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66 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The New Gold Standard in Study Bibles, September 15, 2008
This review is from: NLT Study Bible, Indexed Edition (Hardcover)
I was hesitant to purchase the NLT Study Bible after earlier this year buying the NLT "Discover God" Study Bible--also published by Tyndale. I debated whether or not to get it but checked out their website and was convinced. I am not only not disappointed, I am very pleased with this work.
The NLT is a very readable translation (yes, it is a translation, not a paraphrase). Many Bibles now have the annoying single column, like a book, but the NLT Study Bible has its Biblical text in two columns and the study notes in three columns. To further separate the words of God from the words of man, a different font is used--looks like serif font in the text and a sans-serif in the notes. There are "insets" with helpful sketches of characters (like Eli), people groups (like the Philistines), or things (like the Ark of the Covenant).
The hardback version is well constructed, readable, and has excellent, practical, and helpful study notes. It has a dictionary/concordance in the back which is a small step above the standard concordance. There are color maps in the back but the text and graphics throughout the Bible are all single color, though quite understandable.
The book intros are good without getting bogged down in trivia and even gives a "further reading" list.
I own the "NIV Study Bible", the "Reformation Study Bible" (ESV translation), the "Apologetics Study Bible" (HCSB), the Ryrie Study Bible (NAS), and the "Discover God" (NLT) study Bible. Of these, the "NLT Study Bible" is my new favorite. If you're looking for a readable translation, helpful study notes, and a well-thought-out design, this would be a great addition to your library.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Of The Best Bibles To Date, December 16, 2008
This review is from: NLT Study Bible, Indexed Edition (Hardcover)
When I was younger I tried very hard to read the Bible. It was discouraging to read the Scriptures and not understand much of it. Years later I was fortunate enough to have a NIV Quest Bible given to me as a gift. Not only did the language finally make sense, the Bible even had side-columns with questions and answers to help me further understand the meaning behind the Scriptures.
The NIV Quest quickly became my favorite Bible, my wife and I even bought some for friends and family. Now, Tyndale House Publishers has come out with the same concept written in the beautifully translated NLT version.
For those who don't know, the NLT (or New Living Translation) is a modern English version of the Bible and is the result of of eighty-seven different translators working together to bring us an easy to understand Bible that preserves the original meaning of each Scripture. The translation was completed and published in 1996. The Second Edition of the NLT (also called the NLTse) was released in 2004 which resolved awkward wording of the original, as well as reworking some of the poetic verses into a more acceptable poetic form.
At the time of this review the NLT is the most up-to-date version of the Bible to date, making it both convenient and enjoyable to read. After looking through just a few chapters the reader can feel the natural flow of the language, which is a welcome change of pace compared to the choppiness of say...the KJV.
What gives this Bible the edge is the study notes it contains. They are very thorough, explaining the smallest detail of every passage in words that flow as nicely as the NLT scriptures themselves. The notes are readily available on every page and strategically placed on the same page as the passages they are detailing. This keeps the reader from having to turn back and forth between pages to find answers to their questions.
Combined with my Quest, this NLT Study Bible is the perfect arsenal for understanding what was handed down to us. It's nice to read from a Bible that takes the time to explain things in modern terms but is faithful to the original Scriptures.
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Study Bible for new Christians, October 16, 2008
This review is from: NLT Study Bible, Indexed Edition (Hardcover)
As a lay person, I heavily depend on Study bibles to get to the original meaning of biblical texts and their application today. It is so important for me to understand how Christians through the ages have interpreted and applied these texts. Although I have not been a fan of paraphrase translations, the New Living Translation has provided me with some clarity on some difficult texts from time to time, and I have had the Life Application Bible for some time.
This summer I found out that the NLT Study Bible was one of many study bibles that were going to be released in the next 12 months. I was very impressed with the list of contributers--- Douglas Moo and Tremper Longman to name a couple. Naturally I went ahead and ordered one, and I received it in September. I have been consulting it for a month now, and using it some in my studies and devotionals along with my favorite study bibles: The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, The New Interpreter's Study Bible, Harper-Collins Study Bible and The Reformation Study Bible. This week, I added the ESV Study Bible to that list. The NLT study bible is a good addition to this set of bibles. It is not in depth as some of the others, but it does not take dogmatic theological positions on minor issues, and it is clear in its exposition of scripture. It is ideally suited for a new Christian, especially one who have been brought up in the post-Christian school of thought with little or no exposure to the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
The availability of the online version as well as versions from Pocket Bible and Libronix is a big plus.
I just have a couple of complaints: I could not find a black letter version. A red letter version is not only difficult to read for those who are visually challenged, but also precludes most underling or highlighting schemes.
A single column version would also be very good for those of us who have eye problems.
If are you looking for a bible for a young person, or a person new to the faith, this is it. I recommend it for those purposes without reservation.
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