Rating: 
Summary: I'll admit it, I bought it for school.
Review: I've read a couple of Bible translations now, and with most of them, they're written for religon. Which makes sense. That was never why I was reading them, however; I've always looked at the Bible in a more literary or philosophical way. This particular version marked the end of my search for a Bible. I bought it for a class this semester, but found myself reading up on the Apocrypha and the neglected books in my precious spare time. The translation is fully detailed in the copious footnotes and introductions at the beginning of each book. Nuances in language, shifts in dialouge, it's all explained nicely, so you don't need to speak Greek and Hebrew to get it all. Whether you're doing what I did, and studying the Bible, or if you're looking for a religious text, or both, this is definitely the way to go.
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Summary: Helpful Annotations
Review: If you are a student of Bible as Literature or Bible in Literature, this version would be of great value to you. It is complete, annotated with helpful footnotes, and the language is easy to read and follow.
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Summary: THE "POLITICALLY CORRECT" VERSION OF THE BIBLE
Review: If you want a version of the Bible which fits the current criteria of being "politically correct", then this is the version for you. The translators have taken the liberty to change all references to males and made them gender inclusive. For example "brothers" is "brothers and sisters"; "mankind" is "humankind". God did not create "man" in this Bible (Genesis 1.27), He created "humankind". They do footnote these "politically correct" changes with the actual original translations, but the text does not follow the original.
It's a sad note when even the Holy Bible has to be subjected to this modern censorship by the "politically correct".
Rating:
Summary: Excellent STUDY Bible...
Review: It is rare to to find top notch introductory articles combined with up-to-date, academically informed annotations by professional--and largely unbiased--scholars. This edition has them! Sometimes we tend to forget that sound scholarship has a value all its own, and that sound scholarship may not always segue conveniently with "faith positions."
How is this sound scholarship? The contributors have all undergone reviews by their peers, and they have survived--in a world where you can be laughed out of a job. Not only does each biblical book get a thorough introduction, but articles on the larger groups of books place the writings in their cultural context of Ancient Near East, Persian and Hellenistic periods, and the Roman period. The annotations are similarly informed; textual problems are explained; variant readings, many of cogent importance, are laid out; authorship is discussed lucidly on the basis of the texts, without kowtowing to tradition.
A special point on the apocryphal/deuterocanonical books. 1, 2 and 4 Maccabees are invaluable documents providing both history and context for the milieu out of which early Christianity grew.
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Summary: Finally, an Accurate Bible!
Review: It was so refreshing to read an up-to-date Bible that does not insult the modern student of scripture's intelligence. This Bible places emphasis on academic integrity and is not based on white-washing the texts to appease mainstream Judeo-Christianity's sense of piety. It is the perfect Bible for those wishing to genuinely read the Biblical texts enencumbered by theological twisting from centuries of rigid dogma and one-sided interpretations. This Bible actually forces the reader to think for themselves, which can prove quite challenging for those of a more religious fundamentalist persuasion. I applaud the efforts of everyone who worked on this outstanding literary contribution to the modern world. It is a tremendous value for those wishing to possess the closest thing there is to the real Bible, either as an excellent reference or a tremendous source of inspiration.
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Summary: Easy to read, helpful annotations
Review: It's the Bible, so you already know the ending... This is visually easy to read compared to smaller print Bibles. My wife and I are using it frequently in our 2 year, cover-to-cover Bible study class. The annotations are particularly helpful to explain passages that are harder to understand. I'm not a Bible expert, so I can't comment on the accuracy of the annotations, but our pastor and others here on Amazon say that the annotations are excellent in their accuracy.
Rating: 
Summary: Make Sure You are Buying the right Translation
Review: Most denominations have a translation of the bible that works best for their faith. It is important to note that different translations take on different meanings to the people who read them. Ever wonder how there can be so much variation in one religion? Translation is a big factor. Here is a list of translations along with the denomination that commonly uses it Catholics-- NAS, Jerusalem Liberal Christians (Episcopal, Presbyterians, Congregationalist, ELCA Lutheran) -- NRSV, CEV, Good News (TEV) Conservative Christians (Baptist, Evangelical, Mormon, Wisconsin and Missouri Lutheran) -- King James, NIV
Rating:
Summary: Make Sure You are Buying the right Translation
Review: Most denominations have a translation of the bible that works best for their faith. It is important to note that different translations take on different meanings to the people who read them. Ever wonder how there can be so much variation in one religion? Translation is a big factor. Here is a list of translations along with the denomination that commonly uses it Catholics-- NAS, Jerusalem Liberal Christians (Episcopal, Presbyterians, Congregationalist, ELCA Lutheran) -- NRSV, CEV, Good News (TEV) Conservative Christians (Baptist, Evangelical, Mormon, Wisconsin and Missouri Lutheran) -- King James, NIV
Rating:
Summary: A Top-Quality Study Bible
Review: Oxford has greatly improved its New Annotated Study Bible. The notes are far more extensive than in previous editions. In addition to including the complete text of the NRSV in an easy-to-read typeface, this new edition contains notes pointing out information and meanings which are not obvious from just reading the text and, in places, indicating meanings from the underlying Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts which are not evident in the NRSV translation. The notes are entirely scholarly and do not attempt to teach any religious doctrine. In places, the NOAB Third Edition is less thorough in its notes than the competing HarperCollins Study Bible, but the notes are better written and far less tedious to read.
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Summary: A Historian's Bible
Review: Some People want a Bible that feeds their particular beliefs; There being so many interpretations of the Bible, it's quite hard to know exactly which one is presenting authentic information. This edition does a nice job of clearing out a lot of rubish, and admitting that a lot of the earliest sources have serious literary problems. It's designed off of a consensus approach, done by Oxford Scholars, so that it presents the most objective, honest intepretation of the Bible that you can find. This is the verision of the Bible that should be in classrooms that are studying it. This is the version of the Bible for the believer who does not yet know where in the church they stand. This is the bible for the person who doesn't want it to be spoon-fed to them through someone else's interpretations and misunderstandings. It's politically correct, but in an accurate way. I don't like the Bible much. But I like the effort that they put into this edition, and would reccomend it to any serious scholar.
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