Enthusiastically, Dawn

The second Bible review I am sharing for the Summer of 2023 is The Bible Study Bible (with Study Questions by Sam O’Neal). This is the New King James Version (NKJV), with 9.5 font and the Comfort Print that is so easy on the eyes! It features a study guide for EVERY chapter of the Bible, and discussion questions by Sam O’Neal that are suitable for both personal study and group study.

The Ihe Introductory pages which are written by author Sam O’Neal offer the following helpful sections: “How to Use the Bible Study Bible “, “How to Lead a Great Group Discussion”, and “How to Use this Resource for Personal Study.” It is obvious Mr. O’Neal knows his area of expertise and was a great candidate for this Study Bible’s focus. I found each of these sections to have practical and useful input on the subtleties of group dynamics and suggestions which were equally helpful. I appreciated his examples of leaders who lead from the front and the back and the way he offered suggestions on overcoming some behaviors that inhibit quality Bible study discussion.

The layout of this Bible is gentle on the eyes and pleasing to look at. The sections for Bible Study are highlighted, well organized, and neatly structured. These sections complement the page flow.
Each of the Bible Study Guides is broken down into three parts: Start, Grow, and Go. There is an opening question for discussion for groups or to be utilized for individual rumination or perhaps journaling. There are suggested activities that engage the senses and help one connect with the topic or theme of focus for that study. There is a section that encourages further exploration and digging deeper into scripture with suggested additional passages for study. And of course, personal application and growth is the aim of our time in God’s word and the vision for this Bible- but primarily to facilitate meaningful discussion for everyone young, old, newly converted, or mature believers, seekers, and prodigals.

The author’s stated vision for these 1,200 guides and study content was to

“create a resource that would allow any person or any group to enjoy a curated study of any portion of God’s word at any time.”

Sam O’Neal

I’ve included the list of features from the Thomas Nelson website (some I have further elaborated on or already mentioned).

Features include:
• Double-column typesetting with guides set in boxes after each chapter
• Over 1,200 study guides for each of the 1,189 chapters of the Bible to guide deeper thought and conversation about Scripture
• Designed for both small groups and individual study
• Topical study guides ranging from 4 to 13 weeks on key subjects allow readers to easily map out studies on important subjects for themselves or their group
• Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note
• Book introductions provide a concise overview of the background and historical context of the book about to be read
• Articles that guide how to lead a group discussion and better study God’s Word
• Concordance to look up a word’s occurrences in the Bible
• Ribbon markers for you to easily navigate and keep track of where you were reading
• Full-color maps show the layout of Israel and other biblical locations for better context
• Clear and readable 9.5-point NKJV Comfort Print

This is my first encounter with author Sam O’Neal; I am one who is passionate about journaling, naturally inquisitive, and perhaps a bit fussy about written questions for Bible Studies. So this is high praise to say I greatly appreciate the questions posed in these studies. I see journaling prompts all over this Bible! I also see the opportunity for great discussion in the way the content and questions are posed.

This Bible would be a great resource for a Small Group meeting regularly for Bible Study. Another feature I think would be interesting in a group is the topical “Study Maps”. These focus on passages focused on specific themes: Attributes of God, Spiritual Gifts, Marriage, Discipleship, etc. Also great for personal meditation and study.

This Bible would also be good for someone who may have limited access to additional study helps. The chapter-by-chapter studies truly mark this Bible as unique. It also is good for those who find too many notes, and references alongside scripture to be distracting.

It is on the larger size for toting around, but a great stand-alone Bible Study resource. Weight: 3.25 pounds, Dimensions: ‎ 6.57 x 1.93 x 9.61 inches, and 1984 pages.

If you have a specific question about this Bible, please just leave a comment below and I will do my best to answer it!

Disclosure: Thank you to BibleGateway and Thomas Nelson for providing this Bible for review! I received this for free as a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid: #BibleGatewayPartner