Commentaries Comparison Chart
Text| Commentary Series | Cover Design | Translation Utilized | Theology / Approach | Target Audience | Distinctive Feature(s) | Cost Range | Browse volumes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abingdon Commentaries |  | NRSV | United Methodist | students and pastors | Methodist perspective | $20-$30 | Amazon CBD |
| Anchor (Yale) Commentaries |  | author's own | inter-faith / critical | pastors / professors | unique translations; up-to-date discussions on philology | $40-$80 | Amazon CBD |
| Apollos Old Testament Commentaries |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors / professors | pastor-friendly; up-to-date discussions on criticism | $30-$50 | Amazon CBD |
| Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors / professors | pastor-friendly, accessible, in-depth, on Wisdom Literature | $25-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| Baker Exegetical Commentaries on the New Testament |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors / professors | accessible, pastor-friendly Greek exegesis | $20-$50 | Amazon |
| Bible Speaks Today |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | laypeople / pastors | combines sermon exposition with text commentary | $15-$23 | Amazon CBD |
| Biblical Theology for Christian Proclamation |  | HCSB | Baptist | pastors / professors | focus includes themes, not technical | $25-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| Black's New Testament Commentary |  | author's own | mostly critical | pastors / professors | paragraph-by- paragraph exposition | $25-$65 | Amazon CBD |
| Brazos Theological Commentaries |  | NRSV | authors affirm Nicene Creed | pastors / professors | employs theologians to write expositions | $20-$45 | Amazon CBD |
| Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary |  | HCSB | broadly evangelical | laypeople / pastors | illustrations, focus on Jesus in every book | $11-$16 | Amazon CBD |
| Concordia Commentary |  | author's own | evangelical | pastors / professors | Evangelical Lutheran perspective | $35-$65 | Amazon CBD |
| Continental Commentaries |  | author's own | critical | professors | translates German scholarly commentaries into English | $25-$70 | Amazon CBD |
| Crossway Classic Commentaries |  | editors used the NIV | Reformed | pastors | classic works adapted for modern readers | $15-$25 | Amazon CBD |
| Evangelical Exegetical Commentary |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors / professors | latest in critical biblical scholarship from an evangelical perspective | $20-$45 | Amazon CBD |
| Evangelical Press Study Commentary |  | Reformed | pastors / professors | exegetical commentary for Reformed pastors | $20-$40 | Amazon | |
| Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors / professors | it's a lexical and grammatical tool, yet provides preaching aids, too | $18-$25 | Amazon CBD |
| Expositor's Bible Commentary - Revised |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | employs evangelical authors, many premillennial | $25-$45 | Amazon CBD |
| Focus on the Bible |  | author's own | Reformed | laypeople / pastors | reads like a sermon | $10-$18 | CBD |
| For Everyone |  | author's own | Wright is an Anglican bishop | laypeople / pastors | All volumes written by N.T. Wright | $10-$16 | Amazon CBD |
| For You |  | NIV | Reformed | laypeople / pastors | reads like a sermon | $10-$20 | Amazon CBD |
| Gospel According to the Old Testament |  | ESV | Reformed | pastors | Christ-centered commentary on Old Testament books | $15-$22 | Amazon CBD |
| Hermeneia |  | author's own | critical | professors | features technical, critical scholarship | $30-$90 | Amazon CBD |
| International Critical Commentary |  | author's own | critical | professors | contains linguistic, textual, historical, and archaeological discussions | $40-$160 | Amazon |
| Interpretation |  | RSV | critical | professors | critical approach to historical and theological discussions | $15-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| IVP New Testament Commentary |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | pastor-friendly exegesis | $15-$30 | Amazon CBD |
| JPS Torah Commentary |  | author's own | critical | professors | Jewish insights; pages flip from right to left | $40-$80 | Amazon CBD |
| Lectio Continua |  | ESV | Reformed | laypeople / pastors | reads like a sermon | $25-$50 | Amazon CBD |
| Living Insights |  | NASB | broadly evangelical | pastors | written by Chuck Swindoll | $14-$25 | Amazon CBD |
| MacArthur New Testament Commentaries |  | NASB | Reformed Baptist | laypeople / pastors | reads like a sermons | $17-$26 | Amazon CBD |
| Mentor Commentaries |  | NASB | Reformed | pastors | focuses on exegesis and Reformed theology | $20-$40 | Amazon CBD |
| New American Commentary |  | NIV | Baptist | pastors | pastor-friendly, many authors conservative, dispensational | $20-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| New Beacon Bible Commentaries |  | NIV | Wesleyan | laypeople / pastors | written from the Wesleyan theological perspective | $25-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| New Cambridge Bible Commentary |  | NRSV | some critical, some evangelical | pastors / professors | provides fresh look at biblical texts | $30-$50 | Amazon CBD |
| New Century Bible Commentary |  | N/RSV | broadly evangelical | pastors | most volumes reflect critical exegesis | $5-$30 (used only) | Amazon |
| New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT) |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors | high quality exegesis for pastors and teachers | $22-$55 | Amazon CBD |
| New International Greek Testament Commentary |  | author's own | all evangelical, some critical | pastors / professors | thorough exegesis of the Greek text | $30-$80 | Amazon CBD |
| The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary |  | NRSV / NIV | Methodist, some critical, some evangelical | pastors | an ecumenical roster of contributors | $50-$60 | Amazon CBD |
| New Testament Library Old Testament Library |  | RSV | some critical, some evangelical | pastors | mostly critical approaches to literary and theological issues | $30-$55 | Amazon CBD |
| NIV Application Commentary |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | bridging original context to contemporary context | $17-$40 | Amazon CBD |
| Paideia |  | author's own | employs Catholic and Protestant authors | pastors / professors | moderately critical exegesis | $20-$30 | Amazon CBD |
| Pillar New Testament Commentary |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | thorough, conservative exegesis | $25-$90 | Amazon CBD |
| Preaching the Word |  | NIV, revisions will use ESV | Reformed | laypeople / pastors | homiletical expositions | $25-$45 | Amazon CBD |
| Reformed Expository Commentary |  | ESV | Reformed | laypeople / pastors | homiletical expositions | $20-$50 | Amazon CBD |
| Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary |  | varies by volume | varies by volume | pastors | comes with CD-ROM that includes commentary on PDF | $30-$60 | Amazon CBD |
| Socio-Rhetorical Commentary Series |  | author's own | Arminian | pastors / professors | Ben Witheringston's project | $25-$50 | Amazon CBD |
| Story of God Bible Commentary |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | laypeople / pastors | focuses on the Bible's big-picture storyline | $20-$40 | Amazon CBD |
| Teach the Text |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | aims to clearly show the text's relevance | $15-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| Thru the Bible |  | KJV | Presbyterian | laypeople / pastors | J. Vernon McGee; similar to radio teachings; affordability | $5-$10 | Amazon CBD |
| Tyndale Old and New Testament Commentary |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | to-the-point exegetical explanations | $15-$28 | Amazon CBD |
| Two Horizons |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors | focuses on theological interpretations | $20-$35 | Amazon CBD |
| Understanding the Bible Commentary Series |  | NIV | some critical, some evangelical | pastors | intends to promote biblical theology | $12-$22 | Amazon CBD |
| Word Biblical Commentary |  | author's own | some critical, some evangelical | pastors / professors | fresh translations, in-depth exegesis | $25-$45 | Amazon CBD |
| Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary |  | author's own | broadly evangelical | pastors / professors | in-depth exegesis for pastors | $10-$40 (used only) | Amazon |
| Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old and New Testament |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | pastors | Graphic Layout | $25-$50 | Amazon CBD |
| Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary |  | NIV | broadly evangelical | laypeople / pastors | color pictures, charts, maps | $15-$45 | Amazon CBD |