The [expanded] Bible: New Testament

My number one complaint about The [expanded] Bible from Thomas Nelson, it’s only the New Testament.

I’ve long used The Amplified Bible as part of my in-depth study of the Scripture. The [expanded] Bible adds to what the Amplified has done so well – add clear definition to words and phrases in the Bible.

In addition, the Expanded version also adds other possible ways to translate a word or phrase, literal rendering of the original language, traditional translations, commentary, and cross-references. All of which are incorporated within the text. Footnotes are also added to show variations of the manuscripts.

In the Introduction, the reader is advised to learn to use The [expanded] Bible by just reading it. I chose to start using with my Bible study.

Another suggestion from the Introduction is to read the base text first, then go back and read through the expansions. I found this to be a worthy suggestion. I’m able to capture the storyline or thought of the Scripture writer before I gather the in-depth information.

The expanded material is useful for not just studying and gaining more understanding of the words; it also helps flesh out the background and cultural information. I was also like not having to crowd my table with various supplemental books to study God’s Word.

The various expansions are coded in such a way that makes it easy to understand: l for literal, c for commentary, n for footnote, and so on.

The base text used is a modification of the New Century Version (NCV) and is set in bold type for easy reading without being distracted by the interjections of various expansions.

I did wonder if I could just read the base text. I had become accustomed to the Amplified Bible, which doesn’t set the amplification off from the text. For the most part, I had no problem reading the bold text without being distracted by the expansions.

The sturdy hardback (also available in soft cover) is printed on quality paper that will withstand years of use. It is printed with wide margins for notes. Sub-titles are also in the margins, and in the gospels have cross-references. Those references are handy for comparing the synoptic material.

A section notably missing is a concordance. To look for specific Scripture references the reader either has to know the chapter and verse, or use another concordance.

For study purposes, I would have preferred a different translation – New King James Version or New American Standard. The NCV is too informal for my taste in studying God’s Word. Although more traditional text, such as King James Version, is imbedded in the expansions, it not quite enough to over come the loose translation of NCV.

I don’t find these flaws enough to discard The [expanded] Bible. I will continue to use it while I’m waiting for the Old Testament version and, possibly, the addition of a concordance.

The [expanded] Bible: New Testament
from Thomas Nelson
Hardcover $29.99
Softcover $19.99