Suggested Study Resources

Author: Michele at ScriptureStudy.Guide
Posted July 7, 2021. Updated December 15, 2022.

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**WARNING: They are changing bibles at a rapid pace now! The KJV Sword Bible is now only available in a “KJVer” bible, and the full-color study bible I have is out of print. I HIGHLY recommend you purchase a KJV Thompson Chain-Reference Bible before the new owners of the system changes Thompson’s work too much. I also highly encourage you to purchase Matthew Henry’s 6-Volume Commentary while it’s still available – the entire KJV bible is within the commentary. Links below.

The following are recommended foundational bible study resources (all links open in a new tab). There is a “Digital Resources” section which you can use to get started now for free, but the goal is to eventually get hard-copies of all of your most helpful study resources which you will find in the “Hard-Copy Resources” section.

Digital Resources – A “How-To”

Download eSword bible software onto your computer, tablet or laptop — it’s free but consider giving a donation (there is also an eSword app for both Apple and Android).

Then click on Download > Bibles and download the following under Caption:

  • Greek NT INT+
  • Greek NT TR+
  • Hebrew OT+
  • KJV
  • KJV+
  • KJV-1611
  • Geneva
  • YLT (Young’s Literal Translation – closest to the original Hebrew and Greek)

Then click on Download > Commentaries and download the following under Caption:

  • Geneva Bible Translation Notes
  • John Wesley
  • Matthew Henry

Then click on Download > Dictionaries and download the following under Caption:

  • Brown-Driver-Briggs
  • Mounce
  • Smith
  • Strong
  • Thayer
  • Webster

IMPORTANT: For Old Testament Hebrew Word Parsing (parts of speech), you are going to need to pull up the passages in the online Blue Letter Bible, or order the CD of their bible.

You are now setup with everything you need to study God’s Word without an internet connection. For tutorials on how to navigate eSword, choose your favorite YouTube video from this list.

**WARNING: The 2008 Mounce Dictionary falsely states that chilias and chilioi is “the cardinal number one thousand.” This is absolutely incorrect — both words are “a plural of uncertain affinity” meaning they do not know where the word came from, but it is certain that they were NEVER a number. Give it a few generations and people will have tons of study aids and none of them will bring them to God’s Truth. Even the 1890 Strong’s Concordance was meant to distort the meanings of some Greek words (details here). They need Christians to believe in a future Millennial Reign so you don’t realize your power, that we are already reigning in the kingdom with Christ (details here, here and here).

Other Digital Resources

These links are helpful if you prefer to work from tabs in a browser rather than within the eSword program.

1) The Blue Letter Bible — this has all of the interlinear bibles, dictionaries and commentaries within their website.

2) The bible on Bible Gateway – it also reads the KJV aloud, if desired.

3) The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary.

4) Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

5) Charles H. Spurgeon’s Sermons/Commentary.

Hard-Copy Resources

1. Worth ordering: The resources in the online Blue Letter Bible are available on CD here. One CD is free but please consider ordering with a donation to support their awesome website. There are instructions on how to copy the CD to your hard-drive or network.

2. A King James Bible (not a NKJV — see this article for details). The KJV Spurgeon Study Bible (link here), and The KJV Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (see here) are excellent options.

Use with caution:
~ The KJV Matthew Henry Study Bible has condensed Mr. Henry’s commentary down so much that it’s changed the original meaning in places.

NOTE:
All English bible translations have errors made by fallible men. A comprehensive list of KJV errors can be found here — email me for a condensed printable Word copy of the list.

3. A Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to look up the meaning of a word in it’s original Greek or Hebrew text (a used copy of the 1890 edition is best… eBay has a few).

4. For a paper copy of basic word parsing (the parts of speech of a word – noun, verb, adverb, etc.), and a more thorough word definition in its proper context, I recommend the following:

5. A Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of the English Language (the 2,000 page version) to correctly define the words we find in the Strong’s. ISBN 978-0912498034. Here is a free online version, but not sure how true it is to the original paper copy.

6. A whole bible commentary written (or edited) before the *1830’s — I enjoy Matthew Henry. Here is a free online version, but I do not know how much abridgement or editing has occurred.
The sermons/commentaries of Charles H. Spurgeon are wonderful as well and can be accessed online for free.

*The 1830’s was after a great reset when the end times narrative began to be skewed — Darby flooded the U.S. with dispensationalist false doctrines, and 1 Enoch was first printed and released to the public without our having access to the original text. The book of 1 Enoch disappeared in 800 AD and was considered lost until 1773 (source) when they were planning the great reset and the founding of the United States… it was released in 1821 and is fraudulent propaganda that distorts biblical accounts into something resembling a sci-fi movie.

Tips for Enjoying Your Bible Study

If you just want to leisurely sit down and enjoy reading the bible along with great commentary to further your understanding, all you need is the 6 volume set of Matthew Henry’s Commentary. It includes the entire KJV bible within the commentary. He is very thorough and easy to understand.

If you prefer an entertaining, guided study that includes cross references, an Index, a Dictionary, maps, interesting historical facts, character studies, and plenty of pages to write notes, I highly recommend the KJV Thompson Chain-Reference Bible. It is my personal study bible and leads me to new revelations of God’s Word quite often, but I find I frequently reach for the Interlinear Bibles in eSword to check the KJV words against the original Hebrew and Greek while I am reading it. It’s an awesome bible!

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 14:26

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