The Gospel Transformation Bible.

Have you heard about this new Bible, friends?

It's the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible that Crossway is releasing at the end of this month. It emphasizes the truth that all of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - points to the Gospel. To the culmination of God's redemptive work in Jesus' death and resurrection and how it transforms our lives. Even as a longtime Christian with a Bible degree under my belt, it's a perspective that's shockingly new to me.

Maybe you're thinking, "Well, that seems pretty obvious. Of course it points to Jesus." But when you're reading through a book in the Old Testament like Judges, you wonder, how does this point to the Gospel? To grace? To Jesus? It all seems to be about rules. But if we're missing the truth that the Bible points to the redemptive purposes of God in Christ in every book, we're missing the whole point.

As the Crossway website articulates much more clearly, "This specially prepared material outlines passage-by-passage God's redemptive purposes of grace that echo all through Scripture and culminate in Christ. The notes not only explain but also apply the text in a grace-centered way. Focusing on heart transformation rather than mere behavior modification, their points of application emphasize the Hows and Whys of practical application to daily living - in short, how the gospel transforms us from the inside out."

YES.

This isn't a new version of the Bible. Nothing has been added to the English Standard Version of the text. But the addition comes in helpful study notes written by Bible scholars and trusted pastors who all believe that the entirety of the Bible points to the Gospel of grace. I'm proud to say that one of these pastors is our former pastor in Nashville, Ray Ortlund, who was the contributor to the book of Proverbs.

Consider this at the top of my Christmas wish list.

PS - There are lots of different covers available here.