The story of the Study Bible begins in the late 1970s. At that time, Herman ter Welle, director of Evangelical Center In de Ruimte in Soest, travels to Norway. There he meets the well-known Bible teacher Thoralf Gilbrant. Gilbrant shows him a five-part series they had published in Norway. Plans were also underway in the United States to publish this series under the name Complete Biblical Library.
Herman ter Welle is impressed with the concept. It is clear, accessible and intended to help believers better understand the Bible. But when he returns to the Netherlands, the realization grows that more is needed. The Dutch public demands depth, careful explanation and theological quality that fits the questions here. The idea is strong, but the elaboration needs to be more thorough. And so the seed is planted for an ambitious project: its own Dutch study Bible series.
Building a new Bible series together
To make this dream a reality, Ter Welle seeks collaboration with professionals. He approached New Testament scholar Drs. Gijs van den Brink and classicist Drs. Henk Courtz. Starting in 1980, they worked on the production of the first volume, Matthew. That same year Rev. J.C. Bette is asked to lead the project as editor and manager. The work takes shape, step by step, part by part, with attention to content and reliability.
Starting in 1986, an average of one volume per year is published within the New Testament series. The New Testament Study Bible is built up over these years into a complete and beloved series, used by pastors, students and church members who want to read the Bible with greater understanding.
A new beginning after bankruptcy
n 1998, Evangelical Center In Space and all of its affiliates fell into bankruptcy. This also means that the progress of Study Bible comes under pressure. But the work does not stop. On the contrary.
In 1999, Rev. J.C. Bette and Gijs van den Brink put their shoulders to the wheel and established the Center for Bible Research Foundation. From this center the publication of the Study Bible series is continued. Between 1999 and 2003 the last four volumes of the New Testament series are published. The series is completed.
From books to digital
Meanwhile, the Study Bible is being used more and more widely, and the demand is growing to be able to work digitally as well. Therefore, in 2005 a digital edition on CD-ROM of the complete seven-volume series on the New Testament was published. An important step followed in 2009: the digital version became available as an internet edition.
Start with the Old Testament
In 2003 a new phase begins: the development of the Old Testament Study Bible. Old Testament scholar Dr. Mart Jan Paul was recruited for this extensive project. Because the Old Testament contains so much material, it was decided to change the format slightly so that the series would not become too large. The first volume, Genesis and Exodus, was published in 2004.
Also in the Spanish
In addition, a major translation job will begin in 2008. The Study Bible is translated into Spanish, a project of enormous magnitude. In 2016, all New Testament commentaries and articles were translated and the Spanish BibliaDeEstudio app live. To this day, the Old Testament is translated by Dr. Gerrit Vreugdenhil and Javier Salcido.
Party!
2015 marks a wonderful milestone: the complete Study Bible book series has been completed. A total of 29 volumes are involved. Since then, additions and revisions have only appeared digitally in the Study Bible app. In this way, the content remains current and Study Bible can continue to grow with new insights and improvements.
Study Bible Today
As of 2018, Study Bible Online and the Study Bible app further expanded monthly. There will be new features, additional content and technical improvements. Those who like to stay informed about the latest updates can check out the page releasenotes.