The Ten Commandments of Bible Buying

The first Bible I ever bought - and yes, that is duct tape. I broke several Bible-buying commandments on this one, but the LORD was with me. It has served me well. I still use it, although it stays on the desk now due to its condition. I have bought many Bibles since this one, but this was the best. I can still close my eyes and remember where certain verses are positioned on pages in this Bible, even though I have carried many others. I will always keep this book.

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.

I never could enjoy this Bible. I bought it when I was into study notes, and boy, it is chock full of them. The design makes reading it painful. You can clearly see the print on the pages underneath, which is very distracting. The Scripture goes into the crease, making it very difficult to read. Not only that, every handful of pages has even more notes that come halfway up the page (which you can see a hint of on the left). I should have done my homework.

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.