Book Review of the NIV Study Bible

A little over 15 years ago, I was licenced as a minister at Armourdale Baptist Church. When I received this honor, the deacon board at the church gave me an NIV Study Bible. It has been well used since then.

About one year ago, the people at Zondervan updated their NIV translation. Recently, they have published a revision of my beloved NIV Study Bible. So, I picked up the newer version, and have been looking through it off and on ever since.

I am truly impressed with what the new NIV Study Bible has to offer. Changes from previous versions of this bible include:

• stronger introductions to sections of Scripture, instead of simply introductions to books
• A layout that has a much more readable font and much clearer delineation between the "notes" section and the actual Scriptural text.
• More visual aids.
• Most of the visual aids in the new NIV Study Bible are now in full color. This makes the maps and the charts much easier to look at, and adds to greater ease in understanding these study tools.

Each of the changes in the NIV Study Bible adds to its quality instead of detracting from it. This product still keeps its most helpful features including:

• excellent notes about verses and passages at the bottom of each page
• helpful maps, drawings, charts, and other visual aids to help the reader to understand the context of each passage a little bit better
• a helpful topical index AND
• a decent but not exhaustive concordance

For evangelicals this study bible is the standard bearer for all study bibles. It maintains that standing with this new edition. In the process of transitioning to the 2010 NIV text, the folks at Zondervan have show that they are not afraid to step up their game to make an even better product. For that they should be commended.

(This bible was provided in exchange for an honest review)