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Spirit Filled Life Study Bible Vs Fire Bible – A Comparison Review – Viral Believer
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Spirit Filled Life Study Bible Vs Fire Bible – A Comparison Review

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These are both excellent study Bibles for charismatic or Spirit-filled Christians or anyone curious about all things spiritual. The study notes put emphasis on the spiritual side of things.

Both are authored by well-known spiritual leaders of our time who understand this.

The Bible is “the flagship product from which all other book products are spawned,” according to officials of the Christian Booksellers Association. Both bibles meet industry standards.

The Bibles

The Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible is described as “a personal study Bible unveiling all of God’s fullness in all God’s Word”.

It was first published in 1991 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Jack W. Hayford (Editor), the founding pastor of The Church on the Way, has led a team of anointed scholars to produce the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible.

This outstanding resource offers a fresh look at the scriptures and the work of the Holy Spirit. This Bible addresses important issues of Spirit-filled living in the context of solid biblical scholarship.

Features include:

  • Kingdom Dynamics — 41 themes throughout the Bible that give us values as we advance the gospel throughout the world
  • Word Wealth — More than 550 key terms defined and brought to life, pulling the language from the original Greek and Hebrew into everyday English
  • Truth-In-Action — Charts with practical application from every book of the Bible
  • Detailed book introductions
  • Verse-by-verse study notes

See Details

The Fire Bible

The Fire Bible started out as the Full Life Study Bible; then it became the Life in the Spirit Study Bible. Now we know it as the new and improved Fire Bible first published in 2014.

Originally conceived as a tool to help Pentecostal pastors and lay leaders preach, teach, and reach others with the gospel, this study Bible includes extensive notes, background articles on key issues, and authoritative commentary, along with dozens of other unique features. It was created by Life Publishers International.

Some special features are
• Themefinders point readers to 12 major themes of the Pentecostal tradition.
• More than 70 articles explain historical and theological aspects of major topics
• Study notes for key verses
• Book introductions
• Subject index
• Cross-references
• Concordance
• In-text maps and charts
• One-year reading plan
• A color maps section
• Ribbon markers (except on hardcovers)

See Details

Comparing The Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible Vs Fire Bible

I will compare these two study bibles on various features that they offer based on a scale of 1 – 100.

We will look at the different bible versions offered for each and what types of bindings are available. The study notes will be compared and rated as well.

Both bibles offer study guides from a Spirit-filled perspective. That is a perspective that is sadly lacking in most study bibles on the market today.

If you want to learn everything the bible teaches, you must learn about the spiritual realm. It is very present, though it is a different realm than the one we see with our physical eyes.

Versions

The Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible

Originally published in the New King James Version (NKJV) by Thomas Nelson Publishers. It is now also available in the New Living Translation (NLT) which is the preferred version. There is also a New International Version (NIV).

It is now called the NEW Spirit-Filled Life Bible as the study guides have been updated.

The Fire Bible:

The English Standard Version (ESV) was first published in 2014. It is by far the most popular and easy to understand of all the versions available.

There is also the New International Version (NIV) version especially for children and the King James Version (KJV) in large print.

Winner

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible offers three versions, and the Fire Bible offers four. The Spirit-Filled Life Bible is available in NLT, NKJV, NIV.

The Fire Bible is available in ESV, NIV, MEV (Modern English Version) and KJV. The ESV is the most popular now as it is the newest translation.

One good point, it is available in KJV. Some people still prefer it and trust it more than the newer versions. Google Books says the Fire Bible is “Igniting a Generation in the Life of the Spirit.”

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible – 80 Points

The Fire Bible – 90 Points

Bindings

The Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible

  • Paperback
  • Hard Cover
  • Imitation leather
  • Genuine Leather – black, burgundy and several other colors
  • Various sizes are offered including one with “comfort print”.
  • There is also an e-book available.

The Fire Bible

The standard bindings are available:

  • Paperback
  • Hard Cover
  • Imitation Leather
  • Genuine Leather

Winner

The bindings offered are the same for both Bibles. These bindings, paperback, hardcover, imitation leather, and genuine leather are the standard for all print bibles. However, the Spirit-Filled Life Bible also offers differences in font sizes for those with vision disabilities and an e-book version as well.

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible – 100 Points

The Fire Bible – 90 Points

Study Guides

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible

Jack Hayford, the editor, is joined by many other anointed leaders from across the spectrum of Spirit-filled Christianity who compiled them.

The Fire Bible

Rev. Donald Stamps and J. Wesley Adams

Rev. Donald C Stamps attended Southern Nazarene University where he graduated in 1964 with a B.A. in religion and, in 1965, with a master’s degree in religion.

He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1968. In 1989 he completed the notes for the New Testament. It was published by Zondervan Corp. in 1990 entitled the Full Life Study Bible.

Dr. Adams holds a Ph.D. from Baylor University in New Testament Studies. He is a contributor and associate editor of the Fire Bible, a study Bible published in over 40 languages and distributed on six continents.

Winner

The study guides are the determining factor. The Spirit-Filled Life Bible is edited by Jack Hayford, a well-known spiritual leader. He has an anointing of purity and grace, yet he is a strong leader filled with God’s Spirit.

The Fire Bible, on the other hand, has two editors listed: Rev. Donald Stamps and J. Wesley Adams. Very little is known of them except perhaps by members of the Assemblies of God churches.

Their credentials are excellent, and I am sure their study notes are fine. However, being associated with the Assemblies of God, I feel that their scope may be somewhat limited to AG distinctive.

I am not against the Assemblies. They are just one stream in the wide river of Pentecostal and Charismatic thought.

The Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible – 90 Points

The Fire Bible – 70 Points

Total Points

The Spirit-Filled Life Bible – 280 Points

The Fire Bible – 250 Points

Which Is Best?

It is close! Whichever you choose will give you much insight into spiritual matters and how they apply to you personally. Your understanding of the Bible will deepen and your faith will expand as you study either one of these excellent Bibles.

Because I believe in learning from all streams of Pentecostal and Charismatic thought leaders, I recommend the Spirit-Filled Life Bible when making a choice between the two.

Pastor Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber

Pastor Duke Taber

All articles have been written or reviewed by Pastor Duke Taber.
Pastor Duke Taber is an alumnus of Life Pacific University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
He has been in pastoral ministry since 1988.
Today he is the owner and managing editor of 3 successful Christian websites that support missionaries around the world.
He is currently starting a brand new church in Mesquite NV called Mesquite Worship Center, a Non-Denominational Spirit Filled Christian church in Mesquite Nevada.