12 Best Study Bibles for Women

Looking for study Bibles for women? That’s a noble quest, especially if you want to effectively study the word of God for yourself.

*** Disclosure: The post contains affiliate links through which I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.***

You will grow to love the scriptures, and your levels of understanding will significantly increase.

A study Bible is not a common thing. It includes helpful commentaries and side-notes that expound on the word.

Every book of the Bible starts with a comprehensive introduction to show you what it is all about. With that, you will get a sweeping view of a specific book even before you start reading it.

What Is A Good Study Bible For Women?

The types of study Bibles are so different that you must learn how to choose the right one. If you don’t do that, you may end up with a study Bible you wish you never bought.

Here are clear-cut criteria to help you sift through different available options and pick the right one.

Paraphrase or translation. Most of the Bibles in English are translations of the original text in Aramaic, Greek, or Hebrew. Some are literal translations, while others were translated thought-for-thought.

However, there are many whose text is a paraphrase of the original version.

Examples of literal translations include King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV), English Standard Version (ESV), and the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

Thought-for-though translations include New International Version (NIV) and New Living Translation (NLT).

The best-known paraphrase is The Message (MSG). You need to be very clear about what you want.

Available study tools. For a fruitful study time, the Bible you choose should have certain key features.

For example, it could have concordance, commentary, introductions, maps, references, and timelines. The more tools it has, the better.

Does commentary bring out the original meaning of the text? Or, is it another person trying to regurgitate his or her own understanding?

Instead of relying on someone else’s interpretation, a good study Bible should help you reach your own conclusions.

The best Bibles for women enable the Holy Spirit to lead you in interpreting and applying scriptures in your life.

Now that you know what a good study Bible should look like, let’s delve deep into the best of these Bibles.

Best Study Bibles for Women Review.

 

1. The Bible in 52 Weeks: A Yearlong Bible Study for Women.

God requires us to turn to the Bible both in good and bad times. With a good study Bible, you will get the scriptures you need to apply in a particular situation quickly.

A good suggestion is The Bible in 52 Weeks, which divides scriptures into manageable portions for daily reading.

Every week of the year, you will get a commentary, questions for discussion, and space to write your thoughts.

The purpose is to expose you to brand-new insights while building your relationship with Christ.

You only need up to 20 minutes a day to go through the whole Bible in a year.

Pros

Cons

  • Complaints about inadequate content
  • So said it is too personal
  • Some called it a glorified reading plan

2. NIV, The Woman’s Study Bible, Hardcover, Full-Color: Receiving God’s Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation.

How much do you need to apply God’s word in your life for greater hope, balance, and transformation?

The Woman’s Study Bible has unique features that will speak to your heart. Its purpose is to reveal insights based on Scripture about growth in godly womanhood.

It takes you on a journey from the time you become a believer to a child in the Kingdom of God. The study Bible has not been written by just one woman.

Instead, 80 women from diverse backgrounds contributed to its authorship.

Pros

  • Written by women from diverse backgrounds
  • Includes more than 300 topical articles
  • A beautiful color design

Cons

  • Lacks space for note-taking
  • Lacks in-depth footnotes
  • Difficult when using the Kindle format

3. The CSB Study Bible for Women, Teal Flowers Leather Touch, Indexed.

How do you define the best Bibles for women? In simple terms, a good study Bible should introduce you to the story of women in the Bible from creation to the end.

The CSB Study Bible promises to do that and more. It explains critical doctrines, answers tough questions, discusses Biblical womanhood, and shows you how to apply truth to your life.

You can use it either as a study Bible or for daily devotional purposes. You will benefit from more than 6,490 study notes and 500 studies of the word.

Pros

  • Well-researched and in-depth
  • Numerous study notes
  • A multi-purpose study Bible

Cons

  • The cover is not genuine leather
  • Available only in small print
  • Doesn’t even have the Lord’s prayer

Related Article: Top 12 Best Prayer Journal for Women.

4. NIV, The Woman’s Study Bible, Cloth overboard, Blue Floral, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God’s Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation.

So, what is the difference between this study Bible and the previous NIV, The Woman’s Study Bible?

The previous version has a hardcover while this particular one features a cloth overboard. However, the content is the same.

For instance, you will get special features that speak to the hearts of women with great Scripture-based insights.

This particular version comes with a full-color redesign, making it an excellent choice for you.

Since it is written by more than 80 women from diverse backgrounds, it will speak to you personally.

Pros

  • Features an elegant full-color design
  • Essays by experts in different fields
  • 10.5 large print

Cons

  • Excludes whole verses
  • Lacks adequate writing space
  • A little too thick and heavy

5. NIV Rainbow Study Bible, Purple Leather Touch Indexed.

Looking for a study Bible that leads you to major 12 biblical themes through a secure color code? Get the NIV Rainbow Study Bible.

It points you to themes like discipleship, God, love, sin, faith, evil, family, salvation, prophecy, love, history, and outreach.

All words directly attributed to the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God are underlined. Read it to understand the word from God’s point of view.

It includes several easy-to-use features.

Pros

  • Different Bible themes are color-coded and easy to find
  • Lots of maps and diagrams within the text
  • Easy to use features

Cons

  • Reports of pages that come stuck together
  • Some found topics not to be helpful
  • Some found the color-coding a distraction

6. The NKJV, Woman’s Study Bible, Hardcover, Red Letter, Full-Color: Receiving God’s Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation.

We feature another Woman’s Study Bible, but this time written in the NKJV version. Like the other Bibles under the series, it is designed to reveal the word of God to women.

Its purpose is to help readers develop greater hope, balance, and transformation.

After reading this study Bible, you will get insights on growth in Godly ways from the time you become a believer.

More than 80 women from diverse occupational, educational, denominational, and ethnic backgrounds wrote it.

No matter who you are, you will significantly benefit from the insights provided by this study Bible.

Pros

  • Features biographies of 100 women in the Bible
  • An introduction to every book
  • 10.5 large print

Cons

  • Some found it hard to decipher
  • Has fragile pages
  • A little too heavy

7. NIV Life Application Study Bible, Second Edition, Personal Size (Hardcover).

The NIV Life Application Study Bible is one of the best study Bibles for women. It carries notes and explanations to difficult Bible passages as well as information on life during Bible times.

Instead of giving you a general interpretation of the word of God, the guide shows you how to apply it personally. Basically, you are free to apply what you feel the word is saying to you.

Apart from getting answers to real-life questions, you get 10,000 notes to apply to your life.

Pros

  • Easy explanation of Bible passages
  • Written by top bible scholars
  • More than 10,000 notes

Cons

  • Cover not genuine leather
  • Hard to navigate through the Kindle version
  • The print is tiny

Related Article: Best Devotional Books for Women: the Top 25.

Best Study Bibles for Women
Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

8. The KJV Cross Reference Study Bible Women’s Edition Indexed.

The KJV Cross-Reference Study Bible is the latest version of the popular Barbour’s KJV Study Bible.

It has a version specifically dedicated to women with relevant additional features.

You will get at least 6,500 study notes to help you gain an in-depth understanding of the word.

Each book has detailed introductions and quotes attributable to Christ written in red. Get inspired by reading 33 character profiles of key figures in the Bible.

If you are interested in eschatology, the study Bible has lots of prophecies on the second coming of the Messiah.

Pros

  • Specifically designed for women
  • Contains numerous cross-references
  • Fully indexed

Cons

  • It has a tiny font
  • Pages are fragile
  • A plastic feeling cover

9. The CSB Study Bible for Women.

It is authored by women for women and provides an in-depth exploration of God’s word.

Not only will you be able to get answers to hard questions but also explanations of vital Christian doctrine.

The two editors are long-time leaders in ministry and have extensive years of teaching theology in the seminary.

Don’t be surprised if you become a mentor to other women after reading this book.

Pros

  • Has all the essential features
  • Comes with two ribbon bookmarks
  • Hard to navigate Kindle version

Cons

  • Lacks red lettering of key text
  • Doesn’t have the Lord’s prayer
  • It has fragile pages

10. The NKJV, Woman’s Study Bible, Leather soft.

Want to know how to grow as a child of God from the day you get saved? The NKJV, Woman’s Study Bible, Leather Soft, is designed to provide you with the truth from God’s word.

After reading this study Bible, you are expected to develop great hope, balance, and experience a transformed life. The latest version features an attractive full-color design.

It provides biographies of 100 women from the Bible for you to emulate. Contributors to this study Bible consist of 80 women from diverse backgrounds.

That’s why you should expect this book to speak to you no matter your station in life.

Pros

  • Features 10.5 large print
  • Attractive color design
  • A leather-soft, brown cover

Cons

  • Cream color paper, not white
  • The font on the box is misleading
  • Pages feel dusty on first use

11. Everyday Matters Bible for Women.

Do you want to learn more about critical spiritual practices like worship, forgiveness, and prayer? Why don’t you buy the Everyday Matters Bible for Women?

It has crucial study tools, reflections, devotions, and other features to help you get more from the word of God.

Before going out of the house in the morning, read this Bible to gain inspiration for the day.

It includes 300 informative articles from seven female authors. Before immersing yourself in a particular book of the Bible, you will start by reading a comprehensive introduction.

Pros

  • Written in natural contemporary language
  • Features a large font
  • For women at all stages of life

Cons

  • Book titles are faint
  • Reports of missing pages
  • Lacks a topical index

12. NIV, Bible for Women, Hardcover: Fresh Insights for Thriving in Today’s Word.

The NIV, Bible for Women, is designed to help you address your fears, happiness, pain, sorrows, and worries.

Through an in-depth examination of God’s word, you will find answers to all your pressing questions and issues.

It is authored by several powerful women who share great insights about career, infertility, calling, prayer, relationships, and decision-making.

After spending time with God, you can inspire your friends by sharing these thoughts on social media.

Pros

  • An easy-to-follow topical index
  • Pages are thick enough
  • The everyday application of the word

Cons

  • Lacks a dust jacket
  • Features small print
  • Some said it was too small

Conclusion

There go the top study Bibles for women. We carefully selected and reviewed the books on the list to shows you what each one of them is going to do for you.

Regardless of the one you buy, the idea behind the study Bible is to help you gain a deep understanding of the Scriptures. May you enjoy reading the word of God!

Leave a Comment