I
used to think there was a “perfect” Bible out there. Before you get your
theological panties in a wad, what I mean by that is, version, style, features,
etc. I’ve bought lots of Bibles looking for just the right one, and
unwittingly, broken every Bible buying commandment possible. So, save yourself
some money and mental anguish, practice a little self-disciple and patience,
and you’ll get it right the very first time. Here’s a little guide on how to
buy a Bible.
I. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible on a whim. “Oh, that one looks nice.” That’s never a good
idea. Very high probability this one just ain’t going to be the perfect one if
you’re serious about reading the Bible. Seriously, you are buying a Bible, not something
of the dollar menu.
II. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible based on appearance. I drive a beat up ’93 Toyota
4Runner, but it’s reliable. Sometimes I even pass brand new cars that are broken
down on the side of the road. You wouldn’t pick a spouse based on looks would
you---don’t answer that. The point is, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
III. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible without doing your homework first. Think! What do you
want in a Bible? Study notes? Center
references? Jesus’ words in red letters? Decide what you want, then shop. There
is enough variety out there these days to either completely satisfy you, or get
mighty close.
IV. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible under coercion. In other words, you don’t need to feel
compelled to get the one that “theology guy” tells you is “the best.” There are
lots of different versions, ranging from more formal to more functional (i.e.
word-for-word to thought-for-thought). “Theology guy” may have acquired a version
bias, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but you may not share his views.
Stores (and websites) have charts explaining the different versions, and you
need to check those out before you buy.
V. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible without reading it first. There’s no excuse for not
knowing if you like this book before you buy it. With their “Add Parallel”
feature, BibleGateway.com makes it too easy to compare different versions to
skip this step. Would you buy a car without test-driving? Isn’t God’s Word more
awesome than a car? Test-drive your Bible.
VI. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible just because your pastor preaches from it. You don’t have
to have the same version, even if it does make reading along a little tricky at
times. It’s actually a good thing to have a different version, because you will
pick up on the way the interpreters have struggled to translate a word, or
verse. You will want to really dig into those, and it makes for some good
study. Even better to have several different versions in a Bible study group.
VII. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible online without holding, handling, touching, and looking
at the real deal. You can’t look at a thumbnail picture and know how a Bible
will feel, if you can see through the pages, if its really the size of the
Chinese phonebook, or if its little gilded edges are going to give you paper
cuts every time you flip a page. You need to hold it, touch it, and see it. If
it is what you want, then price it online… but be very, very cautious if you
order. Best advice is to copy the ISBN, and all the product details you can.
VIII. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible that is not easy on the eyes. What I mean by that is how
it looks when you open it up and read it. Are the words too small? Do the words
from the page underneath distract you (show through)? Does the writing in
Psalms go all the way into the crease so that as you lean over to read, you end
up falling out of your chair and dislocating your shoulder? Remember: If it’s
just a little bit aggravating to read, you won’t read it… get a Bible that has
pages easy on the eyes.
IX. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible with prejudice in your heart against certain styles and
versions. Believe it or not, this is especially true with styles. Some folks go
looking for a specific style or version with tunnel vision. Don’t be guilty of
discrimination against Bibles! Look around and see what really suits you. Step
out on a limb and pick up the “old folks,” large print Bible… You might like
it.
X. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible that does not satisfy your needs. Think back to the I and
III commandments – don’t settle for less because you really want one today, or you will end up with buyer’s remorse over
a Bible (a dreadful feeling). You’re going to want to mark this thing up with
notes and highlights… If you have to buy another, you are faced with a dilemma:
“Do I transfer everything into my new Bible? Do I just start over?” Trust me,
it’s a lot easier to take an extra couple of days, or even weeks, and find the
right one to begin with.
To
wrap it up, just keep a few things in mind. This is a serious purchase…
Alongside prayer it is your primary means of communication with the Father. If
you plan to read it (and why wouldn’t you?), it will likely take you a year or
more. If you are buying a Bible for the right reason, basically, it is to get
to know what God has revealed about Himself. You aren’t trying to impress
anyone with your Bible. You are the expert on the kind of Bible you need. Get
the one that works for you.
Let
me know how this works out for you.