Here are a few of the Bibles I use on a pretty regular basis. They all have attributes that make them particularly useful to me. Again, there is no one 'right' Bible for every person. The right Bible for you is the one you enjoy reading and studying.
I've left all the paraphrase versions out of my list of favorites. As I've said, they are ok for casual reading, but my preference for study is a Bible that is more closely aligned to the original language.
Crossway Bible ESV Thinline
This Crossway Bible is my everyday reading and studying Bible. It is the one I make notes in, highlight, and underline. I love it because it is small and easy to carry, but very readable.
The disadvantage of this Bible is that because it is compact there are very few cross-references, no study notes, and no book introductions.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
I love the Holman for its readability. It is not quite as "literal" as an ESV in that some words that don't exist in English have been translated with a phrase that conveys the meaning more completely than a simple word translation. Mine is a study Bible with great book introductions, outlines, study notes, and maps.
The disadvantage of this Bible is that because it is so complete it is not one you'll probably want to take on a long trip unless you make it part of your weightlifting exercise program.
The Apologetics Study Bible
I acquired the Apologetics Study Bible, based on the Holman translation, a few years ago because of all the great content related to Apologetics. The Apologetics Study Bible helps Christians better understand, defend, and proclaim their beliefs in this age of increasing moral and spiritual relativism.
More than one-hundred key questions and articles placed throughout the volume about faith and science enhance the study experience. There are introductions to each Bible book, great study notes, and a few timeline charts and maps.
Archaeological Study Bible
I have the New International Version Archaeological Study Bible published by Zondervan. This is an incredible resource if you want to learn more about how the culture impacted Biblical events. There are hundreds of articles, study notes, book introductions, outlines, charts and maps, and even a concordance.
Like other study Bibles, carrying this one around will build your arm strength, but if you're planning on reading it at home or in the office it is hard to beat.
Stewardship Study Bible
I have the New International Version of the Stewardship Bible. As its name implies, the focus of this Bible is on stewardship, but really it is so much more. Each book introduction portrays stewardship principles, perspective, and practice. It is well cross-referenced, and has a good concordance. If I am researching anything related to money and stewardship this is the Bible I turn to first.
The disadvantage of this version is that the study notes are focused almost exclusively on stewardship
Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible
I have the King James Version of Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible. This was the first study Bible I purchased as a young believer. Talk about jumping into the deep end of the pool! This Bible's strength is that every key word is linked to the Strongs number, and there is a Strongs dictionary in the back for every key Hebrew and Greek word. There are Hebrew and Greek lexicons as well. There are vocabulary helps to guide the student in understanding basic Hebrew and Greek.
The disadvantage of this version is that book introductions are very brief, and there are no book outlines.
