bible.
8. The Themed Bible. This one has a basic theme to them, such as women's interests or men's interests. A good example of this is the women's devotional bible. This one has devotions that appeal directly to women's interests and how scripture applications to them. Leather bibles, imitation leather bibles, cloth bibles, are just a few of the types of covers available in this bible.
Whatever your interests are, there is a bible to meet your needs and study preferences. Price certainly is a factor, but consider the time you will be spending with the bible you choose and what type best fits your needs before making a decision. May you find the best bible to help you grow in your faith!
