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The Reformation Study Bible is an invaluable aid to Bible reading and study, and we’re thrilled to make it available to you online. The heart of the Reformation Study Bible lies in its thousands of study notes, drawn from the work of more than 50 distinguished Bible scholars (including J.I. Packer, Wayne Grudem, and many others) and edited by respected theologian and pastor R.C. Sproul.

You can now access all of that study content at Bible Gateway right alongside your Scripture reading. Because the Reformation Study Bible notes can be read in conjunction with any Bible translation, we’ve made it available in the Resources tray on the right side of the Bible passage page. To access the Reformation Study Bible, just follow these steps:

1. Look up a Bible passage on Bible Gateway—for example, Acts 1.
2. Click Show resources to the right of the passage:

3. Click on the entry from the Reformation Study Bible that you want to read.

(Read more about how to read study notes and commentaries at Bible Gateway.)

The appropriate study note will be displayed in the Resources tray next to the Scripture passage. That’s all there is to it—now you can read insights from some of Christianity’s most respected theologians right along with your regular Bible reading.

The Reformation Study Bible is the biggest addition we’ve made to our collection of Bible commentaries and study tools in years; and we’re very grateful to Ligonier Ministries for making it available on Bible Gateway. You can learn more about the Reformation Study Bible, or purchase a print copy at the Bible Gateway store.

We hope you find the Reformation Study Bible a useful tool in your own Bible reading and study!

Bible commentaries are reference works that provide insight and interpretation into Scripture passages—explaining tricky verses, offering theological and historical context, and helping you think through what you’ve read. Did you know you can read several commentaries right alongside the Bible text here at Bible Gateway?

It’s easy to do. Here’s how:

First, look up a passage on Bible Gateway—say, Matthew 3—and look to the top right for the Show resources link:

Clicking on Show resources opens a new column and menu next to the Bible passage without taking you away from the current page. The new column lists all of the Bible commentaries that discuss the passage you’re reading. They’re usually organized by verse:

To view a commentary, just click on the title of the one you want and it will open in the same column, so you can read it alongside the Bible passage. To hide the commentary, just click the X in the top right.

Why bring this up now? Well, of course it’s a neat feature that we want to make sure you know about. But the especially observant among you may have spotted a major new title in our library of commentaries. It’s a title we’re beyond excited to announce—and we’ll make the official announcement tomorrow. In the meantime, open up a commentary alongside your Bible reading today, and see what fresh insight it has to offer!

The Czech Bible21 is a “contemporary translation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Scriptures into modern-day Czech language” that steers a middle ground between the extremes of literalism and free paraphrase. Since its publication in 2009, it’s become widely popular through the Czech church. We’re grateful to its publisher Biblion for making it available on Bible Gateway!

The Hawai‘i Pidgin translation is a very unique one. Here’s what Wycliffe Bible Translators has to say about a language that many English speakers may not know exists:

It is the native speech of about half of those born or brought up in Hawaii, regardless of racial origin. It is used unofficially in courts, sometimes with interpreters. It is used in personal communications, blue collar, farm, and fishing work, and among friends in nearly all social groups. Plays, novels, short stories, and essays are produced constantly. It is accepted by many as an important part of local culture, a distinctive local language; but it is looked down on by others. 50% of children in Hawaii do not speak English when entering school, yet English as a second language is generally not taught to Pidgin-speaking children. Most songs are in Hawaiian or English. It is used in some radio and television programs.

Hawai‘i Pidgin developed in the early 1900s when people from around the Pacific came to Hawai‘i to work on sugarcane and pineapple plantations, and needed a language that could communicate on an everyday basis across many different cultures. The children of these workers grew up speaking Hawai‘i Pidgin as their native language. Today, it’s evolved beyond its roots as an English/Cantonese/Portugese/etc. amalgamation, and is a full-blown language in which native speakers talk about everything from technical matters to spiritual topics.

We’re thrilled to see this translation made available to Hawai‘i Pidgin speakers in the language they’re most comfortable with.

Both Bibles are available through the drop-down menu on the Bible Gateway homepage.

A photo of the Bible from this story. Image from www.ubscp.org/jiang

Yuchun watched the leader teaching the group, holding a tattered copy of the Bible tightly in his hand. The pages were torn and dirty, the corners worn to a rounded shape. The red edging had been worn to a faint pink. The cover hung by a thread to the binding. The preacher, who travelled from one location to the next to teach even during the Cultural Revolution, would not allow anyone to touch this Bible. Too much was as stake. But one day, one time, he allowed Yuchun to take it for a moment to glance at it. Yuchun was only in elementary school, so he could not make out much of the traditional Chinese script, but decades later he still remembered the reverence, awe, and joy he experienced when he held that subversive book in his hands.

Here is a personal word from Mel on “spiritual influence” today. You can read more of Mel’s devotional and other writing at The Brook Network.

In descending order of popularity, here are the top five Bible passages of 2011:

1. Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

2. John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)

3. Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (ESV)

4. Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
don’t rely on your own intelligence.
Know him in all your paths,
and he will keep your ways straight. (CEB)

5. Romans 8:28

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. (HCSB)

We run these numbers every year, and it’s always interesting to compare and contrast the most popular verses in different years. For the most part, the same Bible verses make the top-five list each year; they shift around in order but in general the list always looks familiar. Does the enduring popularity of certain verses—or the presence or absence of particular verses in the list—say anything about the tenor of the times?

For comparison, here are the top five passages in 2010:

Top Five Bible Verses in 2010

• John 3:16
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Romans 8:28
• Philippians 4:13
• Genesis 1:1

(Be sure to also read Collin Hansen’s reflections on what’s missing from that 2010 list.)

Are you surprised to see any of these verses on the list? Are you surprised to not see any particular passages? What does this list say about Bible readers today?

…What’s next?

Here are just a few of the exciting developments coming in 2012 to Bible Gateway:

1. The Bible Gateway Mobile App

You’ve been very patient, and we’ve been hard at work designing and developing a native mobile app for Bible Gateway. Well, the wait is nearly over: in early March, we’re launching the Bible Gateway app for iPad and iPhone! Versions for Android and other platforms will follow shortly thereafter. The app will give you easy access to Bible Gateway’s features—any time, all the time.

In the meantime, you’re invited to help us beta-test the app in February. Click here to take our mobile survey and sign up to be a private beta tester. We’ll select a group of beta testers from the pool of entries we receive.

And don’t worry—even if you don’t want to test, we’ll let you know as soon as the app is available. For more information on the app and what it will do, visit BibleGateway.com/app.

2. Notes and Annotations

Later this year, we’ll add the ability for you to highlight, bookmark, and take notes on Bible passages in your web browser. Your notes and annotations will be available to you no matter where you use Bible Gateway—on BibleGateway.com or on your mobile device with the app.

3. More Devotional and Study Content

We’re in the midst of exciting conversations with our wonderful publishing partners about adding inspiring new devotional content to Bible Gateway. Also in discussion is the possibility of adding excerpts of books on Christian living, study guides and reference works, and even Greek and Hebrew language tools. We don’t just want to read the Bible more; we want to also understand and apply what we are reading. We’re thrilled about this new direction, and will be announcing the launch of our first Study Bible very soon—stay tuned!

There are even more exciting things in store for 2012, and we’ll keep you posted on everything we’re doing. Make sure to follow us on Facebook or Twitter (or both) or subscribe to this blog via RSS so you don’t miss out on any of the action.

Thank you again for being a part of the amazing work God is doing through His Word, for joining us on this journey, and for supporting the Bible Gateway team as we continue to steward His resources for His glory.

Bless you—today and throughout the year!

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned the movement of which you are a part: the movement dedicated to the daily practice of reading, and being changed by, Scripture. Some stats indicate that while 9 out of 10 households in the United States own a Bible (and even those that don’t probably have at least limited access to Scripture online), the Bible is still the least-read book on the shelf.

Knowing the power of the Bible, that is discouraging news, right? But that’s not the end of the story. I want to encourage you that the movement toward daily Scripture reading is really under way—change is happening. I feel confident in saying this because of the stats we get to see on BibleGateway.com.

I want to share with you a few numbers that will make you excited about the foundations of this Scripture-reading movement. In 2011, visitors to BibleGateway.com accomplished some impressive things. So we created a little video infographic to share the details:

Can’t see the video? You can also watch it on Youtube, or download a static version (PDF) to read.

THANK YOU for being a part of God’s exciting work through His Word. May 2012 see an even more dramatic increase in the number of people spending time every day in Scripture!

It may be late January, but I’m still wishing everyone a Happy New Year. Has the month of January gone by so fast already? We’ll blink, and it’ll be 2013. Even so, I am savoring the idea of filling up 2012 with wonderful things.

To that end, I want to take just a moment of your time to thank you for being a part of the community at BibleGateway.com. You are part of one of the largest and most important movements in our day—that movement is the millions of people who are discovering God through His Word in the practice of daily Scripture reading.

John chapter 1 in the NIV begins: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Scripture is not just a handbook for living—although it guides us perfectly. Scripture is God’s Word, the embodiment of His nature in words. By studying Scripture, we are studying God. By spending time in the Word, we are spending time with Jesus. We know Him by reading and studying the words He gave us. We become like Him by immersing ourselves in Him through His Word.

Simply put: reading the Bible changes us. When millions upon millions of people are reading the Bible, we can change the world.

And make no mistake—change is happening.

All of us at Bible Gateway are continuing our personal commitments to read and be changed by Scripture every day. We are also a part of the Uncover the Word movement, a national collaboration of Bible publishers, agencies, and distributors dedicated to starting and nurturing a movement toward the daily practice of reading Scripture.

Won’t you join us?

If you haven’t already, start a reading plan, or sign up to receive daily Scripture verses or reading plans via email. And be an even greater part of God’s profound work through His Word—in your life and in the world.

Continue to part 2!

I thought it would be interesting and appropriate today to look at some of King’s best-known sermons and identify the Bible passages upon which they are based.

One of King’s most creative sermons is a clever mirror of the apostle Paul’s letters to the early church in New Testament books like Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. The sermon, “Paul’s Letter to American Christians,” imagines a fictional epistle written to 20th-century Americans. It begins in a familiar style:

I, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to you who are in America, Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ….

As in the New Testament epistles, King’s imagined letter from Paul contains both praise and criticism for its audience of believers. King imagines that Paul would critique not just America’s racial inequality, but the un-Christian greed and materialism that define so much of American life.

“Loving Your Enemies” is a 1957 King sermon based on one of the most famous passages from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:43-48:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

After discussing different Greek words for “love” used in the Bible, King reflects on Jesus’ command:

…it’s significant that he does not say, “Like your enemy.” Like is a sentimental something, an affectionate something. There are a lot of people that I find it difficult to like. I don’t like what they do to me. I don’t like what they say about me and other people. I don’t like their attitudes. I don’t like some of the things they’re doing. I don’t like them. But Jesus says love them. And love is greater than like. Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody, because God loves them. You refuse to do anything that will defeat an individual, because you have agape in your soul. And here you come to the point that you love the individual who does the evil deed, while hating the deed that the person does. This is what Jesus means when he says, “Love your enemy.” This is the way to do it. When the opportunity presents itself when you can defeat your enemy, you must not do it.

It’s not hard to see the point King is making here, given the criticism and opposition the civil rights movement faced at the time.

King’s 1967 sermon “Why Jesus Called a Man a Fool” is an examination of a passage from Luke 12. Here’s how King paraphrases the story before beginning his analysis:

I want to share with you a dramatic little story from the gospel as recorded by Saint Luke. It is a story of a man who by all standards of measurement would be considered a highly successful man. And yet Jesus called him a fool. If you will read that parable, you will discover that the central character in the drama is a certain rich man. This man was so rich that his farm yielded tremendous crops. In fact, the crops were so great that he didn’t know what to do. It occurred to him that he had only one alternative and that was to build some new and bigger barns so he could store all of his crops. And then as he thought about this, he said, “Then I’m going to do something after I build my new and bigger barns.” He said, “I’m going to store my goods and my fruit there, and then I’m going to say to my soul, ‘Soul, thou hast much goods, laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’” That brother thought that was the end of life.

But the parable doesn’t end with that man making his statement. It ends by saying that God said to him, “Thou fool. Not next year, not next week, not tomorrow, but this night, thy soul is required of thee.”

If you think of King only as a civil rights activist, you might be surprised at how much of his message of equality drew on Scripture, and at King’s concern for American moral challenges beyond racial discrimination. I encourage you today to look for yourself—open your Bible (or BibleGateway.com, of course!) and set it alongside a few of King’s sermons, checking out the Scriptures as you read. (Wikipedia’s list of notable King sermons is a good place to start; transcripts should be available online or at your local library.) Do King’s Scriptural analyses hold up to scrutiny? Could these sermons be preached at your own church today? How might King have preached about these same passages today if he were still alive?

If you’re interested in more, see also Bible References in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech.