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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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.