Laura Bartlett, marketing manager for Bibles and Bible reference at Tyndale, was kind enough to send me a review copy of the NLT Study Bible. For the past two weeks I have been using it, along with several other Bibles, as I study Scripture. Following are some of my thoughts about what I consider to be an excellent resource.
As I said in a previous post:
In the Introduction, there is a NLT Study Bible Features Guide. There is also a six page Master Timeline which covers the historical period from creation to approximately AD 330. The timeline is quite detailed and gives an overview of what was happening during the periods covered by books of the Bible. Not only does it list the Kings of Israel and Judah, but it also covers the kings of Assyria, Babylonia, Media-Persia and Rome.
The introduction also includes a list of NLT Study Bible Contributors. I'm no scholar and my library is limited, but several names managed to catch my eye: Daniel Block, Tremper Longman III, John Oswalt, Grant Osborne, Robert Stein, Mark Strauss, Douglas Moo, Sean Harrison and Philip Comfort.
Book and Section Introductions
The book introductions cover the usual Setting, Summary, Authorship, Setting and Date information to be found in most Study Bibles. There are several features of the Book Introductions which stood out to me as special. Each book introduction includes a map showing the geographic region covered in the book. There is a timeline for each book.
As in most Study Bibles, there is an Outline. The NLT Study Bible takes the Outline a step or two further than most in that it is a running outline. I have found this to be a very helpful feature. To quote from the Features Guide:
In addition to the Book Introductions, there are Section Introductions. These include:
Scattered throughout the text are numerous helpful features including additional maps, genealogies, additional timelines, various charts and illustrations. You have to really try hard to get lost in this Study Bible. They keep everything pretty close at hand.
I have found the notes to be surprisingly relevant to the text. I say "surprisingly" because in other Study Bibles it seems that a rather large percentage of notes seem to be more filler than helpful. The notes in this Bible have been more consistently helpful to me personally.
Theme Notes and Person Profiles
Throughout the text there are notes regarding important themes and people. For instance, looking in the Gospel According to John there are numerous notes and profiles including:
Cross-References
I have found the cross-references to be more useful than that of most other Bibles. The references appear to be more consistently related to the idea of the verse rather than an individual word which is what was claimed in the introduction. Using them I have found it to be true. Parallel passages are clearly marked with parallel lines(//). Verses in the New Testament which are quotes of the Old Testament are marked with an asterisk (*).
Word Study System
Located within the cross-reference column are references to the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries in the back of the Study Bible. They are referenced to the Strong's Concordance numbers. The dictionaries include 100 Hebrew words and 100 Greek words. I wish there were more words included but I also want to be able to carry the NLT Study Bible without throwing out my back if you know what I mean. I would consider the words included to be rather significant, relatively speaking. The definitions are fairly broad in scope and at the end of each definition are a list of Biblical references where the words can be found. This has been a favorite, and helpful, feature of mine.
Subject Index
Following the Hebrew/Greek dictionaries in the back of the back there is a very comprehensive Subject Index which takes up 142 pages, slightly less than the TNIV Study Bible's Topics Index and Notes Index combined.
Dictionary / Concordance
The Dictionary/Concordance may be another favorite. Not only is it a concordance but it actually does contain definitions of many of the words, words from the KJV are so marked to aid someone (wisely) transitioning to the NLT, and brief biographical sketches of people.
Maps
In addition to the maps in the Introductions and in the text, there is a good collection of maps at the end of the Study Bible. There is no index included. However, given the other maps mentioned having an index in the back might be overkill. While I appreciate the inclusion of the extra maps in the back, I find myself using the Introduction and in text maps far more frequently as I find them much more convenient.
Concluding Remarks
I went a little longer than I intended. Perhaps I'm still juiced after watching Phelps win his eighth gold medal of this Olympics last night. (I had to get that in!)
Overall, I have found the NLT Study Bible to be an exceptional work. Beyond overall, each individual part of the work has truly impressed me. Perhaps I'm biased. When it was first announced and the features were listed on the NLT Study Bible website it seemed to me that someone had been reading my mind as to what features I had always wanted. It's almost like we were made for each other.
I give the NLT Study Bible my most enthusiastic endorsement and gladly recommend it to all.
As I said in a previous post:
Much of any review will be subjective. Perhaps that is especially so regarding typeface. The typeface used is Lucerna which was "designed by Brian Sooy & Co. exclusively for Tyndale House Publishers, Inc." The Lucerna typeface is beautiful in the NLT Study Bible. It looks nice in my Slimline Reference Edition but with the larger font size in the Study Bible the typeface becomes all the more beautiful. The combination of typeface and size makes for a reading experience that is comfortable to my eyes.Introduction to the NLT Study Bible
In the Introduction, there is a NLT Study Bible Features Guide. There is also a six page Master Timeline which covers the historical period from creation to approximately AD 330. The timeline is quite detailed and gives an overview of what was happening during the periods covered by books of the Bible. Not only does it list the Kings of Israel and Judah, but it also covers the kings of Assyria, Babylonia, Media-Persia and Rome.
The introduction also includes a list of NLT Study Bible Contributors. I'm no scholar and my library is limited, but several names managed to catch my eye: Daniel Block, Tremper Longman III, John Oswalt, Grant Osborne, Robert Stein, Mark Strauss, Douglas Moo, Sean Harrison and Philip Comfort.
Book and Section Introductions
The book introductions cover the usual Setting, Summary, Authorship, Setting and Date information to be found in most Study Bibles. There are several features of the Book Introductions which stood out to me as special. Each book introduction includes a map showing the geographic region covered in the book. There is a timeline for each book.
As in most Study Bibles, there is an Outline. The NLT Study Bible takes the Outline a step or two further than most in that it is a running outline. I have found this to be a very helpful feature. To quote from the Features Guide:
Each book includes an outline with up to three levels of headings. In the introduction, we provide the first level of the outline to give the reader an overview. The full outline is embedded in the NLT text as running headings.The Book Introductions also include a Further Reading section which has book recommendations for further study. In skimming the recommendations from several introductions, the books seem to be solid. I even own several of them so of course I like the lists.
In addition to the Book Introductions, there are Section Introductions. These include:
Old TestamentThere are also other informative articles of an introductory or chronological nature throughout, including:
The Pentateuch
Historical Books
Books of Poetry and Wisdom
Books of the Prophets
New Testament
The Four Gospels
Letters of Paul
Paul's Letters to Timothy and Titus
Archaeology and Sources for OT BackgroundMiscellaneous Features in the Text
Abraham to Joshua
Time of the Judges
Israel's Monarch
Israel's Exile and Return
Life of Jesus
Harmony of the Four Gospels
Apostolic Age
Time After the Apostles
Scattered throughout the text are numerous helpful features including additional maps, genealogies, additional timelines, various charts and illustrations. You have to really try hard to get lost in this Study Bible. They keep everything pretty close at hand.
I have found the notes to be surprisingly relevant to the text. I say "surprisingly" because in other Study Bibles it seems that a rather large percentage of notes seem to be more filler than helpful. The notes in this Bible have been more consistently helpful to me personally.
Theme Notes and Person Profiles
Throughout the text there are notes regarding important themes and people. For instance, looking in the Gospel According to John there are numerous notes and profiles including:
The WordThat gets me through chapter 5.
John the Baptist
Miraculous Signs
Nicodemus
Believing
Living Water
The Jewish Leaders
Cross-References
I have found the cross-references to be more useful than that of most other Bibles. The references appear to be more consistently related to the idea of the verse rather than an individual word which is what was claimed in the introduction. Using them I have found it to be true. Parallel passages are clearly marked with parallel lines(//). Verses in the New Testament which are quotes of the Old Testament are marked with an asterisk (*).
Word Study System
Located within the cross-reference column are references to the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries in the back of the Study Bible. They are referenced to the Strong's Concordance numbers. The dictionaries include 100 Hebrew words and 100 Greek words. I wish there were more words included but I also want to be able to carry the NLT Study Bible without throwing out my back if you know what I mean. I would consider the words included to be rather significant, relatively speaking. The definitions are fairly broad in scope and at the end of each definition are a list of Biblical references where the words can be found. This has been a favorite, and helpful, feature of mine.
Subject Index
Following the Hebrew/Greek dictionaries in the back of the back there is a very comprehensive Subject Index which takes up 142 pages, slightly less than the TNIV Study Bible's Topics Index and Notes Index combined.
Dictionary / Concordance
The Dictionary/Concordance may be another favorite. Not only is it a concordance but it actually does contain definitions of many of the words, words from the KJV are so marked to aid someone (wisely) transitioning to the NLT, and brief biographical sketches of people.
Maps
In addition to the maps in the Introductions and in the text, there is a good collection of maps at the end of the Study Bible. There is no index included. However, given the other maps mentioned having an index in the back might be overkill. While I appreciate the inclusion of the extra maps in the back, I find myself using the Introduction and in text maps far more frequently as I find them much more convenient.
Concluding Remarks
I went a little longer than I intended. Perhaps I'm still juiced after watching Phelps win his eighth gold medal of this Olympics last night. (I had to get that in!)
Overall, I have found the NLT Study Bible to be an exceptional work. Beyond overall, each individual part of the work has truly impressed me. Perhaps I'm biased. When it was first announced and the features were listed on the NLT Study Bible website it seemed to me that someone had been reading my mind as to what features I had always wanted. It's almost like we were made for each other.
I give the NLT Study Bible my most enthusiastic endorsement and gladly recommend it to all.
10 comments:
Stan, you did a lot of work on this one. Good stuff! Yes, I too find the NLT SB to be a good one, and I'll gladly recommend it.
Thanks TC. If you would have asked me a year ago if I thought I would ever recommend the NLT I would have laughed at you. This year has definitely taken some unexpected, but beneficial, turns.
Stan,
I appreciate your analysis of the NLT Study Bible. You seem to be very favorable toward this so it looks very interesting and appealing to me.
But I am a little confused (or maybe just curious). You did not mention anything about textual accuracy. I have to admit, I am not an expert on language or translations; in fact I'm just kind of ignorant and uneducated. I have enjoyed using the NLT for its contemporary clarity but have been wary of using it much for teaching purposes. Is the NLT a reliable translation? Or is there any relationship to the old Living Bible paraphrase? Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Ralph,
Thanks for your post and questions.
I am definitely favorable towards the NLT Study Bible and the NLT as a translation. From the first time I read the NLT I just loved it! I also greatly enjoy the REB and TNIV.
I'm no expert on language or translations either. What I can tell you is that I've owned a NLT, TNIV and REB for about four months now. In that time I've been reading these versions along with the NASB (and occasionally the NRSV and NAB) and have been very impressed with the agreement between them.
Sure, some people will complain about this verse/word or that. I don't say that to discount any complaints. ALL have their verses/words which are translated less well than they could have been.
As for the NLT text itself, it is a new translation, thus the name New Living Translation. I don't believe there is a translation connection to the Living Bible paraphrase other than Kenneth Taylor's involvement as a reviewer.
It appears to me that one of the best ways to overcome any wariness of using it (or any other translation) for teaching purposes is to reference several translations. It is amazing how close they all are and generally comparing several versions gives a much better understanding of the sense of a passage/verse/word. In short there is safety in a multitude of counselors (and in this case translations).
Stan, you did a fine job reviewing the NLTSB.
As you know, I remain a just a little wary of the NLT translation itself. But most of that comes from being used to the more traditional renderings of the old RSV and the NRSV, as well as the KJV/NKJV/NASB/ESV. Saying something a new way tends to jar the senses, and that is why a lot of people hesitate over the NLT (and TNIV!) When you compare the NLT with other versions, and also if you can make use of online tools to check out the originals, the NLT really comes across very solidly. They've done an amazing job in translating it. (Now if I can just get used to it!)
Gary,
Thanks. I just finished reading yours as well. Sounds like we both like the Study Bible.
I know what you mean about getting used to a translation and then having other translations sound "different" from what I'm used to.
What helped me in that regard is that I purchased the NLT, TNIV, and REB within about two weeks of each other and started skimming through them comparing verses. This allowed me to see some of the nuances and gave me a great appreciation for each translation.
Keep reading. You'll get used to it.
Very nice review. Once again Tyndale got their money's worth in sending out these Bibles.
Jeff
Jeff,
Thanks.
Tyndale is getting even more for their money as I've loaned my copy to a security guard at my office. He's going to look over it for a week or so.
I'm really impressed with that Bible.
Thanks, Stan, for your helpful review. I'm glad I read your mind when I started designing the NLT Study Bible in 1998. ;-) Sorry you had to wait so long.
It was a LOT of fun to watch Phelps dominate the Olympic pool -- you have every right to be stoked.
Sean, Thanks for your comments and for your work on a wonderful study Bible. Definitely worth the wait.
Seems to me that the NLT Study Bible would make an excellent gift for any breathing person this Christmas. (You must let Laura know how I snuck that plug in.)
As for your mind-reading abilities, nothing short of amazing.
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