Review: The Complete Hebrew-Greek Bible

As pastor-theologians, it is imperative for those in ministry—whether academic or pastoral—to have access to the original languages of Scripture. Knowledge of the Greek and Hebrew illuminates one's understanding of how God has revealed himself and how Christians live in light of this revelation. However, in the realm of print Bibles, there are very few options that are accessible. Some are clunky and ponderous, taking multiple volumes; others are smaller yet expensive; others still separate the Old and New Testaments, leaving a discontent among the biblical languages. This is the problem that the editors of The Complete Hebrew-Greek Bible (Hendrickson, 2017) seek to resolve. In a compact, full volume, both the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament are provided for reading the original languages.

This is neither an interlinear Bible nor a parallel Bible; there is very little annotation in this work with the exception of minor references and variant spellings. The Hebrew text is from the Biblia Hebraica Leningradensis (BHL), and the Greek text is from the Novum Testamentum Graece, ensuring a reliable and accurate reading. One interesting feature that I enjoyed in this Bible is that quotations and references to the Old Testament are highlighted in the Greek New Testament, showing the progression of revelation and the connections between the two testaments.

At first look, this is a very heavy Bible. It is a compact size—only about 6x8”—but it is incredibly thick, almost 3” in width, and, consequently, is very heavy. Nevertheless, this is comparable to most language Bibles and is albeit more portable than other large tomes. The reading experience is, overall, fantastic. The text is well-set and large enough to read easily. In Hebrew, the Masoretic vowels are able to be identified without a magnifying glass. There are wide margins and pages that do not bleed through, and the book names are provided in both English and Hebrew/Greek on alternating pages. Each testament contains many appendices outlining textual issues in the manuscripts.

As a reader of primarily the Hebrew Old Testament, I will find great value and utility in this Bible, using it for study or devotional methods, especially when I desire a reading experience that is free of distractions. When paired with a lexicon or Bible software, one’s reading of the original languages is unlocked.

This text is ideal for pastors, students, and scholars with a working knowledge of the biblical languages. Since the forms are neither parsed, translated, nor assigned a concordance number, I would not recommend this for those who have not taken courses in Greek or Hebrew. Offered in hardcover and imitation leather styles, The Complete Hebrew-Greek Bible will make an excellent addition to any biblical scholar’s library. And, at an affordable price, reading the original texts is more accessible than ever.

(My thanks is given to Hendrickson for providing a complimentary review copy in exchange for an honest review.)

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