Category: Tyndale Bible Update

Life can get pretty hectic. Trying to squeeze in one more thing between work, family, and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to feel like there’s no time to pause, let alone read and study a huge book! We know reading the Bible is important for us to better understand who God is, receive encouragement, and pause to recenter our lives. So how do we add one more thing to our daily routine without adding stress? It starts by understanding that making daily Bible reading a habit isn’t about perfection or pressure but about creating a moment each day to pause, breathe, and connect with God. The Tyndale Bible Team has some resources that can help and support you on your journey.

Daily Walk Bibles take you on a yearlong guided journey through Scripture. The 365 daily Bible readings are enhanced by short devotionals related to the day’s passage, and rest stops every seventh day allow you to reflect on and connect with what you are learning. Ready to go deeper? Just download the Filament Bible app and scan the page number for in-depth exploration of the passage you’re reading.

One Year Bibles are designed to help readers engage with the entire Bible in 365 days. Whether you’re well-versed in the Bible or just beginning your exploration, these Bibles help guide you through a yearlong journey of exploration, reflection, and growth. Traditional One Year Bibles have a reading every day that explores one passage each from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, giving you a broader overview of the entire story of the Bible. This reading plan format also has journaling and devotional options.

The One Year Chronological Study Bible allows you to read Bible events in the order they actually happened. For instance, many of Paul’s letters were written during his missionary journeys, which are recorded in the book of Acts. When you read the historical context from the book of Acts, coupled with specific insights from Paul’s letters, it helps you see the bigger picture of what was happening in the newly forming church. This study Bible includes daily insights and reflection questions to help you go beyond reading the Bible to understanding it and applying it to your life. The One Year Chronological Bible format also is available in plain text and journaling editions.

THRIVE Devotional Bible for Women is an invitation to journey through the Bible with daily devotionals that help women discover their identity in Christ, God’s purpose and plan for their lives, and how to flourish in a faith that is pure, genuine, and life-giving. Each day’s Scripture reading also contains a key Scripture callout, a love letter from God, a reflection from Sheri Rose Shepherd, a treasure of truth callout, and a special prayer for the reader.

Courage For Life Study Bible for Women and Courage For Life Study Bible for Men have a Bible study on every page of Scripture text. So although these aren’t set up specifically to take you through the Bible in a year, they are a great way to stay engaged each day with a four-part Bible study that goes along with what you a reading.

Filament-Enabled Bibles are not reading-plan Bibles, but they connect to the revolutionary Filament Bible app, which has numerous reading plans to help you stay on track in your Bible reading and explore different topics and themes in the Bible.

There are so many great ways to engage with God’s Word. Find what works best for you, and enjoy your time listening to God through his Word.

See all our Daily Bible options

We have loved to see people gaining a deeper understanding of God’s Word through the Filament Bible app. Now, we are excited to launch Filament into Spanish (NTV) and Portuguese (NVT) Bibles. Growing alongside our English Filament Bible Collection will be Bibles in Spanish and Portuguese with access to the Filament Bible app in their respective languages.

Current Filament Bible app users know how it enhances your reading experience by seamlessly linking your Bible with a treasure trove of resources, helping you dig deeper into God’s Word. With over 25,000 study notes, audio Bibles, videos, maps, devotions, and more, it’s never been easier to engage with Scripture.

Now, this absolutely free app can be used for readers whose heart languages are Spanish and Portugues.

What’s New for Spanish and Portuguese Readers? For Spanish-speaking users, the Filament app is now available with the NTV Bible translation, while Portuguese readers can enjoy it with the NVT Bible translation. While the app’s features are consistent across languages, the amount of available content is still growing. Currently, Spanish users have access to a complete set of study notes and a large selection of videos, maps, devotions, and profiles, with more content being added regularly. Here’s a quick comparison of the features available in English and Spanish:

New Filament-Enabled Spanish Bibles

The addition of Spanish to the Filament Bible app also means new Filament-enabled Bibles for Spanish-speaking users. One of the exciting new products is the Biblia de estudio del diario vivir para jóvenes NTV con Filament. This study Bible is already making waves for young readers, offering the powerful combination of Filament’s digital resources with the highly acclaimed NTV translation.

More Spanish-language Bibles are in the works, including beloved Bible brands like the Biblia Inspira, with plans to continue expanding the offering to meet the needs of our Spanish-speaking community.

Sibley: This Christmas, I’m hoping to receive the dusty pink Biblia de estudio del diario vivir para jóvenes NTV con Filament (Student Life Application Study Bible NTV, Filament Enabled). The color is the perfect shade of pink—elegant yet fun. I love the full-color interior, which makes studying the Bible more engaging and visually vibrant. Plus, with the Filament app, I can listen to the audio Bible, making my time with God even more enjoyable and accessible.

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Sandra: For Christmas this year, I would love to gift my children the NLT Go Bible for Kids. There are so many enticing features that I know will draw them into reading and engaging with the Word of God in a way that feels both fun and meaningful. The Know, Grow, and Go mini devotionals are the perfect length for young readers, offering just enough insight to help them understand and reflect on Scripture. I know my kids will love the Factoids, and I’ll love seeing them absorb these bite-size nuggets of Bible knowledge effortlessly. I’m particularly excited about sharing the Book Introductions with them, which will give them a clearer understanding of how each book fits into God’s grand story. The Seek and Find guide will keep them engaged, giving them things to look for as they explore the text.

What I’m really looking forward to are the discussions we’ll have together as we dive into the Choose to Change questions—applying the Bible’s message to their everyday lives will open up such meaningful conversations. I also hope they’ll be inspired by the True Tales of Transformed People, helping them see how God changes lives both in Bible times and today. This Bible is so much more than just reading Scripture—it’s an interactive way to experience and live out God’s Word, and I can’t wait to watch my kids grow in their faith with it.

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Maria: I would love to receive a copy of the NLT Dayspring Inspire Illustrating Bible, which comes with a large-format spiral binding and is full of beautiful artwork created by the talented designers at DaySpring. The NLT Dayspring Inspire Illustrating Bible would be an enjoyable way to interact with the Word of God in a unique and refreshing way. I would love to be able to draw creative illustrations while focusing on reading my Bible. Also, this Bible is Filament-enabled, so I would use the app to listen to worship music while I work to personalize my Bible with my own artistic touch.

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Mindy: I would be thrilled to find an Every Woman’s Bible under my Christmas tree. My favorite binding is the sky blue LeatherLike, but the soft gold LeatherLike is also gorgeous. This Bible is all about sophisticated femininity and addresses topics from a woman’s perspective. Because over 100 women, many of whom are scholars, contributed to the study and devotional content, I can count on the accuracy of the notes and interpretations. I look forward to solidifying my God-given purpose as I read through the special feature in the middle, and I think it would be fun to gather a small group of women at my home to go through this rich and encouraging content together.

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Ryan: As someone who loves reading, I tend to read all kinds of books—but often at the expense of reading the book. God’s Word, the embodiment of knowledge and truth, is a book that should be read over and over. The One Year Bible is the perfect Bible for reading God’s Word cover to cover, year to year. Dividing up the full, long, daunting biblical text into 365 short daily readings, the One Year Bible makes it easy to reread in a year the greatest book of all—and then to read it again the next year! I hope a new One Year Bible is under my tree this year.

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Lauren: This Christmas, I hope to receive the Biblia de estudio del diario vivir para jóvenes NTV (Student Life Application Study Bible NTV). Although this Bible has “jóvenes” (“student”) in the title, it really is for life-long learners of Scripture—in other words, for all ages! With its full-color interior, its helpful graphics, and the wonderful Nueva Traducción Viviente (NTV), it would be the perfect addition to my Spanish Bible resources—for both my own devotional reading as well as for a church or ministry context!

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Kim: I would love to receive an NLT Church Bible this Christmas! I love the beauty and simplicity of the black cloth-like hardcover design with the words Holy Bible in gold foil on the front. It’s a really great size and weight, which will make it a great Bible for taking to church and Bible-reading on the go. It’s also available in a 24-pack for churches!

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Maissie: At the top of my Christmas wish list is the NLT Daily Walk Bible, Filament Enabled. It is perfect for allowing me to dive into God’s Word every day and gives me time to reflect on what God is teaching me through his Word. I love that it now has access to so many great study notes, devotionals, videos, and more in the Filament Bible app. I enjoy listening to God’s Word with the audio Bible in the app while I follow along in my Bible. The new durable LeatherLike binding will allow me to use this amazing Bible year after year!

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Amy: I hope to wake up on Christmas morning and find the beautiful, new genuine leather edition of the NLT Courage For Life Study Bible for Women. This well-crafted study Bible is built around a discipleship path with an emphasis on transformation. It features a Bible study on every page, but these studies are not just tools for knowing more about God’s Word; they’re intentionally designed to help people experience significant life-change. Plus, the Bible is Filament-enabled, so every page is easily linked to a host of additional content to help me go deeper through the Filament Bible app. Courage For Life is about having the courage to invite God to transform your life through his Word and believing what he says. I know I need more of this kind of courage in my life—don’t we all?

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Evie: I have always wanted to read through the Bible in a year but have a hard time staying on track. The One Year Chronological Study Bible lets me read through the whole Bible in story form with passages combined in timeline order. It also helps me better understand what I’m reading with study information, articles, and reflection questions. And that sage green cover is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It makes me even more excited to unwrap it on Christmas morning!

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Jeff: I love the Life Application Study Bible, especially our brown genuine leather edition. There’s something mesmerizing about the combination of an excellent study Bible presented in a light brown genuine leather cover. I love the pebbled feel of the leather and that unique smell. And I love using the Life Application Study Bible when I’m leading students into the Scripture each week at church.

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Steph: On my Christmas wish list is the NLT Student Bible, Thinline Reference, Filament Enabled. With a newly minted teenage son at home, we are moving on from his well-loved children’s Bible to one that will grow with him during this exciting, and sometimes challenging, stage of life. In a time when our youth are bombarded with questionable messages, it’s comforting to know he can ground himself in truth on the go with this easy-to-carry, slim Bible. I appreciate the relevant study notes, devotionals, and Bible maps and infographics that cater to our visual learner as well as the library of uplifting worship music and videos available with this Bible through the Filament app. I know he will gain so much from this Bible.

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by Jessica Nicolas, New Living Translation Reader and Mom

My love for the Word of God is something I wanted to make sure I passed on to my children, and I knew that introducing the Bible to their lives early would be key. I’m so thankful for the variety of resources available to me that helped me along the way. My boys are now older and enjoy listening to the audio Bible on their way to school. My daughter is still small, so we still share our Bible time together. Although I am not an expert, here are some tips that worked for our family throughout the years.

1. Start early. The sooner you introduce the Bible to your child, the sooner they’ll start to reap from it. It may seem that your little one is too small to understand, but the sooner the seed is planted the longer it has to grow and develop strong roots that will last a lifetime.

2. Be patient and persistent. Time in the Word with your child won’t always look textbook perfect. Kids will be kids, and there will be days where tears, tantrums, or just plain old silliness will make an appearance during your Bible time. It’s okay, roll with it and keep going. Sometimes those have been the days I have learned a lesson myself.

3. Make it fun. God created your child with their own unique loves and quirks. Embrace them! My daughter loves arts and crafts just like her mama, so I introduced her to Bible journaling as a way to help her creatively express what she gained from reading. Maybe your child is more dynamic or musically inclined. How can you incorporate the Word in a way that honors that?

4. Keep it simple. The point is not to overwhelm your child with the Bible but to help them gain a love for it as it becomes part of their daily life and walk with the Lord. In this season for us this looks like: a prayer, reading Scripture, asking questions to check understanding, and then coloring in our Bible. We use an Inspire Bible, which has beautiful illustrations that you can color in. As we color, I continue the conversation about what we read. Sometimes it even opens up the space for her to talk about something that may be on her mind.

5. Start and End with Jesus. Make sure your focus and intentions are all on Jesus. Ultimately he is the reason we want our children to grow in the Word, and we do it all for him. Whenever I feel discouraged and need some encouragement, I go back to my focus: Jesus. This Bible time is not just sweet time spent with your child but also time in Jesus’ presence. Let that be the fuel that keeps you going!

My prayer is that the Word of God shall be the guide that my children follow all their lives, and I pray this over your children too.

“Commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” Deuteronomy 11:18-19, NLT

Looking for a Bible to help your kids engage with God’s Word? Click here for some ideas.

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 22:6, NLT

This passage is so much easier said than done, but it is vital for the kids in our lives. One of the best ways to help kids get onto the “right path” is by helping them engage with God’s Word and then continuing to encourage them as they grow so that it becomes a natural part of their lives, a daily habit.

This, too, is easier said than done thanks to busy schedules, lots of distractions, school work, etc. We have some Bibles that we think will help kids (and teens!) not only read the Bible but also enjoy spending time in God’s Word. Here are a few ideas:

Elementary Age

Go Bible is full of amazing stories about the people and situations God used to change the world! The Go Bible makes it fun and easy for kids to understand the fascinating accounts of God’s heart-changing power in his overarching story. In the Go Bible, you’ll find the complete NLT text in a kid-friendly format that makes it easy for kids to read and understand. Most importantly, kids will realize how the truth of these stories impacts their lives today.

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Hands-On Bible is a full-color, kid-centered Bible that features the full text of the New Living Translation. It is exploding with graphics, experiments, activities, games, and so much more! You and your kids won’t just read the Bible, you’ll experience it!

Kids Text Bibles

The Kids Thinline Reference Bible is designed for the active lifestyle of kids ages 8-12. With fun cover designs and a compact size that’s easy to carry, your kids will be thrilled to take it everywhere—to school, church, or camp! It includes thousands of cross-references, a verse finder to help them find answers to questions, and kid-friendly maps!

Preteen

Inspire for Girls is designed to draw girls ages 8 and up deeper into God’s Word and to inspire creativity and connection with God. In addition to the much-loved features of Inspire, the Inspire Bible for Girls includes over 300 devotionals written by bestselling author Carolyn Larsen, plus book introductions, journaling prompts, and interesting Bible facts to enhance girls’ coloring and creative journaling journey.

Girls Life Application Study Bible and Boys Life Application Study Bible bring the truth of God’s Word into the realities and decisions kids face today. This first step into a study Bible includes hundreds of notes and features to help young Bible readers develop a lifelong foundation built on Scripture so they can not only know but also apply Scripture to their daily choices. These discipleship resources create a space for kids to draw closer to God and create healthier relationships with those around them.

Teens and Beyond

Streetlights New Testament uses creative communication to engage a visual generation. It connects readers with audio and visual content to help everyone understand the life-transforming Word of God. With book overviews, quick answers to key questions, Bible people profiles, and access to the entire Streetlights Audio Bible and video teaching content, the Streetlights New Testament is an outstanding resource for connection and discipleship.

Student Life Application Study Bible is a work of serious scholarship, exquisite design, and outstanding application. It’s filled with thousands of on-page notes and resources and goes beyond the conventional study Bible with additional study resources through the innovative Filament Bible app. Graduating beyond the ordinary presentation and limited resources of other student Bibles, the Student Life Application Study Bible is in a class of its own, with more than 27,000 on-page and in-app study notes and featuring a full-color interior design that marries historic illumination with clean modern elegance.

Also available in Spanish

Student Bible, Thinline Reference, Filament Enabled is perfect for life on-the-go with readable text, a sleek layout, and cross-references all in a slim, easy-to-carry size that is perfect for school, church, youth group, or wherever you roam. But wait, there’s more! This easy-to-read New Living Translation (NLT) comes with access to the free Filament Bible app. It transforms this beautiful Bible into a powerful study and devotional experience, offering more to expand your mind and touch your heart than you can possibly hold in your hand.

We are so thankful to God for the many ways we are able to partner with incredible men and women around the world who are working to bring Christ’s hope and peace in many places that are entrenched in suffering and fear.

Recently, we were contacted by a publishing company in Ukraine that was looking to create a bilingual Bible using a Ukrainian translation by Ivan Ohienko alongside the English New Living Translation. This translation pairing would bring hope to the people who remain in Ukraine, living in constant fear of bombings and invasions, as well as to those who have been forced to leave their homeland and relocate to English-speaking countries, such as the United States.

This Bible released earlier this year and is already drawing people into the arms of Christ. Our partner hopes to also create a Russian/NLT bilingual Bible soon. We continue to pray for peace and for brothers and sisters in Ukraine, Russia, and around the world who are affected by this horrible war.

We are excited to share their story and this update with you:

“The idea of publishing a parallel Ukrainian–English Bible had been on our minds for a long time, but since such a project is quite costly and challenging from an editorial perspective, we kept postponing it. However, with the onset of the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine and the opening of the US borders for Ukrainians, we realized that people greatly needed such a Bible. We began actively searching for which English version of the Bible we could use for our project. I believe the answer came from God. God led us to where I would not have thought to search.

“While discussing publishing matters with a manager from Tyndale, I learned that they also have their own English translation of the Bible, the NLT. We read it and found that this translation is very similar to the Ukrainian translation of the Bible, and people would find it easy to read and study the Bible. So we quickly gathered the maximum number of editors and designers for layout work, and within a year, we were able to release the edition.

“It is difficult to assess the impact of this project on the spread of the Kingdom of God, but I can already see that the fruits of this work will be good. The Bible is being purchased by ordinary churchgoers (Ukrainians), and I see that many Americans who are sponsors of Ukrainians under the U4U program are buying the Bible as a gift for Ukrainians. One church even bought Bibles as gifts for the ordination of pastors. Therefore, I am immensely glad that this work has been realized and is serving people far from their homeland.”

Join us as we continue to pray for peace and that God will use this Bible to surround people with hope and comfort.

The back-to-school supplies are almost sold out, classes are in session, activities are ramping up, and calendars are filled with weekly events. It must be fall! In the midst of the chaos, it can be even more important to connect with God through his Word. We have some exciting new Bibles releasing this fall and some updates on some of our most-loved Bibles. Get a quick peek at what’s coming soon!

NLT Go Bible for Kids

We are so excited to officially introduce you to the NLT Go Bible for kids. We have been anxiously awaiting this Bible’s release and can’t wait until kids are able to experience it (which is really soon!) The Go Bible is bursting with fun and engaging content to help kids explore God’s Word and go share it with others. It plants seeds of faith and shares the life-changing love of God with kids through over 600 features centered on the theme of transformation.

Learn more here. You can preorder here.

Spanish Bibles—Now with Access to Filament

We have loved seeing people grow in their understanding of who God is through his Word with the Filament Bible app in English. Now, we are able to provide the same experience for our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters! This fall we are releasing two Bible brands in our sister translation, the NTV, that have Filament-enabled Bibles.

Biblia ultrafina NTV, con Filament is a thinline reference Bible with an 8.75-point font. These Bibles include the full text of the NTV translation with an extensive cross-reference system in the text and the words of Jesus in red. Ready for more? Download the Filament Bible app and scan the page number you are reading to access a world of resources, including study notes, devotionals, videos, and a full audio Bible—all in Spanish! These first NTV with Filament Bibles will have four cover options and indexed editions. Preorder here.

Biblia de estudio del diario vivir para jóvenes NTV is the Spanish version of the Student Life Application Study Bible. This visually striking Bible encourages thoughtful engagement with the Scriptures, inviting the reader into a deeper understanding of God and his work in the world. Its attractive full-color interior also helps people of all ages read the Bible with ease and enjoyment. It has an 8.25-point font and hundreds of notes and features, including study notes, maps and charts, infographics, important people of the Bible profiles, and more. Ready to go deeper? Download the Filament Bible app and scan the page number you are reading to access a world of resources, including study notes, devotionals, videos, and a full audio Bible—all in Spanish! These will be releasing with a hardcover edition and three LeatherLike editions. Preorder here.

Daily Walk

We have even more Filament news! One of our bestselling daily reading Bibles, The Daily Walk Bible, will be releasing with a completely new cover design and will have access to the Filament Bible app. The Daily Walk Bible takes you on a yearlong journey through Scripture. The 365 daily Bible readings are enhanced by short devotionals related to the day’s passage, and rest stops every seventh day allow you to reflect on and connect with what you are learning. Ready to go deeper? Just download the Filament Bible app and scan the page number for in-depth exploration of the passage you’re reading.

That’s not all the Daily Walk news. The NLT full-size edition has an 8.6-point font. The softcover edition has a beautifully redesigned cover, and we will also be releasing a gorgeous brown LeatherLike edition. (Yes—a LeatherLike daily reading Bible!) It also will be available in a softcover large-print edition with a 10.25-point font.

One Year Chronological Study Bible

Daily Walk is not the only daily reading Bible to get new LeatherLikes this fall. Our One Year Chronological Study Bible will also be adding two new LeatherLike options. This Bible lets you experience God’s story as it unfolds in chronological order, guiding you through events with daily Scripture readings that are enhanced with study guides and reflection questions. Connect the dots of the Bible’s narrative and gain a deeper understanding that empowers you to apply its teachings to your life. This unique approach helps you construct a holistic view of the Bible, revealing how its diverse parts harmoniously work together. It is perfect for individual and group study. Learn more or order here.

Courage For Life Study Bible for Women

The Courage For Life Study Bible for Women and the Courage For Life Study Bible for Men sold out fast when we released them last fall. They are now fully back in stock, and this fall, we are adding a buttery-soft brown genuine leather option to the women’s study Bible line. With slight gold accents and a rich brown color, this edition is so elegant that we can’t stop touching it! The interior remains the same, with a Bible study on each page of Bible text, wide margins, access to Filament, and a stunning full-color design. Preorder the genuine leather here.

Inspire Bibles

We continue to release more of our beloved Inspire Bibles with access to Filament. This fall, we are releasing the bestselling journaling Bible of all time, our original Inspire Bible with the teal binding, now with Filament. You still get all the space to read, reflect, color, and create, but now, when you want to go deeper, just scan the page number to access thousands of resources through Filament. And it doesn’t take up any of the journaling space! Also releasing this fall with access to Filament is the Inspire PRAYER Bible with joyful colors and gold foil accents. Preorder the Teal. Preorder the Joyful Colors.

Life Application Study Bible Large Print

If you are a fan of the large-print Life Application Study Bible, this fall you will have three new LeatherLike cover options to choose from. The meadow teal, brown leaf, and navy blue will also be available in indexed editions.

Life Recovery Bible

Our Life Recovery Bibles are also getting a new look. The incredible content will stay the same and the page numbers won’t change, so it won’t interfere with group study. But the softcover and hardcover full-size and large-print Bible covers will have an updated look.

One Year Chronological Bible, NLT

Also getting a cover design upgrade is our One Year Chronological Bible. This Bible takes you on a reading journey through the Bible in chronological order. It breaks up the chronological reading of the Bible into 365 daily reading portions. See all our One Year Bibles.

Economy Outreach Bible Update

The Economy Outreach Bible, a great resource for churches and ministries, is a low-cost softcover with the full text of the New Living Translation. It also includes features such as Welcome to the Bible, How to Know Jesus Personally, Where Can I Find It?, and The Apostles’ Creed Bible Reading Plan. We recently updated the cover to give it a more elegant, modern look. These are available to purchase individually or in case packs. Preorder here.

More Filament Bibles

While you were on vacation, you may have missed some great Filament Bibles that released this summer. Two NLT Student Bible, Thinline Reference, Filament-Enabled Edition Bibles released, one with a teal cover and one with a modern black cover. These have an 8.75-point font, a full-color Visual Overview of the Bible, the words of Jesus in red, and an extensive cross-reference system. Also released this summer are three giant print premium-value Bibles. These Bibles are more economical editions with an easy-to-read 14-point font. You can explore all our Filament Bibles here.

The Life Recovery Bible has helped millions of people meet the only one who can break the chains of addiction. Helping readers encounter God through his Word and study Scripture with notes and features created by addictions experts to specifically combat the hold addictions have, the Life Recovery Bible is a resource for new life. Each feature in the Life Recovery Bible leads readers to powerful resources for recovery that are found in Scripture. Articles and guides offer help to anyone starting or running recovery groups at a church or in the community.

The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the foundation for many recovery programs. The Life Recovery Bibleconnects these steps back to Scripture, allowing God to take over. Throughout the Bible you will read devotionals that are based on the 12 Steps and emphasize how God’s Word can transform lives. Read this Step 10 devotional based on James 1:21-25.

Step 10: We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” James 1:21-25, NLT

How many times do we look in the mirror each day? Suppose we looked in the mirror and found that we had mustard smeared around our mouth. Wouldn’t we immediately wash our face and clean up the problem? In the same way, we need to routinely look at ourselves in our “spiritual mirror,” the Bible. Then if anything is wrong, we can take the proper steps to fix it.

James uses a similar illustration to show how God’s Word should be like a spiritual mirror in our life. He said: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it” (James 1:22-25).

This illustration supports the sensibleness of making a routine personal inventory. As we examine our life, we need to respond with immediate action if something has changed since we last looked. If we put off taking care of a problem, it may soon slip our mind. Just as we would think it foolish to go all day knowing there is mustard on our face, it is not logical to notice a problem that could lead to a fall and not correct it promptly.

Learn more about the Life Recovery Bible

The Life Recovery Bible emphasizes God as the ultimate source of recovery and offers essential tools and features to break people free from the grip of addiction. It is widely embraced in 12 Step recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, correctional facilities, and by individuals seeking help taking their life back from destructive behaviors and substances. Millions of lives, like Peter’s, have been transformed with the help of the Life Recovery Bible.

Read Peter’s story:

I grew up in a violent alcoholic home and became the monster I swore I would never be. It still pains me to think about my rock bottom. Around 2001, I began, one way or another, to try to wrestle the monkey off my back, and I just couldn’t do it. I was the “In and Out Kid”: 30, 60, 90 days sober, and then a jag; 30, 60, 90 days sober, and then a jag.

At one of these points, I remember sitting in the basement of a local Alano Club after about 90 days in, and a very spiritual man looked me in the eye and said, “You know, you’re about due. I can see a bender on the horizon. There’s a jag coming around the bend like a freight train that’s on the loose. You need to get a Recovery Bible.”

I had never heard of such a thing. I said, “What’s that?” And he said, “Well it’s a Bible that is the Word of God, the Living Word of God, but it’s annotated and footnoted by and for people in recovery.” Well, I left at that moment and drove down to Eau Claire, WI, which is a bigger town around here, and I went to the Christian bookstore and bought myself a Life Recovery Bible. That changed the vector of my life! From that point on, one reading at a time, one day at a time, one step at a time, one prayer at a time, it worked.

A few years later, one of the elders at the church I had been attending saw me knit together recovery and Christ using the Life Recovery Bible, and he suggested, “You need to start a group here.” At the time, I guess pride had crawled back into me, and I kept telling him, “Yah, I’ll pray on that, and I’ll get back to you.” Life was good, you know? The wife wasn’t afraid of me, the kids weren’t afraid of me, the police weren’t pulling me over three times a week, the boss didn’t want to fire me. I was just fat and happy.

Then once again the Holy Spirit used a 2×4 to get my attention, and I found myself out of a job, so I went to God in prayer. I can still hear that voice in my head that told me, “Ah, schedule opened up, has it?!? Got a little time for me now?!?” We began a Life Recovery Group on December 5th of 2009 at that same church, and it has since grown and sprouted into 8 different meetings at 5 different churches locally—and the ones in prison and jail, as well.

Learn more about the Life Recovery Bible

It’s fascinating how our experiences shape our perceptions, isn’t it? The diversity of family dynamics and routines is like a patchwork quilt, each square telling a unique story. Maybe you have come to realize that the way you were raised is very different from your friends. Similarly, peering into the lives of early church communities through texts like the book of Revelation offers a glimpse into their struggles and triumphs.

The book of Revelation gives us a peak behind the curtains. It doesn’t just speak of what God is going to do but gives some real insight into how the early churches were living. Jesus says,

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting” (Revelation 2:2-3, NLT).

Jesus’ acknowledgment of the Ephesian church’s diligence in discerning falsehoods and enduring hardships underscores their commitment to truth. In Acts 19, we learn that the city was filled with evil spirits and sorcery but that the church grew and learned to stand for the truth. However, Jesus’ admonition about their waning love highlights a crucial imbalance. It’s a poignant reminder that truth without love can lead to spiritual stagnation.

Jesus goes on to say, “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” (Revelation 2:4, NLT). Yes, they have worked hard. Yes, they have patiently endured. Yes, they have stood against evil people. But somewhere along the way, they stopped loving Jesus and each other like they once did.

Roughly 33-36 years before John wrote the book of Revelation, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus that we now call Ephesians. The juxtaposition of Jesus’ words in Revelation with Paul’s letter to the Ephesians amplifies this message. Paul’s emphasis on love as the foundation of the Christian life operates as a timeless charge. Amid the battles against falsehoods, maintaining a fervent love for Christ and one another is essential. Paul ends the letter with these words, “May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 6:24, NLT).

Incorporating Ephesians into your Bible reading may be just what we all need to point us in the direction of love. It is a practical way to realign priorities and rekindle the flame of love within the heart of the church. Take some time to reset your life in Ephesians.

Looking for more resources to study Ephesians?

The Filament Journaling Collection offers the most portable and interactive study Bible experience available—and it’s available for the book of Ephesians.

It has the following features:

• Flexible softcover
• Thick, opaque cream-colored journaling paper
• Smyth-sewn binding so it lays flat when open
• Journaling space on every other page for reflection, sermon notes, and prayer so you can engage with Scripture
• The Bible study resources of the Filament Bible app
• Text in the clear and accurate New Living Translation

Ephesians is also included in Inspire: 1 Corinthians—2 Thessalonians, a coloring-book style Scripture portion that lets you color and journal your way through these books of the Bible.

Features include:

• 65 line-art illustrations to color, including 18 full-page Scripture designs
• 204 designed verses within the Bible text containing words to color
• 10 creative-journaling embellishments to color, cut, and share
• 2 ½-inch-wide ruled margins for prayers, notes, or creative expression
• High-quality white coloring-book paper
• Large 11-point font
• The clear and accurate text of the New Living Translation

Another great resource is the Streetlights New Testament, a visually compelling, easy-to-understand resource for churches, ministries, and individuals. The pages link to remarkably creative audio and video resources The NLT Streetlights New Testament explains Christian truth in a unique and engaging way, using audio, video, and print to reintroduce a new generation to God’s Word.

The featured content focuses on helping the reader engage with the Word of God such as:

• The Corner Talk feature answers these key questions: Who is God? Who am I? What do I do?
• This New Testament also includes QR codes that link to the entire Streetlights New Testament Audio Bible as well as to visually compelling teaching videos.