The Access Bible is designed to aid introductory-level students ingrasping the essentials of Scripture study. Its helps, which reflect the bestscholarship from leading academics, are communicated in such a way that thestudent finds information relating to a particular passage in the immediatevicinity of the passage itself.A key feature of this study Bible is running commentary that is interspersedthroughout the biblical text, providing on-the-spot explanatory and interpretiveinformation. Introductions to each book of the Bible set the scene by explainingthe cultural context in which they were written. Reading guides outline eachbook, helping the user see the general sweep of their contents. The Access Biblefeatures 58 sidebar essays that broaden the reader's understanding of biblicalthemes; a glossary defines key technical terms that are indicated in thescholarly notes by a star symbol. In-text maps and charts, a select NRSVconcordance, and authoritative, full color New Oxford Bible Maps round out thisresource.