Reference Bibles

[Rosie]

which one is the best and why?

[swathdiver]

I like the references down the center of the page, it keeps them from getting in the way of scripture.  Mine own has over 10,000 references and I have still seen more while reading and studying.  But remember, the references are still man's addition and are not of God and therefore could be in error.  

[Rosie]

thank you, can I ask what reference study Bible that you use?

[Matt L]

My favorite is the Trinitarian Bible Society Westminster Reference Bible.

It's a reference Bible and not a study Bible so no notes, but it has over 200,000 cross references more than any other Bible I've seen.  It also has a nice readable font.  It's in a different format than most, with two columns but references running down both the sides.  Only minor issue is  you can see some replacement theology in the chapter summaries here and there.

Looks like it's out of stock at TBS in some formats right now, but I think kjvstore.com might have some.

[Rosie]

thank you Matt I will check this out

the print is too small fo rme sorry

[Alan]

Rosie,

Throughout the years I have looked at various Reference Bibles.

To this date, the only one I can recommend (even with its faults), is the Old Scofield Reference Bible. I do not recommend any other Scofield Edition. All of my notes below are from the original Old Scofield Edition. 

Here are some of the reasons why I recommend it.

1. Even with his personal (perceived and undue slanderous), faults, Bro. C.I. Scofield was a man of God. One of his good traits was that Bro. Scofield wrote his Reference Bible to help saints learn the scriptures. Scofield did not write his Reference Bible for material gain.

2. In the front of the Scofield Reference Bible (among other items), you will notice two things : (1) Scofield claimed that the Reference bible was "EDITED BY" Scofield. (2) Scofield listed the, "CONSULTING EDITORS:" The consulting editors were, as a whole, godly men who really loved the Lord and loved the scriptures.

On page iv we read this very sincere and humble personal note by C.I Scofield, "The Editor disclaims originality."

In other words, Scofield was completely transparent on who had a hand in the making of the Scofield Reference Bible. On almost all of the Reference Bibles on the market today there is none, or little transparency.

Almost all of the recent Reference Bibles are made up of some committee, in some denomination, for the express reason of making money and pushing the denominational biases of the denomination or marketing committee.

3. On page v there is, "A Panoramic View of the Bible." This is worthy to be read and is the mark of a man who walks with God. I would recommend all the brethren to read it.

4. Almost all of the notes in the Scofield Reference Bible are worthy to be read and are a study in themselves. I would like to include some of my favorite notes from the New Testament. There are so many excellent notes that I can only name a few verses.

     Galatians 5:22 and 23  

     Ephesians 1:5 (two notes), 10 and 5:25

     Philippians 2:6

     Colossians 1:21

     1 Thessalonians 4:17

     2 Thessalonians 2:3

     Hebrews 5:6 and 8:8

     The beginning notes on the Book of Revelation are excellent.

     Revelation 4:1

5. Scofield uses Ussher's Chronology for all of his dating.   

6. The Scofield Reference Bible is the most respected Reference Bible to most of the brethren in the Independent, Fundamental Baptist movement.

I must include reasons why I do not agree with the Scofield Reference Bible.

1. His note # 2 & 3 & 4 on Genesis 1:1, and his reference to Jeremiah 4:23-26, are erroneous. The inclusion of the Gap Theory is a downside.

2. The occasional reference to the Septuagint (see the center reference note on Hebrews 1:6) and the rare reference to a translation issue (see the notes on 2 Thessalonians), is also a sad note.

Most of the brethren are aware of the above two problems and are not a big detriment to using the Scofield Reference Bible.

Rosie,

I do hope that the above helps us in your selection of a good Reference Bible for your needs.

Alan

Edited June 30, 2016 by Alan
spelling

[Rosie]

thank you Alan, for this. I know alot of preachers such as my own deceased Pastor prefered it... my friend just bought a Thompson Chain and we are finding it very nice, altho I have not had a chance to go thru it very well... I am still open to other suggestions.. 

[swathdiver]

22 hours ago, Rosie said:

thank you, can I ask what reference study Bible that you use?

I do not like study bibles.  It's a Hendrickson Minister's Reference Bible (Cambridge Paragraph Bible of 1873 (Scrivener)).

https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Version-Ministers-Genuine/dp/1565636481

[Rosie]

what is the font size of the print do you know? I didn't see it anywhere

[DaveW]

Hey Rosie, in the other thread you are looking for a tab computer.

Can I suggest that when you get it you download a Bible program to it.

On my phone (android) I have "mysword" which is a free download that is KJV, has Strongs numbers and definitions, and a good search option.

If you get a windows tab of some sort then I have "e-sword" on my computers- again a free download that comes with KJV, Strongs, and a great search facility.

After a bit of playing you will figure out how to cross reference, find definitions of words, etc.

Note: I still use a physical paper page Bible for my reading - I use the electronic bible for study and preaching prep. My Bible has no references at all - not even paragraph headings.

[swathdiver]

I think it is 9.5.

[Rosie]

thank you all for all of your comments and helps here...I had a kindle and had the Bible on it but I sold it as it didn't work well where I lived... 

[Ronda]

Dear Sister Rosie,

I don't use a reference Bible.  I've read or even owned several different ones over the years, and what do they all have in common? Mankinds opinion!
A commentary is mankind's opinion! Granted some of them may have been life-long Bible scholars, and some may have been to seminary... but where did they "get" their answers?
Commentary brings mankinds thoughts and often people confuse those thougts with being ON PAR with the Bible.
That's a grievous mistake.

I can remember having a Bible discussion with my Mom many years ago.
I quoted a verse and she said "That means _________"
I said "How do you KNOW that means ________"?
She said, it's in the Bible! So she opened up her Bible, and lo and behold it was IN the Bible (her reference Bible), but it wasn't OF the Bible, it was commentary from which she drew her answer.
That same commentary wasn't in MY Bible. See what I'm saying?
That was the only time I ever corrected my Mom about anything... but we studied it out together for several hours, putting commentary aside, and she realized and admitted how grievous an error it can be to rely on commentary for an answer!

Some prefer to have quick and handy answers from those they feel are "trusted" teachers.
BUT here's an even better approach... study it out for yourself! Be like the Bereans.
Scripture interprets scripture. 
Yes, that IS the "long route" and takes so much more time than having mankinds opinion handed over as the easy answer.
Sometimes you may find you are in agreement with what the particular comentary stated, but other times you may find that the commentator has an agenda.

That doesn't mean that all commentators are wicked people who are out to deceive people!
No... I honestly think they believe what they've written as commentary... but often times the reason they believe a particular thing is because they've been TAUGHT it of mankind.

One area I DO like reference Bibles are for historical background... BUT even then, you can find that one commentator will say something totally opposite of another commentator (even within the same denomination).
That's when you can also look for factual historical evidence from other sources as well. BUT realize that is a secular worldly "history" as well... as we know OFTENTIMES what is written by mankind of world history is NOT always accurate either.
There is often an agenda there as well. 

For instance, if you could read a translation of what Hitler used as propaganda for "history" it surely wouldn't match factual events.
When we listen to our president, he often tries to "re-write" history with lies such as "muslims helped found this nation" or "muslims contributed so much to our society".
We KNOW these are outight LIES... yet propaganda is often "sold" as history.
Public schools use propaganda (blatant lies) to try to indoctrinate children into believing the false "evolution" theory.
Public schools history books are ife with errors as well. Oftentimes the supposed "historical" account of how this nation was settled is a blatant lie in regard to Native Americans (and most of those "history" books leave out the truth of how horribly and brutally they were murdered and stolen from.

Those are just a few examples of how history has been distorted by mankind to serve an agenda.
Some of the commentaries I've read are the same way... some have an obvious agenda, some are more subtle.
But if you study the Bible yourself like a workman (it's not an easy task) you'll be much more satisfied with the answer!

Here's another huge benefit to studying things out for yourself...
I've often found when I am trying to study out a particularly difficult Bible topic, that along the way I gain lots of "nuggets" which pertain to other Biblical subjects.
Something I may have read 10 times (or more) suddenly makes perfect sense in light of something else in the Bible.
The funny thing about that is that it may have absolutely NOTHING to do with the original topic I was studying out, but it ends up being a very valuable piece of information for another subject.
That type of thing happens all the time when we study things out for ourselves.
And it could be that the unrelated "nugget" of off-topic information was the exact thing the Lord wanted to show us in regard to something else.
And strangely (or maybe not so strange) is that the new "nugget" of information on the unrelated topic often seems to come up in a conversation or study later that week or month!

God knows what He's doing... He IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
When we pray in earnest asking for His guidance in Bible study and seeking His will over our own, He reveals so much to us in His word.
He doesn't give it to us all at once... and I don't think that if someone lived to be an hundred and studied the Bible daily, they would ever fully grasp all God's word has to tell us.

Prov. 3:13-15
13 "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding."
14 "For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold."
15 "She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her."

I'm not telling you to NOT buy a reference Bible if that's what you desire to do...
I'm just trying to caution a dear Sister to be careful what we take a "Bible truth" when reading commentary along with the Bible.

Maranatha

[Jordan Kurecki]

On 6/30/2016 at 4:24 AM, Rosie said:

thank you Alan, for this. I know alot of preachers such as my own deceased Pastor prefered it... my friend just bought a Thompson Chain and we are finding it very nice, altho I have not had a chance to go thru it very well... I am still open to other suggestions.. 

I have looked at Thompson Chain. I and would argue that it is the best reference bible.

[Jordan Kurecki]

Personally I think the best study bibles/reference Bibles are:

1. The Key Word Study Bible by AMG

 http://www.christianbook.com/study-bible-kjv-bonded-burgundy-leather/9780899577470/pd/577471?dv=c&en=google&event=SHOP&kw=bibles-40-60%7C577471&p=1179710&gclid=Cj0KEQjw7-K7BRCkkIH3t_WwoskBEiQAD8oY3saNm6gw88r2Bkbec3pxsv2b350KBYQcYLmma3hWpUgaAmx_8P8HAQ

Pros

-Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

-Sounds dispensational baptistic exegetical notes

-Concordance with meanings of Bible Names

-Greek grammatical codes for NT words

-Great for the more technical and serious Bible student.

Con

-The Notes sometimes criticize the KJV translation's choice of words and translation

2. The Thompson Chain Reference Bible

http://www.christianbook.com/kjv-thompson-reference-size-black-leather/9780887072017/pd/532BK?event=ESRCG

-Really great chain reference system

-also great for the serious Bible student

3. The Defined King James Bible 

http://www.deepershopping.com/item/bible-for-today-inc/defined-king-james-bible-black-genuine-leather-br/3947086.html?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=datafeed&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=Cj0KEQjw7-K7BRCkkIH3t_WwoskBEiQAD8oY3m4CpTD99HPb8DLp4JAGeJdP3MQb8sNpgsbep7yrRsIaAghl8P8HAQ

-Just the KJV text with uncommon, rare, and archaic words defined in footnotes of every page. 

-Very good bible for someone new to the KJV or a new to Christianity in general

4. Rock of Ages Study Bible

 http://www.roapm.com/store/#!/Bonded-Leather-Bible-5th-Edition-BROWN/p/45188113/category=8846043

-Dispensational, Baptist, Fundamentalist study notes

-Good for new Christians, teaches good doctrine.

5. Scofield Reference Bible

http://www.christianbook.com/scofield-classic-edition-kjv-burgundy-indexed/9780195274615/pd/274615?dv=c&en=google&event=SHOP&kw=bibles-0-20%7C274615&p=1179710&gclid=Cj0KEQjw7-K7BRCkkIH3t_WwoskBEiQAD8oY3prxcq22XPzdpHRoJSMpAS-omCZX3T_idmgSUeODvn0aAtdx8P8HAQ

-Dispensational study notes.

-also good for a new Christians, many helpful notes

 

 

23 hours ago, Ronda said:

Dear Sister Rosie,

I don't use a reference Bible.  I've read or even owned several different ones over the years, and what do they all have in common? Mankinds opinion!
A commentary is mankind's opinion! Granted some of them may have been life-long Bible scholars, and some may have been to seminary... but where did they "get" their answers?
Commentary brings mankinds thoughts and often people confuse those thougts with being ON PAR with the Bible.
That's a grievous mistake.

I can remember having a Bible discussion with my Mom many years ago.
I quoted a verse and she said "That means _________"
I said "How do you KNOW that means ________"?
She said, it's in the Bible! So she opened up her Bible, and lo and behold it was IN the Bible (her reference Bible), but it wasn't OF the Bible, it was commentary from which she drew her answer.
That same commentary wasn't in MY Bible. See what I'm saying?
That was the only time I ever corrected my Mom about anything... but we studied it out together for several hours, putting commentary aside, and she realized and admitted how grievous an error it can be to rely on commentary for an answer!

Some prefer to have quick and handy answers from those they feel are "trusted" teachers.
BUT here's an even better approach... study it out for yourself! Be like the Bereans.
Scripture interprets scripture. 
Yes, that IS the "long route" and takes so much more time than having mankinds opinion handed over as the easy answer.
Sometimes you may find you are in agreement with what the particular comentary stated, but other times you may find that the commentator has an agenda.

That doesn't mean that all commentators are wicked people who are out to deceive people!
No... I honestly think they believe what they've written as commentary... but often times the reason they believe a particular thing is because they've been TAUGHT it of mankind.

One area I DO like reference Bibles are for historical background... BUT even then, you can find that one commentator will say something totally opposite of another commentator (even within the same denomination).
That's when you can also look for factual historical evidence from other sources as well. BUT realize that is a secular worldly "history" as well... as we know OFTENTIMES what is written by mankind of world history is NOT always accurate either.
There is often an agenda there as well. 

For instance, if you could read a translation of what Hitler used as propaganda for "history" it surely wouldn't match factual events.
When we listen to our president, he often tries to "re-write" history with lies such as "muslims helped found this nation" or "muslims contributed so much to our society".
We KNOW these are outight LIES... yet propaganda is often "sold" as history.
Public schools use propaganda (blatant lies) to try to indoctrinate children into believing the false "evolution" theory.
Public schools history books are ife with errors as well. Oftentimes the supposed "historical" account of how this nation was settled is a blatant lie in regard to Native Americans (and most of those "history" books leave out the truth of how horribly and brutally they were murdered and stolen from.

Those are just a few examples of how history has been distorted by mankind to serve an agenda.
Some of the commentaries I've read are the same way... some have an obvious agenda, some are more subtle.
But if you study the Bible yourself like a workman (it's not an easy task) you'll be much more satisfied with the answer!

Here's another huge benefit to studying things out for yourself...
I've often found when I am trying to study out a particularly difficult Bible topic, that along the way I gain lots of "nuggets" which pertain to other Biblical subjects.
Something I may have read 10 times (or more) suddenly makes perfect sense in light of something else in the Bible.
The funny thing about that is that it may have absolutely NOTHING to do with the original topic I was studying out, but it ends up being a very valuable piece of information for another subject.
That type of thing happens all the time when we study things out for ourselves.
And it could be that the unrelated "nugget" of off-topic information was the exact thing the Lord wanted to show us in regard to something else.
And strangely (or maybe not so strange) is that the new "nugget" of information on the unrelated topic often seems to come up in a conversation or study later that week or month!

God knows what He's doing... He IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
When we pray in earnest asking for His guidance in Bible study and seeking His will over our own, He reveals so much to us in His word.
He doesn't give it to us all at once... and I don't think that if someone lived to be an hundred and studied the Bible daily, they would ever fully grasp all God's word has to tell us.

Prov. 3:13-15
13 "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding."
14 "For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold."
15 "She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her."

I'm not telling you to NOT buy a reference Bible if that's what you desire to do...
I'm just trying to caution a dear Sister to be careful what we take a "Bible truth" when reading commentary along with the Bible.

Maranatha

http://www.wayoflife.org/reports/bible_commentaries_and_twittering_swallows.html