Expanded Bible : A Review

Expanded Bible

Thomas Nelson Publishers

I have mixed emotions when I see a new edition of the Bible being published. I collect various Study Bibles – the combined knowledge in them allows me to understand some of the wealth of study that has preceded me. But a new edition of the Bible is one more tool that I have will want to study and examine.

Given the opportunity by the publisher to review an electronic copy of a new edition prior to publicatin was an exciting prospect. The best comparison I can make for the Expanded Bible is the Amplified Bible. But there are three advantages of the Expanded Bible over the Amplified Bible:

1. The Amplified Bible (as currently published) was created in 2001, making the Expanded Bible 10 years newer.

2. The additions to the Amplified Bible are clearly marked as their purpose

3. Wide margins for making personal notes as one reads the Bible

Notations are marked using a code that will allow the reader to recognize different types of comments:

• Simple “Expansions” showing alternate meanings of the original Hebrew or Greek words

• “Alternate” meanings that may change the sense of the sentence in which they are found.

• “Literal” meanings of the underlying text

• “Traditional” readings (i.e. KJV) of the text that many readers may be more familiar with but are not used in the current translation.

• “Historical, cultural, theological,” etc. comments designed to help the reader “better understand a verse or passage”

• Cross references to parallel passages

Each type of note is clearly indicated in line with the text – in lieu of traditional footnotes. Though the comments are clearly marked, they occasionally become confused the actual text of scripture. The font of the notes is slightly lighter (i.e. less bold) than the text of the scripture, but it would have been nice if they had been printed in an alternate color as well (e.g. blue).

Other than this one concern, I am looking forward to adding this Bible to my library in November 2011 when it is published and would recommend that others do so as well.