Like a lot of things, everyone wants something different in a Bible. Depends on your personality, your walk, your age, etc. I have a lot of Bibles, and I much prefer non-study Bibles. I read somewhere that things read in your Bible, like commentaries, etc., can become confused with scripture and become inerrant in your mind. I thought that was interesting, and since then have never written notes nor owned many study Bibles. I do have the ESV study Bible, but it is so cluttered with interesting things that I can barely concentrate on the scripture. So it stays on the shelf.

I'm a big fan of RC Sproul and his work, and thought I might dive into this Bible used and at a lower price (although the regular price is very good). I was pleasantly surprised to find this:

The notes are sparse but pointed and do not detract from scripture.

The theological notes are placed so they aren't distracting either, but are very pithy and are an education in themselves.

The typeface is very readable, spacing is great, numbers are easy to read.

The bleedthrough is there, but not very bad at all.

The size is fairly large, but still can be carried without a hernia threat.

The binding seems very well done. I'm not a binding expert but I'm impressed, it stays very flat at any place.

Not a lot of fluff. Maps are a little disappointing (get the ESV Study for that), concordance is easy to read and quick.

I like the cover, it is "Leather-Like" and feels good in the paws. Most of my bibles are hardback.

So, to finish this, I'm impressed and not surprised, Ligonier Ministries is a quality organization, and this is a quality product. It came with a free 3 month subscription to Tabletalk magazine, and for a Reformed guy who's been all over the map, this is an indispensable part of my daily walk.

We own two of these Bibles and just bought one as a gift. I love the ESV as it is one of the most accurate translations, yet it is so readable (easier than the NKJV to me). This particular ESV is nice because the pages lay flat and the words and headings are easy on my eyes. Sometimes when I use other Bibles the text from the next page shows through (or the reverse side of the page I'm reading) and it causes my eyes to strain. I have none of that with this Bible, which is why I enjoy reading it so much.

RC Sproul has so much wisdom, and I appreciate what he has done here. For the person looking for a Bible with some helps, his notes are quite well done and thorough. If you're looking for very meaty notes, however, I find that many of them don't go quite enough in depth for what I'm looking for in a Study Bible. I tend to read from this one, yet use my MacArthur Study Bible notes in addition to go a little deeper. (Sometimes the shorter, succinct notes on the Reformation Study Bible are nice when you don't want to really go into a big study and just want a quick help.)

I've come to love the ESV translation over the last year or so - it's literal beauty and daily readability are unmatched in my opinion. I'd recommend it to anybody looking for a great "do-all" translation, from daily reading to Bible study to word studies, etc.

The study notes, articles, and other materials included with the Reformation Study Bible are quite helpful. I have nothing negative to say about the "Life Applications" study Bibles which are so popular these days, but I find this one far more helpful. I think of it as more of a "grown-folk" Bible, but mature Christians of any age would find it useful.

Inasmuch as I can comment on quality, having owned it a short time, the book is well made. The pages are of good weight; the font is very readable and clear. The cover, I find, is quite pleasing to the eye. It's a large book, but no larger than any other study Bible. The one addition I would make is perhaps a page-minder (those ribbon book marks found commonly in leather-bound Bibles). I have a few inviter cards for my church I keep on hand as bookmarks, but you run the risk of giving away your bookmark!

HIGHLY recommended to anybody without any reservation.

The finest example of imitation leather I've ever seen makes this volume immediately satisfying from a visual and tactile perspective. Of course the value doesn't end there.

The text is clear, well-sized and easy to read. The translation is fresh and sometimes startlingly contemporary (in a very good way). The book is loaded with useful reference features that do not crowd the text but provide information and explanation throughout. Of special interest are the numerous short and clear topic essays placed near relevant passages, all of which are separately indexed in a surprisingly-comprehensive set of contents pages.

A VERY small issue is that one is often directed to a footnote in another section of the book when simply repeating the half-dozen words would seem more useful; this is, however, by no means a unique weakness of this volume. One could also wish for more maps.

Readers from the Reformed tradition within the Christian church will find this edition extremely satisfying. Those of other faiths will find this a remarkably accessible guide to what that tradition believes, and why.

A remarkable product, and a remarkable value. It stands proudly with some of the best study Bibles available.

For those who were waiting a theological sound study bible for a more literal translation than the NIV, your wait is over. The reformed study bible uses the English Standard Version, which is one of the best translations available. The notes are similar to those that you find in the NKJV New Geneva Study Bible (renamed as the Reformation Study Bible). While some of the notes are not as extensive as the "Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible", the background information is excellent for systematic study. The print is larger than the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, which is important for those of us who are sight impaired.

The only negative that I see on this study bible is the lack of maps.

I recommend this Bible wholeheartedly for all who want to study the bible systematically. I also recommend the Spirit of the Reformation Bible for NIV study, NASB for the New American Standard Bible.

I think this bible is a really good second study bible. First off the typesetting is fantastic, I can read it easily without reading glasses or strain. The second thing that is excellent is that the notes are almost always correct, which is something that is generally not true of most study bibles. The notes are also generally useful for someone who is familiar with the text. I personally don't like the ESV but it fits the conservative mood of the notes; the translation and the notes work well together and share a common viewpoint (which is odd given that the notes came from another text).

However, I would never recommend this bible as someone's first study bible. As others have mentioned the concordance is much smaller than in the NIV/TNIV. It lacks an index of subjects. It doesn't have color maps using simply black and white maps. It lacks the kinds of charts one would expect. It probably has only about a 1/3rd of the number of notes that most translations have. Having cut my teeth on the NIV study bible I'd have to say for a first I'd go with Zondervan TNIV Study Bible. Their balanced translation philosophy is a better choice for a first study bible, since the ESV frequently obscures meaning. If you want reformed theology for a first study bible, NASB MacArthur Study Bible. And if you are looking for an ESV study bible ESV, The ESV Study Bible (Hardcover).

Also I notice a lot of focus in the other comments on "accuracy" something that in general the ESV is not particularly good at. If you are picking this because you like the ESV (i.e. for translational issues) a better translation with far more emphasis on translational issues is: The Net Bible, First Edition: A New Approach to Translation, Thoroughly Documented with 60,932 Notes By The Translators and Editors

So if you:

1) already own a study bible, and have read it and understood

2) are starting to have trouble with small print and/or just want less noise on the page

3) are looking for a reformed theology study bible

this is a great choice. If you are missing any of those 3 criteria I'd search elsewhere. And that's why I'm giving it a mixed review. I think its a very narrow group that would like it.

I grew up as a teenager using the New King James version of the Reformation Study Bible and so when the English Standard Version came out, I was thrilled to grab a copy. That edition was the 2005 copyrighted edition, wherein the editorials throughout the Bible, written and edited by some of the finest minds, seminarians, and theologians of the day, were produced with Biblical cross references.

When my children became teens, I set out to buy them their own copies, but was very disappointed to discover that the 2015 edition had removed all of the scriptural cross references used in the editorial "Theological Notes". These are spread strategically throughout the books of the Bible to lend insight and helpful references to students of God's Holy Word.

In academia and generally as good practice, when an author makes claims of their own about a particular writing, it is invaluable to the reader when the author also provides evidence for or references to their opinionated claims. This was sadly and most unfortunately removed from the latter edition. In my opinion, it was a travesty to have done so.

Fortunately, these older 2005 Copyright Edition ESV Reformation Study Bibles can still be found occasionally and purchased.

I love this edition of the RSB and have cherished it since I was a teen nearly 25+ years ago. So thankful Amazon still carries this edition from 2005.

I purchase a couple of these each year to share with those who are new to the faith. RC Sproul's insights that accompany the word are helpful and powerful.

I find the Reformation Study Bible to be excellent. Very good sized print and therefore easy to read, full of helpful notes, maps,charts, theological notes, and of course references. This is so full of rich information that it is a must tool for serious Bible study. This is my first experience with the ESV version and I find it very readable. I would highly recommend this great BibleReformation Study Bible-ESV

Esta en muy buena condición, sin marcas ni subrayado, nada escrito, páginas intactas.

Un buen libro de "tapa dura" muy fuerte y en buenísima condición a pesar de ser usado. Gracias !

This is not a review of the ESV translation, but specifically about Sproul's Reformation Bible in hardback. I needed an ESV for a group Bible study I have joined, but I know it's really difficult to find a good edition with decent-sized type. Most claiming to be large print are still hard to read and cramped on the page, which is why I love my giant print NKJV. I couldn't find a giant print ESV, or at least an affordable one, so based on reviews, I ordered this one.

Well, in a word, it's perfect. A nice lie-flat harback about 7 inches wide and 2 inches deep, with a good clear font in two columns. A third, middle column is full of cross references, and even these are readable. The extensive study notes and comments on the bottom can get a bit small at times, but nothing smaller than most Bibles try to pass off as regular print.

It is not a red-letter Bible where Jesus's spoken words are printed in red. There are clear sub-headings in bold, such as "The Parable of the Net" at Matt 13:47. Page numbers are continuous from Old to New Testament. There is a 70-page concordance. Each book has a 2-page introduction if background, themes, and outlines.

I'm hoping to upload a picture of the font, but basically, it seems close to perfect. Not a handbag Bible, unless like me you've got a big bag!!

An der Bibel gibt es nichts negatives zu berichten. Gefällt mir super!

Mit Goldschnitt!!! =) Sieht sehr edel aus.

Nur die Beschreibung des Artikels ist nicht eindeutig.

Leather-Like Grey!!!

Und nicht Ledereinband wie in der Beschreibung!

die lederversion (die ich eigentlich wollte) gibts auf [...] für umgerechnet 68 Euro (versand etc. enthalten)...

Schade.

It's a good Study Bible. It has not long commentaries as MacArthur's Bible, but it has a nice introduction to the books and commentaries without any particular viewpoint.