Ted Cabal

This is the Bible I am reading this year. I am on an annual Bible reading plan and use a different Bible each year. This one is okay. Different translation than NIV or ESV which is primarily why I chose it. I liked the translation, especially how it was consistent with doulos - slave. Some translations monkey around and call it servant or bondservant. It was objective in its study notes - not taking a stand on subjects such as sacraments or the end times - but presenting different show more interpretations. I didn't read all the articles, but the ones I did read were pretty good. It wouldn't be my primary Bible - that place will always go to THE Lutheran Study Bible - but this is a good secondary Bible. show less

This Study Bible while filled with a lot of amazing facts is a very biased book, it promotes a very specific strain of theology and therefore, in my opinion is a poor study bible for the serious bible student or scholar.

This is a great study Bible even without the apologetic articles because of the wealth of notes on the verses, other translations, and manuscripts. The Holman translation is very accurate to the original Hebrew and Greek, and the notes tell you when they have chosen a word or phrase that is debatable and why the chose it. Some of the poetic feel of the language is lost in this translation, but I would rather have the accuracy of translation in a study Bible than the aesthetics of poetic show more language.

The apologetic articles are okay. Most of them are very basic, but I have found them helpful when people unfamiliar with the Bible ask questions. My only gripe is that they can break up the flow of a book. The mini-biographies on the apologists are interesting.

The real keys to this Bible are the notes and the translation. show less

My background contains a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. Unbelievably, the first time I encountered Apologetics was when I was substitute teaching at a Classic Christian Education school. Their juniors had just started an Apologetics class and I did not know what it was. I was in for quite a surprise and I was astonished that I had never been exposed to apologetics before, especially since it seems to be an essential part of living in faith and participating in evangelism. Now that I show more have gotten my hands on The Apologetics Study Bible, I'm so excited and thrilled. I cannot wait to see the new forthcoming Apologetics Study Bible for Students. What a valuable resource!

This Bible is gorgeous. It is completely aesthetically appealing to any eye. I have been curious about this for a while now, as it was about the same time that I was teaching when this Bible was first announced as soon to be published. But I have to admit it was after an email from http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/home?event=AFF&p=1153946" ChristianBook.com about some http://www.creativemadnessmama.com/2010/... Bright & Bold Bibles that I really put it on my wishlist. The colors of the black, silver, and blue hues are so attractive it is a visually pleasing experience to dwell in the pages of this Bible.

The Apologetics Study Bible is another first for me in that it has introduced me to the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) translation. I did not know even know about this one, but I'm really thrilled about it. It has not been long so I cannot tell you with absolute certainty, but for someone who grew up on NIV and went with NRSV and similar translations during my most thick into Bible Study years, this translation is very pleasing to me. There are a couple variances that take some getting used to, but all and all it is a good one. I'm eager to see other Bibles they come up with in the future.

To really tell you all of the features of this Bible it would take an entire website with various pages and links. Luckily B&H Publishing Group already has one of those and I urge you to check it out. Click through and read about some of their featured articles and what-not. This is fabulous. I feel like it's a gold mine to me. As someone who once has the dream of being a perpetual student for a career, this Bible is a fabulous addition to my shelves. Easily I am already have issue with whether to jump back into one of my fiction novels, play with my daughter, or spend more time studying with this Bible. Even my Enginerd, who hardly picks up a Bible was interested in the inset articles within the pages of scripture. He said that he learned new things within a few minutes of perusing the pages.

There are so many questions out there. And usually we are fairly equipped with the answer of "just because" and "it's by faith". But within the pages of this Apologetics Study Bible more firm and explainable answers are available for some of the hardest questions of history and science combined. Check out this list of http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/apologe... articles included. What I love is that these articles are in place within the pages of scripture that make sense as part of a study. Not just stuck in anywhere, and not just another appendix. Another great listing at the beginning of this Bible is a list of "Twisted Scripture Notes", this has scripture reference where within the pages as a reader you will find examples of how people have twisted a scripture and altered it to meet their ultimate needs. There are also a good few handfuls of Notable Christian Apologist Biographies that I find fascinating and a cause to look for more of their works elsewhere. Then on top of all that there are even more material such as a fabulous Introduction the the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Plan of Salvation, Concordance and Charts and Maps galore. The charts are like I have never seen. So resourceful and educational. It give me chill bumps.

I love this Bible for personal study. I love the idea of this Bible for an apologetics class. Easily this Bible would fit right into a homeschool curriculum. Our children (and adults) need to learn to be able to prove, defend, refute opposing and persuade others for the Christian faith and this is a valuable tool to do so. Now I cannot even imagine how cool the Apologetics Study Bible for Students will be!

*Thanks to Robin Patterson of B&H Publishing Group for sending me a copy* show less