Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihnp4.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!cfiaime
From: cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: The best little bible in the world ...
Message-ID: <686@ihnp4.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 2-Dec-84 01:49:19 EST
Article-I.D.: ihnp4.686
Posted: Sun Dec  2 01:49:19 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 04:45:37 EST
References: <976@phs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 32

As a Sunday School teacher, I have found it quite important to have a
good cross reference for Bible study.  So far, I am quite impressed with
the Thompson's Chain Reference Bible in the NIV translation.  The book itself
is almost 1900 pages, with 600 pages of cross reference information, charts, 
study guides, historical data, and the like.  I have not really been able to
totally study the reference section nearly as well as I would like, simply
due to time.

I also use the "Concordia Self Study Commentary" published by Concordia
Publishing Company of St. Louis.  (This is a good Lutheran firm, run by a
good Lutheran synod, for good Lutherans.)  Add to this the "Lutheran 
Cyclopedia," also out of Concordia, and you have a fairly good lay person's
quick and dirty reference library.

Certainly, not knowing Greek or Hebrew (yet) makes it more difficult because
I can't go back to the original.  But, a former Pastor in our congregation
recommended these as about the best available for the teachers in the 
church.  He used to lean towards the Harper's Study Bible, an RSV translation,
but when the NIV Thompsons came along, recommended it.

The Thompsons is available from any religious book store, as well as Waldens
or B. Daltons.  It runs from $30 on up, depending on the cover and paper.
Mine is the  $30 and is of very good quality.  It should last me several
years before it falls apart.  

By the way, for a good "utility" Bible, one for the office or for the Sunday
School kids, I have found that the presentation edition of the NIV is quite
good.  Typically it runs about $7, again at the chain bookstores.

					Jeff Williams
					AT&T Bell Laboratories
					ihnp4!cfiaime