Guide to Choosing a Bible
Click on the button to download info from this web page.
Scroll to the bottom for info on my favorite Bible study aids.
When you are ready to purchase your Bible or related study guides, I have found the following to have good prices for customers in the USA. You’ll have to check with them about availablity and mailing costs to others countries.
biblestore.com
Choosing a Bible can feel like a daunting task, especially for beginners. To get started, a comparison of the wording of the scriptures is important to choose your preferred VERSION / TRANSLATION.
Once you find the version you prefer, take a deep breath; the hardest part is over! Next, you will need to know what TYPE of Bible will fit your needs. Then comes the details, choosing your preferred FEATURES.
If you belong to a church, ask your pastor for recommendations.
You can also visit a local bookstore that sells Bibles to compare the various options.
Ready? Take a deep breath and let’s dive in!
Popular Bible Versions
On this page, since we are focusing just on English translations, the words “version” and “translation” can be used interchangeably. The following Bible versions are currently the top selling English translations. Review each of the summaries below. Compare the two “sample passages” to get a feel of the language structure and wording. For example, the James 4:11 sample demonstrates how each version translates gender pronouns. (Example: brothers and sisters vs brethren vs brothers)
If you would like to compare more verses, go to https://www.biblegateway.com/ I loooove this resource and use it nearly every day! Type in any Bible passage, keyword or topic. Then select one of the versions you are considering buying. Then repeat to compare to other versions you are considering. There are over 60 versions to choose from! All of the ones listed below are included.
New International Version (NIV)
AUDIENCE: Readers of all ages, reading levels and denominations. Good for daily study and devotional reading.
PROS: Due to its accuracy and readability, most Bible commentaries and English-speaking churches in the USA use the NIV as their base.
CONS: Thought-for-thought translation may be less suitable for scholarly or academic readers looking for their own interpretation and those preferring more traditional styled text.
PUBLISHED: 1978, Revised in 2011
SAMPLE PASSAGES: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.~ James 4:11
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King James Version (KJV)
AUDIENCE: Good for those who like the traditional and formal elegance of Old English.
PROS: Accuracy makes this classic still popular in its original 1611 translation.
CONS: Due to archaic language (thee, thou, art), some verses may affect readability.
PUBLISHED: 1611
SAMPLE PASSAGES: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26
“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” ~ James 4:11
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New Living Translation (NLT)
AUDIENCE: Good for new and young readers and daily devotional reading.
PROS: Easier to read with more modern language.
CONS: Thought-for-thought translation may not be suitable for those preferring word accuracy over the translator’s meaning.
PUBLISHED: 1996
SAMPLE PASSAGES: “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26
“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.”
~ James 4:11
New King James Version (NKJV)
AUDIENCE: Good for those who like the poetic prose of the KJV without the Old English pronouns and other archaic words.
PROS: Removes the “thee, thou, art” and other Old English words. Yet, still holds to the more formal poetic wording of the KJV. Also includes some modifications stemming from the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
CONS: Not the best choice for a young reader.
PUBLISHED: 1982 update from the 1611 King James Version
SAMPLE PASSAGES: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26
“Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” ~James 4:11
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English Standard Version (ESV)
AUDIENCE: Good for scholarly study.
PROS: Word-for-word is not as accurate as NASB, although more readable. However, it still has some outdated language.
CONS: Like the KJV, uses the masculine rather than neutral pronouns.
PUBLISHED: 2011
SAMPLE PASSAGES: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26
“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” ~ James 4:11
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New American Standard Bible (NASB)
AUDIENCE: Most literal word-for-word Bible translation in modern English language. Good choice for scholars or those wanting a version that remains close to the original structure and wording from the original languages.
Pros: With the wording close to the original languages, it is considered by many to be the most accurate. The 2020 version uses more modern language structure.
Cons: Since it is word-for-word translation, the sentence structure doesn’t flow as fluently. However, it is still quite readable.
PUBLISHED: 1971, updated in 1995, 2020
SAMPLE PASSAGES: “The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord cause His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His face to you, And give you peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26
“Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or judges his brother or sister, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are nota doer of the law but a judge of it.” ~ James 4:11t
Types of Bibles
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE
Devotional Bibles include additional insights encouraged to deepen reflection on the specific scripture. They are often organized as a daily read that includes relevant prayers, meditation ideas, personal stories and insightful commentary.
Some devotional Bibles are written for a specific audience such as: personal, family, group study or for men, women, teens or children. Some are written for specific denominations such as Catholic or Baptist.
Devotional Bibles are designed for deeper reflection and should be used in addition to studying a standard Bible.
JOURNALING BIBLE
Journaling Bibles often have wide margins for writing notes, insightful reflections and allowing space for artistic expression.
You might want to consider one that is spiral-bound or has lay-flat binding.
SLIMLINE, THINLINE, COMPACT BIBLE
By using thinner paper, these Bibles are thinner and lighter than standard Bibles. This makes them easier to carry and fit easily into a purse and carrying bag. Some are small enough to fit in a pocket.
They are offered in a variety of translations and feature options. If you plan to make notes or use a highlighter in your Bible, keep in mind that due to the thinner paper, the ink will likely bleed-through. The pages may tear more easily, too.
STUDY BIBLE
As the name suggests, study Bibles are loaded with useful materials to enhance your understanding of the scriptures.
Most include commentary and insights which may or may not be in alignment with your personal belief.
Some of the added features to look for are: maps, concordance, topical index, explanatory introductions to each book, devotional insights, historical or character background and word studies.
Bible Features
A concordance is an alphabetical list of key words in the Bible. They will list all or some of the passages where that word is found. Some Bibles include a limited concordance.
FEATURES TO CONSIDER
BOOKS INCLUDED: Most contain the Old and New Testament. Some contain just the New Testament. Others have the New Testament and some of the OT books such as Psalms and Proverbs.
COVER: Hard cover, paperback, real or faux leather, cloth, zippered closure, decorative, color
EASE OF USE: Ribbons as placeholders, thumb index to locate books more readily
BINDING: sewn, glued, spiral-bound, lay flat binding
SIZE: Large, Standard, pocket-size or somewhere in between
FONT: Font size and style, red letters to highlight Jesus’ words
PAPER: Standard or thin for lighter weight
PAGE LAYOUT: Wide margins for notes, topic subheadings, references to related scriptures
REFERENCES: Concordance, maps, one year Bible reading plan, dictionary, commentary notes, introduction to each book, illustrations
AUDIENCE: Personal, Family, Group, Scholar, Adult Reading Level, Children (Illustrated or Text Only)
My Favorite Bible Study Aids
biblegateway.com
As a “content creator” I use this site nearly everyday! Type in any passage, keyword or topic and then select one of 60 versions to compare. It also works well as a concordance, showing the selected word in the entire Bible or a chosen book.
biblehub.com
I use this resource to get information on passages or specific words to see how they were translated from the original Hebrew or Greek. It can also be used like a concordance.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
Strong’s Concordance is an alphabetical index of every word in the King James Version of the Bible. It’s appropriately called “Exhaustive” because it even includes words like “the” and “and!”
The index reveals every location where the word is found in the Bible. It also allows the reader to view the same word used in other places in the Bible. It also contains a comprehensive Hebrew and Greek dictionary.
I rarely use the physical book anymore because it is big and heavy. Since I live on my computer, it’s handier for me to do Bible word search study online.
There are several places where you can use Strong’s online. Bible Hub mentioned above uses it. Here is another site where you can access the info online: biblestudytools.com/concordances/strongs-exhaustive-concordance/
Carta’s New Century Handbook
and Atlas of the Bible
I love this book! As usual for Carta, it has great maps and relevant photographs.
It gives concise historical data from the 4th Millenium BCE through the Bar Kochba Revolt of 132-135 CE. The historical background brings to life the stories of the Bible events and characters.
It also offers insights into the major empires and important events to help better understand the dynamics of what was happening at the time, but not mentioned in the Bible.
This book is a concise version of Carta’s more extensive (thus expensive) The Sacred Bridge.
Between the Table of Contents and the Index listing of the parallel accounts, it’s easy to find the scriptures to study on any particular event.
This book is a great side-by-side parallel account of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. Sprinkled on the main meat are the spicy prophetic warnings from Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezra. Then sweetened by the relevant Psalms of David.
Overall, it brings more coherency as the stories blend together, rather than being chopped up into several different books. Thus, bringing life to the history of the Jewish people during the time of the monarchs.
The overall structure is chronological with Samuel and Kings in the left column and Chronicles in the right.
The text uses the Revised Standard Version. However, the standard of reference is based on the Masoretic Text. (The authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text.)
CSB Christ Chronological
This well-designed book is color-coded with side-by-side parallel comparison of scriptures from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
As the title suggests, the entries follow the chronological order of the Bible as written in the popular Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.
The book opens to a generous width of 20 inches, making it easy to read, especially when the text overlaps onto the next page.
Each section begins with a short commentary regarding the differences and similarities between each of the author’s entries.
Although there is no index, each section has a heading in black text, making it easier to locate specific events.
