Customer Reviews

NIV Compact Reference Bible

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This was the first bible I bought and have had it since 2004. I loved it until I wore the bonded leather off the middle of the front and back covers. I am finally getting a slightly larger bible, this time a study bible instead of just a reference bible (Life Application Study Bible NIV, Personal Size). Mostly because I really want bigger print but also because I want more study material. The small print has gotten to me so I'm moving up from 'compact' to 'personal' size. I'll be giving this one away to a friend who's learning how to read.

This was the first version of the bible I was ever able to read from front to back thanks to the plain language. I highly recommend this for kids, teens or adults who want to get through it completely. You'll come to know it and love it too.

I also own a KJV Pocket Bible, and the ESV Crossway Pocket Bible. However both pale compared to the NIV Pocket Reference Bible. This NIV Bible features the following

Cross-refs with each verse
Footnotes
Book introductions (Title/background, author, theme, outline,etc..)
Some maps (pg 38,etc..)
Some Charts and tables

This makes reading the word much easier with the added additions. Although the ESV and KJV are more faithful to the Greek and Hebrew, I have yet to find a Pocket Bible in those translations as sophisticated as the Zondervan NIV Pocket Reference Bible.

Many of my brother and sister fundamentalists reject the NIV because of its "dynamic" philosophy, however many of these type are unable to explain why the dynamic philosophy in the NIV is entirely bad.

Compare the following verses in the NIV and in the ESV, and after you will be thankful for the New International Versions "dynamic" rendering.

Matt 15:17
Matt 17:10
Matt 22:28
Matt 23:3
Matt 26:7
Matt 27:25