Disciple’s Study Bible (1988 Classic Version) / January 01, 1998

Note: This 1988 version of the Disciple’s Study Bible should not be confused with the newer 2018 version of the CSB Disciple’s Study Bible.

For even more information, see this release announcement.

This study Bible focuses on Christian doctrines and how to apply them to life.

The below features—plus many more—make this Bible unique:

• Theological Introductions to Bible Books: At the beginning of each book of the Bible you find an introduction to that book. Each introduction has four sections: Theological Setting; Theological Outline, Theological Conclusions, and Contemporary Teaching. The Theological Setting will help you understand the circumstances of the original readers of the book and the questions God’s chosen writer attempted to answer while writing the inspired text. The outline is designed to help you follow the sequence of thought within the book and see the basic teachings of the book. Theological conclusions summarize briefly the major issues raised and taught by the inspired writer, while the contemporary teaching section gives you suggestions for applying the book to your daily life.
• Doctrinal Notes: Doctrinal notes represent the best thinking of contemporary students of God’s Word seeking to explain the teaching of the Bible passage. Each note links to one of the 27 major doctrines highlighted in the study Bible and also to one of the sub-topics represented in an outline found in the Doctrinal Reference Index. The Doctrinal Notes are written by a contemporary evangelical scholar seeking to show what the passage contributes to the understanding of the sub-topic of the major doctrine.
• Summaries of Bible Doctrines: This section provides a brief summary statement concerning each of the twenty-seven major doctrines. The summary gives an overview of the information given in fuller detail in the doctrinal notes.
• Histories of Bible Doctrines: This section traces each of the twenty-seven doctrines through church history, showing questions raised and answers proposed as Bible students have interpreted the Bible and tried to organize its teachings into doctrinal statements.
• Doctrinal Reference Index: The Index allows you to see the major Bible passages relating to each of the twenty-seven major doctrines, suggests one way to outline the doctrines, and lets you follow Doctrinal Notes through the Bible on each of the sub-topics under the major doctrine.
• Glossary of Doctrinal Terms: The Glossary defines words and concepts which appear in the Bible text, the Doctrinal Notes, the Summaries of Bible Doctrines, and the Histories of Bible Doctrines.
• Life Helps: These practical helps show how the doctrinal teachings of the Bible can be applied in a practical fashion to your life as a disciple. Here you will discover a practical guide to the spiritual disciplines and ministries of the Christian life.
• Illustrations and Charts: These study helps illustrate the relationship of Bible doctrine to the study of individual Bible books and show the development of doctrinal understanding through church history.
• Bible Lands Maps: The eight Holman Bible Lands Maps provide a handy reference to locate Bible events and to understand the nature of the land in which God’s great historical acts occurred.

The DSB notes are based on the 1984 New International Version, but Accordance users can place them in parallel with any Bible text or translation.