By
eHow Culture & Society Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Bible
- Bible Dictionaries
- Comparative Study Bible
- Holy Bible (King James Version) (Large Print)
- New Catholic Picture Bible/No. 435/22
- The New Adventure Bible
Step1
Select a sturdy cover and binding. A sewn binding - rather than a glued one - will usually hold up under extreme handling.
Step2
Look at the print size when choosing your study Bible. Also decide whether you want the words of Christ to be printed in red.
Step3
Decide on the translation you will need for your studies. Some passages have been translated into several different versions.
Step4
Choose a study Bible with a good dictionary, concordance, and reference section. You may find a Bible with a center-column cross reference that is quite handy.
Step5
Look at the maps, study notes and charts included.
Step6
Decide if you want a study Bible with notes, questions and answers related to today's problems, and, if for a child, illustrations to depict the Scriptures.
Comments
kjv4thee said
on 1/20/2008 NEW AGE BIBLE VERSIONS ( 700 PAGE BOOK ) BY GAIL RIPLINGER is the best book on the version subject.
JRIngrisano said
on 12/8/2007 Excellent ideas. I have about five Bibles. One is from high school and is held together by rubber bands, but it is cherished by me. J
costruire said
on 6/16/2007 You may run across some people who stand by the "If it's not the Kign James Version, it's not the Bible" rule, but if you have a hard time understanding the KJV, don't shy away from different versions.
Anonymous said
on 8/29/2006 A good way to pick the right study Bible for you is to look up the same passage, perhaps one of Jesus' parables or the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6-8) in several versions. Which text is easier to read and understand? Which version has footnotes that are relevant to you, whether you're looking for scholarly information or life applications? Which Bible has supplemental content beyond the footnotes that helps you put what you're reading into context? Also keep in mind that you need to make two decisions: 1) which translation to choose (such as NIV, NRSV, ASB, etc.) and then 2) which study edition of that translation to choose.
Anonymous said
on 6/30/2006 If you are looking for a bible for spiritual growth, make sure the bible you read has no copyright, because it is not supposed to have one; it is inspired by God and not by men. Other versions should only be used for comparison.
Look in a trustworthy dictionary for the word copyright, and then decide if it is right for a bible to have a copyright in the first place.