The Harper Collins Study Bible

by Wayne A. Meeks (Editor)

Genres: Religion, Reference, Theology, Spirituality, Christian, Philosophy, Christianity

Hardcover

Reviews

[Maxwell Sprigg-Dudley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest I only read tiny portions of this. It was nice to have a copy of the Bible around though, it came up a surprising amount. TBH I didn’t find the academic commentary that interesting/useful… the format was so condensed it was hard to follow. I wished they had focused more on specific connections to historical events than getting so in the weeds of inter-book and intra-book connections and translational quirks.

[Jerad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The notes were informative, commentary at the beginning of each chapter helped put everything in context.

It's too big to be your pocket or travel Bible but anyone who learns from digging into the text will benefit from owning this.

Includes apocrypha.

[Bcoghill Coghill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Study Bible I prefer. I have ordered the new edition.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading all the way through the Bible! I had a good reading reading plan through our church. There are many questions, but I understand more now, too. I'm really glad I finally did this, and in the future I will read the Bible again, a different version, to see if the same things stand out to me, and to have my eyes opened again by God to see new things revealed.

[Liana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a slog to get into and the ending is bonkers.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this. It's quite an interesting book and I feel like it gave me a better understanding of both Judaism and Christianity.

Don't get me wrong it's not a well written book. A lot of it is very hard to follow and very dry even in this translation. Though there are a couple of good authors among the others.

I'm not surprised that there are so many sects and differences in belief. The stories within the bible often contradict themselves and are even more often are unclear and obfuscated.

It was very interesting to discover that based on revelation we've all been in Hell since 1500 or so. Depending on how long it took the forces of Heaven to overthrow Satan at the end there. Seemed pretty quick in the text.

I'm excited to see what The Qur'an has to say.

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This might be a good first study Bible, but it's too generic and general for my purposes. Too many of the footnotes and explanatory commentary merely repeat what the text already clearly says, such as telling you "this is a song of praise" or "here, they are condemned for failing to follow God's laws." Really? I needed a study Bible to tell me that?

However, there is enough informative text to make it worthwhile for beginning readers who have never really dealt with a "Study Bible" before.

[Dan Ream]

Reading the entire Bible has been a goal since I was an English major in college. In retirement, I finally took on the task at the rate of about 100 pages a month, depending on the length of the books each month. Lots to think about here in how the Old Testament stories of conquest and the chosen people influenced American history.

[Steven Bassett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got a good deal on a Kindle Edition for theo first time in 53 years I am understanding and enjoying the Old Testament.

[Bo Gordy-Stith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an extraordinary world there is here. A story we inherit and co-create.

[Justin Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The translation is accurate, but plain. The notes are helpful. The Apocrypha is enjoyable. Definitely worth having in my Bible library.

[Georgetown Lutheran Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best study Bible for adults. Enough notes without being too many. Scholarly approach in notes/comments. The translation, NRSV, is the one we use in worship.
- Pastor Brett

[Raiya]

-didn’t technically read full book bc it was for class and we skipped some but read over 1000 pages for sure so counting it !

[Kate Mumey · Rating 5 out of 5]

pretty good ! awesome one-liners !

“all things considered, some things ignored” - beth clarke

[ellie jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

amen 🙏

[Lorelei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cain and Abel is the story of all time, I will not elaborate.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid academic and objective notes and good translation.

[Hadley Husisian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I saw a tik tok where they asked the public what the best book they've ever read was, and everyone said the bible. Bunch of liars, there's no way they've actually read this thing. I'm glad I finally sat down and read some parts of the bible (SOME, I don't know how ANYONE is getting through 1000+ paper-thin pages with 3/4s of the content being footnotes). I suppose that level of devotion is more conducive to people who have faith in a higher power though.