One-Volume whole Bible commentaries are biblical reference resources that contain explanations on every book of the Old and New Testament, often taking a section-by-section approach to explaining Scripture, rather than verse-by-verse approach.
While one-volume whole bible commentaries are not as in depth as full-length commentaries and multi-volume commentary series, they are an affordable, helpful, quick-reference alternative that help users understand the Bible better. (Also see Types of Bible Commentaries: A Guide for Bible Readers to learn more.)
Please see my video on one-volume commentaries at the end of the page.
Bible commentaries have different purposes and different audiences. See Best Bible Commentary Series: The Top 50 to learn more.
Whole Bible Commentary Comparison Chart
The comparison chart below is a quick-reference guide to over 40 different one-volume Bible commentaries. Information about the authors, what English translations are used, and what makes a particular volume unique, are important details to know when choosing a one-volume Bible commentary.
| Title/ Author | Translation / Theology | Notes | Amazon | Christian Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible  | KJV / Wesley- Arminian | Clarke was a British Methodist (d. 1832) | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Africa Bible Commentary  | NIV / broadly evangelical | African theologians writing for African Christians | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Asbury Bible Commentary  | NIV / Wesley- Arminian | over 50 Wesleyan scholars contributed | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Baker Commentary on the Bible  | NIV / broadly evangelical | overview, concise, big-picture approach | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / broadly evangelical | hundreds of color illustrations, maps, and photographs | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Believer’s Bible Commentary  | NKJV / conservative bible teaching, premillennial | written by William McDonald | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The Bible Knowledge Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / evangelical, classically dispensational | written by faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The Complete Bible Commentary  | KJV / conservative Bible teaching | written by Irishman George Williams | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible  | NRSV / Employs Catholic and Protestant writers | includes Apocrypha and 1 Enoch | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Exposition of the Whole Bible  | KJV / conservative Bible teaching, premillennial | written by British evangelist G. Campbell | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Expositor’s Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / broadly evangelical, Daniel and Revelation dispensational | abridgment of original, multi-volume series | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
One-Volume Whole-Bible Commentaries are excellent tools for studying Scripture. See Best One-Volume Commentaries: The Top 25 to learn more.
| Title/ Author | Translation / Theology | Notes | Amazon | Christian Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Bible Commentary  | NRSV / liberal- social, teaching focus | 71 scholars from all over the world contribute | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| HarperCollins (Harper’s) Bible Commentary  | author’s own / liberal- critical approaches | Apocrypha included; contributors from the Society of Biblical Literature | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary  | HCSB / broadly evangelical | 350 illustrations | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| IVP Bible Backgrounds Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / broadly evangelical | Christianity Today’s book of the year 1995; revised 2014 | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown  | KJV / Reformed | abridged version: published 1871 | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Jon Courson’s Application Commentary  | KJV / pretribulation, premillennial | written by Calvary Chapel leader and pastor | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| King James Version Commentary  | KJV / broadly evangelical | verse-by-verse, non- technical | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| The MacArthur Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NKJV / Reformed, MacArthur calls himself a “leaky dispen- sationalist” | lots of overlap with MacArthur’s study bible | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Matthew Henry’s Commentary  | KJV / Reformed, Presbyterian | used by C.H. Spurgeon and George Whitefield | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Moody Bible Commentary  | primarily NASB / non- charismatic, dispensational, generally Calvinistic | written by 30 Moody Bible Institute Professors | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
More people seek to own a commentary on the book of Revelation than any other book of the Bible. See best Revelation commentaries to learn more.
| Title/ Author | Translation / Theology | Notes | Amazon | Christian Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / broadly evangelical | now in 4th edition | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| New Collegeville Bible Commentary  | NAB / Roman Catholic | cross references to catechisms | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| New International Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / broadly evangelical | F.F. Bruce editor; won Gold Medallion Award | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The New Interpreter’s Commentary  | NIV, NRSV / evangelical and non- evangelical authors contribute | Apocrypha included | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The New Jerome Biblical Commentary  | New Jerusalem Bible translation / Roman Catholic | written by Catholic scholars | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| The New Layman’s Bible Commentary  | RSV / broadly evangelical | edited by F.F. Bruce; now New International Bible Commentary | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| NIV Bible Study Commentary  | NIV / broadly evangelical | written by John Sailhamer | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Peake’s Commentary  | RSV / Peake was Methodist; employs critical approaches | first published in 1919: revised in 1962 | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| South Asia Bible Commentary  | NIV / broadly evangelical | most authors from India and Sri Lanka | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The Teacher’s Bible Commentary  | KJV and others / Southern Baptist | conservative Baptist authors | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
Romans is a popular book of the Bible studying a commentary. See best Romans commentaries to learn more.
| Title/ Author | Translation / Theology | Notes | Amazon | Christian Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theological Bible Commentary  | NRSV / liberal- critical | emphasizes theology proper: reads like independent essays | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Theology of Work Bible Commentary  | NRSV / broadly evangelical | topical approach about work; endorsed by Tim Keller | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| The Transforming Word  | NIV / authors formerly Stone-Campbell Movement | authors associated with the Church of Christ | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Tony Evans Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | CSB / conservative, evangelical, dispensational | bible study, devotional approach | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary  | NLT / broadly evangelical | conservative Baptist authors | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Wesley (John) One-Volume Commentary  | KJV / Arminian | written by 40+ Wesley- Arminian scholars | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Wiersbe Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | KJV / Wiersbe was Baptist | all of Wiersbe’s “Be” commentaries combined | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Wycliffe Bible Commentary  | primarily KJV / dispensational | from Moody Publishers | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | See on Christian Book using exact ISBN |
| Zondervan Bible Commentary  TOP REVIEWED | NIV / broadly evangelical | adds pictures to New International Bible Commentary (F.F. Bruce) | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
| Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary  | NIV / broadly evangelical | abridgment of 12- volume Expositor’s Bible Commentary | See on Amazon using exact ISBN | N/A |
A commentary on the Gospel of John helps readers unlock one of the most important books of the Bible. See best John commentaries to learn more.
