Purpose and History of the Study Bible

A study Bible is an edition of the Bible prepared for the use of a serious student of the Bible. Such a Bible usually contains an extensive apparatus, which may contain such features as:

• Annotations explaining difficult passages or points of theology and doctrine;
• References to indicate where one passage of the text relates to others;
• A concordance, a word index that indicates where various key words are used in the Bible.
• Variant translations or interpretations of certain debatable passages, or possible textual emendations (i.e. alterations of the original Hebrew or Greek);
• Introductions and historical notes for each book of the Bible;
• Maps that illustrate the Holy Land during Bible times;
• Harmonies of the Gospels, pointing out parallel incidents in the life of Jesus;
• Timelines of Bible history that relate it to world history.

It is almost unavoidable that such an annotated bible will show

The creation of Bible commentaries has been going on almost as long as there have been Biblical texts. With the invention of printing, however, it became easier to combine both text and commentary in a single volume.

Perhaps the first edition of the Bible in English that qualified as a "study Bible" was the Geneva Bible; it contained extensive cross references, synopses, and doctrinal points. The text of the Geneva Bible was never printed without the commentary. The Church of England disputed some of the statements made in the Geneva Bible annotations; this led to the creation of the King James Bible, which was typically printed with a much less extensive apparatus, or none at all. Several commentators have supplied annotated King James Bibles containing their own points of view, but unlike the Geneva Bible, these commentaries are not as thoroughly integrated into the text.

Another historically significant study Bible was the Scofield Reference Bible, first printed by Cyrus I. Scofield in 1909. This study Bible became widely popular in the United States, where it spread the interpretation system known as dispensationalism among fundamentalist Christians.

The Jerusalem Bible is a widely respected study Bible

Examples of Study Bible

Other study Bibles worthy of note include:

• The Dake Annotated Reference Bible, very important within Charismatic and Pentecostal circles (KJV only)
• The Harper Study Bible
• The Harper-Collins Study Bible
• The Life Application Study Bible, a popular lay edition (known for its "practical-to-life" notes) available in many versions, including the NIV, NLT, KJV, NKJV, and NASB.
• The New Geneva Study Bible (1995, NKJV) with notes in the tradition of Reformed theology
• The New Interpreter's Study Bible (2003), a newer academic study Bible with up-to-date scholarship
• The NIV Study Bible (1984, several revised editions)
• The Open Bible
• The Orthodox Study Bible
• The Oxford Annotated Bible (RSV, NRSV), for many years considered the academic study Bible
• The Recovery Version (RcV), with notes by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee
• The Reflecting God Study Bible (2001), a Wesleyan revision of The NIV Study Bible
• The Reformation Study Bible (2001, NKJV; 2005, ESV), nearly identical notes to the New Geneva Study Bible available in two translations
• The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible (NRSV, 2005)
• The Ryrie Study Bible
• The Soncino Books of the Bible (Jewish, so only covers the Old Testament)
• The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV) a revision and expansion of the New Geneva Study Bible
• The Spiritual Formation Bible (NRSV, 1999), published by The Upper Room
• The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
• The Wesley Bible (NKJV, 1992), with notes focused on holy living, presented by Holiness scholars

There is no clear dividing line between a Study Bible and a commentary on the whole Bible that incorporates the full text of the Bible.

Study Bible Software

With the rise of the personal computer, Study Bible software has come to existence, which can aid readers in the study of the Bible.

This software normally includes several Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, maps, and other content. They also include search engines to enable users to find Bible passages by keyword and by theme.

Some Bible software commonly used are:

Microsoft Windows:

• BiblePro
• Online Bible
• PC Study Bible
• QuickVerse
• WORDsearch
• e-Sword
• Logos
• Bible Explorer
• The Sword Project

Macintosh:

• Online Bible
• Accordance
• MacSword

Linux:

• BibleTime
• GnomeSword

Palm OS:

• MyBible
• BibleReader
• Palm Bible Plus
• Bible Reader for Palm

Pocket PC:

• PocketBible
• e-Sword
• BibleReader

Online Study Bibles

• The 1560/1599 Geneva Bible at
• The Open Bible Project at
• The NKJV Bible with the Geneva Bible Notes