storytime

If I asked, I 'm sure a bible in whatever condition, new or worn, small or large print, would be offered by someone. The last time I checked prices at a local Christian bookstore, the small standard KJV was $45, large print was $85. More elaborate bibles were over $100. Paperbacks were around $19.95-$24.99. I found Christian material to be overly priced and authors simply copying verses from the bible in their commentary. A basic "this is what I think god means" type thing. The "Left Behind" books are still popular on the shelves along with other doomsday stories. However, at flea markets these and other Christian material doesn't sell from what I was told by vendors.

Oh, and Christian bookstores are losing money and some gone out of business this year. I suspect that religious enthusiasts, particularly fundamentalists, would rather waste their money on other items such as prescribed or over-the-counter medications. God doesn't seem to be healing them for some reason.

Julio

And then we have the Bible Society of South Africa that prints cheap versions to give away; awfully small print and the worst "newspaper" paper quality, something that is a shame to offer an interested student. I had several given to me once [since I like to have ALL the versions I can have] but I threw them away.
As for the American versions, I like them for sure [NASB the best], but there are many spelling differences which kind of put me off [like savior, and other terms, instead of saviour, etc.].

bacht

I used to have an interlinear Hebrew-English/Greek-English bible in four volumes. It was the closest I could come to getting a feel for the original languages, at least some of the syntax.

I think having a good commentary or three is more useful than the scripture itself. It's also nice to have maps, artifacts etc to help visualize some of the story elements.

semiopen

Artscroll has a Hebrew English interlinear Pentateuch. This is five volumes for about $20 each.

Surprisingly religious Jews don't seem to look at the prophets much. Just the Haftorah portions which are read on Saturday. Maybe this is because the most serious issues about who wrote the bible when, are evident from reading the prohets.

Just a remark on the OP referring to biblical studies. This can't be done effectively without learning the language in which the various books are written. So the original question is sort of an oxymoron. Personally, I've spent many years on Hebrew and am still far from fluent, but it is really necessary to make some kind of effort in this area.

DCHindley

The one by Jay Green? If so, I have the OT, but not the NT. For that, believe it or not, I use an interlinear by the Jehovah's Witnesses, which is not that bad (lthough it is just Westcott & Hort's 1881 Greek text, so a bit out of date).

DCH

bacht

Yes, that's the one. I also had a Nestle NT (?) I think, gave it to my sister.

I've moved many times in the last thirty years, so unfortunately I haven't been able to hold on to most of the books I've purchased, including my university texts (Sanders, Vermes, Throckmorton Parallel Gospels etc).

Julio

Anyone can get several commentaries from e-sword.com, including Matthew Henry's complete one. Also the Institutes and several others [for free], as well as Strong's Concordance [for the KJV], and more [Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, too [I think it is the old one; not sure]. http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/home.html].
http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/home.html

bacht

Yeah, as a young man I had the interest and energy to learn languages but I didn't. I faked it with Strong's and Young's concordances. Now I have no religious interest in the bible, more cultural. I do wish I'd learned Latin, oh well.

jakejonesiv

I like the KJB because it is so full of errors.

Cege

Just connect to http://www.biblegateway.com/ and you have a searchable resource of most translations.