How to Choose a Bible

I've had a number of conversations over the past few weeks that have led me to plan a few posts that I hope will create a good guide for those of you who are just beginning your journey with the Lord or those who need a fresh start after months (years?) of complacency.

I decided to begin with choosing a Bible. There are thousands of Bible choices out there. How do you know which one to choose? There are probably almost as many opinions on this topic as there are Bibles to choose from (hence the reason there are so many choices!), but here are my thoughts:

Pick a Version

Oh my goodness. This is enough to make you tired right now, isn't it? You could read entire books/take entire courses that explain why there are so many versions/paraphrases/translations of the Bible. In fact, here is an article that explains a bit about that, if you're curious and have some time to read. But if you don't have time or interest in reading that background, let me tell you the few I've used most frequently and why.


* New International Version (NIV): This is probably still my main go-to recommendation of a Bible version that balances translation accuracy with easy readability. I grew up reading in the King James Bible with all its thees and thous, and that can get kind of tedious (unless, of course, you've taken to just talking that way in general). So this is probably my favorite choice. This is also the version in which I have memorized the most verses and the one I use when I write and teach.

* English Standard Version (ESV): I hadn't used this version until I started dating Ryan. He got a new Bible around that time and chose this version, and I wanted to be able to read from the same version he did, so when we did our devotions together, we were using the same thing. This is very similar to the NIV, but some of the phrasing is a tad different. Sometimes reading a slightly different phrasing helps me see something in a fresh way, so that's why I like this one.

* New Living Translation (NLT): This is more of a paraphrase of Scripture than an actual word-for-word translation from the original language. For that reason, I am always hesitant to recommend it as a main form of study, however, if you're new to Scripture and find it confusing, this is a good, easy-to-read introduction. And if you already have a firm foundation in Scripture, this can be a good way to see it from a fresh angle.

 *New English Translation (NET): I first learned of this one from Beth Moore, and I figured if she trusted it enough to study and teach from it, I would, too. The translators for this one went back to all the original language manuscripts and started from scratch, so it's similar to the NIV, but some of the wording is a bit different, and I've read/heard from various sources that they tried to find even more accurate translations to some words. This is the one I've been using in my study this year.

Like I said, there are many more options. (And I own a few more than what I've listed here, too.) Those are just my top four favorite. 

Pick an actual BIBLE

Now that you've picked the version you want to use, you need to pick an actual BIBLE. And maybe, for you, it's as simple as picking the pretty cover you like the best. (No shame in that, my friend!) But Bibles come in SO many packages. You can get a Bible that is just Scripture with no notes of any kind. You can get devotional Bibles that have daily devotions built right into the pages. You can get study Bibles that have teaching notes, maps, and pictures throughout to help you. SO many options! :)


I actually own several Bibles, and often when I'm talking with people who own a bunch of Bibles, they say they feel guilty about it because they know some people don't have any. While I am always sad for those who have NO Bible, I don't feel guilty for owning a bunch, because I actually use them often in my research for writing and teaching! So here are some of my favorites. (And of course, you can find alternate cover options for most.)

* Life Application Study Bible: This was the first Bible I ever fully devoured. Mine is the NIV, but you can buy this particular Bible in many versions. I always always recommend this one to new or struggling Christians, because it has so many wonderful study tools in it that are easy to read and understand, and also offers (as the title would suggest) practical life applications for what you've read in Scripture. I used this Bible (mine had a "dusty rose" cover...hello, teenage Bekah!) for almost a decade and treasure it still to this day.

* The NIV Study Bible: I got this Bible in college when I took a New Testament course that required this particular Bible for its study notes. It is not quite as thick as the Life Application Bible, and the study notes are much more academic and not so application-focused. But if you're looking to study the meaning behind the Scripture, this is a good one to choose.

* The Archaeological Study Bible: I am not a big archaeology buff, but this Bible fascinates me because it gives background into that aspect of history. It explains customs of those days, architecture, maps, shows full color photos of items found in digs, etc. Very fascinating. This Bible is not as easy to read as some, not because of its word choice, but because of its physical presentation. The pages are a cream/tan color and the print is brown (aethetics) and some people find it hard to read. (I wasn't one of them, but it was a common complaint I read about when the Bible released.) It is also HUGE. Very thick and heavy, so if you're not looking to be a weight-lifter, this might not be the best fit. But the information is incredible!

* The Key Words Study Bible: This is another Bible I learned about from Beth Moore, and it is the one I used during my desert journey. It is probably the second-most written-in Bible I have and one I use most frequently when I study and write. It has a few notes throughout the Bible, though  not nearly as many as some I've already  mentioned, but it has reference numbers that you can use to cross to the back and see what the original definitions of some words meant. (Some are very different than our English-speaking minds would lead us to believe.) I love, love, love this Bible!

* The NET Bible: This is the one I've been using this year, and it has TONS TONS TONS of study notes in it. On some pages, there are more notes of explanation than there are Scripture passages! I think this is a great study Bible if you want to dig in and learn all kinds of things. Almost like a built-in professor!

* The NIV Journal the Word Bible: This Bible had been the one I had next on my wish list UNTIL this week (more explanation below), but I still want to tell you about it. I love to write notes in my Bible, and I hate trying to scribble in tiny margins. When journaling Bibles became all the rage, I felt the answer to my problems had arrived. This Bible does not have study notes, but it has wide, lined margins so you can take notes OR if you're a coloring/doodling lover, you can do art in the margins. I actually saw this Bible in person last month and noticed that the pages are a bit thicker than traditional Bible pages, so you don't have to worry about ink bleeding through. Like I said...this is the one I planned to get next UNTIL I found this one just this week:

* The Jesus Bible: Like I said, I'd never heard of this one before, but I found it while browsing the internet this week. It drew me because it combines a study Bible WITH a journaling Bible. What? Yes! It's true! This Bible project (which contains NIV text) was spearheaded by Luis Giglio, Max Lucado, Randy Alcorn, Ravi Zacharias and John Piper, and these men have written study notes and articles to show how Jesus has ties to each book of the Bible - not just the four Gospels. This is a type of study I've not done before, and it sounds amazing to me, so I wanted to check it out. Big thanks to my parents for gifting it to me for my birthday this year!!


You might notice I did not list any devotional Bibles, and that is because I am not a big fan of them. I like my Bibles to be Scripture only or Scripture and study notes. I like my devo books to be separate from my Bible. That's just a matter of personal preference - certainly there is nothing wrong with having your devotions in the same book as your Bible!

You might also notice I did not list any Bible apps. I am a hold-the-Bible-in-my-hands kind of girl. I do not have any Bible apps on my phone or tablet and prefer to always use a hard copy book when I read the Bible. Also personal preference.

HERE'S THE MAIN THING:

Read the Bible.


That's the goal. Whatever version, whatever layout, whatever pretty cover will get you to open the thing up and read the words so you can start hiding them in your heart? GET THAT. And then open it every single day and read something. Study something. Memorize something.

Hope that's helpful to you, especially if you're looking for a new Bible! Holler if you have any questions! I'd be happy to talk them through with you!

** BONUS!! ** Through May 8th, Christianbook.com is having a huge Bible sale. That's actually how I was able to get (ahem, my MOM was able to get) the new Bible I wanted. There are great deals here, so I just thought I'd let you know. I do so love a good sale!