An old candy commercial used to have as its signature line: “Two great tastes that taste great together.” I suspect that there will be a similar sentiment for many readers who pick up the new The Ryrie ESV Study Bible.
The Ryrie Study Bible, first published in 1978 and revised in 1995, has sold over 2.6 million copies in its various forms. The English Standard Version introduced in 2001 is becoming the go to translation for many readers who prefer a more literal translation. Now Moody Publishing has brought both of these together in The Ryrie ESV Study Bible.
I like several things about this Bible. I like Charles Ryrie, the author of the notes in the Ryrie Study Bible who has a gift for taking complicated ideas and making them simple. His study notes were conservative, clear, and concise. You might not agree with all of Ryrie’s notes, but you will seldom have a problem understanding what he means. I like the various charts, diagrams, and tables sprinkled throughout. The maps are from Beitzel’s excellent New Moody Atlas of the Bible. The Ryrie ESV Study Bible also comes with an access code to a free download of WORDsearch Bible software which includes Ryrie’s notes and more than 250 other resources. I also like the ESV. There is no perfect translation, but I think that the ESV is a great choice as a study translation. I read through it several years ago as part of my annual read-through of the Bible.
As with any study Bible, one will inevitably encounter interpretations in the introductions or notes that he or she will disagree with. And some readers will not agree with Ryrie’s Dispensational perspective. But all things told, I have no problem recommending The Ryrie ESV Study Bible as “two great tastes that taste great together.”
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