Which Study Bible is Best? (2023 Reviews of Newer Popular Study Bibles)

As a woman, I TOTALLY agree with your assertion that women's Bibles, and many of the women's Bible Studies, are watered down and geared toward an "emotional woman"! Like a woman doesn't have the capability to grasp a deep, theology study of His Word! Although I realize that many women desire this type of Bible, I personally find it very patronizing. Awesome video!! Thank you for your hard work!!

As a woman, you are completely right about the patronizing women's bibles. Part of why I love your podcast is because it is actually studying the stuff I always wanted to growing up in Sunday school, the same stuff the boys in my church learned, but I wasn't allowed to.

Thank you for your comment about the She Reads Truth Bible as well as other materials produced for women!! As an intelligent 45 year old female I struggle to attend women’s only Bible classes and I refuse to look at devotionals. Women are just as capable as men of learning the Bible as deeply. I understand many women do prefer the lighter items so I get the market. But personally I find them all lacking.

0:00 Introduction 1:42 What do you want in a Study Bible? 4:52 Gospel Transformation Study Bible 8:00 Grace + Truth Study Bible 10:18 Enduring Voice Study Bible 12:27 Search the Scriptures Study Bible 14:32 Literary Study Bible 15:55 NLT Illustrated Study Bible 17:06 The Jesus Bible 20:10 ESV Student Study Bible 22:39 ESV Concise Study Bible 25:52 She Reads Truth Study Bible 30:35 He Reads Truth Study Bible 34:34 NKJV The Women's Study Bible 38:28 ESV Women's Study Bible 41:25 The Study Bible for Women 43:07 Ancient Faith Study Bible 48:41 Final Thought

I’ve never read the Bible before and have been curious. The NLT Illustrated Study Bible appeals to me & I believe I’ll start there so thank you for putting this out to the world

I can't believe the difference in the women's & men's Bible! I did a Bible review on She Reads Truth, but now wish I had the He Reads Truth! Thank you for speaking up for ladies and desire to study the Bible. Ancient Faith Bible looks amazing!

You got me drooling over the ancient faith Bible... Now to convince my wife I need yet another Bible 🤣

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📚 The goal of the video is to review various study Bibles, offering honest opinions and recommendations. 03:43 📚 Study Bibles differ in their focus, such as academic vs. devotional, nudge factor, targeting questions, portability, topicality, and bias. 08:48 📚 The "Gospel Transformation Study Bible" emphasizes getting back to the basics of the Bible's message for personal transformation. 09:58 📚 The "NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible" balances truth and grace for a deeper understanding of the Bible's teachings. 11:30 📚 The "Enduring Voices Study Bible" offers notes from various Christian thinkers across different traditions for a comparative perspective. 14:18 📚 The "Search the Scriptures Bible" provides light nudges and questions, but may lack depth and clarity compared to other study Bibles. 14:45 📚 The "Literary Study Bible" focuses on the literary aspects of the Bible, helping readers appreciate the beauty and structure of the text. 15:55 📚 The "NLT Illustrated Study Bible" is a comprehensive general-purpose study Bible with beautiful presentation and insightful notes. 17:03 📚 The "Jesus Bible NIV" emphasizes the convergence of the entire Bible on the life and teachings of Jesus, but may overly prioritize this theme. 20:12 📚 The "ESV Student Study Bible Artist Series" stands out for its artistic and beautiful presentation, combining art and biblical insights for young readers. 22:13 🤔 Some study Bibles can be patronizing towards certain audiences, but there are exceptions. 23:10 📘 The ESV Study Bible is a comprehensive and highly recommended study Bible. 25:09 📚 The Gospel Transformation Study Bible takes a different approach, focusing on big picture themes and application. 26:16 📖 The "She Reads Truth Bible" has a more devotional feel with fewer traditional study Bible features. 30:39 📖 The "He Reads Truth Bible" offers more in-depth study features compared to the "She Reads Truth Bible." 34:41 📖 The "New King James Version Women's Study Bible" has specific notes and articles targeted towards women. 38:48 📖 The "Crossway ESV Women's Study Bible" is a study Bible that effectively treats women as capable readers without being patronizing. 43:10 🏛️ The "Ancient Faith Study Bible" gathers commentary from the church fathers, making it a valuable resource for various Christian traditions. 45:37 📖 The "Ancient Faith Study Bible" offers insights from Christian thinkers throughout history, providing valuable context and perspectives on biblical passages. 46:17 🏛️ This Bible includes writings from early Christian leaders, even before the Bible was fully agreed upon, giving readers a glimpse of how scripture was interpreted in different historical contexts. 47:26 📜 The church fathers' writings reveal that they were in transition and did not think the exact same way at every moment, creating an opportunity for fresh reflection and challenges in interpreting their texts. 48:38 🌟 The "Ancient Faith Study Bible" is highly recommended and meaningful for Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, or anyone interested in rich historical insights into the Bib

This is a genuinely incredible run down. Thank you and keep up the good work man. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated by many =)

This was wonderful! Thanks so much for doing this.

The quality of this video and the information is so high. Thank you!

That is what I love about my wife. She is brilliant and our bible study is crazy awesome because of her deep understanding. l I love your videos Matt.

Thank you for your thorough and thoughtful work, brother. I always finish your videos just a little wiser.

Thanks Matt! Love these videos. Very insightful and helpful.

I totally resonate with your assessment of the She Read Truth/He Reads Truth Bible. It is indeed patronizing that the SRT Bible is completely lacking in any serious theological content and it is indicative of how so much content is written for women. It’s frustrating. Thank you for bringing that up and being honest in your comments! As an aside - the notes in other women’s study Bibles are almost always geared toward married women with children, as though women’s only value is found in those roles. As a single childless middle aged woman, I find this concept limiting to the depth of what it means to be a woman, and in particular a woman seeking God. That’s my “rant” on this subject… 😉 Blessings to you. Your ministry blesses me greatly.

Thanks, Matt! Fantastic video that helps to drill down on the overwhelming number of Bibles available. I love the Ancient Faith Study Bible!

Thank you for taking the time and effort to share your knowledge. I left the church about 10 years ago. But a few years back ended up getting into No Dumb Questions just looking for a good Two Dudes Talking podcast. NDQ quickly became one of my favorites. Your words, among other things, have contributed in what has been a reconstruction of my walk with God. I've recently found a loving church to worship in and I have purchased the Ancient Faith Study Bible on your glowing recommendation. Two years ago I was at my lowest point, with no hope for the future, things couldn't be more different now. Some percentage of that is because of the work you've done. I am grateful for it. Thank you.

Your candor, humor and wisdom are valued… there are so many Bible reviewers that don’t get into what’s really important beyond the aesthetic issues (for a variety of reasons) thus bringing value to what you’re doing. We bought the NLT illustrated study Bible and our whole family loves it from age 11 to 40+, it’s a great family Bible to keep in our living room! The ESV student bible may be our next purchase for 2023!

recently purchased a copy of the NLT illustrated study Bible & thrilled to hear it's one of your faves. I've been finding it incredibly fruitful - the notes are an excellent blend of devotionally-oriented insight & historical/cultural/philosophical reflections that help you understand the text better. thank you for another great video! keep doing what you doing, Matt x

Thank you so much for all these reviews!!!! 👍👍👍🏆⭐⭐⭐⭐