Context Changes Everything 

The Bible was originally written to an ancient people removed from us by thousands of years and thousands of miles. The scriptures include subtle culturally based nuances, undertones, and references to ancient events, literature and customs that those who first heard the Scriptures read would have intuitively understood. For us to hear the Scriptures as they did, we need a window into their world.

That’s what the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible provides. Every page is packed with expert insight into the customs, culture, and literature of Bible times. These fascinating explanations will serve to clarify your study of the Scriptures, reinforcing your confidence and bringing difficult passages of Scripture into sharp focus.

The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Bible, with notes from Dr. John Walton in the Old Testament and Dr. Craig Keener in the New Testament, builds the knowledge base of this millennia-spanning cultural information for modern readers. This Bible helps readers set aside their own cultural perceptions and begin reading the Scriptures the way the original hearers did.

Features:

• The full text of the NIV in study Bible format
• Full-color page presentation with hundreds of photographs and images from around the world illustrating the included contextual information
• In-depth book introductions that explain the context in which each book of the Bible was created, whether in the oral tradition or as it was written down by the Bible's 40+ authors
• Over 10,000 verse-by-verse notes that shed light on the important details surrounding the context of the original writers and hearers/readers, opening new understanding to readers as they engage the text of Scripture
• Dozens of charts, maps, diagrams, and other information in vivid color
• In-depth articles on key contextual topics
• Words of Jesus in red
• Full study Bible tools: cross references, a concordance, indexes and other helps