How to Choose a New Bible (So You Won’t Be Overwhelmed)
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Are you overwhelmed by all the options out there while you are trying to choose a new Bible? Are you looking to buy your first Bible and don’t know where to start? I want to give you some tips on how to choose a new Bible.
I know that it can be overwhelming when you’re buying your first Bible or when you’re just choosing a new Bible and you don’t know where to start. I remember when I went to purchase my very first Bible in 2012 after I got saved. I became very overwhelmed because I didn’t realize how many options were out there, or that there even was more than one option. First, I didn’t even realize there were so many different translations. This led me to ask a few people different questions like what to look for.
Choose a new Bible: Bible Translation
There were a lot of things that I didn’t understand about the Bible so I want to help you to navigate that process of how to choose a new Bible. The first thing you must decide is what translation you are looking for. There are many different translations out there, and yes it can be overwhelming, but I want to give you some tips on how to decide which translation is going to work best for you.
Not every translation is going to work best for every person. For example, my husband loves the King James Version, but that translation is very hard for me to understand. A couple of my personal preferences are New King James and Amplified. I also like the New Living Translation and The Message. Some translations are translated word for word, so those are examples like the NKJV and the Amplified. Some translations are translated thought for thought and those are your NLT and your NIV. While some translations are paraphrased like the Message and the Passion translation.
My suggestion is to go to a website like biblehub.com or biblegateway.com and put in a scripture that you are familiar with and read it from different translations. This will help you get an understanding of what some of those translations read like. You might use a common scripture like John 3:16, Philippians 4:13, or Matthew 5:14-16. Use a scripture you are familiar with and read it from the different translations to see what works for you.
What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another person so you have to choose the translation that works best for you and makes the most sense to you. Choose one that you can understand because it doesn’t do you any good to get a Bible translation that you don’t understand. That just makes it harder for you to understand what you are reading.
I recommend picking one main translation and then getting a few other Bible translations. When you are studying the Bible it is recommended to read scripture from multiple translations. This will give you a deeper understanding of what you are reading, especially when things are worded just a little bit differently from translation to translation. Reading from two or three or more translations helps you to better understand what you are reading and can bring you more clarity.
Different Types of Bibles
There are also a variety of types of Bibles available that can make it overwhelming when trying to choose a new Bible. There is your traditional Bible, study Bible, parallel Bibles, journaling Bibles, and more. I recommend owning at least one study Bible if you can. Study Bibles contain study notes for each chapter and generally have more charts and guides than traditional Bibles.
Journaling Bibles have wider margins that are blank so you can use that space to journal, draw pictures, or add notes. Parallel Bibles contain two to four different translations in one. There will be one translation in one column and then the other translation in the other column. It would be the same scripture, but just in the different translations. This would be beneficial if you’re looking to buy just one Bible but you do want more than one translation. They make a lot of different parallel Bibles using a variety of translations so that is always an option.
What to Look for Inside the Bible
Different Bibles also contain different additional information in them so that is something you need to be aware of. Some Bibles have notes before you start reading the scripture that gives you background information for each book. There can also be reference notes and related scriptures. Most Bibles also contain a dictionary, topic guide, maps, weights and measures, and red letters (the spoken words of Jesus).
When looking at the interior of the Bible there are different sections to look for. One of those things is scripture references which are often in the footers at the bottom or on the side margin. These are cross references from one scripture to another so it shows you where else this topic is talked about in another scripture.
Another thing is a topic guide, which is great for when you are trying to study a specific topic or you’re looking for scriptures on a specific topic. For example, if you want to read more about faith or you’re dealing with some anger issues or hurt, you can find that topic and then find those scriptures to study and read more about that topic.
Other helpful things are dictionaries when you want to know the definitions of specific words, especially because the Bible is written originally in Greek and Hebrew. Understanding those definitions of the words is helpful to learn the true meaning of the words. Many Bibles also include maps, which are helpful so you can see where different places are located and help you visualize where certain events took place.
Another thing to consider is red letters, which are the spoken words of Jesus. Not all Bibles have red letters so that is something to look for as well. You should also take into consideration the size of the text. Some Bibles have larger text, but often the text is small. You need to decide what works best for your sight.
What Should Your Bible Look Like?
The last thing you may want to consider is the aesthetics of the Bible. While these are not the most important things to consider when you are ready to choose a new Bible, it is something you should consider because different bibles are made with different materials, are different sizes, and different colors.
Bibles can be made with plastic, leather, paperback, and hardback. The material is something to consider because you need to decide the durability of the Bible you are interested in. You also want to consider the size of the Bible you choose, especially if it’s something you will carry around with you often. You may also consider what color Bible you want, as they come in a wide variety of colors and designs.
The last thing you need to consider is your budget when you are ready to purchase your Bible. You can purchase your Bible from a bookstore, an online store, or even check a second-hand store. Most Bibles will range from $10-25, but there are more expensive Bibles available. You have to decide what works best for you and your budget.
Additional Accessories to Consider
I do recommend a few different accessories that can be helpful if you are buying your very first Bible. If you’re new to studying the Bible, one of the first things that I highly recommend is Bible tabs. These are put on the first page of each chapter so when you’re looking for scripture you find the book quickly.
Another thing I recommend when studying is Bible highlighters. I love the ones from Mr. Pen because they are very clean and don’t bleed through. I also like that the colors are subtle and are nice colors.
I also use magnetic bookmarks because they open and close really well on the page and don’t slide off like traditional bookmarks. They are easier to use and can help you to open up your page quickly.
Another thing you may consider is a Bible book cover case. This will help keep your Bible, highlighters, pens, and notebooks all in one place. This is great if you don’t have a set place where you study or if you are taking your Bible to study with others. There are so many stylish ones to choose from so you can choose what works for your style.
I know personally that it can be overwhelming when it is time to choose a new Bible and I don’t want you to be overwhelmed. I hope that my tips help you to choose the Bible that’s right for you or to choose more than one Bible that’s right for you.
