Common Questions Answered.
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What distinguishes the Condensed Edition of the Reformation Study Bible?
The Condensed Edition is a smaller size and half the weight of the 2015 Reformation Study Bible. To make this smaller, more portable size possible, we abridged the introductions, notes, and study tools from the 2015 edition. You can download a Condensed Edition Ephesians sample here. An Ephesians sample from the 2015 edition is available here for comparison.
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Where can I buy the Reformation Study Bible?
Options for where you can purchase the Reformation Study Bible are available on our Order page.
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Do you offer special pricing for churches, resellers, or distributors?
Yes. Please contact one of our resource consultants to handle your specific needs. 1-800-435-4343 or email sales@ligonier.org .
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Is the Reformation Study Bible available in digital formats?
Yes. The Reformation Study Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), is currently available in an iPad (ePub) format. The study notes are also available from Olive Tree (ESV) and FaithLife/Logos (ESV).
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Will my current mobile app or software be updated to the 2015 edition?
We are working to make the Reformation Study Bible available on many electronic platforms. Please contact your preferred software provider for further information.
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Is there a red letter edition of the Reformation Study Bible?
There is no red letter edition, nor are there plans to create one.
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Is there a large print edition of the Reformation Study Bible?
Presently, there is no large print edition. However, forthcoming digital versions will allow you to increase the text size.
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Why ESV?
We chose the English Standard Version (ESV) as the text of this study Bible because of the combination of its accuracy and its literary qualities. The ESV stands in the tradition of translation begun by William Tyndale in 1526 and continued by the King James Version (1611), the Revised Version (1885), the American Standard Version (1901), the Revised Standard Version (1952, 1971), and the New King James Version (1983). The goal of translations in this tradition has been faithfulness to the language of the original texts as well as dignified beauty in the English translation.
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When will the Reformation Study Bible be available outside the US?
The Reformation Study Bible is currently available in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. We are working to make the Reformation Study Bible available worldwide. Please reference our list of distributors at the bottom of the Order page or contact your preferred book seller for further information.
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Is the Reformation Study Bible available in other languages?
In addition to English, the Reformation Study Bible is available in four other languages—German, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. A French edition will be released in fall 2024, and work is underway on Arabic, Russian, and Polish editions.
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In what sense are the contributors and editors trusted?
The Reformation Study Bible project began in 1989 with a group of contributors and editors who were selected for their expertise in their respective fields. With the New King James Version as a basis, the first edition was published in 1995 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. These original contributors were trusted by Dr. Sproul to do the editorial work for their particular task and to be faithful to biblical exegesis within the confessional Reformed tradition. Since that first edition was published, we have noted with sadness that some of the original contributors have denied the gospel, moved away from Reformed theology, or are no longer in evangelical communions. For the sake of editorial integrity and to be clear about the present project’s origin, we have included the 1989 contributors in the current list of Reformation Study Bible contributors. However, this does not constitute an unqualified endorsement of every respective contributor’s wider ministry in the past, present, or future. The Reformation Study Bible was lightly updated by Ligonier Ministries in 2005, using the English Standard Version as a basis. The 2015 edition (ESV) brings new editors and contributors, who have refined the notes and have striven whenever possible for even greater fidelity to conservative biblical scholarship, Reformed theology, and the great confessions of our tradition.
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Is using a study Bible, rather than simply depending on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, contrary to the Reformation doctrine of the clarity of Scripture?
As the Reformers asserted the clarity of Scripture, they were careful to say that this concept applies to the gospel and to the essential and central message of Scripture. The gospel is clear and understandable. Not all teachings of Scripture, however, are equally clear. Even Peter confesses that there are teachings in Paul’s epistles that are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). Additionally, God has ordained the office of teacher, or pastor-teacher, to assist Christians in their knowledge and understanding of God’s Word (2 Tim. 2:2). The notes in the Reformation Study Bible reflect the work of such teachers who have been given to the church as a blessing down through the centuries and in our own day.
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What did the editorial process look like?
The new team members enlisted for the 2015 edition (ESV) of the Reformation Study Bible received specific sections of Scripture. In many cases, multiple contributors worked on the same books. Moreover, every note received editorial oversight from several hierarchies of editors and proofreaders, such that there is no one specific author responsible for an individual note or book of the Bible. The result is a study Bible that reflects the collaborative effort of qualified pastors, scholars, editors, and proofreaders.
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Which creeds and confessions are included in the 2015 edition of the Reformation Study Bible?
The creeds and confessions included in this edition of the Reformation Study Bible are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Definition of Chalcedon, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, the Westminster Confession, the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and the 1689 London Baptist Confession.