Cambridge Annotated Study Apocrypha : New Revised Standard Version Cambridge Study Apocrypha [Hardcover]

I really appreciate this edition of the Apocrypha and its companion, the NRSV Cambridge Annotated Study Bible. The print is small and I'd love a handier edition (with larger print, how can I get both), still its contribution is the tone and manner of the twin volumes.

I'm using it in a Bible study of books included in Roman Catholic and Orthodox canons but excluded in the Protestant canon, along with a cursory review of other books generally excluded from all three. The notes are great and the introductions to the books helpful, though both from a more liberal (which is quite acceptable to me, given my perspective and training).

If you're looking for a study bible that includes the apocrypha then these are your books, especially if you want texts that allow you to draw your own conclusions.

As I continue my research into the Jewish background materials of the New Testament (for sermons on the NT-I'm a pastor), I've recently added this book to my collection. As far as the actual translation of the Apocrypha, this is an excellent translation for a few reasons. A) It's highly readable. B) Scholarship is solid.

The text is a smaller than most books, probably a point or two smaller, and the margins are even smaller. Those are two downsides to this volume.
Text size is important because after all you cannot escape that feature if it's irritating...if you are going to read a book. So I knock it down one star for that problem.

Second observation about this book is that it is billed as an Annotated Study Apocrypha. I have other annotated apocrypha books, but they are not study apocrypha's. The real difference here is that this book has two columns of information for each page. On the inner margin of each page you have scripture cross references. On the other outside margins you have 'study notes'. These notes clarify things that seem a bit confusing...in case the reader misses it. For example as the angel in Tobit introduces himself as a relative the family has never met, the margin explains that this is the disguise of the angel.

For people who are used to 'study bible notes' these are not at all on that level of notation. These notes are much lighter and make no effort at inspirational or devotional application for the reader. So the good is that you have some cross references, many of them are very good and very appropriate exegetically to the text at hand, and then you have some notes that may help clarify technical data or to capture what actually is going on in the text. But there is no inspirational attempt in my view.

It's more helpful than Oxford's Annotated Apocrypha because it has features that one is missing...like good maps in the back, a glossary and index. It could be more helpful for the reader if there were articles discussing some of the key theological points made by each book, excursions on topics as they come up, inspirational or application points for those who look to use these books in teaching settings.

It would be a four star book apart from the small fonts in my opinion. So if you don't mind small fonts, then take my review as a four star rating please.

There is a nice four page general introduction to the Apocrypha. BTW-if you aren't familiar with this, there are two major Apocrypha versions...the Roman Catholic one...and then the Orthodox version (Greek/Slavonic). Then addendums in a few Apocrypha's that include 2 Esdras and 4 Maccabees. This volume organizes them well in my view...giving the volumes that all editions contain first...then the second major group follows with 2 Esdras and 4 Maccabees last. So you have everything laid out in a nice table of contents at the beginning to make it easy to find everything.

Then there is an individual introduction to each book, but these are not at the beginning of each book as you would find in a study bible. These are after the General Introduction....so I missed it the first time into the book (yea I admit I rarely read all the stuff at the beginning of books).

You know what's really funny to me, the editors put the Introductions in a nice large font...but then switched to a little one for the actual text! One thing they added that I like is an Alphabetical list of books. That's helpful too!

For students, the glossary in the back is like a cliff notes study cheat sheet with a paragraph on everything specific to the Apocrypha. there is a nice Hasmonean family chart, a Seleucid Rulers chart, weights, measures and values conversion data in the back and a high quality hard cover.

I will use this volume over and over as I study the Apocrypha. I recommend it for research into the Jewish backgrounds of the NT.

I haven't reviewed it in its entirety. That said, thus far this work is all it claims to be. I only wish it contained more apocrypha books, but compliments my New King James version quit well as my Bible study and knowledge of scripture grows. The apocrypha books included in this collection are (in my experience) the more widely accepted and referenced by scholars. Many books in this collection are included in the 'Catholic' Bible. As another reviewer pointed out the 'summary' for each book are all grouped together near the table of contents. The summaries are great. I highly recommend reading them. The language is easy to understand without losing heart. That's saying a lot from a 'KingJamesian'. Enjoy