Holy Bible: The Great Adventure

by Jeff Cavins, Dr. Mary Healy, Andrew Swafford

Official Bible for The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) featuring Jeff Cavins


A Life-Changing Catholic Bible Enriched with Elegant Premium Features
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible makes the complexity of reading the Bible simple. This high-quality edition envelops the Word of God in an unparalleled premium feel, giving believers the opportunity to “venerate the Scriptures as one venerates the Lord’s body” (CCC 103). The only version that incorporates Jeff Cavins’ color-coded Bible Timeline Learning System within the words of Scripture, The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Second Edition now includes more color-coded features than ever before. With exclusive color coding, insightful articles, detailed charts, and more, this Bible reveals the big picture of salvation history and shows how everything ties together, making Scripture easier to read and remember.

An elegant Bible made out of the highest-quality materials, this version features a beautiful brown goatskin leather cover, perimeter stitching, edge-lined binding, and gilt edges. It transforms the life-changing features of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible into a treasured biblical experience that makes the beauty of the Word of God tangible. There has never been another Bible like it.


Don’t Just Read the Words of the Bible … Understand Them.


Understand where each book belongs within salvation history with color coding based on The Bible Timeline Learning System[NEW!] Read Scripture with an unparalleled premium feel with a top-of-the-line goatskin leather cover with calfskin liner, perimeter stitching, edge-lined binding, raised spine hubs, and gilt edges[NEW!] Follow along with the chart-topping podcast using The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) reading plan[NEW!] Make connections between the Catholic Faith’s two most important books with color-coded Catechism references according to the Foundations of Faith approachSee the key details of every time period with 12 Timeline charts that provide a visual overview of the Bible, important characters, key events, geography, major covenants, world rulers, and contemporary events in secular historyStart every time period with an understanding of the historical and literary context using 12 articles that give an overall summary of each period of salvation history[NEW!] Start every book with a footnote introducing the main themes, literary style, author, story, and more, including 32 entirely new footnotesNever miss an important moment in Scripture with 70 key event callouts that provide a brief description of milestones in the biblical narrativeUnderstand the big picture of God’s amazing plan for humanity with 7 articles that introduce and explain the major covenants between God and his people[NEW!] Visualize the locations of key stories with 16 redesigned, full-color maps that bring the biblical story to lifePay special attention to what the Lord is saying to you with the words of Jesus printed in red[NEW!] Always remember where you left off with 3 ribbon markers[NEW!] Visualize how every book of the Bible fits together with a free copy of The Bible Timeline Chart (included in the box)Read with confidence because all the content in this Catholic Bible has been granted the Nihil obstat and ImprimaturRead Scripture for years with a binding that is sewn and glued for extra durability
Get the Bible Trusted by Hundreds of Thousands of Catholics. It Is the Only Bible You Will Ever Need.

Genres: Religion, Catholic, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian, Theology, Audiobook

1584 pages, Leather Bound

Published November 29, 2024

About the author

After twelve years as a Protestant pastor, Jeff returned to the Catholic Church under the guidance of Bishop Paul Dudley. His conversion story, one of the best known and inspiring stories of its kind, is chronicled in the best-selling book, My Life on the Rock.

Over the past several decades, Jeff has dedicated his life to developing The Great Adventure: A Journey through the Bible, a practical, interactive program that helps people read the “big picture” of God’s plan in Sacred Scripture and understand its meaning for their lives. The Great Adventure presents the entire sweep of the Bible in a way that is easy to understand and genuinely fun. Its unique Bible Timeline learning system has revolutionized Catholic Bible Study for hundreds of thousands of Catholics since 1995.

Jeff received his MA in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ordered this bible the week after two other bibles had arrived. I picked up this bible because Fr. Mike Schmitz is doing The Bible In A Year Podcast starting in January 2021. I am mostly an eBook guy. And if there had been an eBook edition, I would have picked it up. But there is something about holding this bible and knowing that people all over the world will be joining this Bible In A Year Podcast is moving. I have read the Revised Standard Version previous, and also many other translations of the bible. But this one is very different. This one focuses on the story and breaks that story in 14 key periods of salvation history. Those periods are:

Early World
Patriarchs
Egypt & Exodus
Desert Wanderings
Conquest & Judges
Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Exile
Return
Maccabean Revolt (or lost years)
Messianic Fulfillment
The Church

Father Mike plans to work through this timeline and fit the other books in and around it. I am excited to take part in that. And to be reading this version of the bible in this way. I have flipped through and read some of my favorite passages. Read the preface to the translation, and the introduction by Jeff Cavins.

I have a Religious Studies Degree with a focus on Roman Catholic Thought. I would have loved to have had this bible when I was a student. It would have been great for my personal reading and for academic research. It is well put together. Organized coherently. Good footnotes without being excessive.

This is a beautiful study bible. There are great notes and reference materials. And if you are looking for a new study bible, I can highly recommend this volume. I have owned many bibles over the last 45ish years. This is one of the best I have used for study.

I highly recommend this bible for personal or group reading, study, and to be challenged in your faith.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Michael B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Took a disenfranchised, disinterested, “former” catholic who was never taught a single thing about the Bible in CCD, in church or at home and shined a big bold bright unmistakable light on what I’ve been missing my entire life. When the Great Adventure Bible is coupled with Fr. Mike Schmidz podcast, you will be in heaven. Literally. Thank you Jeff Cavins. And thank God for what you have provided!

[courtney]

I ordered this Bible for my birthday this past summer in the hopes of studying Jeff Cavins' Great Adventure Bible Timeline study on my own. Little did I know this fall, Fr. Mike Schmitz and Ascension Presents would announce their upcoming Bible in a Year podcast going over the bible study in its entirety. 365 episodes starting on January 1, 2021.

The Great Adventure Bible Timeline Philosophy:
• Identifies the 14 narrative books that tell the story of Scripture from beginning to end. The remaining “supplemental books” of the Bible are then contextualized within the storyline of the 14 narrative books.
• Divides the Bible into 12 time periods, identified by different colors, which serve as “chapters” in Salvation History.

I could not be any more excited for this to begin. I am also SUPER stoked to have my friend, Kaylee, join me!

[Mariangel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading the Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz’s podcast!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Participating in Fr Mike Schmitz's Bible in a Year podcast. Started January 1 and ending December 31 and by the end will have read the whole Catholic Bible. If you want to join, you can check out the podcasts wherever podcasts play (and YouTube).

UPDATE: Finished! Completed Acts, all the letters, and Revelation today. Totally recommend doing this podcast for anyone who wants to read the whole Bible and understand it in context and how various books relate to each other and get a Biblical world view. It was an amazing journey.

[Ramon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Finished! I actually followed a podcast The Bible in a Year with Fr Mike from Ascension Press. It was rough at times because the Bible can be dry. I was surprised that the a lot of information in the books of the Bible are duplicated. I mostly learned why we do some of the things we do today stemmed from thousands of years ago. I learned so much and look forward to another year of listening to the podcast again. Thank you Lord for giving me the consistency to follow through and helping me to understand your word. AMEN! One more time 2025. We did it again.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this differently this time, by following along with the Bible in a Year podcast, and I'm so glad I did! Fr. Mike Schmitz was an awesome narrator, and his commentary after each day's readings really helped with my understanding of what I had just read. No matter how many times we read our Bibles, there's still so much that is confusing. This last day had me very emotional that my year-long journey of listening to His Word was complete for the moment.

For those interested in reading along with the podcast, the Ascension app is available for smartphones, or the web address to see the videos of the Bible in a Year podcast each day can found at https://app.ascensionpress.com/

He is the Alpha and Omega, Amen!

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we first started homeschooling, one of the resources we were introduced to was the Great Bible Adventure Timeline (at the time on VHS, along with a fill in your own timeline). In time we also got the DVDs, the Teen version of the course, the full color Timeline, the Bible Tabs.... but we always thought how awesome it would be to have a Bible to match all these study tools! So when this Bible came out I got it as a Father's Day gift for the hubby. It's still officially his, but we use it too for daily readings and discussions. My 12 year old loves it.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been following Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz since last February when a friend told me about it. So I started 6 weeks behind and then caught up by doing 2-3 podcasts a day. It has been an incredible experience to listen and read the Bible daily. The reading plan is organized in 12 time periods and you read passages from 2-3 books per day. Before each time period, Jeff Cavins gives a synopsis of what the period will cover. I downloaded the Great Adventure bible on my iPad so I could listen and read at the same time. It is 20-30 minutes per day. It is a Catholic Bible and a catholic priest and I was worried it would have a conservative message but I didn’t find that. I am a very progressive Catholic. I highly recommend the podcast and the opportunity to read the entire bible. There is much more to learn and I will be looking at other bible studies online. What a great way to end the year, ALLELUIA!

[Lindsay Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strictly speaking, I listened to this text via the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz and Jeff Cavins, but Fr. Mike was reading from this text, so I think it counts. I happen to own this particular Bible in Spanish, so maybe I’ll eventually read that one. It’ll probably take me 11 and a half years like my first time through the English one did, though!

[Andrei Topală · Rating 5 out of 5]

1 Bible, 2 Testaments, 73 books, 365 days.

An amazing experience listening to the Bible In a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz.

[Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I've read and the one I'm most proud to have journeyed with throughout this entire year of 2021! I encourage anyone to give The Bible in a Year with Fr Mike a chance.

[Matt Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the freaking Word of God!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished the Bible in a Year today, and all I could do is sob. God is so good.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to Fr. Mike's Bible In A Year podcasts and used this print bible to follow along. I've been Catholic my whole life, but this was the first time that I understood the Bible, the context of the writings, and who the authors of the books were. The organization of this Bible revealed connections that helped me understand the messages better.

[Drew Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I finished The Bible in a Year Podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz, and I can unequivocally say that it has been instrumental in growing my faith. There really was nothing like beginning my day with the Word of God. This isn’t to say I was completely consistent. I started this in 2021, then stopped after about five episodes, then continued last year and tried to make it everyday I could. If you want an approachable way to read the Bible in its entirety, I highly recommend this. It’s well worth the journey.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading scripture daily, with Fr Mike Schmitz commentary has been absolutely amazing! Come, Lord Jesus! 💝🙏🏽

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible is a great book. It's actually many books in one.
I am reading this Bible while following along with Fr. Mike Schmitz- Bible in a year podcast.
I am a cradle Catholic and this is the first time I have read the bible in it's entirety.
Thank you so much to Ft. Mike, Jeff Cavins and Bobby Semendy and his team for tge daily notes on the BIAY. This has helped so much in reading throught bible and understanding what I am reading.
Praise God for being responsible for all this!!

[Marty Langlois · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favorite Bible! The format is very welcoming and the layout makes it simple to follow the Story of our Salvation in Jesus Christ. The Bible Timeline chart is also pretty cool with connecting the Biblical events with the historical context of the respective time, government, and community of the secular events. Good stuff!

[J. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have quite a few Bibles, but none like this one.

I mainly bought this to follow along with Fr. Mike Schmitz's Bible in a Year podcast. It's so amazing, and packed with great information. It's become my favorite Bible.

Thank you, Jeff Cavins, Fr. Mike Schmitz, and Ascension!

[Ruben Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Jeff Cavins and the whole team did with this Bible is truly amazing. It comes alive with the way they lay it out.

[Eric Whalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been a heck of a journey…Father Mike Schmitz is a real one 🥲

5/5

[Anna Schwarzkopf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shoutout The Bible in a Year Podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz !! Great pacing and commentary to go through the entire bible in a year 🙏

[Payton Pustejovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me almost 2 years, but finally finished today 🥳

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

12-31-21
What a great sense of accomplishment in finishing listening to the entire Bible!
Thank you, Father Mike Schmitz!

7-30-23
After listening to The Bible in a Year in 2021, I started over again right away in 2022, only this time I not only listened, but also followed along in my own Bible. This required much more dedication, as I needed to be at home with my Bible in my lap instead of listening while driving or walking the neighborhood like the last time. It turned into The Bible in a Year and a Half, but I am excited to say I have now been through the entire Bible TWICE!! I have been excited, confused, entertained, saddened, consoled, inspired, shocked, calmed, awed, and blessed by this experience. I am grateful first and foremost to God, but also to Father Mike Schmitz and his team at Ascension Press for leading me through the Great Adventure Catholic Bible. There's no greater book!

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

We did it!! Bible in a year! I loved how the Great Adventure Bible lets you see the big picture. You can better understand where the stories fit in salvation history.

[Kathleen Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

The most important book I’ve read in my entire life. I would recommend everyone read this because it’s changed my life in more ways than I can even explain. It will take a while to read…it took me 4-5 years, but may even take 6-7 ;). I highly recommend the Bible in a Year podcast that goes along with this because Fr. Mike Schmitz’s commentary helped me understand more of the Bible. At times, this was a very difficult read, and there were many months where I stopped reading it altogether. But, by the grace of God, I picked it back up, and I can finally say that I’ve read the entire Bible. I definitely need to reread it because now that I’ve read it once, I feel like there’s so much more I need to understand.

[Kelly Veatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing journey I had this year! I read the Bible along with Father Mike Schimtz on his Bible in a Year podcast. The Bible has so many beautiful, wonderful stories! I have grown closer to God through this project. I am grateful for His Word, and I am grateful for Fr. Mike and his reflections on the Word throughout the year. I loved listening each day!

[Ann Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been listening to this faithfully for a year. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and this method seemed like a great way to do it. So I have done it, and what did I learn? The Old Testament in total is complex and much richer than it appears in the Catholic Sunday readings. There’s an almost abstract or mathematical quality to it, it seemed to me when read as a whole. The New Testament was much more familiar to me, so I was relieved when we finally arrived. These are the stories I know, but they, too take on a larger, symbolic quality when read as a whole. The proverbs, psalms, and wisdom books correct, sing, and instruct in beautiful and often funny ways. I will do this all over again because it is truly amazing, epic, revelatory, expansive, and insightful. As a Catholic and believer, I enjoy learning about and deepening my faith. I believe the Bible has something to offer me every day. And as a student and lover of literature, it’s important to know because, for a good long time, the Bible was a reference every writer and educated person knew well, used, or quoted. And though some may find the title cheesy, it is a great adventure.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

We did it!!!! Ty Fr. Mike