Greek NT: Which Reader’s Edition is right for you? How to choose a Readers Edition

While I don't recommend a Reader's Editions for reading the Greek NT, they are popular especially with those who are just finishing beginning Greek and want something to keep them moving while they continue to develop their vocabulary, reading skills and grammatical knowledge. Since Hendrickson and Crossway were kind enough to send me a copy of their Reader's Editions, I thought it would be a good opportunity to provide you with a comparison and some guidance around what to look for, so you know how to choose a Reader's Edition.

Links to purchase:
Tyndale Reader's Greek New Testament
UBS Reader's Greek New Testament
Zondervan Reader's Greek New Testament

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[theburlyburrito]

I personally purchased a Tyndale GNT that has the ESV NT on the opposite page. I find it quite easy to read and if I’m struggling I can pull out my lexicon or reference the ESV on the next page.

[SibleySteve]

I have all these and several regulars. UBS 5 Reader is my fav. Zondervan is hard to read, italics and sarifs are hard to look at, notes are busy. I love the lemma index and feel of crossway, but book order is an extra challenge. I love the UBS5 and its full dictionary, its creamy and German and stays open well. For reasons of sentimentality I prefer the ubs. Its just natural! Zondervan gets points for size

[edcaouette]

I have used the UBS edition for years. Probably read it ten times plus.also have read the Septuaginta with the same format. With a freind we are reading genesis in Hebrew and Greek simultaniesly. Great way to see comparisons and see how the LXX translators understood the Hebrew text.
Presently I tutor two students in Greek, and reading Hebrew with a colleague. Great way to keep up the language and have rich fellowship.

[wulfman]

I appreciate your review and comparison of these readers editions. I started Greek back in undergrad with the UBS, but once the NA28 came out our profs switched to that. Used my NA28 throughout seminary after that but the past three years since I've been out I haven't used my Greek as much as I would like. Went through complete vocabulary guide by Trenchard in undergrad which helps but want to ebb back into my Greek. Cautious to jump into the NA28 without any helps, but would appreciate the training wheels of the readers version so I don't get to bogged down looking stuff up. A ton of food for thought from your video and appreciated all the pros and cons you provided for each. Thanks!

[MichaelSmith-yyfw]

Excellent review. I don’t feel quite as strongly about reader’s editions as you do. Probably because I doubt I’m going to devote enough time to Greek to master it. What I DO like about my leather bound UBS is I can quickly turn to the Greek text and read the NT in the original language and get the impact of Greek grammar on a particular text. I don’t have to struggle with vocabulary and the parsing helps let me know if I’m looking at an imperative, an indicative or even a subjunctive. I can read NTG pretty well. I’m not a parsing champ and my memory at 73 sometimes fails me. So, for my level of Greek scholarship Reader’s editions are great. Thanks for another fine video. MikeinMinnesota

[composer]

I have the Zondervan Reader's Edition, but never use it. My "go to" Greek Bible is the Tyndale (not Reader's Edition). I use the vocabulary from Master New Testament Greek each week (usually about 30 words). I put each gloss of each word in Excel. I also include a mnemonic sentence for each word. Then I use Flashcards Deluxe and put my mnemonic sentences in there as well. All of this hard work on the back-end should make it possible to read without any crutches down the road. It's just a matter of how much time one is willing to devote to reading fluently.

[MatthewMcCoyathome]

I started with Pershbacher's "Refresh Your Greek" years ago, and was give a Tyndale Reader about a year ago. I don't like the way the books are arraigned. I have to leave the Tyndale Reader at work for certain reasons, and still have my Peshbacker's at home and have used it's indexes for various purposes other than the Greek text. The synopsis of the grammar is a good refresher, again, at work where I can't have all of my reference works.

[ThriftStoreBibles]

Great overview! I don't know for sure, but I've heard the font is better in the Zondervan 3rd ed. vs. the previous editions, so that may be a good reason to get the newer edition.

[TheJesusNerd]

I had that same UBS as my first Greek New Testament!!! That's my favorite font!!!! UBS 4th Revised edition!!!! I've never cared for the Nestle Aland Font.

[MrEdwinjbock]

EASY WAY TO KEEP YOUR UBS RIBBON FROM UNWINDING (OR FIX IT)... Take a match and bring the tip to the ribbon. Do not let the flame touch the ribbon. You want to let the heat from the flame melt the very end of the ribbon so that the fibers congeal together. Bam! You have fixed your ribbon fraying problem.

[davidmorrison]

I must say I have never heard of a "reader's edition" of the NT! I thought all versions were for reading. Some years ago I started from Matthew and translated the NT, so I am not ignorant of the NT or Greek. I must learn more about reader's editions. I have seen parallel versions and I have never been a fan of those.

[smashandburn]

You can't burn those woven ribbons to keep them from unraveling. I tried on my Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine and it just caught fire. 😬

[einarengemoen]

Which one has the largest (most readable) print, UBS or Crossway?

[TheJesusNerd]

I'm using the zondervan readers second edition atm but I'm gravitating toward the tyndale. I dont know if I'll switch because I prefer the smallness and thinness of the zondervan and font.

[ojbux]

Correction on the Zondervan Reader. It includes words that occur less than 50 times.

[pmachapman]

Does the THGNT reader's edition have the apparatus or introduction from the standard THGNT?