When I was asked to come up with a list of the best Bible and Bible References in 2006, I had a certain goal I mind. I think that pastors and teachers need a library of around 150-200 books to have the bare necessities at hand. Here are about 100. Of course, this does not mean that all 100 books (and software packages) mentioned here should be included in the aforementioned library. But, it has also been my contention that references have a useful shelf life of around 20 years in order to remain current. So, I encourage you to consider those that will help keep the Word itself current (especially those with an * next to title), and impact the lives with which you have been entrusted.
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The Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture sheds new light on the Bible. 520 articles, composed by 100 contributors in cooperation with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, cover one of the following five categories: Archaeological Sites; Cultural and Historical Notes; Ancient Peoples and Lands; The Reliability of the Bible; and Ancient Texts and Artifacts. In addition to numerous footnotes, there are around 500 4-color photographs, charts, and in-text color maps. Also enclosed: a CD-Rom containing the full NIV text and all the photographs, maps, and charts.
A fully revised and updated version of The HarperCollins Study Bible has appeared, with essays, notes, and introductions prepared by the Society of Biblical Literature. Edited by Harold Attridge, the overall perspective is decidedly moderate in comparison to the Study Bible above.
That pastors are being encouraged to take a step up in the quality of their sermon preparation is witnessed by the appearance of three English-Greek reverse interlinears, all of which employ special features. William Mounce’s Interlinear for the Rest of Us an expanded revision of his previous interlinear for Zondervan, comes complete with a Greek-English dictionary and the text of the Greek New Testament. This interlinear is keyed to his magisterial Mounce’s CompleteExpository DictionaryofOldandNew TestamentWords;* with contributions by reputable scholars that easily outstrips Vine’s. Previously, Mounce composed a grassroots grammar that instructs laymen on how to use the Greek in Greek for the Rest of Us (2003).
The C. John Schwandt and C. John Collins, The English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament: English Standard Version (Crossway), also available as a free add-on to the new Logos Research Systems electronic biblical reference libraries, is keyed to a 14,500-entry concordance. It doesn’t have the accompanying Greek text like Mounce, but transliterates each word and is keyed to Strong’s rather than Goodrick/Kohlenberger (though Mounce gives the Strong’s number in his dictionary appendix). Also, a Holman CSB Reverse Interlinear (B & H Publishing Group) is in the works that covers the entire Bible. The New Testament portion follows the earlier work of John Kohlenberger in giving attention to phrase construction rather than formal word-for-word correspondences.
