Review: NIV Proclamation Bible: Correctly Handling the Word
of Truth
Zondervan
2013
Another version of the NIV?
Wow! Not sure about the why’s,
but this one is different as far as the extra-biblical features are concerned. The text of the biblical portions is the NIV
2011, and I will not comment on that leaving the language experts to their
jobs. The format is dual column,
paragraph form with verse numbering, and center column cross references. The main text font that looks to be in the
neighborhood of a 12 point. My eyes
thank the publishers for that. The copy
I have is hardbound and lays flat and has two ribbon markers. There’s a concordance and color maps
included.
The study information included with this version is a group
of articles at the beginning that pertain to good Bible study methods such as a
biblical overview, how to study without distorting the meaning and context, and
even theology. None of the articles are
long or difficult, and I found them to be very helpful. Each major section of the Bible, like the
historical books or the prophets, has an introductory overview and then each
book has its own introduction. One of
the features within those articles I liked was the short list of further
readings the author of the article offered.
This feature is present throughout this version.
What made this version different for me is the array of
scholarly sources and contributors. I
had learned the names of many scholars from my own tradition, and, to be honest,
had begun to think of them as the “only” ones to read. Happily, I have found many others that have
much to offer as well.
This is a Bible to study from and not a study Bible, as we
have come to define it. If you are
expecting the explanations and commentaries alongside of the text, this is not
the version you want. The comment on the
jacket is confusing in my opinion, but a look at the excerpt available on some internet
retail sites will shed light on what this or any other Bible versions offer.
I do recommend this Bible and think the reader will benefit
from the articles included and other sources listed. There’s even some help on leading a group
study!
I received this book from the publisher via BookLook blogger
site in return for a review.
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