Last fall, I started a new graduate studies program at Ozark Christian College, working toward a Master’s Degree. During the orientation, I found a new Bible resource that has proven to be immensely helpful to me.

As the graduate studies program started last fall, I stayed with a friend during the orientation week at Ozark, in Joplin, Missouri. He showed me a new Bible that he had found that he found helpful, and after a quick glance, I knew that I needed this as well.

The Panorama New Testament is a large book, measuring over twelve inches tall, and ten inches wide. The reason for this is so that the pages are big enough to display large quantities of text across a panoramic two-page spread. This can be especially helpful as you seek to study the Bible, because it allows you to trace themes through the text at a glance.

I have found this to be especially helpful in studying Paul’s epistles. Most of them are completely arranged across one set of pages, allowing you to see the whole letter at once.

The first letter I studied using this tool was Ephesians. One of Paul’s main themes running through this letter is our status in Christ. He uses this phrase, or “in Him,” or “in the Beloved,” over and over through this short letter, repeating it eleven times in the first fourteen verses alone.

As I studied through it, I circled every time Paul used that phrase, and seeing the whole letter at once allows me to grasp just how pervasive this point is all the way through Ephesians. I have found it to be extremely helpful to trace such themes through various books of the New Testament.

Of course, larger books have to be spread out across numerous pages, but even so, a new page always starts with a chapter break. No chapter is interrupted by a page turn. And with plenty of space in the margins, it’s easy to take notes, make references to other passages, or trace ideas.

The Panorama New Testament is quickly becoming one of the more helpful tools in my library to help me see the Bible in fresh, new ways. I am excited to see how it will help me grow in my understanding of God’s Word as I continue to use it. Plus, it’s the English Standard Version, which is what I preach from most of the time, and so it’s easy to read and follow.

If you are looking for a fresh way to study and view God’s Word, I encourage you to consider the Panorama New Testament. You might be surprised at what it helps you to see, that you may have missed before. You can purchase one on Amazon.com.

Question: What tools have you found to be helpful as you study the Bible? You can leave a comment by clicking here.