In the past, a time or two, I have purchased a Bible and later been disappointed in my selection for one reason or another. I recently bought a new Bible and that got me to thinking more about how one goes about choosing a Bible. So I’m sharing a few practical thoughts to hopefully help someone else.
To a large degree our choice of Bibles comes down to what we feel will best facilitate our growth in the knowledge of God’s revelation to us. Here are some practical thoughts that I hope will assist in this pursuit.
- The Readability of the Print. The main thing here is the size of the font, but also consider the font style, spacing of verses, and bleed through. You want your Bible to be enjoyable to read!
- The Translation of the Bible. If God has used words to communicate with mankind, and He has, then translation matters! Translations range from almost rigidly literal to paraphrase translations. We can’t get involved in a deep discussion of translations at this point, but I urge you to read about the philosophy of the translators before opting for a certain translation.
- Paper or Electronic? There are certainly advantages to both. Some may find an online Bible may be easier to find passages. Many times there is the perk of being able to adjust the size of font. However, due to the format, it may be easier to miss the context of a passage on an electronic version. Also, in my opinion, it is vastly underestimated how much a person learns by flipping pages in a Bible. You may take note of passages you see on the way to your actual destination! Of course, one can certainly have both a paper Bible and an electronic Bible.
- What Kind of Format Do You Want? Do you want wide margins? Lots of references? A concordance and Bible maps? A study Bible? Remember that, in general, the more you want in your Bible the larger it will be.
- What Kind of Cover Do You Want? Some of the most common are: Paper, hardback, imitation leather and genuine leather. Know that paper covered Bibles will most likely not stay open on their own and offer less protection. A hard cover is more protective of the Bible but some do not like “the feel” of the Bible as well.
- Always Look at the Ratings of a Bible. Read what several people say about their purchase of the Bible you are interested in. Especially take notice of matters that are important to you.
- Where Should I Buy A Bible? While it may be nice to see a physical copy of the Bibles you are interested in, the selection is so much greater online, and you can compare prices easily and quickly, and look at ratings. In my experience, Christian Book Distributors (an online store… www.christianbookdistributors.com) has always been a great place to purchase a Bible, with the best or very competitive pricing. Additionally, if you are not super picky about the specific Bible you purchase, you can almost always get a really good deal. But don’t allow price to dictate everything. Remember, this is a more important purchase than your visit to the grocery store! (See Matthew 4:4!)
I hope these thoughts help if (or, when) you are in the market for a new Bible! Until then, read and be blessed with what you have!
Daren Schroder
