The Reformation Study Bible, in addition to the ESV text, contains literally thousands of study notes crucial to an in-depth study of biblical passages, verses, and words. There are 96 theological notes written by Dr. J.I. Packer that are listed throughout the Bible that discuss topics including God's covenant of grace, angels, the purpose of God, the Lord's Supper, music in the church, the freedom and bondage of the will, and many more.

The Reformation Study Bible also contains introductions to the seven groupings of biblical books, an introduction to the intertestamental period, book introductions and outlines detailing the background, structure, and meaning of the biblical text, 19 in-text maps, 12 charts, center-column cross-references, and a concordance to the ESV.

The study notes were written by those who stand in the Reformed theological tradition stemming from the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. For more information on this study Bible's history visit the Study Bible page of the website or www.reformationstudybible.com.

The hardback Reformation Study Bibles are $27, and the black leather Bibles are $42.

The only difference between the hardback and the leather editions of the Bible are the covers. The content and page length are exactly the same in each.

There is no significant difference between the notes of the two study Bibles. The notes were exhaustively reviewed to ensure that they are consistent with the ESV. This study Bible was first published in 1995 as The New Geneva Study Bible in the New King James Version and later renamed to The Reformation Study Bible in 1998. The Reformation Study Bible in the ESV was released in March 2005.

• The study notes have been edited only to accommodate the differences in the Bible translation.
  


• Of the in-text maps in the RSB:NKJV, 19 have been retained.
  


• Of the charts in the RSB:NKJV, 12 have been retained.
  


• The five articles in the back of the RSB:NKJV are not in the RSB:ESV.
  


• The NKJV concordance in the RSB:NKJV has been replaced with an ESV concordance.
  


• The color maps and gazetteer in the RSB:NKJV have not been retained.
  

Ligonier Ministries has begun to use the ESV in all of our publications because we believe it is one of the best English translations currently available. We think it necessary to endorse this translation because its literal, word-for-word approach is the best direction for future English translations in contrast to the more dynamic, thought-for-thought approach used in other versions. We continue to appreciate the NKJV for the same reasons that we use the ESV, and Dr. Sproul still preaches from the NKJV every Sunday.

We do have sample study notes available for comparison from Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Matthew, and Revelation, as well as endorsements and more information about the RSB. These can be found in the Publishing section of the website.

The ESV text is 10.25 point and the study notes are smaller in size at around 8 point.

Colored maps are now available in the back of the RSB English Standard Version.

The current leather versions of The Reformation Study Bible (ESV) are printed in genuine leather and not bonded leather. Even so, there will more than likely be an upgrade in the leather quality for the fourth printing of the Bible, which will probably occur in 2008.

We do have plans to add a presentation page to the fourth printing of the Bible, which will most likely occur in 2008.

Unfortunately, we do not have a large print version of either the New Geneva Study Bible or The Reformation Study Bible. We do continue to monitor feedback on this possibility, and if there is enough demand, we may consider producing one in the future.

We have chosen not to use red-lettering in the RSB for a few reasons. Red-lettering is a fairly recent tradition used by some (but not all) Bible publishers. The original Greek texts of the New Testament did not use red-lettering or any other means to distinguish Christ's words, and the use of red-lettering can sometimes unintentionally lead readers to the conclusion that Christ's words are more important or more inspired than the rest of the Bible.

We have no current plans to license the study notes for electronic formats.

It is our hope to make The Reformation Study Bible available in multiple translations. We recognize people have their own translation preferences, and we hope to be able to accompany all English translations with study notes from a Reformed perspective.

While we do not have any immediate plans to publish The Reformation Study Bible in Spanish, it is something we would like to do in the next few years. It is our goal to make as many resources as possible available in as many languages as possible. Please continue to check our website and mailings for any updates.

Crossway is the official publisher of the ESV translation. Any questions regarding the ESV translation itself may be directed to them.