Comparative Study Bible, Revised [Leather Bound]

Zondervan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 9, 1999

The Comparative Study Bible features the updated 1995 edition of the New American Standard Bible, the most recent edition of the Amplified Bible, trimmer design, and an updated cover for an attractive, contemporary appeal. Turn to the Comparative Study Bible when you want to consult: New International Version-The world's leading contemporary translation, renowned for its accuracy and ease of understanding, communicates the meaning of the original writers in a thought-for-thought translation. New American Standard Bible-The most widely used literal translation is the translation of choice for Bible readers who prefer a word-for-word approach. The updated NASB has been refined for a smoother read. Amplified Bible-This unique approach expands on the basic Bible text with added synonyms, explanatory notes in parentheses, a unique system of punctuation, italics, and references unlocking subtle shades of meaning as found in the original Greek and Hebrew languages. King James Version-Beloved by Christians for centuries, the King James Version is known for its poetic, dignified presentation of Scripture in 17th century English.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A superb Bible study tool just got even better. The Comparative Study Bible takes the complete texts of four popular Bibles each acclaimed for its distinctive translational features and sets them side-by-side for fast, easy comparison. And now, this revised version offers important updates that make it more useful than ever. The Comparative Study Bible features the updated 1995 edition of the New American Standard Bible, the most recent edition of the Amplified Bible, trimmer design, and an updated cover for an attractive, contemporary appeal. Turn to the Comparative Study Bible when you want to consult:

New International Version-The world's leading contemporary translation, renowned for its accuracy and ease of understanding, communicates the meaning of the original writers in a thought-for-thought translation.New American Standard Bible-The most widely used literal translation is the translation of choice for Bible readers who prefer a word-for-word approach. The updated NASB has been refined for a smoother read.

Amplified Bible-This unique approach expands on the basic Bible text with added synonyms, explanatory notes in parentheses, a unique system of punctuation, italics, and references unlocking subtle shades of meaning as found in the original Greek and Hebrew languages.

King James Version-Beloved by Christians for centuries, the King James Version is known for its poetic, dignified presentation of Scripture in 17th century English.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Leather Bound: 3264 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (July 9, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031090336X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310903369
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #737,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

163 of 167 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Buy, But Not Exactly a "Study Bible", October 3, 2002

By 

Allen Smalling "Constant Reader," (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Comparative Study Bible, Revised (Hardcover)

Comp-bibl

This "Comparative Study Bible" is a useful tool, handy, and cost-effective for any bible scholar who doesn't have most of the translations in hand already (King James, Amplified, New American Standard, and New International).

Its chief virtue is that the two middle translations are somewhat difficult to find and very expensive to buy: the Amplified Version and the NASB. The Amplified is just that: if more than one word is necessary to get the nuance of meaning(s) of the original text(s) across, this version will indicate so, even at the risk of a "stuttering" effect: For example, the New International Version Chapter 1, Verse 2 reads: "Meaningless, Meaningless! Says the Teacher, Utterly Meaningless! Everything is Meaningless." The Amplified Version has it: "Vapor of vapor and futility of futilities, says the Preacher. Vapor of vapor and futility of futilities. All is vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory)." (note the repetition of the "vapor" phrase; also, this edition contains a cross-reference to Romans)

The New American Standard Bible (NASB), on the other hand, does not try to synthesize text with synonyms but with a challenging, "strictly literal" or word-for-word methodology so difficult to read that most bible scholars rate at about grade 11. (At this point I should mention that the "reading levels" of the past were skewed much higher in, say, 1960 than they are today: today's college textbooks are written at level 10, editorials in prestigious newspapers at about 8, and news content about 6.

The price we pay for the strict literalness of NASB makes it unsuitable for general pew use (most of the time, anyway), the virtue is that it reveals shades of meaning through its complexity that are not available to the general reader of the New Revised Standard, King James, NIV and so on. For example, the New Revised Standard (NRSV) translates Genesis 1:11 as: "Then God said, 'Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." The NASB has it "Let the earth sprout vegetation; plants bearing seed and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them." A subtle but key difference, no?

In terms of the market value of its translations, our "Comparative Study Bible" has the advantage over its near-twin, the very similar "Today's Parallel Bible," which contains KJV, NIV, NASB, and a paraphrase, Today's living version (TLV). The TLV is a widely-circulated and admired paraphrase and is quite easy and cheap to come by. Instead, our version includes the more expensive Amplified version.

Like "Today's Parallel," our "Comparative Bible" here discussed is manufactured in the USA but the physical product is not, I fear, a sterling example of American workmanship. For the book's weight, the spine stitching is too slight. (I recommend the owner carry it around in a backpack or tote of some kind.)

More problematic is the fact that the "Comparative Study Bible" doesn't really qualify as a "study Bible," even within the slippery bounds of bible lingo (what constitutes a "concordance," what is "annotated," etc). Cross-references frequently are contained in braces after the relevant verse but don't come in the kind of flowing abundance we'd expect in a center-column bible, for example. Comment and annotated footnotes are rare. There are exceptions (see Amos 3:7) but they are exceptions.

This lack of study-worthiness from lack of full cross-references and annotation makes me downrate this otherwise useful and thrifty four-format Bible from a 5 to a 4. But considered not as a "study bible" but just as a cheap and convenient way to acquire new bible versions (especially NASB and Amplified), it's a bargain and highly recommended.

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 in 1 Bible... If this is what you're looking for..., November 11, 2002

By 

Internet Guru "neoscion" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Comparative Study Bible, Revised (Hardcover)

Despite the crushed expectations of some, I find these types of tools invaluable, and the product itself is outstanding. The intentions of the publisher was to put four translations side by side in one clearly labeled package, and they delivered (except for the "study" part of it... which is more commonly used today suggesting editor's notes... honestly, I'm pleased that piles of opinions aren't there).
These aren't the only four translations that will go great together, but they are definately good to compare, especially the NASB update (my favorite) and the NIV which are very popular translations. The KJV is significant considering it was a translation based on the TR text, and interesting to note some of the rather dated words that were used (that still cause "confusion" with certain groups that hold exclusively to this translation). The amplified translation seems a bit awkward, but still good because it causes curiosity.
If you are expecting this to be an exact literal translation or an "interlinear", then don't buy it, it isn't supposed to be. If you are expecting the Greek text, don't buy it, it's not a Greek testament either. If you want a parallel Bible, buy it, it is just that.

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL BIBLE! One Of The Best 4-In-1 Bibles Made Today!, May 3, 2004

By 

Sheila Chilcote-Collins "Sheila Renee Chilcot... (Collinswood, Van Wert, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Comparative Study Bible, Revised (Leather Bound)

The Comparative Study Bible takes the complete texts of four
popular Bibles each acclaimed for its distinctive translational features and sets them side-by-side for fast, easy comparison.

This revised version offers important updates that make it more useful than ever. Includes the beloved King James translation, Amplified version, New International version, and the Updated NASB with the words of Christ in RED in all translations.

This ASIN that I am reviewing is the leatherbound edition. It is bound in beautiful top grade burgundy leather with a satin bookmark & exceptional binding. Pretty endpages and gold gilded pages make this Bible a great gift for ANY occasion or a well-deserved gift for yourself.

Highly recommended!