Bible Resources (Recommendations for Studious Laymen)

Translations (Listed in Descending Order: Dynamic Equivalence → Formal Equivalence).

1. Contemporary English Version.

2. New Living Translation.

3. Common English Bible.

4. New International Version.

5. New English Translation.

6. New Revised Standard Version.

7. New American Standard Bible.

8. Lexham English Bible.

Choosing a Translation.

1. Gordon D. Fee, Mark L. Strauss, How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding and Using Bible Versions, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2007]. Preview.

2. Dave Brunn, One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal? [Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2013]. Preview.

3. Leland Ryken, The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation, [Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2002].

4. James R. White, The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust Modern Translations? [Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2009]. See also: 1995 edition.

5. D. A. Carson, The Inclusive Language Debate: A Plea for Realism, [Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998].

The Basics of Biblical Interpretation.

1. Gordon D. Fee, Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Second Edition, [Bletchley: Scripture Union, 1999]. See also: first edition.

2. Gordon D. Fee, Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002].

3. D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies: Second Edition, [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996]. Preview.

4. Leland Ryken, How to Read the Bible as Literature, [Grand Rapids: ZondervanPublishingHouse 1984].

5. J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word: A HandsOn Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible: Third Edition, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012].

6. R. C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture: Revised Edition, [Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2009].

Study Bibles.

1. D. A. Carson, gen. ed., NIV Zondervan Study Bible, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015]. (Republished as the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible).

2. John H. Walton, Craig S. Keener, gen. eds., NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016].

3. NET Bible: Full Notes Edition, [Thomas Nelson, 2019]. Preview. See also: netbible.org and biblegateway.com.

4. Faithlife Study Bible. (Includes the Lexham Bible Dictionary).

5. Wayne Grudem, gen. ed., ESV Study Bible, [Wheaton: Crossway: 2008].

Biblical Theology.

1. Vaughan Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible, [Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2002]. Preview.

2. Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible, [Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002].

3. Thomas R. Schreiner, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments, [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013]. Preview.

4. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., The Promise-Plan of God: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008].

5. Andreas J. Köstenberger, Gregory Goswell, Biblical Theology: A Canonical, Thematic, and Ethical Approach, [Wheaton: Crossway, 2023]. Preview.

Systematic Theology.

1. Tony Lane, Exploring Christian Doctrine: A Guide to What Christians Believe, [Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2014]. Preview.

2. Michael F. Bird, Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013].

3. Gerald Bray, God is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology, [Wheaton: Crossway, 2012]. Preview.

4. Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction: Fourth Edition, [Malden/Oxford/Carlton: Blackwell Publishing, 2007].

5. Thomas Oden, Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology, [New York: HarperCollins, 1992]. Preview. 

6. Cornelis van der Kooi, Gijsbert van den Brink, Christian Dogmatics: An Introduction, trans. Reinder Bruinsma, James D. Bratt, [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2017].

Commentaries.

1. D. A. Carson, et al., eds., New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition: Fourth Edition, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994].

2. James D. G. Dunn, John W. Rogerson, gen. eds., Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2003].

3. F. F. Bruce, gen. ed., The International Bible Commentary: With the New International Version, [Grand Rapids: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1986]. (Republished as the New International Bible Commentary.)

4. Christopher A. Beetham, Nancy L. Erickson, eds., The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2024]. Preview.

5. The IVP Bible Background Commentary (2 Vols.).

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament: Second Edition, [Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014]. Preview.

John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, [Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2000]. Preview.

6. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Vols.).

Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition: New Testament, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994].

Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition: Old Testament, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994]. Preview.

Bible Dictionaries.

1. I. H. Marshall, et al., gen. eds., New Bible Dictionary: Third Edition, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 2001].

2. David Noel Freedman, gen. ed., Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2000].

3. Merrill F. Unger, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, ed. R. K. Harrison, [Chicago: Moody Press, 2005].

4. Chad Brad, gen. ed., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary: Revised and Expanded, [Nashville: Holman Reference, 2015].

Bible Difficulties.

1. Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H.Davids, F. F. Bruce, Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Sayings of the Bible, [Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996].

2. Michael Wilkins, Craig A. Evans, Darrell L. Bock, Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Holman Apologetics Commentary on the Bible: The Gospels and Acts, [Nashville: Holman Reference, 2013]. Preview.

3. Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982].

4. Norman Geisler, Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, [Wheaton: Victor Books, 1992].

New Testament.

1. N. T. Wright, Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2019]. Preview.

2. Raymond E. Brown, S.S., The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library: An Introduction to the New Testament, [New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2010]. See also: 1997 edition.

3. Robert H. Gundry, A Survey of the New Testament: 4th Edition, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003]. See also: third edition.

4. D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament: Second Edition, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005]. See also: first edition.

5. G. K. Beale, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New, [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011]. Preview.

Cf. G. K. Beale, D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008].

6. Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction: Fourth Edition, [Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1990].

Old Testament

1. Andrew E. Hill, John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament: 3rd Edition, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009]. See also: first edition.

2. Tremper Longman III, Raymond B. Dillard, An Introduction to the Old Testament: Second Edition, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007]. See also: first edition.

3. Bruce K. Waltke, Charles Yu, An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007]. Preview.

4. Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction: Revised Edition, [Chicago: Moody Press, 1985]. See also: alternate copy.

Theological Dictionaries.

1. Martin Davie, et al., eds., New Dictionary of Theology: Second Edition, [Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2016]. Preview. See also: first edition.

2. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology: Second Edition, [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007].

3. Everett F. Harrison, gen. ed., Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, [Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978].

4. T. Desmond Alexander, et al., eds., New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 2000].

Historical Dictionaries.

1. F. L. Cross, E. A. Livingstone, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church: Third Edition, [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997]. See also: alternate copy and hendrickson edition.

2. Encyclopedia of Early Christianity: Second Edition (2 Vols.). See also: first edition.

Everett Ferguson, ed., Encyclopedia of Early Christianity: Second Edition: Volume 1, [New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1997].

Everett Ferguson, ed., Encyclopedia of Early Christianity: Second Edition: Volume 2, [New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1997].

3. David W. Bercot, ed., A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, [Peabody: Hendrickson, 1998].

4. Tony Lane, The Lion Book of Christian Thought, [Oxford/Batavia/Sydney: Lion Publishing, 1992].

Cf. Tony Lane, A Concise History of Christian Thought: Revised Edition, [Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2006].

Historical Theology.

1. J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines: Revised Edition, [San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978].

2. Gerald Bray, God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology, [Wheaton: Crossway, 2014]. Preview.

3. Gregg Allison, Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011]. Preview.

4. Jaroslav Pelikan, The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine: Volume 1: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100-600), [Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1971].

καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν ~ Soli Deo Gloria