Which Study Bible is Best? (2023 Reviews of Newer Popular Study Bibles)

In this video I'm reviewing a bunch of study Bibles. I like some a lot, and I'm not as fond of others. I'm offering my honest take, but I could be wrong about stuff. The goal of the video is to help you get a Bible in your hands that'll spark your curiosity and make you want to read and study the Bible a lot, and connect with God who I believe is on the other end of this document.

[cyndiharrell]

As a woman, I TOTALLY agree with your assertion that women's Bibles, and many of the women's Bible Studies, are watered down and geared toward an "emotional woman"! Like a woman doesn't have the capability to grasp a deep, theology study of His Word! Although I realize that many women desire this type of Bible, I personally find it very patronizing. Awesome video!! Thank you for your hard work!!

[adamsmith_]

0:00 Introduction
1:42 What do you want in a Study Bible?
4:52 Gospel Transformation Study Bible
8:00 Grace + Truth Study Bible
10:18 Enduring Voice Study Bible
12:27 Search the Scriptures Study Bible
14:32 Literary Study Bible
15:55 NLT Illustrated Study Bible
17:06 The Jesus Bible
20:10 ESV Student Study Bible
22:39 ESV Concise Study Bible
25:52 She Reads Truth Study Bible
30:35 He Reads Truth Study Bible
34:34 NKJV The Women's Study Bible
38:28 ESV Women's Study Bible
41:25 The Study Bible for Women
43:07 Ancient Faith Study Bible
48:41 Final Thought

[erikaharlan]

Thank you for your comment about the She Reads Truth Bible as well as other materials produced for women!!
As an intelligent 45 year old female I struggle to attend women’s only Bible classes and I refuse to look at devotionals. Women are just as capable as men of learning the Bible as deeply. I understand many women do prefer the lighter items so I get the market. But personally I find them all lacking.

[starvingscientist]

As a woman, you are completely right about the patronizing women's bibles. Part of why I love your podcast is because it is actually studying the stuff I always wanted to growing up in Sunday school, the same stuff the boys in my church learned, but I wasn't allowed to.

[Tck]

I’ve never read the Bible before and have been curious. The NLT Illustrated Study Bible appeals to me & I believe I’ll start there so thank you for putting this out to the world

[BibleTreasuresAndReviews]

I can't believe the difference in the women's & men's Bible! I did a Bible review on She Reads Truth, but now wish I had the He Reads Truth! Thank you for speaking up for ladies and desire to study the Bible. Ancient Faith Bible looks amazing!

[michellelewis]

I totally resonate with your assessment of the She Read Truth/He Reads Truth Bible. It is indeed patronizing that the SRT Bible is completely lacking in any serious theological content and it is indicative of how so much content is written for women. It’s frustrating. Thank you for bringing that up and being honest in your comments!

As an aside - the notes in other women’s study Bibles are almost always geared toward married women with children, as though women’s only value is found in those roles. As a single childless middle aged woman, I find this concept limiting to the depth of what it means to be a woman, and in particular a woman seeking God. That’s my “rant” on this subject… 😉

Blessings to you. Your ministry blesses me greatly.

[zacbarnes]

You got me drooling over the ancient faith Bible... Now to convince my wife I need yet another Bible 🤣

[annamccormick]

Aaaand that final one has just made it to my Christmas list!

[iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 📚 The goal of the video is to review various study Bibles, offering honest opinions and recommendations.
03:43 📚 Study Bibles differ in their focus, such as academic vs. devotional, nudge factor, targeting questions, portability, topicality, and bias.
08:48 📚 The "Gospel Transformation Study Bible" emphasizes getting back to the basics of the Bible's message for personal transformation.
09:58 📚 The "NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible" balances truth and grace for a deeper understanding of the Bible's teachings.
11:30 📚 The "Enduring Voices Study Bible" offers notes from various Christian thinkers across different traditions for a comparative perspective.
14:18 📚 The "Search the Scriptures Bible" provides light nudges and questions, but may lack depth and clarity compared to other study Bibles.
14:45 📚 The "Literary Study Bible" focuses on the literary aspects of the Bible, helping readers appreciate the beauty and structure of the text.
15:55 📚 The "NLT Illustrated Study Bible" is a comprehensive general-purpose study Bible with beautiful presentation and insightful notes.
17:03 📚 The "Jesus Bible NIV" emphasizes the convergence of the entire Bible on the life and teachings of Jesus, but may overly prioritize this theme.
20:12 📚 The "ESV Student Study Bible Artist Series" stands out for its artistic and beautiful presentation, combining art and biblical insights for young readers.
22:13 🤔 Some study Bibles can be patronizing towards certain audiences, but there are exceptions.
23:10 📘 The ESV Study Bible is a comprehensive and highly recommended study Bible.
25:09 📚 The Gospel Transformation Study Bible takes a different approach, focusing on big picture themes and application.
26:16 📖 The "She Reads Truth Bible" has a more devotional feel with fewer traditional study Bible features.
30:39 📖 The "He Reads Truth Bible" offers more in-depth study features compared to the "She Reads Truth Bible."
34:41 📖 The "New King James Version Women's Study Bible" has specific notes and articles targeted towards women.
38:48 📖 The "Crossway ESV Women's Study Bible" is a study Bible that effectively treats women as capable readers without being patronizing.
43:10 🏛️ The "Ancient Faith Study Bible" gathers commentary from the church fathers, making it a valuable resource for various Christian traditions.
45:37 📖 The "Ancient Faith Study Bible" offers insights from Christian thinkers throughout history, providing valuable context and perspectives on biblical passages.
46:17 🏛️ This Bible includes writings from early Christian leaders, even before the Bible was fully agreed upon, giving readers a glimpse of how scripture was interpreted in different historical contexts.
47:26 📜 The church fathers' writings reveal that they were in transition and did not think the exact same way at every moment, creating an opportunity for fresh reflection and challenges in interpreting their texts.
48:38 🌟 The "Ancient Faith Study Bible" is highly recommended and meaningful for Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, or anyone interested in rich historical insights into the Bible.

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[jeffshouse]

I just discovered The Ancient Faith Bible a couple months ago. I completely agree with you about it. It is my "go to" Bible as I study for each Sunday. It has deeply challenged me and I could not appreciate it more. I had been kind of using the Orthodox Study Bible because it does some of the same things, but this one just does it better. (p.s. Totally agree with you about she reads truth, my wife rolls her eyes every time some mentions it. lol)

[sethplace]

That is what I love about my wife. She is brilliant and our bible study is crazy awesome because of her deep understanding. l
I love your videos Matt.

[Nornagest]

Thanks for this - I mostly use German bibles, but it's very interesting how many great (study) bibles there are on the English market.
Chapters would be helpful. Keep up the great work and God bless you! 🙏

[srqsoccer]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to share your knowledge. I left the church about 10 years ago. But a few years back ended up getting into No Dumb Questions just looking for a good Two Dudes Talking podcast. NDQ quickly became one of my favorites. Your words, among other things, have contributed in what has been a reconstruction of my walk with God. I've recently found a loving church to worship in and I have purchased the Ancient Faith Study Bible on your glowing recommendation. Two years ago I was at my lowest point, with no hope for the future, things couldn't be more different now. Some percentage of that is because of the work you've done. I am grateful for it. Thank you.

[Heroniak]

This is a genuinely incredible run down. Thank you and keep up the good work man. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated by many =)

[Mrsadams]

Great video. So helpful. As a woman, I absolutely agree with your thoughts on most women's bibles being patronizing and rather substance-less. I appreciate your bringing that up. Also, you didn't cover the Bible (I assume it is a study Bible) that you use in most of your videos. Is that because you talked about it in a different one? Anyway, thanks for the great video and for making one of my favorite channels on YouTube. 😊

[AlanDayley]

The quality of this video and the information is so high. Thank you!

[coffeeanddavid]

The Lutheran Study Bible is where it's at ;) The Word on Fire Bibles are REALLY gorgeous and interesting too.

[JordanCrowderFilms]

Great overview! I really like “The Open Bible.” Because it’s mostly hands off, but helps bring history and context, but sparks curiosity to dig through on your own with the chain references. I also like how it lays flat. I went ahead and put tabs on mine, because I ain’t fooling anybody, they help me move quickly. Plus my dad had tabs on his when I was a kid, and I thought his Thompson Chain Reference Bible was pretty cool and luxurious then, so it makes me think of him, how he became a Christian when we were kids and lead our whole family to Christ.

[isaacstovell]

recently purchased a copy of the NLT illustrated study Bible & thrilled to hear it's one of your faves. I've been finding it incredibly fruitful - the notes are an excellent blend of devotionally-oriented insight & reflections that help you understand the text better. thank you for another great video! keep doing what you doing, Matt x