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Here are some tools that are useful in your Bible Study
Note: Check the legend at end.
1. Choosing a Bible: Understanding Bible Translation Differences – Leland Ryken**
2. Bible (I suggest several Versions)
a. Literal – Word for Word
i.English Standard Version (ESV)*
ii. New American Standard Bible (NAS)**
iii. King James Version (KJV)*
iv. New King James Version (NKJV)**
b. Dynamic Equivalent
i. Revised Standard (RSV)***
ii. New Revised Standard (NRSV)***
iii. Amplified Bible+
iv. New American Bible (NAB)+
v. New International Version (NIV)*
c. Study Bible*
i. NIV Study Bible
ii. Reformation Study Bible
iii. ESV Study Bible
3. Bible Dictionary*
a. Easton’s
b. Holman
4. Bible Handbook*
a. Ryken’s
b. Holman
5. English Dictionary*
a. Webster’s
b. Oxford
6. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery – Leland Ryken+
7. Matthew Henry Commentary (public domain)*
8. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary (public domain)*
9. Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge (public domain)**
10. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (public domain)*
11. The Crossway Comprehensive Concordance of the Holy Bible, English Standard Version+
12. Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary (public domain)***
13. Holman Book of Biblical Charts, Maps, and Reconstructions**
14. Foxe’s book of Martyrs (public domain)**
15. Kingdom of the Cults – Walter Martin**
16. Devotionals*
a. Morning and Evening – C. H. Spurgeon
b. My Utmost for His Highest - Oswald Chambers
c. All of Grace – C. H. Spurgeon
17. Systematic Theology***
a. Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion
b. Systematic Theology – Louis Berkof
c. Christian Theology – Millard J. Erickson
d. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem
e. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith - Robert Reymand
18. Bible Doctrine – Wayne Grudem**
19. Hymnal*
a. Trinity Hymnal
b. Celebration Hymnal
20. Book-by-Book Commentary***
21. Introduction to the Old Testament – R.K. Harrison***
22. An Introduction to the New Testament – D.A. Carson & Douglas Moo***
23. Hard Sayings of the Bible – Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter Davids, Manfred Brauch**
24. Recommended Reading:
a. Puritan’s***
i. Body of Divinity – Thomas Watson
ii. Ten Commandments – Thomas Watson
iii. Lord’s Prayer – Thomas Watson
iv. Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
b. Knowing God – J.I. Packer*
c. The Christian Life – Sinclair Ferguson**
d. Essential Truth’s of the Christian Faith – R.C. Sproul**
e. Knowing Scripture – R.C. Sproul**
f. How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth – Gordon Fee**
g. Biographies***
i. Memoir and Remains of the Reverend Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Minister of St. Peter’s Church, Dundee – Andrew Bonar
ii. The Life and Diary of David Brainerd – Jonathan Edwards
iii. Jonathan Edwards, A Life – George M. Marsden
h.Church History***
i. Baker History of the Church Series
1.Birth of the Church: From Jesus to Constantine, A.D. 30-312
2. Public Faith: From Constantine to the Medieval World, Ad 312-600
3. Reform and Conflict: From the Medieval World to the Wars of Religion, 1350-1648
4. The Age of Reason: From the Wars of Religion to the French Revolution, 1570-1789
ii. Church History in Plain Language – Bruce L. Shelley
Legend
* = Starter/Basic Library
** = Intermediate Library
*** = Serious Student Library
+ = Optional
Notes/Suggestions:
• Note the publishers that consistently put out good Christian literature, i.e.:
o P&R Books
o Crossway Books
o Banner of Truth Trust
•Look at Half-Price and on eBay, many books can be found there much less expensively.
•Check your local library, and our church library – if you find a book you wants to buy; test-drive it first.
•Read book reviews; ask for suggestions from pastors, teachers etc.
•Don’t try to get everything at once – prioritize: (My suggestion in priority order)
o Bible(s)
o Study Bible(s)
o Hymnal
o Handbook
o Dictionary
o Bible Dictionary
o Concordance
o Single Volume Commentary
o History
o Biography
o Systematic Theology
o Everything else (in whatever order you can afford, or deem necessary)
•Have a daily Bible Reading Plan – There are many to pick from:
o Straight Through
o Topical
o New Testament / Old Testament
o Chronological
o M’Cheyne reading Plan
o Bible Plan
•Web Sites with Tools that help
o Blue Letter Bible
o Bible Gateway
o Bible Tools
o Virtual Seminary
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