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