What do you think?
Rate this book
The Orthodox Study Bible
The FIRST EVER Orthodox Study Bible presents the Bible of the early church and the church of the early Bible.
Orthodox Christianity is the face of ancient Christianity to the modern world and embraces the second largest body of Christians in the world. In this first-of-its-kind study Bible, the Bible is presented with commentary from the ancient Christian perspective that speaks to those Christians who seek a deeper experience of the roots of their faith.
Features Include:
* Old Testament newly translated from the Greek text of the Septuagint, including the Deuterocanon
* New Testament from the New King James Version
* Commentary drawn from the early Church Christians
* Easy-to-Locate liturgical readings
* Book Introductions and Outlines
* Subject Index
* Full-color Icons
* Full-color Maps
Orthodox Christianity is the face of ancient Christianity to the modern world and embraces the second largest body of Christians in the world. In this first-of-its-kind study Bible, the Bible is presented with commentary from the ancient Christian perspective that speaks to those Christians who seek a deeper experience of the roots of their faith.
Features Include:
* Old Testament newly translated from the Greek text of the Septuagint, including the Deuterocanon
* New Testament from the New King James Version
* Commentary drawn from the early Church Christians
* Easy-to-Locate liturgical readings
* Book Introductions and Outlines
* Subject Index
* Full-color Icons
* Full-color Maps
1856 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2008
1,615 people are currently reading
1,566 people want to read
About the author
Anonymous
791k books3,264 followersBooks can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 18, 2023
I'm so proud to finally have read through the entire bible, and have already restarted it. This will be an annual habit for me from now on.
February 7, 2017
How can one review a Bible? For me it was a way of getting some insight into the way the Eastern Orthodox Church handles exegesis and theology. And for the most part, the experience was positive.
There were some things I didn't like about it. For instance, the fact that it used the New King James Version for the New Testament, rather than a more accurate translation.
Some of the notes overstated the obvious. Others demonstrated an unfortunate but understandable mistrust of the theology of other branches of Christianity. Most of the time this was expressed in a diplomatic way; however, it came out more strongly in the commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Be that as it may, many of the notes and study aids were helpful and interesting, particularly those which contained quotations of the Church Fathers or indications of how a certain passage is used in the context of worship.
The full-page illustrations, depicting various icons, were breathtaking. In Orthodox parlance, icons are "written," not "drawn," because they are considered another way of explaining Orthodox theology and tradition.
Those of my friends who have been tracking my progress through this Bible (or anyone who glances at the reading stats at the top end of this review) will know that it took me a long time to get through. (In fact, the stats are a tad misleading; I had started this even before I joined Goodreads!) On the whole, though, it was worth it.
There were some things I didn't like about it. For instance, the fact that it used the New King James Version for the New Testament, rather than a more accurate translation.
Some of the notes overstated the obvious. Others demonstrated an unfortunate but understandable mistrust of the theology of other branches of Christianity. Most of the time this was expressed in a diplomatic way; however, it came out more strongly in the commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Be that as it may, many of the notes and study aids were helpful and interesting, particularly those which contained quotations of the Church Fathers or indications of how a certain passage is used in the context of worship.
The full-page illustrations, depicting various icons, were breathtaking. In Orthodox parlance, icons are "written," not "drawn," because they are considered another way of explaining Orthodox theology and tradition.
Those of my friends who have been tracking my progress through this Bible (or anyone who glances at the reading stats at the top end of this review) will know that it took me a long time to get through. (In fact, the stats are a tad misleading; I had started this even before I joined Goodreads!) On the whole, though, it was worth it.
April 2, 2022
This years reread of the Bible is completed. Now to start thinking about what translation to start around Thanksgiving.
March 25, 2024
The NKJV is not my favorite English translation of the New Testament. I understand that the main reason the OSB uses it is because Nelson, the publisher, owns that translation, and so its affiliation with Orthodoxy is somewhat accidental. It is an interesting first attempt to put together an Orthodox study bible. But my dislike of it is that it gives the impression there is exactly one possible meaning of the text, whereas the reality is the Fathers used any one text for a variety of purposes, and the Fathers did not all agree on the interpretation of each and every text. There were schools of thought in the broad river of Orthodox thinking (for example Antioch vs. Alexandria) which disagreed with each other not only on the interpretation of a given text but even on the principles of interpretation. Through 2000 years, texts were used for many purposes and this is lost in notes which imply offering the one and only meaning of a text. Additionally, many Orthodox are so eager to get to the exact and only meaning of the text that they skim the Scriptures and turn to reading the footnotes thus making the footnotes to be the authoritative 'scripture' and the actual biblical text to be the mystery text that stands between you and the truth, blocking it.
December 31, 2022
Well, I actually did it. I read the entire Bible this year. It was something I decided to do on a whim 364 days ago, and I actually followed through with it. I’ve been measuring the passage of the year by crossing off each day’s line in the reading plan I’ve been following, and it’s a strange feeling to get to the end. I should probably have something more substantive to say, but I feel a bit like Forrest Gump after he ran across the country. “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now.”
That said, it was a rewarding experience. I’d read most of the Bible before, but never all of it in one shot. This reading has reaffirmed my love for the Old Testament in particular. Those pseudo-Marcionite Christians (and there are sadly many of them) who ignore the Old Testament, thinking it has somehow been made irrelevant by the New, are frankly practicing a faith with little substance. The Old Testament is the content of our faith; the New Testament—the firstfruits of Scripture—is the spiritual light by which that content is illuminated. The New Testament is entirely submerged in the symbolic economy of the Hebrew Scriptures; and we ought to be as well. Plus, the Old Testament is a fantastic read in its own right: patriarchs, prophets, priests, kings, warriors, mystics, poets, court historians; tales of alluring darkness, mystery, sensuality, and violence; cosmogony, national epic, prophetic lament, and sage advice. It is a literary treasure-house, a gift for the entire human race.
Next year I plan to do some “extra-curricular” reading: I’ll read some of the Apocrypha, and I’ve got a collection of gnostic texts that I’ll work my way through as well. I also plan to do a long reading of the Quran at some point.
Happy New Year!
That said, it was a rewarding experience. I’d read most of the Bible before, but never all of it in one shot. This reading has reaffirmed my love for the Old Testament in particular. Those pseudo-Marcionite Christians (and there are sadly many of them) who ignore the Old Testament, thinking it has somehow been made irrelevant by the New, are frankly practicing a faith with little substance. The Old Testament is the content of our faith; the New Testament—the firstfruits of Scripture—is the spiritual light by which that content is illuminated. The New Testament is entirely submerged in the symbolic economy of the Hebrew Scriptures; and we ought to be as well. Plus, the Old Testament is a fantastic read in its own right: patriarchs, prophets, priests, kings, warriors, mystics, poets, court historians; tales of alluring darkness, mystery, sensuality, and violence; cosmogony, national epic, prophetic lament, and sage advice. It is a literary treasure-house, a gift for the entire human race.
Next year I plan to do some “extra-curricular” reading: I’ll read some of the Apocrypha, and I’ve got a collection of gnostic texts that I’ll work my way through as well. I also plan to do a long reading of the Quran at some point.
Happy New Year!
October 10, 2012
Love the christological and trinitarian footnotes applied throughout the Old Testament. Beautiful iconography. The lectionary and Morning/Evening prayers are also nice if you need them (it's more convenient for me to use this Orthodox calendar app I have for those).
November 17, 2018
This is the Bible English translation used by the Orthodox Church. As such, those from other branches of Christianity may find it different from other versions with which they are more familiar.
The Old Testament is based on the Septuagint, the ancient translation of the Old Testament that Jewish scholars translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek. As such, the numerical assignment of verses differs from how they are assigned in other translations such as the KJV or NIV. In addition, other books considered by other branches to be apocryphal such as "The Wisdom of Sirach" and the 3 volumes of "Maccabees" for example are included in this version.
In addition, readers will find sections included, based upon rabbinical traditions used in the making of the Septuagint, such as Psalm 151 and Job 42:18-22, that are not in other translations. The addition in Job actually does seem to flesh out the book better in my opinion to a more complete ending.
Readers will also find that the order of books in Old Testament is different from that in other translations which may make it confusing to use at first.
The New Testament is the New King James Version (NKJV).
Throughout the text are notes at the bottom which explain key points in the verses based upon the consensus of leading Orthodox Bible scholars. These are easy to understand, and, in reading them one can better understand the doctrines and practices of the Orthodox Church --- which I do recommend for anyone interested in learning more about the Orthodox faith.
Also included are lovely iconic paintings of scenes from the Bible as well as in the back maps of the lands mentioned in the Bible.
A good translation --- easy to read with excellent commentary in the notes!
The Old Testament is based on the Septuagint, the ancient translation of the Old Testament that Jewish scholars translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek. As such, the numerical assignment of verses differs from how they are assigned in other translations such as the KJV or NIV. In addition, other books considered by other branches to be apocryphal such as "The Wisdom of Sirach" and the 3 volumes of "Maccabees" for example are included in this version.
In addition, readers will find sections included, based upon rabbinical traditions used in the making of the Septuagint, such as Psalm 151 and Job 42:18-22, that are not in other translations. The addition in Job actually does seem to flesh out the book better in my opinion to a more complete ending.
Readers will also find that the order of books in Old Testament is different from that in other translations which may make it confusing to use at first.
The New Testament is the New King James Version (NKJV).
Throughout the text are notes at the bottom which explain key points in the verses based upon the consensus of leading Orthodox Bible scholars. These are easy to understand, and, in reading them one can better understand the doctrines and practices of the Orthodox Church --- which I do recommend for anyone interested in learning more about the Orthodox faith.
Also included are lovely iconic paintings of scenes from the Bible as well as in the back maps of the lands mentioned in the Bible.
A good translation --- easy to read with excellent commentary in the notes!
January 29, 2018
Wonderful
Excellent reading for Great Lent and all year long. True benefit to those who are humble of heart.
God bless
Excellent reading for Great Lent and all year long. True benefit to those who are humble of heart.
God bless
July 2, 2010
In the past few years, I've been trying to read through a different translation of the Bible each year. The Orthodox Study Bible is interesting in that it includes the Apocrypha (some neat stuff in there!), and the OT translation is taken from the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew OT). The NT is, rather disappointingly, the NKJV. I found myself scratching my head a few times, wondering at NKJV's translation of the Greek.
The study notes were full of interesting insights from the church fathers and the Orthodox tradition. The Orthodox are very concerned to apply all of the Bible in context of worship. There were also many helpful comments on the possible typologies in the texts. I noticed some notes which seemed to target typical Orthodox errors (such as focusing too much on which ethinic tradition one belongs to: Russian, Greek, Syrian, etc., the necessity of participating in the liturgy and not merely being a bystander). I appreciated those notes. Some study Bibles can turn into "Rah rah for our own tradition and way of doing things!". While there was plenty of that, the editors were not afraid to critique their own tradition. May we all follow their example!
The study notes were full of interesting insights from the church fathers and the Orthodox tradition. The Orthodox are very concerned to apply all of the Bible in context of worship. There were also many helpful comments on the possible typologies in the texts. I noticed some notes which seemed to target typical Orthodox errors (such as focusing too much on which ethinic tradition one belongs to: Russian, Greek, Syrian, etc., the necessity of participating in the liturgy and not merely being a bystander). I appreciated those notes. Some study Bibles can turn into "Rah rah for our own tradition and way of doing things!". While there was plenty of that, the editors were not afraid to critique their own tradition. May we all follow their example!
March 17, 2025
The last time I read The Bible in its entirety was nearly a decade ago, when I was 19. It was independently, I had no church background. Up to that time I had only been studying the pagan world, and my original intention with The Bible was reading it for the sake of knowing it - to not be willingly ignorant of one of the most influential books of all time.
I remember the feeling of being profoundly moved. My understanding of religion was limited at the time to the psychological and allegorical, but still I knew what I was experiencing was something special. Since then I have never engaged with the sweeping negative judgements and the outright rejection without consideration that I see many of those from other religions (or the non-religious) doing with Christianity, most if not all of which don’t analyze beyond historicity, politics and philosophy.
Instead I’ve remained positive, open and receptive to it, if not actually a Christian. Something I’ve maintained with all other orthodox religious faiths.
Over the years I’ve become a Traditionalist, roughly meaning adherence to the spiritual truths ‘handed down’; not to conservative partisanship upholding manmade custom, documentary collection or antiquarian interest.
An essential part of participating in Tradition is to actually choose one, and for all this time I’ve swayed between Vaishnavite Hinduism and Orthodox Christianity.
For the first time in my life in November 2024, not long before this review, while I was in Edinburgh I decided to go and attended an Orthodox liturgical service, it also being the first church service in general I’ve ever been to. The feeling was peace, home and ‘living.’
For this year, 2025, I decided I would more seriously dedicate myself to the reading of and mindful living of a religious and spiritual life, something more active than what I’ve been more passively doing up until now.
Following personal experiences and expediency the path of focus has been the Orthodox Way. Though in small steps, since: “When you find honey, eat what is sufficient, Lest being filled, you should vomit it up.” Prov. 25:18.
So, picking this book up seemed the reasonable decision, and a very fruitful one.
Rating sacred scripture seems unnecessary, but the annotations and topical articles throughout the Study Bible were a lot of fun to check up on after each chapter, and it made me eager to read and meditate on further commentaries.
I remember the feeling of being profoundly moved. My understanding of religion was limited at the time to the psychological and allegorical, but still I knew what I was experiencing was something special. Since then I have never engaged with the sweeping negative judgements and the outright rejection without consideration that I see many of those from other religions (or the non-religious) doing with Christianity, most if not all of which don’t analyze beyond historicity, politics and philosophy.
Instead I’ve remained positive, open and receptive to it, if not actually a Christian. Something I’ve maintained with all other orthodox religious faiths.
Over the years I’ve become a Traditionalist, roughly meaning adherence to the spiritual truths ‘handed down’; not to conservative partisanship upholding manmade custom, documentary collection or antiquarian interest.
An essential part of participating in Tradition is to actually choose one, and for all this time I’ve swayed between Vaishnavite Hinduism and Orthodox Christianity.
For the first time in my life in November 2024, not long before this review, while I was in Edinburgh I decided to go and attended an Orthodox liturgical service, it also being the first church service in general I’ve ever been to. The feeling was peace, home and ‘living.’
For this year, 2025, I decided I would more seriously dedicate myself to the reading of and mindful living of a religious and spiritual life, something more active than what I’ve been more passively doing up until now.
Following personal experiences and expediency the path of focus has been the Orthodox Way. Though in small steps, since: “When you find honey, eat what is sufficient, Lest being filled, you should vomit it up.” Prov. 25:18.
So, picking this book up seemed the reasonable decision, and a very fruitful one.
Rating sacred scripture seems unnecessary, but the annotations and topical articles throughout the Study Bible were a lot of fun to check up on after each chapter, and it made me eager to read and meditate on further commentaries.
September 13, 2012
First let me say that I'm writing this review to encourage Protestants to read the (deuterocanonical) books of the Bible which are typically only found in Catholic or Orthodox Bibles. I review the books for my reactions to them, which is irreverent in a sense, but I do hope my recommendations have a cumulative effect of drawing people to these wonderful narratives.
The Orthodox Study Bible is great because it has a vibrant translation of the full Orthodox canon including books that Protestants don't have - like Judith, Tobit, and I, II, and III Maccabees. (Catholics have most of these books in their canon as well aside from III Maccabees.) I'd heard that Luther and others recommended it for devotional reading, and I definitely found that it strengthened my walk with God and my understanding of the rest of the Bible, particularly Maccabees and Judith. In fact, I'll say that without reading I and II Maccabees you really don't understand the New Testament as well as you could. Tobit was fun and faith building.
The Orthodox (and Catholic) Bible also has an extra section of Daniel including the story of Susanna and the Elders. This didn't hit me as hard, but it was fine.
One of the reasons these books weren't canonized is that it has content espousing views we don't hold. For example, at one point in Tobit, the hero burns parts of a fish to scare away a demon. We don't view demons as being repulsed by physical things in this way. These books are also not canonized for those following Judaism; they're not in the Hebrew Bible. However, its pages are filled with people responding to challenges with faith in God. Excellent material.
All of this pertains to the books themselves. The commentary is (to me) almost worthless, typically stating the obvious.
The Orthodox Study Bible is great because it has a vibrant translation of the full Orthodox canon including books that Protestants don't have - like Judith, Tobit, and I, II, and III Maccabees. (Catholics have most of these books in their canon as well aside from III Maccabees.) I'd heard that Luther and others recommended it for devotional reading, and I definitely found that it strengthened my walk with God and my understanding of the rest of the Bible, particularly Maccabees and Judith. In fact, I'll say that without reading I and II Maccabees you really don't understand the New Testament as well as you could. Tobit was fun and faith building.
The Orthodox (and Catholic) Bible also has an extra section of Daniel including the story of Susanna and the Elders. This didn't hit me as hard, but it was fine.
One of the reasons these books weren't canonized is that it has content espousing views we don't hold. For example, at one point in Tobit, the hero burns parts of a fish to scare away a demon. We don't view demons as being repulsed by physical things in this way. These books are also not canonized for those following Judaism; they're not in the Hebrew Bible. However, its pages are filled with people responding to challenges with faith in God. Excellent material.
All of this pertains to the books themselves. The commentary is (to me) almost worthless, typically stating the obvious.
July 11, 2020
I was going to make this the Bible I read cover to cover this year but it is TERRIBLE. Unless you have literally never read scripture, encountered no theology (ancient or modern), and not heard any sort of preaching from any denomination, this is the most boneheaded “study” bible one can encounter. The notes are on par with seventh grade annotations, merely restating the most obvious points you’ve already read, as if you have no capacity to interpret anything (or giving you insignificant quotes from patristic sources without EVER sharing their source!) and the translation of the Septuagint sounds almost identical to the NKJV OT. How funny, then, that my criticisms are NOT unique and actually shared with quite a few Orthodox laity (including folks who worked on this Bible and were shocked with what Thomas Nelson churned out) as well as Orthodox religious. Granted, the prayers in the appendix are nice to have and the icons are stunning. But the actual Bible itself, in terms of notes and translation, is woefully underwhelming.
June 19, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
I've been using this study Bible as a Protestant to learn more about Orthodoxy and the Church Fathers. Very insightful in that regard, and I absolutely adore the iconography included--one of the main components that drew me to this one.
The study notes aren't as "in depth" as I'd expected, which sometimes is fine but other times gives me pause: "That's really all you have to say on the topic?" LOL. I appreciated reading some of the other reviews and getting a more fleshed-out picture (having not read every verse/study note in this iteration, granted). It is always interesting to see dialogue on differences of opinion within study notes, as well. So, a solid resource as a secondary-use Bible; not one I'll use for primary reading/study, but I sure like having it in my collection!
I've been using this study Bible as a Protestant to learn more about Orthodoxy and the Church Fathers. Very insightful in that regard, and I absolutely adore the iconography included--one of the main components that drew me to this one.
The study notes aren't as "in depth" as I'd expected, which sometimes is fine but other times gives me pause: "That's really all you have to say on the topic?" LOL. I appreciated reading some of the other reviews and getting a more fleshed-out picture (having not read every verse/study note in this iteration, granted). It is always interesting to see dialogue on differences of opinion within study notes, as well. So, a solid resource as a secondary-use Bible; not one I'll use for primary reading/study, but I sure like having it in my collection!
July 7, 2018
When reading the proscribed daily passages, which I do mainly during Lent, it's good to be able to refer to the explanatory notes. Although this version of the Bible is in plain English it can still be difficult to understand some passages and the notes are especially useful for this purpose.
This is ongoing reading matter.
This is ongoing reading matter.
December 31, 2020
Definitely a Bible that every Orthodox Christian should read, at least once in their lifetime, if not annually. Having the insights of the Church Fathers of the first few centuries of Christianity for certain passages in either the Old Testament or New Testament is helpful in understanding the Holy Scriptures with a patristic mindset.
August 24, 2024
Not the best translation I've read, but it was good to read the Old Testament books in the Septuagint order.
I didn't read all the commentary notes, only the ones I was particularly interested in, and sometimes they were interesting and useful, and at other times they were banal statements of the obvious. In places I read each chapter twice, once here, and again in the "Africa Study Bible", which was a different translation, and read most easily. Many of the study notes in that one, however, were mini-sermons.
I feel I should say more about a book of 1750 pages, but can't really think of much more to say.
I didn't read all the commentary notes, only the ones I was particularly interested in, and sometimes they were interesting and useful, and at other times they were banal statements of the obvious. In places I read each chapter twice, once here, and again in the "Africa Study Bible", which was a different translation, and read most easily. Many of the study notes in that one, however, were mini-sermons.
I feel I should say more about a book of 1750 pages, but can't really think of much more to say.
December 17, 2012
The OT is not very faithful to the Septuagint (LXX) as advertised, and the NKJV text in the NT is still very Protestant in places where alternate translations would be more appropriate (and historically faithful) for Orthodoxy. It doesn't stick to the conventional verse numbering scheme used by most bibles, so references are off in places. Finally, the commentary is often very shallow where more depth would be appropriate. It's better than nothing for Orthodox Christians, but I hope something better is released some day.
March 6, 2013
the best Bible out there - as simple as that, if there would been a six stars option I would've used it to rate the OSB. Just love all the conditional notes, included iconografy is outstanding, and added prayers are very helpful. Your best companion for a fruitful, spiritually loaded and knowledgeable walk through life as a practising Orthodox Christian.
P.S. gave my copy away to an Orthodox Christian family who couldn't afford to buy it, so will need to buy another one soon.
P.S. gave my copy away to an Orthodox Christian family who couldn't afford to buy it, so will need to buy another one soon.
December 25, 2015
My review of 3 stars is not on account of the theology of the Orthodox Churches, but this study Bible is simply not as comprehensive of those produced by other traditions. I believe that the Lutheran study bible incorporate more of the early Church Fathers. Some of the articles are informative. I believe those who within the Orthodox tradition would be better served to get the Ancient Christian Commentary series for serious Bible study. Having said that, this is a good first attempt.
November 22, 2014
My favourite edition of the Bible. The insights, usually in the form of select commentary from the Early Church Fathers, are worth the price of admission alone. It's like a guided tour through the Holy Scriptures by some of Orthodoxy's greatest theologians.
January 30, 2009
it's God's word with notes and art by some of the earliest known church fathers and mothers
December 31, 2024
Loved listening to Fr. Alexis Kouri on Ancient Faith.
August 13, 2019
The OT is great because it’s a new translation of the Septuagint. The NT is less great, because the editors decided to use the NKJV, a comparatively weak translation among other contemporary ones. But the study notes are the reason to read this one. As a United Methodist the Eastern Orthodox perspective was great to be immersed in, especially how many of the OT notes are Christological interpretations, and how many of all the notes refer to the use of Scripture in the liturgy and at particular times of the church year. One annoyance was times when notes referred to “the Church teaches” rather than naming the particular Church Father or other source of an interpretation, cutting off further reading and further following curiosity to the sources.
September 10, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this Bible, which deeply saddens me. I really wanted to like this Bible. But like others I have spoken to, they too are a bit disappointed with this Bible. The Orthodox Study Bible started out as the New Testament and Psalms, and with massive funding they started a project to publish the Old Testament with the New Testament. So it is nice to have the full Bible in one volume, especially when so many people publish just the New Testament for the price of a full Bible.
However, in this case, it might have been better to just keep the New Testament. The Old Testament translation was supposed to be a more accurate translation of the original Septuagint. What it ended up being was a different story. The translators basically took the New King James Version (NKJV) and tried to make it match up to the Septuagint. I have been told, since I don't read Greek (sadly) that they didn't even do this well.
There are some positives to take away from the Bible though. For starters, the English-speaking Orthodox people have a Bible they can call their own, instead of the NKJV or American Standard Version (ASV). I am a convert to Catholicism, but seeing that Orthodox and Catholics were/are the original and true Church (not getting into that in this review), I can't imagine either one of them not having an English Bible, but apparently that time did exist.
There are also copious footnotes in the Scriptures. Sadly, most of them are very basic footnotes that don't add a lot to the discussion. I do like the footnotes that tell when specific passages are read during the Church Year. That is definitely a valuable resource, as it helps you put what you're reading in the context of the Church seasons. Also throughout the Bible are various word studies explaining different Biblical terms, which explain Biblical terms and give you references to where you can find out the Biblical basis for those terms.
Overall, I would give this Bible 3.5 stars. It is a good Bible translation, but not a great one. It can be better, and it should be better. Hopefully, there will be a revision to this edition or other translators will undertake the task of making a better translation.
However, in this case, it might have been better to just keep the New Testament. The Old Testament translation was supposed to be a more accurate translation of the original Septuagint. What it ended up being was a different story. The translators basically took the New King James Version (NKJV) and tried to make it match up to the Septuagint. I have been told, since I don't read Greek (sadly) that they didn't even do this well.
There are some positives to take away from the Bible though. For starters, the English-speaking Orthodox people have a Bible they can call their own, instead of the NKJV or American Standard Version (ASV). I am a convert to Catholicism, but seeing that Orthodox and Catholics were/are the original and true Church (not getting into that in this review), I can't imagine either one of them not having an English Bible, but apparently that time did exist.
There are also copious footnotes in the Scriptures. Sadly, most of them are very basic footnotes that don't add a lot to the discussion. I do like the footnotes that tell when specific passages are read during the Church Year. That is definitely a valuable resource, as it helps you put what you're reading in the context of the Church seasons. Also throughout the Bible are various word studies explaining different Biblical terms, which explain Biblical terms and give you references to where you can find out the Biblical basis for those terms.
Overall, I would give this Bible 3.5 stars. It is a good Bible translation, but not a great one. It can be better, and it should be better. Hopefully, there will be a revision to this edition or other translators will undertake the task of making a better translation.
October 4, 2015
This was disappointing. I read Genesis through Leviticus, comparing it to the Greek LXX and slowly realized that this is not truly a translation of the LXX. Whenever I encountered a textual variant between the LXX and the MT, half the time it followed the LXX and half the time the MT. For the life of me I cannot figure out the pattern or principles guiding this picking-and-choosing! I purchased this book primarily because I wanted an English version of the LXX, and this failed to meet my requirements. Instead I now use a nice hardcover edition of the NETS (New English Translation of the Septuagint), which also happens to be available online for free in PDF form.
Also, the footnotes and theological sidebars in this study Bible are representative of *modern* Eastern Orthodox fads, with all its neo-Palamite and anti-Western biases. Traditional Eastern Orthodox theology is not well represented in this volume.
Also, the footnotes and theological sidebars in this study Bible are representative of *modern* Eastern Orthodox fads, with all its neo-Palamite and anti-Western biases. Traditional Eastern Orthodox theology is not well represented in this volume.
January 2, 2025
I finished reading this Bible in a way I have not before. My goal was to read everything in The Orthodox Study Bible. I recommend this as a good way to learn so much about the Orthodox Faith. It became a thorough Bible study for me, though much more can be learned from others. There are the introductory articles about the Bible and the Orthodox Faith. There is a wealth after Revelation, including How to Read the Bible by the Rt. Rev. Kallistos (Ware), a lectionary, morning and evening prayers, a list of the Seventy Disciples of Christ and an index pointing to the many study articles in this Bible which are invaluable.
I wish I could change the author as listed by Good Reads. It is currently "Anonymous". I know it should read "The Inspired Word of God".
I wish I could change the author as listed by Good Reads. It is currently "Anonymous". I know it should read "The Inspired Word of God".
March 1, 2021
Hadn’t considered mentioning this on here until this very moment, but I did finally read the Bible from cover to cover in one go at it. I chose the Orthodox Bible for a few reasons, but the main one being to have as many books incorporated into it as possible (Catholic and Protestant Bibles kept smaller canons). I feel as though to offer a serious review of the Bible is kind of like offering up a detailed account of an LSD experience, it’s not likely to resonate with anyone. Perhaps that is the most incredible thing about God’s Word, that it speaks to everyone in such vastly separate ways, yet can resonate for those who truly hear it, to the deepest reaches of their being.
July 11, 2010
Includes new translation of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Alexandrian synagogues' Old Testament that was a huge "best seller" during the time of Christ. Contains passages quoted in the New Testament that vary from the "official" Masoretic(Iraqi) Old Testament used by the King James translators.
I read "The Wisdom of Solomon" for the first time and was bowled over at its relevance to today.
Septuagint
I read "The Wisdom of Solomon" for the first time and was bowled over at its relevance to today.
Septuagint
February 18, 2016
The Old Testament is based on the New King James Version edited to make it conform with the Septuagint. The New Testament is the NKJV. The notes are so-so. They are written to explain Orthodoxy to American Protestants. I would like to see a version without the notes. The Psalms should be divided into Kathisma for daily prayer.
January 3, 2022
I'm using this version to complete my one year challenge of reading the bible all the way through...reading both new testament and old testament readings consecutively. The commentary is so helpful in understanding and gaining more insight while reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews