A Word On Bible Software
We’ve had lots of discussions about various Bible study tools lately and I’d like to share a couple more with you.
If you’re a pastor, teacher or just someone with a desire to study the Bible in a deep and comprehensive manner, you almost have to own some serious Bible software.
Before we go farther, let’s be straight about one thing…the software is expensive.
The standard tools today are Logos and Accordance…Accordance was the first and for a long time, the best Bible software for Mac users.
Accordance is still good, but Logos has blown it out of the water in terms of the number of resources you can buy to become part of your library.
Because of the costs involved you pretty much need to pick one and build on it over time.
It is an investment, and like any good investment , it takes time to mature.
I have a significant library in Logos and less on Accordance, but I’ve been building them one resource at a time for a couple of decades.
Both give free trials and I suggest downloading both to see which one is easier for you to navigate.
If you try Logos, they will give you 10 bucks off if you use this link…and I get 10 dollars in credit to buy my next commentary.
There are free Bible software programs, but they usually have antiquated resources that are of limited worth today.
If you plan on being a teacher or serious student one of these programs is a must…and will be worth the investment for both you and those you teach.
Michael and I discussed this issue on other threads, and I decided on an alternative.
Per Michael’s recommendation, I opted to use NT Wright’s Everyone commentary for my study on John, and study Bibles for commentary. I want to go through the Bible focusing on Jesus. NT Wright so far has helped me focus on Him, without getting lost in academia devoid of the Spirit (as I am concerned would happen with most commentaries). The study Bibles help me focus on the background and pertinent theological information I need to know, and also point constantly to Jesus.
I did look at Logos again, and once again I found a) it didn’t offer what I was looking for and b) what was provided would be overkill for me. Plus, the cost of the books needed to make it work my while is well out of reach for me right now.
Accordance was out of the question for similar reasons, plus it seems to me now to be a lesser version of Logos. eSword X is available from the Mac OS app store for a small cost but…no. I’m not interested in 18th century study tools and a chart that looks like it was drawn over a billboard back in 1906 🙂
This is what I’ve done.
1. Study Bibles, using paper and Kindle/ebooks.
–NIV Study Bible (killer deal right now on Amazon Kindle version)
–ESV Study Bible (my #1)
–CSB Study Bible
–NKJV Study Bible (which I got on Kindle for a couple of bucks during a sale)
–NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
–NLT New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, which I think is the original version (and doesn’t have either Robert Morris nor Mike Bickle as contributors, but does have Wayne Grudem as a contributor for Romans)
–NIV Archaeological Study Bible (thanks DiscipleDojo)
–CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible (thanks again DiscipleDojo)
–NLT Life Application Study Bible
–KJV Study Bible (also got on sale Kindle)
–Reformation Study Bible (an earlier version w/o the creeds)
–NASB MacArthur Study Bible (I know, I know…)
–NIV First-Century Study Bible
–New Oxford Annotated Bible (liberal)
–Thomas Nelson Study Bible (liberal)
I also have access to Grudem’s Systematic Theology and Christian Beliefs, the Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary, the Hayford Bible Handbook and Halley’s Bible Handbook thru Kindle.
I subscribed to esv dot org for 3.99 a month and have access to all of Crossway’s study bible, devotional, commentary and other notes.
I also subscribed to Olive Tree’s CSB Bible study pack for 5.99 a month and have access to their CSB/Lifeway suite of study Bibles, commentaries, etc.
BrianD,
There is a lot of help in those study bibles.
My preference would be for the NIV study bible and the cultural backgrounds bible.
Do not neglect the Bible Project vids…they are solid gold.
I’ve liked the NASB translation so even “if” MacArthur notes are in there it’s still a solid translation.
I forgot to mention them but I am watching.
You can watch them as part of your studies thru Olive Tree’s app.