If you have been searching our ever-expanding universe for a gigantic digital table that is subdivided into small boxes, which are filled with fun and informative Bible commentary goodness, then your search is over!
The comparison chart below is a quick-reference guide to 75 different Bible commentary series’. There are many different commentary series’ because there are many different purposes and uses for Bible commentaries. Most readers want to know what English translation a commentary uses, information about the theological convictions of the author, and what makes a particular volume of series unique. Also see the One-Volume Bible Commentary Comparison Chart, which includes 40 different volumes.
Please watch the video to get an overview of the different kinds of commentaries
| Commentary Series | Translation Used, Theological View | Target Audience | Feature(s) | Browse volumes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
21st Century Commentaries | NASB; evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | all authors are premillennial, pre-tribulation | Amazon CBD |
Abingdon Commentaries | NRSV; United Methodist | laypeople/ pastors | Methodist perspective | Amazon CBD |
Anchor Yale Commentaries | author’s own; inter-faith, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish / critical | pastors/ professors | unique translations; up-to-date discussions on philology | Amazon CBD |
| Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture  | RSV; orthodox | anyone | select comments from early-church fathers | Amazon CBD |
| Apollos Old Testament Commentary  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | pastor-friendly; up-to-date discussions on textual criticism | Amazon CBD |
| Baker Commentary on the OT Wisdom and Psalms  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | pastor-friendly, accessible, in-depth, on OT Wisdom Literature | Amazon CBD |
| Baker Exegetical Commentary on the NT  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | accessible, pastor-friendly Greek exegesis | Amazon CBD |
| The Bible Speaks Today  | NIV; broadly evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | combines sermon exposition with text commentary | Amazon CBD |
| Biblical Theology for Christian Proclamation  | HCSB; Baptist | pastors/ professors | focus includes themes, not technical matters | Amazon CBD |
Black’s New Testament Commentaries | author’s own; mostly critical | pastors/ professors | paragraph-by- paragraph exposition | Amazon CBD |
Brazos Theological Commentaries | NRSV; authors affirm Nicene Creed | pastors/ professors | employs theologians to write expositions | Amazon CBD |
Calvin (John) Commentaries | author’s own: Calvin was a leader of the Protestant Reformation | laypeople/ pastors | mostly based on his sermons | Amazon CBD |
| Cambridge Bible Commentaries  | NEB; 20th century liberal-moderate perspectives | laypeople/ pastors | discusses text, history, theology | Amazon CBD |
| Christ-Centered Exposition Commentaries  | HCSB; broadly evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | includes illustrations, focus on Jesus in every book | Amazon CBD |
College Press Commentaries | NIV; The Restoration Movement | anyone | reflects Stone- Campbell theology | Amazon CBD |
Communicator’s Commentaries | NIV; broadly evangelical | anyone | became Mastering the OT/NT; now Preacher’s Comm. | Amazon |
Concordia Commentaries | author’s own; evangelical | pastors/ professors | Evangelical Lutheran perspective | Amazon CBD |
Continental Commentaries | author’s own; critical | professors | translates German scholarly commentaries into English | Amazon CBD |
| Cornerstone Biblical Commentaries  | NLT; evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | passage-by -passage explanations | Amazon CBD |
Crossway Classic Commentaries | editors uses the NIV; all authors are Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | classic works adapted for modern readers | Amazon CBD |
Daily Study Bible | author’s own; 20th century liberal-moderate perspectives | laypeople/ pastors | OT authors vary; NT author is William Barclay | Amazon CBD |
| Evangelical Exegetical Commentaries  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | latest in critical biblical scholarship from an evangelical perspective | Amazon CBD |
Evangelical Press Study Commentary | varies; Reformed | pastors/ professors | exegetical commentary for Reformed pastors | Amazon CBD |
| Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | it’s a lexical and grammatical tool, yet provides preaching help | Amazon CBD |
Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Revised | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors | employs evangelical authors, many premillennial | Amazon CBD |
| Focus on the Bible  | author’s own; Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | reads like a sermon | Amazon CBD |
For Everyone | author’s own; Wright is an Anglican bishop | laypeople/ pastors | All volumes written by N.T. Wright | Amazon CBD |
For You | NIV; Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | reads like a sermon | Amazon CBD |
The Gospel According to the Old Testament | ESV; Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | Christ-centered commentary on Old Testament books | Amazon CBD |
| Henry (Matthew) Commentaries  | KJV; theologically conservative | anyone | devotional in nature | Amazon CBD |
Hermeneia | author’s own; critical | professors | features technical, critical scholarship | Amazon CBD |
Holman Commentaries | NIV; evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | target audience is teachers | Amazon CBD |
| International Critical Commentary  | author’s own; critical | professors | contains linguistic, textual, historical, and archaeological discussions | Amazon CBD |
International Theological Commentaries | RSV; moderately critical | pastors, teachers | prioritizes theological diversity; OT only | Amazon CBD |
Interpretation | RSV; moderately critical | pastors/ professors | critical approach to historical and theological discussions | Amazon CBD |
| IVP New Testament Commentary  | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors | pastor-friendly exegesis | Amazon CBD |
JPS Torah Commentaries | author’s own; critical | professors | insights from Jewish worldview; pages flip from right to left | Amazon CBD |
Keil-Delitzsch Commentaries | author’s own; Orthodox Lutheran scholars | pastors/ professors | technical, conservative scholarship of OT scripture | Amazon |
| Kregel Exegetical Commentaries  | author’s own; theologically conservative | pastors, teachers | scholarship plus application | Amazon CBD |
Lectio Continua Expository Commentaries | ESV; Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | reads like a sermon | Amazon CBD |
| Living Insights: Chuck Swindoll Commentaries  | NASB; broadly evangelical | pastors | written by Chuck Swindoll | Amazon CBD |
| MacArthur (John) Commentaries  | NASB; Reformed Baptist | laypeople/ pastors | reads like a sermon | Amazon CBD |
| Mentor Commentaries  | author’s choice; Reformed | pastors | focuses on exegesis, reflects Reformed | Amazon CBD |
Montgomery Boice (James) Commentary | NIV; Presbyterian, reformed | anyone | devotional in nature | Amazon CBD |
| New American Commentary  | NIV; Baptist | pastors | pastor-friendly, many authors conservative, dispensational | Amazon CBD |
| New Beacon Bible Commentaries  | NIV; Wesleyan | laypeople/ pastors | written from the Wesleyan theological perspective | Amazon CBD |
| New Cambridge Bible Commentary  | NRSV; some critical, some evangelical | pastors/ professors | provides fresh look at biblical texts | Amazon CBD |
New Century Commentaries | N/RSV; broadly evangelical | pastors | most volumes reflect critical exegesis | Amazon |
New International Biblical Commentary | NIV; broadly evangelical | anyone | used to be Good News Commentary; then NIBC; now UBCS | Amazon |
| New International Commentary on the OT and NT  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors | high quality exegesis for pastors and teachers | Amazon CBD |
New International Greek Testament Commentary | author’s own; all evangelical, some critical | pastors/ professors | thorough exegesis of the Greek text | Amazon CBD |
New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary | NRSV / NIV; Methodist, some critical, some evangelical | pastors | an ecumenical roster of contributors | Amazon CBD |
| NIV Application Commentary  | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors | bridging original context to contemporary context | Amazon CBD |
Old and New Testament Library | RSV; some critical, some evangelical | pastors | mostly critical approaches to literary and theological issues | Amazon CBD |
Paideia Commentaries | author’s own; employs Catholic and Protestant authors | pastors/ professors | moderately critical exegesis | Amazon CBD |
| Pillar New Testament Commentary  | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | thorough, conservative exegesis | Amazon CBD |
The Preacher’s Commentary | NKJV; evangelical | pastors | pulpit help | Amazon CBD |
| Preaching the Word  | NIV, revised (pictured) use ESV; Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | homiletic expositions | Amazon CBD |
| Reformation Commentary on Scripture  | author’s; Reformed Protestant | anyone | biblical insights from the Reformers | Amazon CBD |
| Reformed Expository Commentaries  | ESV; Reformed | laypeople/ pastors | homiletical expositions | Amazon CBD |
Sacra Pagina Commentaries | author’s own; Catholic | pastors/ professors | Roman Catholic theology | Amazon CBD |
| Smyth & Helwys Commentaries  | varies by volume; varies by volume | pastors | comes with CD-ROM that includes commentary on PDF | Amazon CBD |
Socio-Rhetorical Commentaries | author’s own; Arminian | pastors/ professors | Ben Witherington’s project | Amazon CBD |
| Story of God Bible Commentary  | NIV; broadly evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | focuses on the Bible’s big-picture storyline | Amazon CBD |
Teach the Text Commentaries | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors | aims to clearly show the text’s relevance | Amazon CBD |
| Thru the Bible: J. Vernon McGee  | KJV; Presbyterian | laypeople/ pastors | similar to McGee’s radio teachings | Amazon CBD |
Two Horizons | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors | focuses on theological interpretations | Amazon CBD |
| Tyndale OT and NT Bible Commentaries  | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors | to-the-point exegesis and explanations | Amazon CBD |
| Understanding the Bible Commentary  | NIV; some critical, some evangelical | pastors | intends to promote biblical theology | Amazon CBD |
Walvoord (John) Prophecy Commentary | ESV; theologically conservative | anyone | premillennial, dispensationalism | Amazon CBD |
| Wesleyan Bible Study  | NIV; evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | Arminian perspectives | Amazon CBD |
Word Biblical Commentary | author’s own; some critical, some evangelical | pastors/ professors | fresh translations, in-depth exegesis | Amazon CBD |
| Wycliffe Exegetical Commentaries  | author’s own; broadly evangelical | pastors/ professors | in-depth exegesis for pastors | Amazon |
| Zondervan Exegetical Commentary  | NIV; broadly evangelical | pastors | Graphic Layout | Amazon CBD |
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary | NIV; broadly evangelical | laypeople/ pastors | color pictures, charts, maps | Amazon CBD |