Quick Reasons to Consider the New NIV Study Bible

I recently got the just-produced NIV (New International Version) Zondervan Study Bible.  I've had a chance to glance through it, and am eager to add it to a list of Bible study tools I recommend.  In just a second I'll list some "quick reasons to consider" this latest NIV Study Bible (just in time for Christmas lists!), but let me first mention two prefatory comments.

By Way of Preface...

1. Remember, there are lots of good Bible study tools out there.  Even as I recommend the new NIV Study Bible for consideration, I still maintain my recommendation of the English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible, for example.  (The English versions I spend the most time in are the NIV and the ESV, by the way).  I know many who benefit from the Life Application Study Bible, or others.  With the gift (and responsibility) of biblical and theological resources we have in America, I suggest having numerous Bible study tools that can help us build a mini "Biblical and Theological Library" - even if that's just a shelf in our home.  I believe the new NIV Study Bible deserves consideration for "shelf space" in that list of resources we can turn to for help in understanding God's Word.
2. For those of you familiar with the many different English translations of the Bible (ESV, NIV 1984, NIV 2011, HCSB, NLT, NASB, NKJV, Amplified, The Message...) and translation philosophies, I'm not going to spend any time discussing these philosophies or the merits of one translation as exclusively superior to all others.  Briefly, I'm a fan of the NIV.  And the ESV.  And I dip into other translations as well.  If you want a thorough review of the NIV 2011 (which is the translation the new NIV Zondervan Study Bible falls into), I encourage you towards Daniel Wallace's 4-post series here - see links below.  (Bottom line?  He's a fan.) 

• A Review of the NIV 2011 - Part 1 of 4

• A Review of the NIV 2011 - Part 2 of 4

• A Review of the NIV 2011 - Part 3 of 4

• A Review of the NIV 2011 - Part 4 of 4

Quick Reasons to Consider the New NIV Study Bible

Now, with all that said, here are 4 (quick) reasons to consider the new NIV Zondervan Study Bible, listed in no particular order:

I love the fact that I can have a hard copy and a digital version

I'm old-school enough to like a hard copy of books that I can thumb through and mark up.  For me personally, a physical book just "feels" different than doing all my reading electronically.  But I'm also 21st century enough that I love the accessibility that goes along with being able to read and rely on study tools electronically - anytime and anywhere I have my tablet or iPhone.  Knowing all that, I love the fact that when I purchased the hard copy of the NIV Zondervan Study Bible, I purchased a version that also gives me a code granting me access to the digital version as well.  (The disclaimer is that I've not explored the digital version yet - I'm looking forward to making time for that soon.)

The study helps are gonna be just that - helpful.

The table of contents reveal a multitude of charts, maps, and articles that I know will be helpful at briefly illuminating different sections of God's Word.  The introductory articles before each book of the Bible are helpful.  And then there are the study notes through the entire Bible that shed light on what individual verses and larger sections mean.  D.A. Carson, the editor of this NIV Zondervan Study Bible, is a helpful and trustworthy evangelical thinker and teacher, and therefore the "helps" included in this Study Bible that was produced under his editing guidance (with MANY others who contributed) should also be helpful and trustworthy.  (Knowing, of course, that the notes aren't what is divinely-inspired and authoritative.  That qualification remains for the actual text of God's Word alone.  Always remember - even with study Bibles - to read the scriptural text first and most, and not the notes and helps.  Focusing on the notes while avoiding the Scripture is one of the dangers that accompanies biblical resources such as this.)

It's graphically appealing

It's great that we live in a day and age when publishers can produce color Bibles with graphically-sharp charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations.  This graphic appeal and excellence is another "plus" of the new NIV Zondervan Study Bible.  'Nuf said.

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I hope this helps "whet your appetite" for considering the new NIV Zondervan Study Bible as a resource for yourself, and as a potential recommendation you can pass along to others.

If you're looking for more, check out these two short videos (each is less than 5 min), sharing a bit more about the new NIV Zondervan Study Bible.  

​The first is more of an "overview" video with Dr. Don Carson, where he shares his hopes for this particular version of the Bible and what you can look forward to from it. 

The second highlights the team of scholars that contributed to the various notes, articles, charts, etc.