Creating a Study Bible

With a little inspiration from Studies in Scripture, I’ve decided to give a try on creating my own study bible.  I started with this red letter KJV in Microsoft doc format.  Then I changed the font, font size and margins.  I added a 2.5 inch margin to the right, and am currently building light grey text boxes on the right hand margin to hold my notes with a 10 point font, although I may try an 8 point font if I have more commentary to add later.

The next thing I’m doing is generating a symbol code for quickly identifying common themes such as oneness, salvation, etc…  I downloaded this font set from Heydon Works, installed it and am currently choosing which symbols I want to use for what items.

What do you do for your study bibles?  Do you underline or highlight?  Do you use colors?

Let me know in the comment section below! I’d appreciate some ideas!

Creating a Study Bible
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20 thoughts on “Creating a Study Bible”

  1. Hi Ryan! I’m geeking out over this! I can’t wait to see your study Bible! Thanks for the links to the font set. I will be using this.

    I mostly color-code. My favorite pencils are Prismacolor. I started coloring 30 years ago (wow… it’s been that long…). I color according to doctrinal topics. I started with five colors:

    Godhead – yellow
    Salvation – red
    Holiness – blue
    Healing – purple
    Commandments – green
    Prophecy – orange

    I’ve made many changes over the years, in both what the colors mean and how I mark, but the main core doctrines have stayed the same. I now use green for the Word of God, contending for the faith, study the Word, etc. I have expanded my color code to 20 colors, but I rarely use them all.

    For notes, I like Pigma Micron markers. I like to write Hebrew or Greek definitions in the margin, and chain references.

    Do you mark your text or use color-coding?

    I would love to see your study Bible in print.

  2. Pingback: Creating Your Own Study Bible | Studies In Scripture

  3. I used to color code, a long time ago, but have gotten out of the habit. Now I mostly use symbols to mean things, and am going to try to incorporate my various notes / notebooks I’ve scraped together over the years into this study bible. I’ll post some progress (including screen shots) in future posts. The thing I like most is the loose-leaf idea which will enable changing of pages as I get new notes added! I might even try a little (minimal) color coding of the text beyond the basic words of Christ in Red.

  7. Thanks! That works. I plan on printing several Bibles with different layouts. I figure since nobody really makes my dream Bible, I’ll just have to make it myself. Too bad I can’t have it bound.

  9. I agree, I have heard through the grapevine that PPH is planning on releasing an Apostolic Pentecostal study bible next year though. It will be interesting to see what it has in it if it does come to fruition.

  12. I haven’t, but I have seen a few articles where people are making their own ‘blank Bible’ in sections and having Staples to bind it with that spiral looking thing. I’ve considered printing my own books that way.

  16. I have looked in to self-publishing. I don’t think they make Bibles. At least they didn’t when I last checked about a year ago. I did find a company overseas that will print Bibles but they are expensive and have a limit of around 10,000 copies. If lulu or Amazon don’t publish Bibles, then I think we’re better off with our loose-leafs until PPH produces a good study Bible.

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