&  A Short History Of Study Bibles  &

~ 1908 to 2009 ~

 1908  Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (Kirkbride) KJV  Frank Charles Thompson, Editor 
           [Objective orientation]  Vocabulary of KJV: 12^th to 14^th grade.  NKJV: 9.1 Vocabulary. 
           Other versions: NIV, NASB

1909  Scofield Reference Bible (Oxford) KJV   [Dispensational] Vocabulary of KJV: 12^th
          to 14^th grade.  Other versions:  1967 – New Scofield Reference Bible (archaic words
          to the margins) KJV, NIV, (World) NASB

1964  Harper Study Bible (Zondervan) (Harold Lindsell, Editor) RSV, Vocabulary of  grade 10.4. 
          Other versions: NASB (Vocabulary of  grade 11.3) , NRSV grade 10.

1976  Ryrie Study Bible (Moody) Expanded Editions: KJV, NASB, NIV [Dispensational] 
             (Charles Ryrie, Editor)

1976  Good News Bible ~ The Bible In Today’s English (American Bible Society) 
          Vocabulary of  7.3. (Minimal Study Helps.)

1983  The Open Bible NKJV - Grade 10 vocabulary. (Nelson) Other Versions: NLT 
            The special feature is its extensive 8000 Topical Index. There is a  New Open Bible
            (Nelson, Expanded Edition) KJV, NASB, NKJV 

1985   New Internaional Version Study Bible (Zondervan) NIV  has a 7.8 Vocabulary. 
           Up-dated in 1995 & 2002

1988   Life Application Study Bible, Living Bible 7.8 grade vocabulary. (Tyndale)
          Later editions in KJV, NIV, NKJV, NRSV; NLT 1996 & 2004 
          (The vocabulary of NLT is 6.3 compared to the media vocabulary of fifth grade.)
         Probably one of the closest translations  to the original everyday vocabulary of the New
         Testament Koine Greek.

1989 -  Zondervan’s NIV Serendipity Bible (Group study questions focus)

1996 – New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible – Tyndale (6.3 Vocabulary)                 The NLT has replaced the Living Bible after selling 40 million copies.

2002 – Spanish  New Living Translation NT – Como Encontrar a Dios

2002 – New International Version Study Bible - Up-date from 1985-1995 - Zondervan

2004 – Life Application Study Bible – New Living Translation Update

2005 –  Life Discovery Bible – English Standard Version published by Crossways
             – Good News Publishers  ESV published in 2001 (Limited features)

2006 – Today’s New International Version Study Bible -  NIV Update – Zondervan

2008 – New Living Translation Study Bible – Tyndale

2008 -  English Standard Version Study Bible – Crossway.

2009 -  The Transformation Study Bible (NLT) – D. C. Cook – W. Wiersbe

A Worthwhile Habit --- Use Two Bibles At Once ---“Double Your Pleasure!” 

                  For more information visit the website: www.studiedbible.org                               
                             And/or  E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

© by Virgil Reeve ~ 2010.  All rights reserved, but permission is granted for the free use where Jesus Christ is the Matthew 11:28-30 "Teacher" and the goal is: "all to the glory of God!"  1 Corinthians 10:31.