10 Single-Volume Commentaries, Suggested by Logos Users

A commentary is a resource that provides an interpretive explanation of a biblical book or books. It often provides detailed exegesis of specific passages, surveys a book’s larger structure and argument, and engages with introductory matters such as authorship and audience.

While more detailed, lengthy commentaries are often helpful, sometimes you may just need a quick, reliable guide to shed light on a difficult passage, sketch its interpretive options, or provide its basic historical and literary context. This is precisely what a single-volume commentary does well. Whether you are preparing to lead a small group, wanting to supplement your personal Bible reading, or simply need a quick reference on a difficult text, a single-volume commentary offers a concise yet informed survey of every book of Scripture, all within one manageable resource.

With that in mind, here are ten of the best single-volume commentaries on the Bible according to our Logos community. This list spans a range of theological traditions, scholarly approaches, and intended audiences.

1. The New Bible Commentary (NBC), eds. D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. Alec Motyer, and Gordon J. Wenham

Voted one of Christianity Today’s 1995 Books of the Year, the most frequently recommended single-volume commentary was The New Bible Commentary (NBC).

Rather than relying on a single author to explore every corner of Scripture, the NBC assembles a roster of specialists, each contributing commentary on the books within their particular area of expertise. The result is that whether you are in the Psalms, the Pauline Epistles, or the Minor Prophets, you are always hearing from someone who has spent a career studying that material. Contributors include Bruce Waltke, Leon Morris, Douglas Moo, Howard Marshall, and many others, representing some of the most prominent names in evangelical scholarship over the past half century.

I read through this commentary along with my personal Bible for one year in seminary, and I still frequently reference it. It doesn’t require any technical training to make use of it. Yet it does not shy away from substantive engagement with major interpretive questions. Each book receives introductory material covering authorship, date, setting, and major themes, alongside section-by-section commentary that keeps the larger context in view. As one of our users said,

“This is a great resource for getting the big picture of how a verse fits into its larger context of a paragraph, chapter, section, etc.”

—Daniel Radke

2. The Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC), eds. John Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck

Written by the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary, the BKC reflects the school’s commitment to a conservative, literal, and historical-grammatical approach to Scripture. Its distinctive contribution, then, lies in its consistent application of the pretribulational, premillennial, and dispensational theology characteristic of Dallas, although it presents other evangelical views where scholarly disagreement exists.

It’s designed for pastors, laypersons, Bible teachers, and serious students seeking comprehensive yet concise biblical commentary. Although I suppose including it here is cheating (shush, don’t tell!), because it’s actually two volumes: one on the OT and the other on the NT.

3. The Moody Bible Commentary, eds. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham

Produced by faculty at Moody Bible Institute, this commentary occupies similar theological territory to the BKC—conservative, evangelical, and dispensational. It has earned a reputation as a dependable first stop before reaching for more specialized resources. See what our users had to say:

“It’s my first go-to before looking at the rest.”

—Michael Ballai

“It’s remarkably full of useful and up to date material. It’s a regular faithful go-to.”

—Dan Phillips

4. Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald

Written by the late William MacDonald (1917–2007), a Plymouth Brethren teacher and theologian, this work covers every book of the Bible in a warm, devotionally rich style that makes it useful for personal reading and preparation for teaching.

“Concise yet comprehensive—the most complete single-volume commentary I have seen.”

—John MacArthur

5. Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, eds. James D. G. Dunn and John Rogerson

For readers looking for engagement with the full breadth of modern biblical scholarship, the Eerdmans Commentary is a solid option. Written by world-class contributors, it covers the sixty-six books of the Protestant canon along with the Apocrypha, making it unusually comprehensive in scope. It tends toward more substantial commentary than many of its competitors in the single-volume space, although it’s still written with nontechnical language for broader accessibility. One of our users had this to say:

“This volume constantly seems to offer great insight and far more verbose commentary than you normally get in a one-volume.”

—Dan Francis

6. Africa Bible Commentary, ed. Tokunboh Adeyemo

Produced by more than seventy African biblical scholars, the Africa Bible Commentary was written in Africa and for Africa, but with insights meant for the global church, as well.

For readers from other cultural backgrounds, its greatest value may lie precisely in its difference: It surfaces perspectives, applications, and interpretive emphases that Western commentaries may more routinely overlook. As our community member expressed:

“The very fact that the ABC is from a different culture from my own means that it often draws out points and applications that I miss.”

—Liam Maguire

A second edition is currently on its way.

7. The New Testament in Color: A Multiethnic Bible Commentary, eds. Esau D. McCaulley, Amy Peeler, Janette H. Ok, and Osvaldo Padilla

This New Testament commentary brings together scholars from diverse ethnic backgrounds who combine rigorous exegesis with awareness of how our own social location shapes—and can enrich—our collective reading of Scripture. In other words, this volume operates from a conviction that theological orthodoxy and multicultural interpretation work together.

“This ‘library-in-a-book’ reflects the beautiful mosaic of a many-colored hermeneutic.”

—Ninjay Gupta

“God’s Word will be more faithfully understood when the colorful tapestry of God’s creation of multiple cultures and peoples is embraced.”

—Eric Barreto

For readers wanting to broaden the range of voices they consult, this is a distinctive and valuable resource.

8. The MacArthur Bible Commentary, John F. MacArthur

For those who appreciate John MacArthur’s teaching ministry, this single-volume commentary offers a distilled exposition from one of America’s foremost twenty-first-century preachers. It reflects his characteristic theological convictions (Calvinist and dispensational) and his commitment to careful, verse-by-verse engagement with the text.

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9. The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible, eds. Christopher A. Beetham and Nancy L. Erickson

This volume is an abridgment of the acclaimed NIVAC commentary series, long recognized for its distinctive three-part approach to each passage: understanding a text’s original meaning, bridging the gap between the ancient and contemporary contexts, and reflecting on practical application. The one-volume edition condenses that content into a concise, accessible, and practical resource, making it a strong choice for pastors, teachers, and anyone who wants to understand not only what a text meant but what it means for us today.

10. Women’s Bible Commentary, 3rd. ed., eds. Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, and Jacqueline E. Lapsley

Now in its third edition, this commentary examines every book of the Bible, including the Apocrypha, with particular attention to implications for how women and other marginalized figures are portrayed. Written by some of the top feminist scholars, this work employs a feminist reading to consider what various passages reveal about gender, sexuality, and power dynamics. Additionally, it includes essays on things like the reception history of women in the Bible and the feminist critical method.

Single-volume commentary expansions

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