I noticed several blogs I frequent endorsing a couple things I'd like to take a second to plug myself. They are both a form of the ESV translation of the Bible--this is the translation I use and the one I recommend to others. It's readability and literal faithfulness to the original language are unmatched in my personal opinion. In today's world of innumerable Bible translations, you normally have to forsake one for the other; the ESV harmoniously combines both.
To my delight (and the delight of others I'm sure) the ESV and Crossway books have cranked out more resources that are strictly Bible than I can count (by "strictly Bible" I mean resources that are just Scripture, not a book like J.I. Packer's Knowing God, that's driven by Scripture).
Two of these resources are the ESV Study Bible, which is, in my opinion, a Bible that has been injected with some sort of steroid, and the Audio ESV Study Bible, which you can access through the ESV Study Bible Online. So actually, that's three resources, not two.
These tools have been a huge blessing to my wife and I, and I am grateful to God for raising up men and women to put in all the hard work and dedication that is required to produce such wonderful tools. I am plugging the ESV Study Bible because, well. . . it's the ESV Study Bible and it's the best Study Bible in the history of Study Bibles. There is more inside the covers of this Bible than I ever expected to see in any Study Bible; sections on Church History, The Bible and Communion with God, Christianity and World Religions, an array of full color pictures and maps, in-depth analytical introductions for every book, a Bible reading plan, etc.
If you are looking for a great Study Bible, get the ESV Study Bible. There, for what it's worth, to the 'tens and tens' of you who read my blog, there's my plug for the ESV Study Bible.
Secondly, I am pumping the Audio ESV because of the ESV Audio Bible I have currently which is narrated by Max MacLean. Initially, I loved it. I was really just elated to have the Bible in MP3 form. After a while though, I started to grow a little weary of MacLean's dramatic effort and affect (whether it was/is natural or not I don't know). While perusing the ESV's Online Study Bible I say a "Listen" feature, so I clicked on it. Instantly, I took to the narrator's reading and tone. The narrator's name is David Cochran Heath and I am recommending his reading of the ESV for it's calm but emphatic narration. It's greatly aided me in my discipline in studying Scripture and in prayer. There's something about having someone clearly read the Bible to me, without interruption, that truly helps. Plus, it's free. All you have to do is go to esv.org, to the "Read Online" feature and right at the top of the page, next to the title and chapter of the book is "Listen" button. Click on it and listen away. If you're going to buy the ESV Study Bible or any other ESV products, I recommend three places, and in this order: Westminster Bookstore (everything ESV is 30-40% off), Monergism Books (ESV products are usually 40% off), Crossway Books.
There's my plug. I hope you go out and grab or utilize at least one of these amazing tools.
