Study bible for non-Christians?

[CharlieJ]

My recommendation would be the ESV Literary Study Bible. Each book gets an introduction, and all the notes are put in boxes before the sections to which they refer. Check out the link. It's specifically designed to facilitate reading, not to distract with lots of miscellaneous details.

 

[BlackCalvinist]

Hey Dimi - I didn't know you were over here!

MacArthur Study Bible or an ESV Study Bible. MacArthur is good with the basic doctrines of the faith, ESV is good for explaining an overall look at the faith.

Amazing how folks make a simple topic so difficult.

 

[py3ak]

I don't know your friend's background, but the Geneva Bible notes are solidly Reformed. If he's at all literary then he should be able to follow them pretty easily.

 

[dimib116]

Hey Dimi - I didn't know you were over here!

MacArthur Study Bible or an ESV Study Bible. MacArthur is good with the basic doctrines of the faith, ESV is good for explaining an overall look at the faith.

Amazing how folks make a simple topic so difficult.

Sup Kerry

Yeah I remembered you mentioning something about the PB. I joined up recently.

Got a little bit freaked out by the Christian rap thread haha

Anyway thanks for your help, im probs just gonna get him the Macarthur

 

[MarieP]

Okay Im going to explain the situation again.

Let me just say, I believe in Total Depravity. I believe apart from the grace of God no one can believe in Christ. I believe the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation and NOT some commentary.

That said I've known this friend for over 3 years now and have explained the Gospel to him countless times. I then gave him a NASB bible (WITHOUT study notes) and instructed him to start reading John.

We eventually even went through a couple of chapters together. Then once when i asked how it was going, he replied that it was still too hard to understand and he was wondering if there was a type of bible that had "annotation" (by which he probably meant study notes) that explained what he was reading.

I told him I would get him one, since I would do anything to get him to read the scripture more and if having notes to explain what he was reading would motivate him to read then I wasnt gonna stop him.

So again to sum up the situation:
I have already given this friend a normal bible. He has now asked for a study bible. Please help me in my search for an appropriate bible.

Dimi,

What exactly doesn't he understand? Is he confused by the Old Testament quotations? Is he confused because he doesn't understand the Biblical culture? An introduction to the Bible might be helpful.

My other thought is this: I think it was Mark Twain who said that it wasn't the parts of the Bible he couldn't understand that worried him, it was the parts he could understand. Could this be the case with your friend?

Also, remember that he's not going to be able to understanding everything in Scripture. As someone once said, the Bible is deep enough for a lamb to wade in and for an elephant to swim. How much more for the non-believer, who is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be!

Perhaps you going through his questions with him would be better than just getting another book (of course, you could read up on his questions if you need to).

 

[Josh Williamson]

Good to see another Aussie on the board. Sadly Melbourne isn't known for having great preaching. But I know of a couple of churches down there that are solid.

 

[NB3K]

I have given him a NASB bible but he said he doesnt understand it. Then he asked if there were bibles with "annotations" to explain to him what he was reading.

I offered to get him a study bible and he said he would read it if I did.

So yeah any recommendations?

Either the Reformation Study Bible or the ESV Study bible

 

[Fogetaboutit]

I personaly believe that if he is interested and has questions he should be discipled, I don't think trying to find a bible that is "easy" to understand is the key. If somebody is having trouble to understand the bible you should answer his questions or teach him how to read. I get uneasy when people switch bible because they claim another (usually dynamic translation) is easier to read. The bible is not supposed to be easy to understand to the carnal mind, the Holy Spirit enlights us as we read and in order to do that you need a bible that is faithfull to God's actual words. In today's world with tons of online dictionaries there is no excuse for this type of attitude, english is not my native tongue and I do just fine with the KJV. This is the same attitiude as watering down doctrine to make it more appealing to unsaved people.

I would recommend the KJV with a good commentary (ie:Matthew Henry) or a Geneva bible for the footnotes. Might as well start him up on the right path rather than having to re-educate him later on

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