I am frequently asked about Bibles, commentaries, and other study tools. Here is a list of resources that have served me well.
Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition - NASB or NIV (Moody Press)
I study and teach out of a Ryrie Study Bible, the New American Standard Version. I think this Bible has just the right amount of commentary – not too much or too little. When you buy a study Bible, you need to be well informed about who wrote/edited the notes. Charles Ryrie is a trusted theologian whose notes reflect a premillennial, dispensational perspective.
The Woman’s Study Bible – NKJV (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
I was required to purchase this Bible for a seminary class, and I am glad I did! This Bible is a “unique tool for opening God’s Word to women through a comprehensive study of Scripture prepared by women for women on subjects important to women.” So many Bibles designed for women are full of “fluff,” as though women are merely interested in devotional blurbs rather than Bible study. This Bible assumes you have a brain! Every time I study and even during my devotional times, I have at least two Bible’s opened – my Ryrie Study Bible and my Women’s Study Bible.
Living by the Book, Howard and William Hendricks
If you want to know how to study the Bible, you must read this book! It looks kind-of long, but it is very user-friendly.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old and New Testament, 2 volumes; John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck
If you are looking for a Bible commentary that will give you the information you need, but won’t overwhelm you with big theological terms and/or lengthy discussions, this is what I recommend. It’s one of my favorite Bible Study resources.
John MacArthur’s commentaries of the New Testament
These commentaries are very thorough, yet “user-friendly” in the sense that you don’t need a seminary degree to figure out what he is saying. If I had the money, I’d own them all right now!
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Revised and Expanded
Everyone needs a good Bible dictionary in their library. There are a lot of good ones to choose from, but this one has been highly recommended by many of my seminary professors.
The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible
This one is quite pricey because it contains so much information. However, it will give you a lot more detail and cover more topics than a Bible Dictionary.
The Strongest NASB Exhaustive Concordance (Zondervan)
In doing word studies, it is very helpful to have an exhaustive concordance of the Bible. I primarily use the NASB version of the Bible, so I use a NASB exhaustive concordance. Your concordance should match the Bible you use most regularly, whether it be the NIV, NKJV, or some other version. Make sure whatever concordance you by is exhaustive.