Bible Gateway Blog

While Halloween is the holiday most people are looking forward to next week, it’s also the 499th anniversary of Martin Luther’s famous nailing of the “95 theses” to the door of the church at Wittenberg. Luther’s actions informed and inspired the Protestant Reformation, which materialized in reaction to perceived theological errors and abuses in the church.

If you’re looking to get into the spirit of the Protestant Reformation today, here are a few suggestions:

1. Five Bible Verses to Read on Reformation Day: Last year, we picked five Bible verses to read on Reformation Day—five verses that informed the Protestant Reformation. How many of these verses are you familiar with? Do you see why they would have had a special significance to the Protestant Reformers?
2. Try the 1599 Geneva Bible: The 1599 Geneva Bible—available as one of many Bible translations on BibleGateway.com—was an important and influential Bible throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, with ties to many famous Protestant writers and thinkers. It’s also considered by many to be the world’s first study Bible, as it included a vast number of notes and commentary, written by a veritable who-‘s-who of the Reformation. Here’s John 3:16 in the 1599 Geneva Bible; you can also read more about its significance. When reading this Bible on Bible Gateway, be sure to have footnotes toggled on, so you can enjoy the accompanying study notes. (Here’s how to toggle footnotes and other page options.)
3. Access the Reformation Study Bible online: The Reformation Study Bible is a study Bible with thousands of helpful notes on every part of Scripture, written by distinguished theologians and scholars like Wayne Grudem, J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul, and many others. And it’s available in full on Bible Gateway! To access the Reformation Study Bible notes alongside your Bible reading, click the Study This button on any Bible passage page. Here’s a step-by-step guide to doing so. (You can also pick up a print copy at the Bible Gateway Store.)
4. Insight from R.C. Sproul: Speaking of R.C. Sproul (one of the leading Reformed theologians preaching today), our devotional library contains several devotionals written and edited by him. Essentials of the Christian Faith, Tabletalk Devotions with R.C. Sproul, and Tough Questions with R.C. Sproul will all take you on an accessible, honest journey through the basics of Christian belief.
5. The Best of Charles Spurgeon: Charles Spurgeon was one of the most eloquent and influential Reformed preachers of the modern era, and his Morning and Evening devotional is beloved around the world. We’ve also got two devotionals that draw on Spurgeon’s sermons—Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle and the New Park Street Chapel. As with the Sproul devotions, you can read them online or have them delivered to you via email.
6. John Piper Devotional: Explore what it means to live a life of faith with daily insights from author and Bible teacher John Piper, accessible online or in your email inbox.
7. The Reformation Studies section in the Bible Gateway Store: Among the 500,000 resources available in the Bible Gateway Store are Bibles, books, videos, and more that focus on the Protestant Reformation. Come browse the Reformation section in the Bible Gateway Store, where everything is always on sale.

We hope one or more of these resources will help you explore and appreciate the legacy of the Protestant Reformation. Whether you consider yourself “Reformed” or not, there’s something to be learned from the Reformation’s emphasis on the centrality of the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Happy Reformation Day!