Customer Reviews

Blackaby Study Bible: Personal Encounters with God Through His Word

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I prayed for the perfect study bible, and within a day came across this one. This bible is not only physically beautiful, its enhancement tools are exceptional. Its historical references (both text and map) help to place chapters in their proper context. Elegant inspirational prose ("Encounters") reaches the depth of your soul. Character studies make bibical characters relevant to today's society.

The Blackabys have fully demonstrated their ability to bring to fruition a literary work of love and devotion, and they are certainly dedicated wordsmiths. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to strengthen their relationship with God, or especially, for "novice Christians" who want a gentle introduction to the Bible with capable guidance. They can be sure that this particular Bible study format was brought forward from Divine inspiration.

Five Baptist Blackabys (Henry, Richard, Thomas, Melvin, and Norman) with a bunch of letters after their names have put together a good, trustworthy, conservative New King James Version Bible that's described as a Study Bible but really doesn't offer all that much more than a Reference Bible. Lacking are the comprehensive doctrinal notes of certain Study Bibles like the MacArthur Study Bible or the Nelson NKJV Study Bible, though that's not necessarily a bad thing as long as one knows what one's getting instead. Blackaby is known for books and study guides such as "Experiencing God," and this man-God interaction slant is what's noteworthy or unique about this Bible. Instead of cluttering up the pages with doctrinal or applicational notes, the Bible has a moderate number of shaded areas, usually in the 2 columns of text, but sometimes at the bottom, that emphasize this relational aspect. Such features include: Encounter Notes, Explanatory Notes, Historical Encounters, Character Studies, and Word Studies.

Of the standard features the Bible's biggest help is probably the 152 page Concordance; and it also has center-column references, as well as certain features seen in other Nelson Bibles, such as a Harmony of the Gospels chart, Prophecies & Fullments chart, and a Read Your Bible in a Year plan (a.m.-New Testament, p.m.-Old Testament). There are introductions for each Bible book, but not book outlines, as some Study Bibles have.

Personally I prefer the MacArthur Study Bible, but I could see reasons why others would like the Blackaby better. For one thing, there's more marginal space to jot notes, and some people just have a different focus in their Bible study and/or don't want all the clutter of info-thick alternative Bibles. 4 stars for me, no doubt just right for others.

This is a good bible for reading through the bible in a year. The print is good.The layout is good.The concordance is great. It dosen't fill the bill as a study bible.The notes are very good but very basic.The "encounter" notes are very good but also basic knowledge.Nelson was presured to bring out another bible and put the presure on Blackaby. I was making a decision between this and the Reformation Study Bible. I made the wrong choice.

I had started browsing Amazon for an investment in the Word after leaving a Christian book store unable to find a Bible that truly suited me. I wanted something in the New King James Version (faithful to the Hebrew and Greek texts but without the abundance of Old English) but it seemed that every Bible I looked at just didn't jump out at me.

Fortunately I stumbled upon the Blackaby Study Bible on here. I was discouraged because I couldn't preview it first, but the other reviews on here seemed like solid recommendations so I ordered the leather bound. Upon showing up at my door, the Bible was the perfect size--a little bit more than an inch thick, and maybe just a tad bit longer in length than the average Bible. The pages are extremely thin, with gold trim. The print on the next page is actually visible through the current page. I worried that highlighter would soak through like water, but fortunately two of my three highlighters don't show through on the other side; I was very pleased.

As for the text itself, this version of the Word is very solid. The NKJV looks great in its font, and the references are kept in the center column while some very brief footnotes are kept at the bottom. Spread throughout the Bible are special notes that the Blackabys call "Encounters," various looks at studies of characters, places, words and ideas--but these are not wastes of space... I have found the ones I read thus far to be insightful and wise. I have had other Bibles where the character profiles or encounters with God sections were not as fulfilling and only took up space, but that is not the case here. The makers of this Bible put a lot of effort into what they added as spiritual aids.

I have only had this Bible for a couple days but I am extremely pleased with it. I am stoked that I found a sword I can carry with me for years and years to come!

This Study Bible has lived with me month after month. The Blackaby authors bring the Truth of Scripture alive to every day life. It is simple,yet richly profound. One reads comfort and confrontation. Each morning I can not wait to open the pages.

Any thing the Blackabys

put out are put out by

Men of God.

I am very pleased with the Blackaby Study Bible. I find it very helpful and practical for increasing my personal encounters with God.