ESV Study Bible, Personal Size (Paperback): Holy Bible, English Standard Version

I appreciate the high quality of this Bible. Content and study notes are EXCELLENT. Binding and cover are solid. I love the compact size of this too. Print is small so keep that in mind for those who might need larger font sizes for study and reading.

I feel this Bible, or any other study Bible for that matter, is essential for the Christian who really wants to delve deeper into the Word of God and get more out of it. I know for me, I felt I wasn't getting the most out of the passages and books I was reading; this study Bible really does its best to squeeze out the most from every word to help the reader understand just what exactly is going on. Background information before every book, images, and countless footnotes are provided which are extremely helpful. Many times the footnotes and commentary exceed the actual text itself, and while the notes can be overwhelming, you learn to find a balance between reading text and referring to the commentary. The commentary, again, clears so much up and I can't imagine just how much time and work went into this book. I personally think it's definitely worth the price and I'm so thankful for the commentators of this study Bible. As for the product itself, I intentionally ordered the personal size. It is indeed more portable and easier to carry, but the size of it is still rather awkward to keep in a backpack. But hey, having this much commentary and insight into the Word of God is worth it. The pages for the Bible are very, very thin; in retrospect, I would have paid more and bought a sturdier ESV Study Bible with thicker pages. I chose the ESV because it really is reliable and true to the original text of the Bible. The ESV is becoming more prominent, especially in Reformed churches, and I trust the translators of this version. I know countless people who use the ESV and they recommended it along with this product. I would definitely recommend this Bible to anyone who yearns to know more of God and His Word.

I just received my ESV personal size study Bible, and I could not be more impressed. Being a seminary student at a major university's divinity school, the standard translation and study Bible most use is the NRSV. I find that the overall ethos of the notes of the Harper-Collins Study Bible to be skeptical, and from the vein of scholarship that seriously doubts the truthfulness and authority of scripture, and that the NRSV is a translation that takes way too many liberties with the text in the name of gender inclusive language, rendering clearly masculine terms as neuter and pluralizing masculine singulars, taking away a lot of the personal language found in the Greek. That being said the ESV Study Bible is the exact opposite. The ESV translation is the best that I have found in terms of rendering the Greek accurately with still not being oblivious to some gender issues. Also the notes and introductions are QUALITY. The general position is one of trust and reverence for the text, and also the notes represent a broad theological spectrum from within the evangelical/reformed world. This is the only evangelical Bible that I have found that pays close attention to the scholarly debates about authorship and other topics of Biblical books, and though obviously from a certain perspective (what text isn't?) the notes provide me with an alternate perspective to the more liberal NRSV Harper Collins Bible. I am truly amazed that they have made a study Bible that can be read by your average lay-person and greatly expand their knowledge about the Bible, but also appeal to seminarians as well. Further the personal size is GREAT! My friend has the full size and it is quite a pain to carry, but the personal size is actually portable, and light. This Bible is an essential addition to anyone's Bible collection!

I wish I had bought this Bible sooner! I purchased the hardcover style as it is the cheapest, but it still looks nice. The pages are very thin, probably the thinnest of any Bible I've had, but I can still mark/highlight (just not with gel ink) and it's okay. I started at the very beginning reading all the notes on the study Bible and ESV translation. I didn't read these portions all at once, I took my time reading them, and have continued to take my time reading the book. I read about one chapter per day, due to the notes on each verse. And the notes are very good. I read the chapter first and then read the notes, and then go back and underline or make my own notes. The notes reinforce what the verses are about and also give historical context such as, the flood accounts from other historical texts, which I love! Context helps me to understand the Bible so much, as we live in a different time and culture, and context also addresses how this verse fits in the Bible as a whole. I enjoy reading this Bible and it has enriched my personal study of the Bible, the characters, the nature of God, and human nature. I would recommend this Bible along with The Daily Bible: In Chronological Order 365 Daily Readings in chronological order (NIV). Both have helped me to understand the Bible so much more. I've read The Daily Bible twice (2 years approximately). I imagine this one might take me 2-3 years. If you don't have it, buy it!

The study Bible dramatically improved my understanding of the Bible. The study note print is small. I have perfect nearsight, so I didn't have a problem with the small print. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of the Bible.

Awesome Study Bible but if you have issues reading small print this won’t be the best option. I had to download the kindle version to be able to read it.

I have never used a study Bible in addition to my NIV Bibles. I absolutely love it!

Came damaged. But still gifting it to a friend!

Questa Bibbia di studio è molto completa e ha avuto una buona accoglienza tra gli studiosi protestanti e gli studenti. I libri sono quelli del canone protestante. Le introduzioni ai singoli libri sono ottime. Ha molte mappe e quadri riassuntivi. Le note tendono però a fermarsi sopratutto su aspetti morali.

The bible is very nice! It's a personal size, the letters are medium to small. That doesn't bother me, but a person with eye problems might need glasses! I recommend the product

Nice bible with great information, notes and colourful maps. The notes die is very small needs a magnifying glass or great eyes to read but if getting this bible in this budget is your option you won’t regret it If you can spend few bucks go for a leather bound

I do like it. Only one bad thing is that foot notes and scripture references are very small(I mean very small).If you have problems with vision don't buy it. Buy instead normal size which is just a little bit bigger than this personal version. It has lots of information. I can not wait to read it...

The ESV Study Bible is great. One of the best tools I have invested in. It has always helped me in giving good information even in the difficult to understand verses. Although the level of English is at College level, it is easy to understand. Really happy that Amazon has these in stock and I always get them on the 2nd day. Have bought over 3 of these for my friends and they are all happy with it. The Study Notes are definitely good. There are a ton of maps, charts and illustrations as well to aid you in your Bible Study. NOTE: If you wish to have this Bible as a reference tool and you are going to leave this at home most of the time, buy the hard cover version. It costs less and is worth the money if you're not constantly going to turn its pages. If it's going to be your number one Bible where you will be taking it out and using it a lot, I suggest you pay the extra money and get the leather bound Bible. Leather is more durable than the Hard Cover if the Bible is going to be used a lot. Also, there are some awesome Articles & Resources you get at the back of the original ESV Study Bible (larger in size - [....]) that you don't have in the print version of the ESV Study Bible, Personal Size. To reduce the Bible's size, they have included it as an online resource. So if you want those articles with you, in your Bible, where ever you go, think about getting the ESV Study Bible (link above) instead of the ESV Study Bible, Personal Size. Articles & Resources God's Plan of Salvation Biblical Doctrine: An Overview Biblical Ethics: An Overview Interpreting the Bible Reading the Bible The Canon of Scripture The Reliability of Bible Manuscripts Archaeology and the Bible The Original Languages of the Bible The Septuagint How the New Testament Quotes and Interprets the Old Testament The Bible in Christianity The Bible and World Religions The Bible and Religious Cults History of Salvation in the Old Testament