Tuesday, September 17, 2013

REVIEW: NIV Integrated Study Bible

Title: NIV Integrated Study Bible
Author: John R Kohlenberger
Publisher: Zondervan
Published Date: 8/22/2013
ISBN: 9780310411031
Buy it Link: Amazon
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: Read the Bible in “real time” with this Bible set in an innovative, new, chronologically-based format. This hardcover Bible aligns similar accounts of the events of the Bible, as well as presenting them in chronological order, to give you a complete, insightful view of the narrative of Scripture. Read the psalms of David right next to the events that prompted his writings. Read the parallel accounts of Jesus’ parables and miracles, and take away unique insights from each Gospel writer.

Review: I received a copy of this Bible from Book Sneeze in exchange for an honest review. 
From most of the reviews I've read of this Bible, most of the reviewers have 20+ Bibles in their home. I have two, one of them is this one. The other is a beat up paperback, written-on copy of the New Standard Revised Version (NSRV) that I picked up out of guilt at a used book store. I will admit that its been opened about 3 times. I thought that this would be a good way for me delve deeper into the Bible, because frankly, the Bible is without a doubt the most difficult book I have ever attempted to read. 
The way that I've been shown in how to read a Bible is to read a passage, and then read verses before and after it to really get a feel for what the author(s) meant by it. At one point in this study Bible, on page 410, there are two columns: 2 Samuel 8: 15-18 in the upper left hand corner, 1 Chronicles 18:14-17 directly next to it. Right under the 2 Samuel 8:15-18 is 2 Samuel 22:1-12 and right next to that is Psalm 18. and at the very bottom of each page of this study Bible is a small timeline, with an arrow, showing where exactly in history this was happening in. If you look in the index for the the verses directly after 2 Samuel 8: 15-18, it is found 23 pages later. The ones directly before it are found a mere 3 pages before. The verses from 1 Chronicles isn't much better.
For a new student like me, this Bible is not very helpful. However, I did check out another type of study Bible from the library as a comparison, the New Interpreter's Study Bible NSRV, and read Ruth side by side with the NIV Integrated. The language is easier to read than the NSRV, but the New Interpreter's Study Bible had better explanations.

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