Friends:

I have before me two study Bibles:

R.C. Sproul and Keith Matheson, general editors, Reformation Study Bible, (Orlando: Ligonier, 2005).

Richard Pratt, general editor, Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003).

Both Bibles claim to be outworkings of the older "New Geneva Study Bible" that RC Sproul edited.

Besides general editor and version (Sproul's ESV; Pratt's NIV) does anyone know what the differences are? How could Zondervan publish theirs when the list of contributors is the same from both?

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Nathan Eshelman
Grand Rapids, MI
First Reformed Presbyterian Church

PRESBYTERIAN THOUGHTS

First Reformed Presbyterian Church

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Dan Pemberton
Member, First Baptist Church
San Luis Obispo, CA, soon to be in Vacaville, CA

In college studying to be an astronaut.

They are both excellent Bibles. I have both. I like the binding better on the ESV and the text font, but I think the notes are better in the S.O.T.R Study Bible. It is also a bonus to have the Creeds & Confessions at the end of the NIV which Sprouls doesn't have. I like the ESV translation better, than the NIV.

With all that said, the S.O.T.R study Bible is the winner because of the overall notes and additional materials.

My suggestion. Get both!

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~ Steven Bradford ~
Member Covenant Presbyterian, Chattanooga, TN

Both. ESV better. However, notes and confessions in SOTRSB are GREAT!!! Just wish it wasn't NIV.

I prefer the notes and confessions available in the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible over the Sproul bible; however, I do not prefer the NIV translation.

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--chRis
Psalm 115:1

Christopher Reeder
Husband to Kara, Father to Abigail (7), Caleb (6), Grace (4 1/2), Zoë (2 1/2), Elijah (1) and Baby Girl due 8/6/08

Member: Pilgrim Presbyterian Church (OPC), Raleigh, NC

Does anyone know why the SOTR Bible has not been made available in a translation that is acceptable to Reformed people?

Although I agree it is very handy and nice to have the creeds and confessions in the back of the SOTR Bible, I find myself almost never using it because it is NIV which I try not to use, especially for studying.
I got the NKJV New Geneva Study Bible about a year ago which I really like (because of the version). Mind you, this was the version I believe the other two were based off of...why not get the original (or all three).

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Kevin Lewis
Reformed Baptist - LBCF 1689
Covenant Community Church
Orlando, FL
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The NIV is acceptable to many Reformed people, but it's losing popularity.

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)
http://reformedcovenanter.wordpress.com/
The Regulative Principle of Worship: Explained and Applied (Xulon Press)
A Conquered Kingdom: Biblical Civil Government (Reformed Worldview Books)

Actually the New Geneva Study Bible was supposed to be NIV! The publishing house that started the project (and had a license from Zondervan) went out of business. Another group stepped up to the plate on this but did not have a NIV license, so it was done with the NKJV text, which was later replaced with the ESV text.

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Soli Deo Gloria

John Schultz
Member, Riveroaks Reformed Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Germantown, TN

"The reason why we worship God in a slight way is because we do not see God in His glory"
Jeremiah Burroughs

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Seth Stark
Communion Presbyterian Church (ARP), Irvine, CA
Biola University, Graduate Student, M.A. - Science and Religion
Seth's Blog

Know a good place to buy this? The only place I could find was Amazon.

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Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church

Student of Theology
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
My Blog

Email PB member: jawyman

He used to work for Zondervan and I think that he has a few copies.

Email PB member: jawyman

He used to work for Zondervan and I think that he has a few copies.

Benjamin--Ligonier Ministries Store has both hardcopies and genuine leather editions of the New Geneva Study Bible in the NKJV.

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Chris
Teaching Elder (PCUSA)
West Virginia

Seth,

I do have this as well. Maybe I am a bit crazy- I have all three earlier mentioned: New Geneva, SOTR Bible, and Reformation Study Bible.

BUT, the reason that I am not a big fan of the Geneva translation or even the AV, is that I am confessionally bound to the Word of God being translated into the vulgar tongue (WCF 1.7) The Geneva, and AV, IMHO, do not meet this confessional requirement.

Oh, don't get me wrong: I love my New Geneva Study Bible (NKJV) for that exact reason. I do, however, believe the 1599GB is easier to read than the KJV and is a great tool.

Me too!

However, (though I have both) I find that I tend to reach for the (NKJV) New Geneva Study Bible before either of the others. I prefer the NKJV over either NIV or ESV ... but I'm wierd like that.

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Sterling Harmon
Coventry, CT
PCA
Deacon
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"Whatever is laudable in our works proceeds from the grace of God."
-- John Calvin, Institutes III:xv.3.

"Our Lord God must be a good man, to be fond of worthless fellows. I cannot like them, and yet I, myself, am one."
-- Martin Luther, Table Talk

Try Third Millenium Ministries. The leaders of it are basically who produced the NIV SOTR. Apparently they are out of the hardcover but their prices on the leather are barely more than you'd pay retail for hardcover. It looks like supplies are becoming scarce and I wouldn't be surprised if this goes out of print soon, a casualty of the NIV's decline in popularity among the Reformed as well as the ESV Reformation Study Bible coming out soon after this did. I never saw many copies of this bible in the stores anyway compared to the ESV RSB.

Also see here.

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C.P. --Member, Pineville Presbyterian Church (OPC)

"Where is the young man who fears the judgment to come? What is the breath of an enemy of God to the blast of the soul by the breath of the Almighty? If you fear the frowns of a fellow worm, how will you stand in judgment with an angry God?" --Asahel Nettleton

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