I've selected some titles I believe might be helpful for visitors to this site. Other recommendations are made in some of my articles. Most books here are linked to bestwebbuys.com for your convenience if you wish to compare prices. I receive no profit for your visits to that site.
The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) is the standard Hebrew Old Testament used by translators and Bible students today. It represents the best manuscript of the Masoretic Text, just about as close as we can come to the books as originally composed.
Septuagint with Apocrypha, ed. by Lancelot C. Brenton (Hendrickson, 1986). The Greek translation of the Old Testament used by the apostles and the early church. This edition has a fairly literal English translation in the margins. It's enlightening to note the differences between this and the Hebrew OT.
The Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th Ed., is in my humble judgment the best edition of the Greek New Testament available. The text is identical to the red UBS edition, but the critical apparatus (notes at the bottom of the page) has much more detail. Also pick up Bruce Metzger's Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament for explanations of how the editors made their textual decisions.
Recommended Translations:
New American Standard Bible (NASB) - I consider this the truest rendering of the Bible into English. It is a conservative, literal translation from the best manuscripts, with a good balance between reverence and readability in its style. The 1995 Update is not quite as literal as earlier editions but is consistently modern in its language (no thees and thous).
English Standard Version (ESV) - a fairly literal, very conservative translation similar to the NASB but a little more smooth and stylized. Retains all the strengths of its predecessor, the RSV, while removing the RSV's liberal biases.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) - a fresh approach to literal translations, worth comparing with Tyndale-family versions such as the KJV, NASB, and ESV.
Revised Version (RV) - the best old-style translation. A direct revision of the KJV dating from 1881. Not to be confused with the Revised Standard Version or the Revised English Bible.
New International Version (NIV) - the best of the less literal versions. Sometimes oversimplified or over-interpreted, but overall helpful for those who have difficulty understanding more exact renderings.
See this analysis for an in-depth comparison of Bible versions. The conclusions of the study are given here.
Recommended Study Bibles
Zondervan's series: the NIV Study Bible, NASB Study Bible, and KJV Study Bible. These notes give good general information about history, culture, geography, and language that assist the reader, and suggest possible interpretations without doing all the thinking for the reader.
The Quest Study Bible, developed by Christianity Today and recently revised, has fewer notes and gives them in a question-and-answer format. Great for those new to Bible study. Only available for the NIV.
The Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible, from AMG, unlocks the meaning of the original lanuages. It uses grammatical notations and Strong's concordance numbers linked to lexical notes and dictionaries in the back. there are also exegetical notes written by Spiros Zodhiates from a scholarly conservative perspective. Available for the KJV, NIV, and NASB.
The New Inductive Study Bible contains basic helps for Bible students who wish to do the interpreting for themselves. There are wide margins for notes. Developed by Kay Arthur.
Good general guides for Bible study include: a concordance (like Strong's), a Bible handbook (like Halley's), a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia (like Nelson's), and an atlas (like Moody's).
Scripture and Truth, ed. by D. A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge (Baker, 1992).
Essays by numerous scholars on what the Bible says about its truthfulness and reliability. The argument is that the Bible claims to be accurate on every matter it addresses. Anyone with doubts as to how rational such a belief is should take a serious look at these arguments.
Argues that the authority of the Bible depends on its truth. A warning of the spiritual danger to pastors and scholars who depart from biblical inerrancy. Draper is president of LifeWay Christian Resources and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The definitive treatment of a controversial subject. If the original language says he, should translators say he or she, or they, or leave the gender as it is?
An excellent recent survey of the English Bible. The basics of textual and translation issues are presented in an understandable manner, and the author gives a history and evaluation of dozens of translations. Also included is an impressive look at the making of the King James Version, a chart comparing the literalness of the translations, and a powerful refutation of "dynamic equivalency."
An in-depth look at Christians who believe that the King James Version alone is the word of God. Explores both the best and worst representatives of the movement, and analyzes their claims.
The largest collection of alleged biblical discrepancies I've seen. The authors go from Genesis to Revelation, noting each verse critics have seen as contradictory or erroneous, and offer not one but several explanations or proposals. Related titles, When Skeptics Ask and When Cultists Ask, are also worth a look.
An easy-to-read how-to book for understanding the Bible. Stein discusses the special rules the authors use to express meaning through historical narrative, prophecy, poetry, parables, wisdom literature, and other styles of biblical writing. This allows the interpreter to be faithful to the author's exact intent without "spiritualizing" or falling into a wooden literalism.
Merrill has combined the best of recent scholarship and faithfulness to the letter of Scripture in a detailed, academically respectable history of the Old Testament. This book is lengthy and technical, but it makes a very handy reference for any who want to know what was going on in the world during the events of the chapter they're reading.
This is one of the best overviews of how people determine how the New Testament originally read, written by one of the foremost Greek scholars. This field of "textual criticism" is one of my favorite subjects.
This book delves into the more advanced issues in New Testament Greek, and is excellent for those who want to expand their knowledge of the language. It also dismantles some of the misinformation you hear from certain pulpits.
An extremely helpful look at the culture and customs of Israel in the time of Jesus. Includes chapters on clothes, food, education, agriculture, family life, temple customs, and more.
This volume of the New International Commentary on the New Testament is one of the most respected conservative commentaries. I especially like its handling of how each passage connects to the main themes of John's Gospel.
Anglican writer Blamires wrote this in 1963 to urge the recovery of distinctly Christian ways of thinking. Even Christians who think often don't think in a Christian way, even about their own spirituality. This is a brilliant discussion of what it means to love the Lord with all one's mind.
Written in the 1930s, this volume covers the whole range of doctrine from a Reformed Presbyterian perspective. Most valuable for its eloquent definitions and logical rigor. Some interactions with scholars of the past may be difficult for readers without formal training.
Currently, the three great Baptist theologies are by Wayne Grudem, Millard Erickson, and James Leo Garrett. Grudem is by far the best, especially with regard to the nature of God and salvation. I take issue with his views on prophecy and spiritual gifts, but he's clearer than Garrett and takes stronger stances than Erickson.
A number of scholars in the evangelical community have taken stances usually associated with more liberal theology. Erickson discusses what it means to be evangelical and analyzes the new group's approaches to God's knowledge and power, the exclusivity of Christianity, and biblical inerrancy.
Lutzer goes through the theological issues that have divided denominations from one another, using both historical and doctrinal approaches. The sacraments, Mary, the receiving of grace, the nature of salvation, and the sovereignty of God are among the issues Lutzer discusses.
Answers the question of whether liberalism and Christianity are compatible, and presents liberalism as a religion all its own, and apart from the teachings of Jesus. Written by the man who led the opposition to liberalism in Presbyterian churches.
An exploration of biblical teaching about God, centered around the theme of Lordship. Covers a wide range of fascinating and important issues. A very large book, but highly quotable and enjoyable reading.
Confronts popular misconceptions and false teaching that have crept in about God and His relationship to us. It's actually a very positive book, full of praise, devotion, and awe of the God we worship.
Is God a "He" or a "She"? The answer isn't as simple as some make it out to be, and Cooper seeks biblical answers to what names can be given to God and what those names mean.
An ego-shattering look at God's righteousness and holiness, and the proper attitudes we should have toward Him and ourselves. Worthwhile both for study and devotion, with a pastoral style.
Open theism states that God limits His power to ensure human freedom, and that He cannot know the future, so He takes risks and sometimes even fails. God suffers and is surprised along with us when terrible things happen. But what does this view mean for our view of God, and how does it line up with the Bible? Dr. Ware is big stuff in evangelical academia, and he takes on the open theists on their own terms, then follows up with his own defense of historic Christianity.
A light-hearted, "user-friendly" overview of evolutionism, creationism, and intelligent design. The book is fair-minded, witty, and vaguely reminiscent of the old For Dummies titles. While some books may get too technical and dry, Bruce and Stan are like buddies having a conversation. A version for children is available, titled, God Said Bang, and Then It Happened. Bruce and Stan are evangelicals who believe in an old earth but oppose evolution. Currently being revised; I believe the new title will be Bruce & Stan's Guide to the Creation-Evolution Debate.
The Source, by John Clayton and Nils Jansma (Howard, 2001).
An excellent book on the relationship of science to the Bible. Clayton gives an excellent presentation of intelligent design, and he builds an argument that letting the universe speak, and letting the Bible speak, together give us the best understanding of how the universe came to be as we know it today.
Exposes the religious motivations behind evolution. The theory arises not from the scientific method but from the notion that God could not have created a world like this one. Well documented analysis of evolutionists from Darwin to the present.
One of the best compendiums of evidence for design in the universe, written by an evangelist to the scientific community. Periodically updated to take account of recent discoveries that continue to affirm the Genesis account of creation. Understandable, but relies on solid science rather than untested theories.
With a positive but determined spirit, Stoner explains the biblical and scientific reasons why many Christians who oppose evolution nevertheless believe that the earth is billions of years old. Includes in-depth discussion of what we can and cannot know from radiometric dating, and how we measure the distance of the stars.
A close look at how the Gospels present the requirements for salvation. MacArthur argues that saving faith must involve repentance and submission to Christ as Lord, in opposition to those who say we need only ask for forgiveness to receive it.
John Owen is one of the most famous Puritan writers, and this is perhaps the greatest book in the last 500 years on Christ's atonement and how we benefit from it. The thesis is that on the cross Christ paid for the sins of His people and secured all their spiritual benefits for eternity.
This book goes through every place in the New Testament that Jesus seems explicitly to be called or addresed as God. The book is primarily for those who know Greek, but anyone who reads the book will see how heavily the evidence weighs in favor of the deity of Jesus.
Most books like this are written by psychologists and counselors. It's rare when a respected theologian steps in and applies biblical truth to the human condition as understandably as Lutzer does here. Lutzer's point is that we're not "good people", and he discusses how we can avoid doing the bad things that weigh us down and ruin lives. A greatly needed, contemporary book.
With all the attention given to the Holy Spirit in the past century, there are surprisingly few really good, substantive books devoted to the Third Person of the Trinity by mainstream evangelicals. This is one of the best ones.
Avoids both skepticism and gullibility by laying down biblical principles for evaluating modern miracle stories. Distinguishes between circumventions of the laws of nature and the providential arrangement of natural events. Very helpful.
Evangelical arguments for and against prophecy, tongues, and healing in today's churches. Sides represented are cessationist, cautiously open, Pentecostal/charismatic, and Third Wave. Each author responds to the others' arguments.
One of Baptists' favorite preachers looks at the history and arguments for the charismatic concepts of salvation and the manifestations of the Spirit. Vines comes to a gentle rejection of charismatic claims, but this is a more fair-minded treatment of the subject than you'll see from John MacArthur or Jack Hayford.
Seemingly miraculous events in Toronto, Brownsville, and elsewhere have led to the idea that worship in the Spirit looks more like a drunken party than thought-filled, organized service. Hanegraaff explores the world of laughing revivals, paralysis, being "slain in the Spirit", and the climactic rush to the altar to receive a miracle, accurately presenting them as they are.
An exploration of the extremes to which end-times mania has gone. While the focus is on recent trends, there is also an informative walk through expectations of the return of Christ throughout Christian history.
This classic compares common views of the return of Christ with the actual biblical information. The conclusion is that the resurrection and the rapture will occur when Christ returns to establish His visible kingdom on earth.
Science, law,education, and even some sectors of Christianity operate on the basis of a worldview that assumes God does not exist or affect our world. Johnson builds a case against the idea that a society with religious freedom must have a naturalistic foundaiton.
Nash discusses the relationship between faith and reason, and does so in a manner most anyone can follow. He presents Christian arguments, skeptics' objections, and various rebuttals. Since 1988, the rise of post-modernism has made some of this outdated (See the writings of Gene Edward Veith for that), but there are still plenty of Enlightenment-style thinkers out there.
Combines biblical examples and principles, common sense, and historical formuals to build a Christian view of whether, when, and how to practice warfare. Essentially advances the just war theory developed by Augustine and Calvin. Includes an analysis of the justice of America's wartime practice in the 20th century.
A devotional classic. An allegory of a life of following Christ, from conversion, through temptation and trial, to the gates of heaven. Don't bother with the modernized versions; it's worth the effort to struggle through the brilliant poetry and bold declarations of the original.
While The Prayer of Jabez had some good messages, the fascination over the more sensational aspects of the book reinforced some misconceptions about the purpose of prayer. Hanegraaff of the Christian Research Institute wrote this book to combat those mistaken notions and get back to biblical teaching, with a focus on the Lord's Prayer.
Urges effort and discipline in employing the means the Holy Spirit uses to sanctify believers. An evangelical, non-mysical, non-legalistic look at Bible study, prayer, fasting, giving, evangelism, and other disciplines.
Sadly, Christians are among those most easily duped by petitions, e-mails, stories, and reports that have no basis in reality. From Madeline Murray O'Hair to the gay Jesus play/movie to the snakes in McDonald's ball pit, Williams discusses the truth behind the more common myths and stresses the importance of guarding one's self against falsehood.
The first half of the book is a very readable history of communications, computers, the Internet, and the Web. The second half looks at the ways the Internet conserves or recovers societal values Christians cherish, the dangers the Internet poses, and the opportunities for ministry that it offers. A great pro-technology book from an evangelical perspective.
The pioneers of Christian missions all had a keen sense of God's power and glory. Piper shows how an awareness of God's sovereignty propels us to make Him and His gospel known throughout the world. Anyone who thinks Calvinists are against missions needs to read this book.
An actual scientific study of those who have recently begun faithful church involvement, and why they chose to join the church they did. Confirms some theories but dashes others, revealing the influence of substantive preaching, conviction, membership requirements, family influence, and even landscaping on reaching the unchurched. Contains an indepth study of factors that distinguish effective pastors from ineffective ones.
Foxe was expelled from Oxford for converting to Protestantism and was poor all his life. He was a close friend of Bible translator William Tyndale, and his Book of Martyrs was eventually distributed throughout England after his death by order of Queen Elizabeth I. It dramatically describes the lives and deaths of Christians who died for their faith, often at the hands of the Church.
Luther's response to Catholic humanist Erasmus. The issue was whether man is capable of choosing the good without God's help. Luther's fiery language goes beyond what's usually accepted in academia today, and the conviction and boldness are a refreshing change after reading so many contemporary authors who try to take the middle ground.
The history of America from Columbus to the American Revolution, from a Christian perspective. The authors' work focuses on the piety, or lack thereof, of the colonists and their views of God's plan for the American project. This is what they won't teach you in the public schools. Well researched and documented.
A historical and theological analysis of the Great Awakenings and the evangelical views of revival from the 1750s to the 1850s. Contrasts the Spirit-dependent preaching of Jonathan Edwards with the "new methods" of revivalists such as Charles Finney. Highly relevant for how we practice evangelism today.
A page or two devoted to the most influential books of the past hundred years, from In His Steps to The Purpose Driven Church. Preference is given to evangelical writers, and includes everything from Bible reference and theology to fiction and humor. Very enlightening.
For once, a book on church history actually acknowledges evangelical contributions in the last two hundred years. In-depth exploration of the good and the bad from the first explorations to the 1980s.
Evangelical authors discuss various problems in evangelical churches, the primary one being that they proclaim the inerrancy of Scripture but fail to put its teachings into practice. The book upholds the authority and sufficiency of the Bible on issues such as ministry, worship, the ordinances, church discipline, and counseling.
A sequel to The Coming Evangelical Crisis, whose predictions began coming true just after its release. Follows up on many of the same issues, plus a few new ones. The urgency and biblical faithfulness make this a compelling book.
A criticism of market-driven elements in the church growth movement, the perception of worship as entertainment, and efforts to downplay "offensive" aspects of the gospel to attract converts. A bit negative overall, but a necessary alarm, especially today in the era of seeker sensitivy. Recently updated.
The only truly good resource that describes the 200 or so denominations and religions in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The statistics, teachings, history, and organization of church groups are described without evaluation and largely without bias. This edition contains membership lists for the National Council of Churches and the National Association of Evangelicals, as well as contact information and websites for most groups.
A collection of the historic statements of belief composed by Baptists and their predecessors back to the 1500s. Contains historical briefs as well as the complete texts of the confessions. Includes Baptists outside the U.S. and Britain. Sorely needs updating given the battles among Baptists in the last forty years, but an excellent resource.
Baptists and the Bible, Rev. Ed., by Russ L. Bush and Thomas J. Nettles (Broadman, 1999).
The original printing was highly influential in the conservative resurgence. The book tracks Baptist views toward the Bible from the 1600s to the present, with detailed biographical profiles of important Baptists from across the doctrinal spectrum. The book demonstrates that biblical inerrancy is neither an intrusion into Baptist life nor a recent innovation.
A historian looks at Baptists' approach to the Calvinistic doctrines of grace throughout Baptist history. The book also includes defenses of the five points of Calvinism. Saturated with documentation.
Why I Am a Baptist, ed. by Thomas J. Nettles and Russ Moore (Broadman, 2001).
The latest of many books with this title throughout the years. Personal testimonies from prominent figures in post-resurgence Southern Baptist life to explain why they choose to be Baptists. Historic Baptist and evangelical doctrinal emphases receive the greatest stress here.
A humble biography by the Southern Baptist judge who was influential in helping his denomination's churches reclaim their seminares and missions boards for the Bible. Corrects many distortions and shows the true motives behind the conservative resurgence.
Most published works about the conservative resurgence in the SBC were written by its opponents. Now, finally, is a well-written treatise by one of the supporters of the effort to reclaim the convention for its conservative constituency. The message of this book is that the roots of the conflict were indeed theological and there were sharp divisions between the beliefs of the convention's seminaries and infrastructure, and the beliefs of Southern Baptists in the churches.
A full-length exploration of the teachings and practices of the Masonic Lodge. Designed to equip the reader to confront and persuade both non-Christian and Christian members of the Lodge. Rhodes demonstrates the incompatibility between keeping one's Masonic oaths and following Christ.
The Word-of-Faith movement teaches that our spoken words have the power to create reality, based on the same faith God used to create the world. God communicates new teachings about Himself through chosen prophets such as Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. His desire is that Christians be healthy and wealthy; they just need to claim those blessings and send in a contribution to TBN. Is this Christianity? Hanegraaff gives an emphatic no, and exposes the teachings of the movement.
A super-easy-to-read overview of the major religions and cults in America and the rest of the world. Useful for those who share the gospel in multicultural settings, or anywhere for that matter.
For those who desire a deeper look into the major cults, this is a large, ground-breaking work recently brought up to date to include recent rivals to Christianity. There's little in other cult books that can't be found here.
Muslim converts to Christianity reveal the history and teachings of Islam as practiced in the Middle East and in America. Includes much discussion of the nature of Jihad and the differences between Christian and Muslim understandings of Jesus and the Bible.
