My New Bible – ESV
For Father’s Day this year I got a new study Bible. Now, the last time I got a “big Bible” was about 18 years ago in college. I got a NASB Inductive Study Bible (wide margins, no distracting notes or headings). It’ s been my main Bible this whole time and I never had reason to get another one.
Then some of my students began showing up with this new ESV study Bible so I checked it out.
Wow.
This hefty Bible is pretty amazing. Lots of Bibles are packed with notes but this is the best one I’ve seen in recent years. Detractors point out that the notes skew to Calvinistic interpretations, and with editors like Wayne Grudem and J. I. Packer that’s no big surprise. But they are fair and the more significant-to-theological-position passages usually have notes that include all the major views.
The ESV Study Bible combines the best and most recent evangelical scholarship with the Bible text, which, as an “essentially literal” translation, is especially suited for Bible study. The result is the most comprehensive study Bible ever published—with completely new notes, maps, illustrations, charts, timelines, articles, and other features. Created by an exceptional team of 95 evangelical Christian scholars and teachers, the ESV Study Bible contains more than 2 million words of Bible text and insightful explanation and teaching—equivalent to a 20-volume Bible resource library.
No kidding. There sections on ethics, theology, cults, and several hundred illustrations, maps, and charts – in color! Plus you can access all these online.
The translation (which is essentially literal) seems great so far and I have seen no major critical issues yet.
It comes with access to the ESV online which is like an entire Bible program online.
Finally, the ESV “TruTone” material covers are great. They are a fake leather that I like better than the real thing and they cost much less. You can get the hard back for about $30, and I found the TruTone for $48 (inc. shipping!) at CBD. Fantastic!
That sounds pretty sweet! The church I go to typically reads from the ESV, so I am familiar with the translation but I have never seen the study Bible. I guess one more Bible to add to the collection can never hurt!
Doug, I’m disappointed in you. Don’t you know that the KJV is the only true Word of God? I’m going to have to report to Ted so that you will be disciplined by your church.
Brian,
I am offended and demand that you retract your thoughts and apologize or I will have to go to your church authorities. Oh, wait, you’re evangelical – you don’t have any.
HA!
Nathan,
Yeah, it’s seems great so far. I liked the NET for awhile (mostly for the notes), but there were way too many times the notes had a better translation that the Bible did!
The ESV also has a cool reverse interlinear in print and on LOGOS. Cooooool.
Doug, I apologize for all the ways I have offended you : ) Oh, and thanks for lunch again. What a relaxing time and what wonderful, delicious, magnificent, amazing food. Alright, I’m hungry now!
Are the words of Christ in red letter? That’s really all that matters to me in a Bible.
Sorry man – all black. What if they did everyone’s words in a different color – that’d be sweet!
Yep, I just got an ESV study Bible to add to my collections of Study Bibles. I use my NASB normally, but like the layouts of the ESV. In terms of translation, there are some interpretative ‘issues’ (certainly not many) I’ve seen such as Eph. 4:9 – they’re definitely pushing the reader toward their preferred interpretation of that verse I believe…