Ephesians 2:8-9, one of the pivotal Bible passages of the Reformation, emphasizes salvation as a gift of grace, not something we’ve earned through our own merit: 

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift…. — Ephesians 2:8-9 (read it here in the ESV, NIV, and KJV Bible translations side-by-side)

Reformation Day, which many Christians commemorate on October 31st each year, is a great day to remember verses such as these and to celebrate the fact that the Bible is so widely available in so many languages.

[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, What Was the Reformation and Why Does it Matter Today?]

We should never take for granted being able to hold God’s Word in our hands—having the freedom to open, read, reflect, and talk about Jesus Christ with others. Many Christians around the world do not have this privilege. How closely must they hold these God-given truths to their persecuted hearts? Truths, such as:

Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” — Matthew 11:29-30 (NCV)

Every October 31, we celebrate Reformation Day in memory of Martin Luther’s famous act of theological confrontation and the movement it sparked. This particular Reformation Day, we want to spotlight one of the free resources you have at your fingertips at Bible Gateway: The Reformation Study Bible notes!

[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, The Reformation Study Bible: An Interview with Dr. R.C. Sproul]

The Reformation Study Bible features 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. To access The Reformation Study Bible notes alongside your Bible reading, look up any Bible passage and then select The Reformation Study Bible in the STUDY tab part of the Bible text. (Clicking the Matthew 11:29 verse link above will automatically open that verse’s Reformation Study Bible annotation, and you can explore it from there, but here’s a step-by-step guide to doing using this resource for your benefit.)

[Browse the many print editions of The Reformation Study Bible in the Bible Gateway Store]

Take a moment to be a part of one of the Reformation’s traditions of making the Bible accessible to all, by exploring this free resource and sharing it with your friends.

[See the special resource: 7 Ways to Capture the Reformation Spirit on Bible Gateway]

Study the subject of God’s grace in depth when you become a member of Bible Gateway Plus. Try it right now!