NASB Study Bible Review: An Honest and Thorough Look
A good study Bible is at the heart of good Bible study. It provides a way to learn more about the Bible without having to purchase numerous other books. The NASB Study Bible is an excellent word-for-word translation with easy to read study notes.
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| Pros | Cons |
| -Easy-to-read study notes -Harmony of the Gospel -Colored Timeline -Literal Translation | -Lack of articles -Binding and Durability -Page Quality |
Key Takeaways: The NASB Study Bible is a great literal word-for-word translation of the Bible with easy to read study notes. However, its poor product quality can make it challenging to use and carry consistently. That said, the NASB Study Bible is worth buying if you want a good, sound study Bible.
Who Should Buy It: The NASB Study Bible is a great for lay Christians who are getting into Bible study for the first time and want a literal translation with helpful and understandable study notes.
Features Overview
The NASB Study Bible has the usual features you will find in a study Bible as well as some hidden gems. These features include:
- 20,000+ Study notes
- Book introductions
- 100,000+ Cross references
- Maps
- Essays
- A Harmony of the Gospels
- A Colored Timeline
Feature wise, the NASB Study Bible is a basic study Bible without all the fluff. So, if you find the articles or extra features distracting and just want good study notes, then the NASB Study Bible is probably for you.
The unique features that make this Bible really shine is the harmony of the gospels and the colored timeline.
The harmony of the gospels is a 6 page chart that puts the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in chronological order and lists the sections of each of the gospels where that information can be found. It is extremely helpful and insightful.
The colored timeline appears at the front of the Bible. It presents a chronology of the Old and New Testaments from creation to 100 AD. What makes it so great is that it includes a timeline of world history at the bottom so you can see where Bible stories fit into the history of the world.
Product Details
The following chart provides the product details for the NASB Study Bible, Bonded Leather from the Publisher’s website. The third column is the same details for the specific Bible I own.
| Detail | From Website | Personal Bible |
| Translation | New American Standard Bible (NASB) | NASB |
| Format | Bonded Leather | Bonded Leather |
| Pages | 2,080 | 2,082 |
| Weight | 3.05 lbs. | 2.96 lbs |
| Size | 6.9 x 9.8 | 6.4 x 9.4 |
| Font Size | 8.9 pt. | 8.5 pt. |
This chart shows that the size of the Bible I own is slightly smaller than advertised on the publisher’s website. As such, it weighs slightly less and the font is slightly smaller.
Overall, I would say the NASB Study Bible is as advertized. But the negligibly smaller size makes this Study Bible better in my opinion because it is easier to carry. But let’s take a look at the some of the key features and these discrepancies to see if the NASB Study Bible is really worth it.
Study Notes
The NASB Study Bible contains nearly 20,000 notes from leading experts of conservative scholarship in the field of Biblical studies and theology. These study notes are designed to:
- explain important words or concepts
- interpret difficult verses
- draw parallels between specific people and events
- describe historical and cultural context
- Demonstrates how one passage sheds light on another.
Interestingly, these study notes are adapted from the NIV Study Bible. So, for the most part the study notes are the same but adapted for a different translation. This makes the study notes in the NASB Study Bible easy to read and understand.
As for the study notes themselves, they are good and solid for beginners in Bible study. However, sometimes they could go into a little more depth. For example, regarding the Creation account and how long it took, the study note simply reads,
“Some say that the creation days were 24-hour days, others that they were indefinite periods.”
NASB Study Bible
That’s it. So, if you want further explanation then you would need to turn somewhere else.
That said, the study notes do an excellent job of helping you see and understand a passage through the eyes of the original audience. They are constantly discussing historical and cultural background and thought. This helps a reader understand the Bible in its original context.
For example, when God is naming the elements of creation, the study note reads,
“In ancient times, to name someone or something implied having dominion or ownership.”
NASB Study Bible
This insight helps us better understand God’s kingship and authority over Creation. When we get to the New Testament we see Jesus calm the sea and storm simply by speaking. We can be reminded that Jesus, as the Creator, has authority over the sea and storm.
Overall, the study notes of the NASB Study Bible are insightful and help in the study of the Bible. That said, there are times when they could afford to go a little more in-depth. But the focus on historical and cultural background, as well as their readability, makes them worth it.
Font Size and Page Quality
One of the most important things, other than the study notes, of a study Bible is the font size and quality of the pages. Below you will see a chart where I measured the font size of my own Bible and compared it to the publisher’s website.
| Advertised | Actual | |
| Biblical Text | 8.9 pt. | 8.5 pt. |
| Study Notes | Not mentioned | 7.1 pt. |
| Articles | Not mentioned | 8.5 pt. |
You can see that the font size is slightly smaller than advertised. That said, I find that it is still easy to read.
The Study notes are in a smaller font. As such, they are slightly harder to read. And reading them in dim lighting can prove to be difficult.
The article font size is the same as that of the Biblical text. So, the book introductions and articles are easier to read.
Page Quality
The pages of this Bible are very thin. You can clearly see the text from the other page and at times even read it.
That said, I do not find that it makes the text more challenging to read. Its not even distracting. The only time it really bothers me is when there is a lot of white space on the page, like next to the outlines in the book introductions. Then I do find it a little distracting.
Overall, the font size and page quality are comparable to other Bibles. Though, perhaps not the best.
Articles
The NASB Study Bible is largely disappointing when it comes to articles. There are only seven articles in the Study Bible and are:
- Wisdom Literature
- Minor Prophets
- Synoptic Gospels
- Pastoral Letters
- General Letters
- Ethical Question of War
- The Time Between the Testaments
Most of these provide a larger understanding of particular genres or groupings of books of the Bible. And typically are one page or less. These are the articles on wisdom literature, minor prophets, synoptic gospels, pastoral letters, and general letters.
The most interesting and helpful article is the one on the time between the testaments. It discusses the history, literature, and social developments that occurred between Malachi and Matthew. As a result, it helps shape a better understanding of the world of the New Testament.
Book Introductions
The NASB Study Bible offers book introductions to all 66 books of the Bible. These introductions include information on the author, date and place of writing, background, audience, literary features, themes, and an outline.
The book introductions in the NASB Study Bible are typically 2-3 pages in length and provide great background information on the Book. With the quality of these book introductions, there is really no need to purchase a Bible handbook.
Handling and Portability
One of the most important factors to consider when getting a study Bible handling and portability. Is this a Bible that you can carry everywhere? Does it stand up to general wear and tear?
To test this I held a finger on one spot of a page for 5 minutes. Then evaluated the quality of the page afterwards. People are going to be holding their Bible to read it. So, it’s important to see how it will hold up.
After holding my thumb on the page for 5 minutes. I noticed there was slight wrinkles in the page. That’s to be expected. I did not think the page weakened, nor did it feel as damp from the oils on the hand as other study Bibles have.
That said, the quality of the binding could be better. If you were to look at a lot of reviews online, many will mention the poor quality of the binding. I’ve found that to be somewhat fair. There are slight binding issues with the cover where certain pages are starting to come loose.
That said, I’ve had this Bible for many years and it is has held up better than the negative reviews may suggest.
Portability
The NASB Study Bible is larger than the typical Bible that you would take to church. As such, some would hesitate to take it. However, I do not find it impractical to carry around.
Despite the concerns of durability and page quality, it still stands up to wear and tear. I’m not afraid to turn pages quickly in it and it’s surprisingly durable. I could see myself taking it to church, but probably not all the time and not for a regular service.
I would be more willing to take it to church if I was in a leadership position like a pastor or Sunday School teacher.
Overall, the NASB Study Bible is a great basic Study Bible without all the extra bells and whistles. That said, it’s not for everyone. So you may want to check out this article where I compare the NASB Study Bible to other Study Bibles.
