Amazingly great narration of understandable NLT Bible.
925454
I purchased my set of this (NLT One-Year Chronological) at the end of 2013 and have listened to it on my car stereo [all year] whenever I'm in my car. It is 70-hours long so it takes a while to get thru it (I'm retired so I don't drive as much as I used to). It is Oct 3rd and I have about 2 days to go to finish it. The greatest thing I like about it is 2 things, one is the very understandable translation of the NLT, and the other is the amazingly kind and expression-filled voice of the narrator Todd Busteed, both of which make the Bible very interesting and easy to follow; he doesn't sound at all overbearing like All other audio-Bible versions (DVD) I have heard. The car is a good place, in one way, to listen, as it seems a good use of one's time when nothing else to do, however I've found that when getting in traffic-situations I've often missed the import of what was being said; so I hope to now use it on my computer or DVD-player to listen very carefully to certain parts of the Bible I want to learn more from. (I got my set from a retail store from which I'd rcvd a coupon, so my Review does not show I purchased it from Amazon, tho I do order very often from Amazon)
3837904
I AGREE with the majority here, this version of the Bible (New Living Translation, NLT) is easy to read and understand. I hate to admit it, I have not read the Bible much since the mid 1970's, so my last experience was reading the old King James Version. I found the KJV quite difficult to read. I recently decided to try reading the Bible again, am Glad I DID. THE NLT (also, check out the NIV) versions of the Bible, IMHO, are MAJOR improvements. I now find myself reading a chapter or so in this Bible (NLT), then reading the old KGV to compare, and I am AMAZED. Do yourself a favor, get the NLT Life Application Study Bible. I think you will enjoy reading it as much as I do!
1448053
The NLT version is easier to read than the KJV without losing the integrity of the text.  I'm enjoying reading this version daily.  I grew up reading the KJV and memorizing passages, so I'm comfortable with that version, too, but this NLT gets me past all the thee's and thou's to a current English that is more conversational.

The cover of this Bible is very nice.  While it's not real leather, it is soft and supple, and doesn't have the leather smell which can be a relief for allergy sufferers.  The two color cover is an attractive combination.  The size print it comfortable to read, and not too small.

Above all, it is the Bible, God's Word, and you can't go wrong with this NLT version. I also have the Bible in the NIV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, CEV versions, and am enjoying this NLT very much.
3253099
I just purchased the NKJV Signature Series & the calf-skin cover is a sheer work of art. The purchase of this Bible is highly recommended and will have eternal benefits.

The Thompson incorporates over 70 features giving the reader an in-depth look at the Word of God.

  Although study Bibles do offer value & I'm not about to knock any of them as I do enjoy my Life Application NLT bible but perfer the NKJV better. Sure the NLT is somewhat easier to read but when read Psalms 5:12 the NLT omits the word favor & That to mean is what I trying to discover, & that is Gods favor. I have a Dakes also & well lets say its very easy to get caught up with a persons personal opinion on what he thinks the Word of God is saying. I think that sometimes there is too much of man's option for me to use these as my every day primary usage Bible. So I also like that there's no "study notes" written by someone who could lead you away from what God might be trying to say to you. Many Bibles with same page study notes are very helpful, but they can be distracting as well. The Thompson Chain simply guides you through the chain of scriptures and you come to your own understanding

  In today's multitude of Study Bibles, the Thompson Chain stands out as a classic. The New Thompson-Chain offers something truly different from other study Bibles... it fully uses God's Word to explain itself without the help of man's opinions. It is an incredible tool to dig deep into the Word of God easily. I would encourage using a good commentary by itself but you will find that the Thompson provides a wealth of additional helps and information and because its basic feature is letting Scripture interpret Scripture, well you just seem to get more understanding out of reading Gods Word as this unique chain reference system is what helps a person to read more of what is being said.

  This truly is the best study Bible ever published as I own a personal size NKJV & my most recent purchase the NKJV Calfskin Signature Series
3134071
Clear and concise teaching. Well structured. Well balanced. He provides enough background information and proceeds to explain the Bible verses but not one by one or word by word, but by chunks as he sees fitting. His comments of the Scriptures keep you engaged. Provides outlines. It is a great resource for the layman, Bible teacher, or anyone who wants to have a deeper understanding of the Bible.
269596
This is my favorite Bible! The language is easy to understand and also there are commentaries on almost every scripture with information on the customs and history of that particular period that the reader is studying. Also, the commentaries really break down the scriptures so that even a first time reader of the Bible will understand clearly what is being said.
4564135
The Voice is an accessible and faithful narrative-driven Bible. Put together by a group of scholars and writers from Ecclesia Bible Society, it focuses both on faithfulness to the original text and on readability. They use a unique translation approach they call "contextual equivalence," which is basically dynamic equivalence (like NIV) with some contextual adders. It has a nice flow, has helpful notes, and comes in a nice package (looks and feels a lot like a novel).

They add contextual helps to their translation, and when they do so the addition is denoted by italics. So for example, while they translate Christos (Christ) pretty consistently as "Anointed One," it will sometimes be with an adder in italics like "Liberating King" to help explain how Christos was commonly understood at the time.  They don't seem to be shifting the wording to our context (like The Message does) so much as explaining the original words in a way that is in-line with the text. It is refreshing to see this kind of differentiation in a translation which otherwise might border on paraphrase.

One other unique feature is the way dialog is displayed - more or less like a script, with the speakers name at left and the spoken text indented. This makes it very easy to identify what is said by who (though the reader should know that this is sometimes educated guesswork on the part of the translators), and, I felt, helps with the flow. My only reservation with this feature is that it seems to contradict (or at least inhibit) another one of their stated goals with this Bible: To bring out the original authors style and not "flatten" it in favor of translation style.

This isn't just a translation -- it is a complete package, including articles and introductions, each of which seems to be well researched and presented for entry level adult Bible readers. This makes it somewhat like a "light" study Bible, with notes that are short and interesting enough that you will probably read them all in the course of a casual reading.

I'd love to see an edition of this Bible that was more true to its "novel" form: Get rid of the chapter and verse numberings (and maybe even the italics for the added words), and make an edition of this that is even more geared to helping readers immerse themselves in the story.  However, even as it stands, I would be quick to recommend this work to anyone wanting to read the entire Bible for the first time, and also to anyone familiar with the Bible who needs to approach the text again with fresh eyes.

(Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
1905833
This is a great reader's Bible (as opposed to a study Bible).  First, it has all the readability advanatages of a 'dynamic equivalence' translation (it is the NIV).
Second, it is, as the title suggests, arranged in the author's best estimate of chronological order.  One can quibble with a few choices (like the positioning of Job), but, on balance, it is superb.  The author always gives his rationale for positioning.
Third, the author has eliminated duplicative material.  For example, he does a wonderful job of combining the largely duplicative material in Numbers and Leviticus.  But his best work is reserved for the life of Jesus in the Gospels.  He has created a single account (again, arranged in his best estimate of chronological order) which includes all the material of each Gospel in an orderly presentation.
Finally, it is well marked for daily Bible reading such as to accomplish the entire Bible in one year.
All around, simply the best way to read the Bible through in a single year.
831398
I purchased this set with idea of having the narration play while I simultaneously read the same text, hoping that this would enhance comprehension. This approach works very well. This version corrects some minor omissions that apparently existed in previous versions, and eliminates background music that was also present. So far I find that the narration tracks perfectly with my copy of the King James Version of the Bible. While I like listening to James Earl read the New Testament, the quality of the Old Testament is equally good. The only negative I have is that the binder included with the set is rather cheaply made. Once I had loaded all the CDs in it, it burst the zipper. I solved this problem by purchasing a higher quality storage case. Overall though, I think this set is well worth the money.
3159131
I have always had trouble reading the Bible.  The language was always difficult, and even though I went to church and understood the stories, I tended to "get lost" when I was reading the book on my own.
...until I got this Bible.
The Student Bible has, by far, been the easiest read of any Bible that I have ever had the pleasure of reading (and owning).  3 different reading tracks can take you through the key points of the Bible quickly, through every book in a semi-long amount of time, or through every word in the massive book.  However, while this comes in handy, what I found most useful was the inserts inside the reading.  Constantly throughout, notes have been made, explaining traditions, who people are, and other things that people today might find odd or confusing.  For example, in Ezekiel, there is a note that helps explain the afterlife, saying,
  "Though eternal life shines through a few Old Testament passages (see "Life after Death," page 581), life after death was extremely vague in most of the Old Testament.  The grave was represented by a place called, "Sheol."  The fate of the nations described here as "within the grave" gives a vivid, eerie sense of death."
These notes, along with advisements at the beginning of each book, help provide additional information and assist in the comprehension of events and ideas.  This Bible also has a helpful glossary, a lineup of rulers, a subject guide, and maps that pinpoint places and journeys (among these are the Land of the Twelve Thieves, the Kingdom of David and Solomon, Jerusalem in Jesus' Time, Jesus' Ministry, and much more!)  This Bible is awesome!  It has been the only version that I have been able to read consistently and understandably!  A+++++++++++++++++++
(This review pertains to the leather-bound book.)
3252808
When I was younger, I grew up listening to "Adventures in Odyssey" as a way to learning about the stories of Christ and through dramatic storylines, it definitely made learning about the bible quite fun. But I've always said to myself, wouldn't it be cool to have a dramatic audio bible.  Of course, that was when I was a kid and now I'm an adult and a parent.  Flash forward many years later and here we have the New Testament - Dramatic Audio Bible.

Over the years, I have listened to quite a few bibles via audio and for some, a straight narrative is fine but I have to be truthful and say that they tend to make me fall asleep.

So, when it comes to having your children, teenager or an adult learn the New Testament, the World of Promise next generation's "New Testament" dramatic audio bible delivers.  The dramatic audio from the beautiful music to the subtle sound effects and the good voice acting really helps in the enjoyment of this audio bible.

You get a total of 20 CD's (duration: Over an hour, around 1 hour and 10+ minutes) featuring the New Testament and a bonus DVD (1 hour and 14 minutes) on the creation of this dramatic audio bible.  Included are the following: (#)- are how many total chapters there are.

Matthew (28), Mark (16), Luke (22), John (17), Acts (28), Romans (16), 1 Corinthians (16), 2 Corinthians (12), Galatians (6), Ephesians (1), Philippians (4), Colossians, Thessalonians (3), Timothy (1), Titus (3), Philemon (1), Hebrews (10), James (4), Peter (3), John (1) and Revelation (22).

Each CD features each in chapters, so for example, disk 1 features Matthew Chapter 01-12.  Each chapter varies in length with some as short as 3 minutes and some as long as 8 minutes.

To make the bible enjoyable, for this "next generation" collection features popular teenage performers who are reading the narratives such American Idol 7 winner Jordin Sparks (as Elizabeth), "Hannah Montana" talent Emily Osment as Mary, mother of Jesus and Cody Linley (as Jesus), High School Musical's Corbin Bleu as Peter, Lord of the Rings and Rudy actor Sean Astin as the narrator and many other talent.  And a lot of these talent grew up with God in their life and are Christians.

The talent reads the bible in a narrative form and drama form and there are sound effects and music.  The music is well done and not overpowering and just stays in the background and helps enhance the dramatic audio and the sound effects from people to a door closing can be heard.

The DVD is quite interesting because for most young children or people who see these people on popular TV shows and films, the interviews on the DVD feature these talent talking about having God in their life.  Growing up attending church, reading the bible and inspiring children.  You get to see these talent recording in the studio.  Also, an interesting question at the end where the talent talk about their favorite music, video games, favorite places to visit and their favorite talent.  So, all in all a cool DVD to know the people behind the voice.

The 20 CDs and the single DVD are kept in a carrying case holder and not in jewel cases, so that makes things a lot more convenient.

All in all, for parents or relatives who are looking for a gift to help someone who may need God in their life or to learn about the New Testament in a much exciting and possibly easier format for them to understand, you really can't go wrong with this dramatic audio bible version of the New Testament.

It's well-done, well-acted and you get your money's worth with this dramatic audio bible.  Highly recommended!
2428886
I love this translation! It is very user friendly and has much to offer. Great tool for anyone who wants to grow in the WORD.
3044932
I went looking because of the NIV changes.  NLT is easy to read and understand.  It's always handy, on my Kindle.
910517
I'm currently using this text as the curriculum for our adult Sunday School class and it has been outstanding. It's a concise, rich, and compelling articulation of the unique role the covenants play in the meta-narrative of Scripture. I had read through most of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Kingdom-through-Covenant-A-Biblical-Theological-Understanding-of-the-Covenants/dp/1433514648/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants</a>&nbsp;and have found GKTGC to be a very helpful summary of its contents. I would, however, highly recommend purchasing the larger volume (KTC) as a resource text.

The one drawback of this book is its less than accessible language. The subject matter doesn't naturally lend itself to readability; add to that the fact that the book is a distillation of some 800+ pages and it shouldn't be any surprise that not everyone will be able to pick up this book and read it without the help of additional theological resources. For this reason, I would highly recommend this book to any pastor and theologically well-versed lay person desiring to grow in their understanding of the biblical covenants.
4525039
This is my first Bible on CD purchase.  In about one month's time I have listened to all but four of the forty-six Old Testament CD's.  I am so excited about owning this CD set.  It is just wonderful.  I really like the multi-voice recordings, and they are not overly dramatized.  There are fifteen CD's in the New Testament portion, I am so looking forward to listening to them.  I listen most weekdays during my commute (35-45min) to work and while at my desk at work.  A Must Buy!
1111992
This is the second set of these NT recordings that I have purchased. The first, for myself, is a wonderful way to learn the Scriptures. I listen to the CD's while I'm traveling in my car. I use them to help with classes. I took a class on the Book of Acts. The recording for this book made it come alive. The voices are professional, with appropriate sound effects and dramatization. The Book of Acts came alive! I am starting a class on Revelation, and have already listened to the recording for that book. It is very well done! I highly recommend these recordings for anyone who wants to learn more of Scripture.
3557961
Warren Wiersbe has an amazing way of turning difficult to understand verses in the Bible and making them easy to understand.  The commentary is based on Wiersbe's "Be Series" which makes these commentaries read like a book or story.  I would highly recommend this.