NIV Zondervan Study Bible - A Review

Floyd  Johnson
Floyd Johnson Member Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

I just received my paper copy for review of the NIV Zondervan Study Bible - available from LOGOS here:

        https://www.logos.com/product/53348/niv-zondervan-study-bible

It is a massive work of almost 3000 pages in a single volume. I will have a full review either later this week or at the beginning of next week.  In either case, you will want to have this Study Bible in your library.

Blessings,
Floyd

Pastor-Patrick.blogspot.com

Comments

  • Lonnie Spencer
    Lonnie Spencer Member Posts: 371 ✭✭

    Over on the Gospel Coalition website, there is this interview with Don Carson, who was one of the editors of this study bible.

    http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/don-carson-on-the-niv-zondervan-study-bible

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭

    I placed my order on the notes only since I already own both 1984 & 2011 text. Don't want things to be so cluttered when I'm reading :)

    DAL

  • mab
    mab Member Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭

    I ordered a print copy to supplement my Logos notes when it comes out. I have increasingly found that I still start better from paper notes and a physical Bible.

    Carson's description of the theological reference of this volume should be well received.

    The mind of man is the mill of God, not to grind chaff, but wheat. Thomas Manton | Study hard, for the well is deep, and our brains are shallow. Richard Baxter

  • Doc B
    Doc B Member Posts: 3,676 ✭✭✭

    I have ditched the NIV for the ESV, but the scholarship in this particular SB looks impressive enough to get a copy. One of the great things about Logos is, if you like your version, you can keep your version, and still use the other versions' study notes.

    (See what I did there?) [:D]

    Eating a steady diet of government cheese, and living in a van down by the river.

  • Daniel NM
    Daniel NM Member Posts: 174 ✭✭

    Doc B said:

    (See what I did there?) Big Smile

    Well played, sir. Well played. [8-|]

    <!-- -->

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭

    With regards physical copies can someone do a screenshot of The New  Zondervan  NIV SB alongside ESV SB?

    This would be useful for comparison.

    Thanks

    P A[;)]

  • David Thomas
    David Thomas Member Posts: 3,272 ✭✭✭

    Making Disciples! Logos Ecosystem = LogosMax on Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Win11), Android app on tablet, FSB on iPhone & iPad mini, Proclaim (Proclaim Remote on Fire Tablet).

  • Scott S
    Scott S Member Posts: 423 ✭✭

    Is the NIV SB iOs compatible?  I used to see a mobile icon on resource pages, but it appears they are not longer used.

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    I'd love to oblige you. But unfortunately I only have it on my iPad now.... Most later Olivetree releases are requiring 5.9 and above and the Mac Bible Study App is only 5.4.3 (6 is due out anytime now but not yet available)....

    -Dan

  • Ben
    Ben Member Posts: 1,809 ✭✭✭

    I received an email that this will be shipping soon. Will be interested to see how it compares to the old NIV Study Bible which I have in paper (somewhere.)

    "The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected."- G.K. Chesterton

  • John Kight
    John Kight Member Posts: 1,619 ✭✭✭

    Ben said:

    I received an email that this will be shipping soon.

    September 4, 2015

    For book reviews and more visit sojotheo.com 

  • Graham Criddle
    Graham Criddle MVP Posts: 33,275

    Scott S said:

    Is the NIV SB iOs compatible?  I used to see a mobile icon on resource pages, but it appears they are not longer used.

    The product page says it "runs on Windows, Mac and mobile" so should be fine on iOS 

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,163

    Ben said:

    I received an email that this will be shipping soon.

    September 4, 2015

    [Y]

    Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God

  • Donn Arms
    Donn Arms Member Posts: 167 ✭✭

    I received a comp copy of this several weeks ago. It is a massive and impressive volume. One would not tote it to church on Sundays. Mine came with a code to use to receive a free copy on Olive Tree. I have been using that and keeping my favorite translations open on my Logos app. I do not like the NIV and I do not like the emphasis in this study Bible on biblical theology but still, it is packed with a lot of useful material.

  • Dan Francis
    Dan Francis Member Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭

    I am not sure if this applies to the FL version but I see:

    Zondervan has just released the NIV Zondervan Study Bible, featuring Dr. D.A. Carson as the general editor. Built from the ground up to reflect the most current 21st century scholarship, Dr. Carson and a team of over 60 contributors have crafted all-new study notes, book and section introductions, theological articles, and other study tools that specifically focus on biblical theology, which is the progressive unfolding of theological concepts through the Bible.

    As you read and study with the NIV Zondervan Study Bible, you’ll learn more about the biblical writers, the times in which they wrote, and the larger purpose of their writings in God’s story.

    Let’s walk through the features of this terrific new study Bible so you can see just how comprehensive it is.

    NIV Bible Text
    When we release new study Bibles for use in the Bible Study App, we typically don’t include the Bible text. The text is usually the same as the Bibles we already offer, so there’s no need. However, this time we include the Bible text that comes with the NIV Zondervan Study Bible. When we started working on this resource we realized that many of the cross references were different from the NIV Bible we offer. Since we wanted to offer our users a complete experience with this resource, we opted to include the NIV text with its custom cross references. All the cross references you find in the print version of the NIV Zondervan Study Bible will be in our digital version. This may seem like a minor feature to some, but it’s worth noting because cross references make finding related passages easy.

    You can also easily access these cross references through the Related Verses section of the Resource Guide. This is yet another way Olive Tree makes this study Bible work for you.

    -Dan

  • Floyd  Johnson
    Floyd Johnson Member Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭

    [quote user="Floyd Johnson"]

    I just received my paper copy for review of the NIV Zondervan Study Bible - available from LOGOS here:

            https://www.logos.com/product/53348/niv-zondervan-study-bible

    [/quote]

    And as promised, here is my review:

    Some 40 years ago I sat under the teaching of D. A. Carson for Greek Exegesis.  It was my third or fourth semester of seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Worse than that, it was Dr. Carson’s first seminary class at Trinity.  Though I had done okay in my first two semesters of Greek, I felt over my head under his tutelage.  

    So  now, 40 years later, I have the opportunity to get revenge. But having spent a couple of weeks with his newly released Study Bible - I have no intention of doing so. The word that came to mind as I opened the package containing my review copy was, “Massive.”  And I have not been able to shake that initial feeling.  At nearly 3000 pages, this book is more than a Study Bible.  It is truly a single volume Bible Commentary, a set of theological essays, and a rather well-done, though compressed, concordance.  

    Articles are written by a variety of scholars from the Reformed or Baptist heritage - with an obvious lack of representation from Wesleyan/Holiness  schools or churches. Not surprising given that Zondervan is the publisher, but disappointing, none-the-less, for a work of this size.  

    This reader enjoyed the formatting of the book. Notes are clearly set aside from the Biblical text by giving them a light green background, while the Biblical text has a more standard white background.  The use of full-color pictures  throughout adds value to the work.  A number of tables summarize important topics - the tables also make use of color to help important columns or rows stand out.  As with most Study Bibles, the appendix includes a good supply of Bible maps; unlike some, the body of the book also includes a large number of colored maps which supplement the notes. The hard copy also includes access to an electronic copy of the book.  

    I have a few favorite Study Bibles - the NIV Zondervan Study Bible will/has become another of those favorites.  I will be consulting it often - I suspect others will as well.


    ______________

    This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

    Blessings,
    Floyd

    Pastor-Patrick.blogspot.com

  • John Kight
    John Kight Member Posts: 1,619 ✭✭✭

    At nearly 4000 pages

    I think you meant "nearly 3,000 pages"

    For book reviews and more visit sojotheo.com 

  • Floyd  Johnson
    Floyd Johnson Member Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭

    I think you meant "nearly 3,000 pages"

    Yep - I'll correct it here, but the review page does not allow for corrections.

    Blessings,
    Floyd

    Pastor-Patrick.blogspot.com

  • Cynthia Tucker
    Cynthia Tucker Member Posts: 352 ✭✭

    Great review, Floyd. It made me place my order! [:)]

    Author of the Chronological Word Truth Life Bible Series

    WordTruthLifeBible.com

  • Floyd  Johnson
    Floyd Johnson Member Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭

    Just a quick note that the NIVZSB has downloaded - it is indexing as I type.

    Blessings,
    Floyd

    Pastor-Patrick.blogspot.com