Index or no Bible Index

[hawg_427]

Just want others opinions on having a Bible with an Index or no index, which do you perfer?

 

[Marcia]

I prefer it! Of course, I usually don't buy such Bibles if they cost too much more, though.

No matter how many times I read and refer to the Bible, there are certain books I just can't recall exactly where they are. It just makes life simpler to have an index. Ironically, most of my bibles do not have one, however.

You can always buy those paste-on things - but it's such a pain to put them on.

 

[Ransom]

What kind of index do you mean? Some kind of table of contents (though I have never seen a Bible that lacked that), or a concordance?

If the latter, my experience is that the quality of the concordance varies from edition to edition, and so you need to test it on a few of your favourite shibboleths. For example, my regular NASB has what has to be the worst concordance I have ever seen. It literally almost never lists the word or passage that I am looking for. On the other hand, the concordance in the NIV Study Bible is pretty good.

 

[EdSutton]

Personally, I like the index. Helps me get my neuropathic fingers and thumb closer to the book I'm trying to turn to. :thumbsup: :smilewinkgrin:

Ed

 

[hawg_427]

Bible Indexes

I am talking about the index that are on the side of some Bibles. The one that are cut into the pages, they have a much cleaner look than the paste on indexes.

 

[Keith M]

I prefer Bibles without the thumb index - I think the thumb index gets in the way. My wife, on the other hand, prefers either the thumb index or the stick-on tabs. They help her locate the various books of the Bible more quickly.

 

[Trotter]

I use one main bible, and carry it with me to church. Nine times out of ten I can open up the the book I need.

The one I use (NKJV MacArthur Study Bible) has a table of illustrations/charts that I find very useful, though, as well as a topical index.

 

[StefanM]

I usually avoid the thumb index because it doesn't help me that much and usually costs more.

 

[Hope of Glory]

I have an interleaved Bible (blank page between every page), and from what I can tell, there are exactly two companies publishing them, and neither has a thumb index. However, I use the tabs. When I tell the congregation to turn to a passage, I can simply lift the tab and be there, and continue with my thought that I'm voicing while they are turning.

 

[EdSutton]

However, I use the tabs. When I tell the congregation to turn to a passage, I can simply lift the tab and be there, and continue with my thought that I'm voicing while they are turning.

Ain't nothin' like makin' sure everyone's "on the same page". :smilewinkgrin: :tongue3: :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

[annsni]

Never! LOL - I went to a Christian school for elementary and we memorized the books of the Bible way back then. I can find a book pretty quickly and would consider it an insult to use the tabs! LOL!

Ann

 

[EdSutton]

I have an interleaved Bible (blank page between every page), and from what I can tell, there are exactly two companies publishing them, and neither has a thumb index. However, I use the tabs. When I tell the congregation to turn to a passage, I can simply lift the tab and be there, and continue with my thought that I'm voicing while they are turning.

Hmmm! Too bad Ephraem of Syria didn't have one o' them thar' interleaved manuscripts. He couldda' written his sermons out, without writing over the Scripture AND still stayed ahead of his 'parishoners' when preachin'! :laugh:

Uh- I'm assuming the Ephraemi Rescriptus (Codex "C") counts as a "Bible Version". :laugh:

Ed

 

[robycop3]

My own pastor uses bookmarks that he arranges so he can see'em all, with the passage number written on them. He makes a set for each sermon. He says it takes him less than 10 minutes to make'em.

 

[annsni]

Our pastor has been using the same Bible for over 30 years - he bought 5 of them because he knew that they were going out of print. When one wears out, he gets out the next one. The reason for that is that he knows exactly where a passage is - even just exactly where it is on the page! LOL!! If he has a different Bible, it makes him take just that little bit longer to find a passage.

Ann

 

[EdSutton]

Our pastor has been using the same Bible for over 30 years - he bought 5 of them because he knew that they were going out of print. When one wears out, he gets out the next one. The reason for that is that he knows exactly where a passage is - even just exactly where it is on the page! LOL!! If he has a different Bible, it makes him take just that little bit longer to find a passage.

Ann

That happens to be the exact same reason I use a Scofield Reference Bible, and have for over 35 years. I seriously doubt that I even look at any notes in it more often that once every two or three months, now, and that is usually when there is something about some verse that piques my interest, in the text. But I know almost exactly where often referred to verses are located on a page, oftentimes.

Ed

 

[franklinmonroe]

I also have memorized in the books in the standard order, so I have never used the thumb indexes. Now recently, I have been reading Bibles with different orders of the books (Tanahk, etc)... so I do hesitate briefly sometimes before I can find a book.

Its not really that difficult to remember approximately where they are located when you understand how the standard Bible is arranged (the Torah, the poetry books, the prophetic books, Gospels, etc.). The index could become a 'crutch' that could result in a person being virtually unable to find passages in a non-indexed Bible.

To know the location of the books will immediately give a sense of confidence to the Christian and give instant credibility when speaking with the unbeliever.