"It is OK to have favorite books of the Bible, especially if your favorite book is Ephesians. It is not OK to have least favorite books of the Bible. Shame on you."
- Fred Sanders

---

Product Description

The ESV Study Bible was created to help you encounter the truth of God's Word as a powerful, life-changing reality. To accomplish this, it combines the best evangelical scholarship with the text, which, as an "essentially literal" translation, is especiallysuited for Bible study. The ESV Study Bible contains two kinds of words. The first is the actual words of the Bible-the very Words of God to us. The second is the study notes, which are human words. The result is the most comprehensive study Bible ever published-with new notes, maps, illustrations, charts, timelines and articles-the equivalent of a 20-volume Bible study library.The purpose of the ESV Study Bible is to honor the Lord in terms of excellence, beauty, accuracy of content and design and to help you come to a deeper understanding of the Bible, the gospel and Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. To accomplish this goal, an extraordinary team was created, composed of 95 scholars and teachers from 9 countries and nearly 20 denominations-including 50 seminaries,colleges and universities. With pages for you to record marriages, births and deaths, the ESV Study Bible will be treasured for generations to come.

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2191 in Books
• Color: Multicolor
• Brand: Crossway Books / Good News Publishers
• Model: E50241
• Published on: 2008-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.61" h x 2.25" w x 6.77" l, 4.06 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 2752 pages

Amazon.com Review

Book Description

The ESV Study Bible was created to help people understand the Bible in a deeper way--to understand the timeless truth of God's Word as a powerful, compelling, life-changing reality. To accomplish this, the ESV Study Bible combines the best and most recent evangelical Christian scholarship with the highly regarded ESV Bible text. The result is the most comprehensive study Bible ever published--with 2,752 pages of extensive, accessible Bible resources.

Sample the ESV Study Bible

Click on the images below to read the introductions to the books of the Bible as they appear in the ESV Study Bible [pdf]:

And click on these images to see samples of the detailed and authoritative historical illustrations included in the ESV Study Bible:

Golgotha

Herod's Temple

Temple Complex

Temple Mount

Review
"Retaining the majesty of language with the clarity of thought, the English Standard Version is a grand accomplishment." Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Author and Speaker "The ESV is the text I have been waiting for my entire life. I appreciate greatly both its fluency of language and its lucidity of expression, thanks to the brilliant work of the translation team. We owe them a very great debt." Rev. Ranald Macaulay, Christian Heritage, The Round Church, Cambridge "After preaching out of the same version for over 10 years, I switched to the ESV Bible. I find it both accurate and easily readable, which is a rare combination." Francis Chan, Author of Crazy Love "I thank God for the ESV. It combines up-to-date accuracy in the text and absolute faithfulness to the words of Scripture with a literary skill and beauty in the translation which, in my judgment, is unsurpassed." Eric J. Alexander, Retired Pastor, St. George's-Tron Parish Church, Scotland "At last a translation that majors on accuracy, combined with a modern, fluent style. I am confident that in time the ESV will become the standard translation for the English-speaking world." The Rt. Rev. Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes, England

Review

"The ESV is a dream come true for me. The rightful heir to a great line of historic translations, it provides the continuity and modern accuracy I longed for. Now the scope and theological faithfulness of the ESV Study Bible study notes is breathtaking. Oh how precious is the written Word of God."
—John Piper, Founder, desiringGod.org; Chancellor, Bethlehem College & Seminary

"The definitive clarity and beauty of the ESV Study Bible is extraordinary. In a world where words are distorted to mean anything, it is wonderful to have complete confidence in the reliability and truth of the Bible—so clearly and persuasively demonstrated by this world-class team of Bible scholars and teachers. For everyone who wants to understand God’s Word in a deeper way, the ESV Study Bible is an outstanding resource. I will be an avid user!"
—Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

"Outstanding! The ESV Study Bible is a treasure—a beautiful volume, filled with a wealth of resources. It will be just as useful for the seminarian and long-time pastor as it will be accessible to the brand-new Christian."
—R. Albert Mohler Jr., President and Joseph Emerson Brown Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"The ESV Study Bible is an invaluable and inexhaustible resource—for those who already know and treasure God’s Word, as well as for the new generation of Bible students who have yet to discover the wonder and wealth of Scripture. I especially love the way the notes and articles highlight the great redemptive story and ‘connect the dots’ between the various portions and themes of Scripture. Full of rich insight, scholarly yet accessible—I am deeply grateful for this magnificent work."
—Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, author; radio host, Revive Our Hearts

"I was privileged to act as General Editor of the English Standard Version, and now that I look back on what we did in producing that version, I find myself suspecting very strongly that this was the most important thing that I have ever done for the Kingdom, and that the product of our labors is perhaps the biggest milestone in Bible translation in certainly the last half century at least, and perhaps more. And now, as Theological Editor of the ESV Study Bible, I believe that the work we have done together on this project has set an altogether new standard in study Bibles."
—J. I. Packer, Board of Governors' Professor of Theology, Regent College

"The ESV Study Bible is a tour de force: innovative production, beautiful graphics, and notes by outstanding scholars packed with useful information."
—Mark Dever, Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington DC; President, 9Marks

"This is surely the most comprehensive study Bible yet! Serious students of the Bible will find this an invaluable aid to understanding the text, the background, and some key theological issues of the Bible. In addition to the reliable ESV text with notes, it has resources that no teacher or preacher should be without. Beautifully produced and accessible, it will also make a great gift for new Christians."
—Graeme Goldsworthy, Former Lecturer in Old Testament, Biblical Theology, and Hermeneutics, Moore Theological College

---

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

1309 of 1363 people found the following review helpful.
A Superior Study Bible
By Tim Challies
The ESV Study Bible has launched with eight editions: Hardcover, TruTone Nat Brown, TruTone Classic Black, Black Bonded Leather, Burgundy Bonded Leather, Black Genuine Leather, Burgundy Genuine Leather and Premium Calfskin Leather.

In any edition the ESV Study Bible looks great. It is contemporary in its coloring (white is dominant with orange accents in the hardcover) and in the rectangle which shows up throughout (on the cover, to mark headings, and even as a bullet for lists of information). The rectangle has no deeper significance than a simple design element. In an interesting but effective design decision, the TruTone editions have this triangle stitched to the cover. The leather editions have "ESV" in large gold letters on the spine with "Study Bible," "English Standard Version" and "Crossway" in smaller gold type. The TruTone has the same text but with the "ESV" embossed. The hardcover features black and orange backgrounds on the spine with the text printed over top. The standard ESV guarantee applies to these Bibles, meaning that a customer who discovers manufacturing defects during normal use can return the Bible to have it replaced with one of equal or greater value.

The Bible is made to be durable. It is smyth sewn which is the binding process considered by many to be the best and longest-lasting method. It allows the Bible to lie flat even on page one and on page 2,752 (at least in the TruTone). It is printed on "high-opacity, high-quality French Bible paper" and in a single-column format with the cross-references in the inside margin. The paper is thin and light but still sturdy. My two year-old put the Bible to the test when she inadvertently stepped on it while it was lying open. The page wrinkled under her heel but did not tear. I also learned from her that chewing gum can be removed from the cover of the TruTone while permanent marker cannot. The fonts are very dark and easy to read with a heavy black serif font for the biblical text and a thin black sans-serif for the notes and cross-references. The page headings are in a bold gray with page numbers in a thin gray. Chapter numbers are a large gray serif font while headings are italicized black sans-serif. The pages display a fair bit of bleed-through where, when you look at a page, you can see the ink showing through from the previous page or two. Most of us are accustomed to this bleed-through in our Bibles. Where it is a bit more apparent and distracting is where it shows through on the maps and illustrations.

One feature that has received much attention in the ESV Study Bible is its use of color. Most study Bibles offer maps and illustrations only in grayscale. The ESV Study Bible, though, offers full-color illustrations and maps. This is quite a nice feature. The splashes of color throughout, including colored highlighting and shading, are unexpected to my eye but very effective. Though the standard glossy maps in the back of the Bible are superior in quality to the ones scattered throughout, even the smaller maps are nicely done and provide important geographical context without having to slip to the Bible's final pages. The illustrations, commissioned specifically for this project, are very well done and nicely supplement the notes.

ESV Study Bible Online
The ESV Study Bible is one of only a couple of study Bibles to offer an extensive online component to accompany the Bible. Included with each Bible is a registration code that will allow the customer to access the ESV Online Study Bible. There they will find the complete text of the Bible along with all of the study notes, articles, maps, and all the other features of the Bible. Unique online features include the ability to create and save personalized online notes; to search and follow interactive links between notes, maps, articles, charts, timelines, illustrations, and cross-references; and to listen to audio recordings of the ESV. It adds interactive features that are only possible in a computer-based environment. While the online component is a useful addition to the Bible (and a free one!), at this time it seems under-developed and I suspect many readers will find that they do not refer to it very often.

Format
Each book of the Bible begins with an extensive introduction. This may include sections dealing with Time, Date and Title; Author; Theme; Key Themes; Purpose, Occasion and Background; Literary Features; Outline; and so on. Particularly important is the History of Salvation Summary which sets each of the books within the context of the wider body of Scripture and hence within the history of salvation. Introductions may also include timelines, maps, and notes on literary features specific to that book. In every case, the reader will receive a thorough explanation as to the book's authorship, purpose and context in God's plan of salvation.

The text notes vary in density but typically comprise about half of each page in the New Testament and perhaps a third in the Old Testament. They focus primarily on explanation and rarely on application. In one handy feature, highlighted notes correspond to primary points in the outline while highlighted verses and headings within the notes correspond to secondary points in the outline.

Scholarship
The ESV Study Bible has been produced by as good a group of scholars as any study Bible. The General Editor is Wayne Grudem, the Theological Editor is J.I. Packer, the Old Testament Editor is C. John Collins and the New Testament Editor is Thomas Schreiner. The study note contributors represent a broad cross-section of reputable Evangelical scholars. The articles included within the Bible have been contributed by some well-known pastors and scholars, including John Piper, David Powlison, Darrell Bock, Leland Ryken, R. Kent Hughes, Daniel Wallace, and many more.

Controversial Theology
One concern people are likely to have when considering a new study Bible concerns the theological perspective offered in the notes. Does this particular study Bible take a Reformed or Arminian position on salvation? A complementarian or egalitarian perspective on gender roles? An amillennial or premillennial position on the end times? I looked through many of the notes seeking what this Bible says on some of the more common controversies: end times, spiritual gifts and soteriology. I found this an interesting comparison with the Reformation Study Bible. It seems to me that the Reformation Study Bible came from a much more narrowly-defined theological position; it was Reformed, it was cessationist, it was amillennial. The ESV Study Bible, on the other hand, offers a wider or less-defined perspective. Where the doctrine is clear and undisputed among Evangelicals, so too are the notes. But where doctrines are controversial and within the area of Christian freedom or disputable matters, the notes tend not to take a firm position, even when the author or editor is firmly in one camp or the other. Whether this is positive or negative may well depend on the individual reader.

To satisfy my curiosity, I opened my NIV Study Bible, Reformation Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible and ESV Study Bible and compared their notes on several areas of controversial theology--spiritual gifts, predestination and spiritual gifts. None of these Bibles offered notes that were unbiblical so I was left looking for the differences in perspective. In general I found that the MacArthur Study Bible offered the most defined position. This makes good sense as it represents the position of a single individual. This was followed by the Reformation Study Bible which offers the position of many individuals but each of them drawn from a very consistent theological position. The ESV Study Bible came next, offering a charitable but open view on most of these issues. The NIV Study Bible seemed almost to shy away from some of the issues. So while it is clear that the ESV Study Bible is not distinctly Reformed in its position, neither is it Arminian. It is not cessationist or continuationist and is neither amillennial nor postmillennial. In fact, it seems as if it emulates the parent who tells one of his children to cut the last piece of cake in half and the other to choose the first piece. In many cases a person from one perspective wrote the notes while a person from the other perspective screened them. This ensures the notes maintain both charity and some degree of objectivity in those areas of dispute.

Having looked at the areas of dispute, I would not hesitate to recommend the ESV Study Bible to either new or mature Christians. The matters at the heart of the faith are described and defended while the matters of lesser importance are presented charitably and non-dogmatically.

Conclusion
I suspect that many of the people reading this review will already be owners of at least one study Bible. I feel it is important to affirm that there is nothing innately wrong with the Reformation Study Bible, The New Geneva Study Bible, the MacArthur Study Bible and many of the other similar products. If you are currently using one of these Bibles and are happy with it, there may be few compelling reason to rush out and purchase the ESV Study Bible. I have used the Reformation Study Bible and its predecessor for many years with great benefit. I have no doubt that I will continue to refer to it.

With that said, I think the ESV Study Bible is an incredible resource. A long list of endorsers have expressed their excitement for its theological faithfulness, its accessibility, its insight, its scholarship, its practicality and its sheer excellence. I would simply append my name to this list. I agree wholeheartedly with C.J. Mahaney who writes, "I can't imagine a greater gift to the body of Christ than the ESV Study Bible. It is a potent combination indeed: the reliability and readability of the ESV translation, supplemented by the best of modern and faithful scholarship, packaged in an accessible and attractive format. A Christian could make no wiser investment for himself, a pastor could recommend no better resource for his congregation." This is a powerful resource and one that can aid any reader of Scripture. It is one I recommend wholeheartedly.

Early in this review I wrote, "Today, if you drop by my home in the early morning, you are likely to see me reading from the Literary Study Bible." I think it's safe to say that, if you drop by my home early tomorrow morning, you are likely to see me reading from the ESV Study Bible.

247 of 253 people found the following review helpful.
The smaller size option
By Brendan Knox
Of the making of many study bibles there is no end as perhaps Solomon might have said today (Ecc. 12:12)! While there are many study Bibles that in my estimation would be better off having never been printed there are also some study bibles which are extremely useful to the Bible student. One such useful study bible is the ESV Study Bible which was released a couple years ago. The study bible was embraced by many as a faithful study tool which served a comprehensive guide to the Bible including such features as notes, introductions, essays on OT and NT theology and literature, maps, concordances, and illustrations.

A complaint that is commonly raised by those who use the ESV Study Bible is the size and weight of the book. If any Bible qualified as a "tome" it is definitely the ESV Study Bible. The size and weight was of course understandable in view of the amount of content placed between its 2700+ pages. I have used the ESV Study Bible profitably in the past and continue to do so but the size and weight always made it somewhat unwieldy. I was therefore glad to see that Crossway was releasing a personal size edition which is significantly smaller and lighter than the regular edition.

I decided to compare the two editions to see what the differences were.

- The content of the two editions is exactly the same except that the articles found in the back of the book (i.e. "Bible Doctrine", "Biblical Ethics", "History of Salvation", and "The Bible and World Religions") have been removed in the personal size edition. While these articles are of good quality, they take up about 150 pages and thus add more bulk to an already large book. The personal size edition is without these articles making the book far more manageable.

- I cannot verify the page thickness on both editions but they feel quite similar to my fingers and are both thick enough to not make bleed-through much of an issue.

- The concordance has been somewhat reduced in the personal size but still includes enough words to be useful.

- The wonderful articles contained throughout the Bible such as the introduction to the Pentateuch, Wisdom Literature, the Gospels, and NT theology among others have all been retained. This was a wise decision since these articles are quite pertinent to the study and interpretation of the Bible itself and are a significant element of the study tools found in the Bible. All the notes remain the same in both editions and have not been reduced at all. The amount of cross references also appear to remain the same.

- The dimensions of the new edition make it a worthwhile purchase for ESV SB owners if they desire to carry the study Bible around. The dimensions of the personal size are almost exactly the same as my ESV Reference Bible (except for the thickness). It is also much lighter. You can comfortably hold the Bible in one hand.

- The font size of the Bible text is 7.7 which is still quite comfortable. The study note size is 6.3 which is a bit more difficult but it is a fair trade off for the size of the book and the amount of content one receives. The amount of notes and study tools in such a small size is astounding.

I'd highly recommend this study Bible and especially the personal size as a great resource for studying the sacred Scriptures. The notes and other study helps (while imperfect) are quite helpful in the study of the Word. The study notes and helps should never become a replacement for one's own diligent and prayerful examination of the text but they should instead support this task. This study Bible is a good choice as a companion as one seeks to fulfill that task.

Thank you to Crossway for providing me with a review copy!

208 of 214 people found the following review helpful.
Great Bible!! Extremely Poor Quality Control
By D. Maupin
I would just like to say I love the layout and design of this bible. The articles and notes are well written. Even as thick as this bible is, it still amazes me how much information the publishers were able to fit into it. It is like having a complete commentary in addition to a bible. The full color illustrations are wonderful and very insightful and really allow you to understand what you are reading about. The bible has a calvanistic tone to it, which I find most agreeable.

Now for the bad news. CHECK THIS BIBLE AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE IT!!! Thumb through all the pages. My original bible had a section of about 80 pages where the printing was blurred very bad. Some pages were so bad you could hardly read the text. I would not have discovered it, but thanfully my pastor had us turn to a passage in that section and I noticed the defect. Otherwise, I probably would have missed the return window to send the bible back. I have since received two replacement copies, and both are flawed in the same way, but in different sections. The last replacement I received has the blurred pages in Psalms, but it is limited to about 12-15 pages. It almost looks like the pages moved during printing. Also, there is some wrinkling of the pages near the binding, almost as if the binding was pulled too tight during that process, causing the pages to wrinkle somewhat. That is a minor flaw I could live with, but the blurred pages are extremely difficult to read.

Amazon has currently pulled this item as they are going to check their stock. When they make it available again, I intend to order another replacement, as the bible itself is great! Amazon has been very understanding and has really bent over backwards to work on getting the issue resolved.

If not for the quality control, I would rate this bible 6 stars!! I forsee it remaining as my main bible for a long time to come.

See all 1830 customer reviews...