The Access Bible is designed to aid introductory-level students in grasping the essentials of Scripture study. Its helps, which reflect the best scholarship from leading academics, are communicated in such a way that the student finds information relating to a particular passage in the
immediate vicinity of the passage itself.
A key feature of this study Bible is running commentary that is interspersed throughout the biblical text, providing on-the-spot explanatory and interpretive information. Introductions to each book of the Bible set the scene by explaining the cultural context in which they were written. Reading
guides outline each book, helping the user see the general sweep of their contents. The Access Bible features 58 sidebar essays that broaden the reader's understanding of biblical themes; a glossary defines key technical terms that are indicated in the scholarly notes by a star symbol. In-text maps
and charts, a select NRSV concordance, and authoritative, full color New Oxford Bible Maps round out this resource.