The Oxford Study Bible: Revised English Bible with Apocrypha

This is not my favorite translation of the bible but it is an excellent second bible for serious study. The study notes are scholarly yet fairly brief.

I used this edition for a "read through the whole bible" program I did a few years ago and even though I have a degree in biblical studies, I learned a lot.

Some conservative/evangelical readers might find the notes too historical and academic but I'd suggest that this perspective might be a good balance to the "flat book" reading of the bible that is so common in our churches.

Great version of the Bible for religious and non-religious persons alike. If you like to compare different versions of the Bible to gain a deeper understanding of it, then this is a must have version. Additionally, if you like annotated texts, and learning more background information pertaining to the Bible, then I highly recommend this version.

The Oxford Study Bible is clearly in the line of the more well-known Oxford Annotated Bibles, with a historical-critical approach that emphasizes original context over devotional application. The editors and contributors consciously reflect a multi-cultural background and present a diversity of views of the text itself. The notes compare well to the NOAB, though I suspect the overall quantity of notes is smaller, with many of the annotations consisting of cross references, especially in the New Testament. The prize here is the REB text, which is a refreshing alternative to the N/RSV line, and the selection of special articles.

Full review at: http://heissufficient.net/2007/12/11/the-oxford-study-bible/

This volume combines a cultural guide to the biblical world and an annotated Bible. Its notes feature the reflections of Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish scholars.

* Twenty-three insightful articles on aspects of the history, literary background, and culture of the biblical era.
* A special index of people, places, and themes of the Bible.
* 36 pages of full-color New Oxford Bible Maps, with index.

I use all the time.

Product of a mid-twentieth century effort toward an updated British translation which proved too bluntly worded and "un-biblical" for the British religious community. This Study Bible is based upon a 1989 toned down revision of the original "New English Bible" of 1961 and 1970.

Genesis and Exodus are my books of speciality. I've also read various book chapters concering sexuality and gender, particularly Leviticus.