There’s a brand-new title in the Bible Gateway Plus library—The Orthodox Study Bible (Thomas Nelson). The reference notes in this study Bible are rich with ancient Christian perspective and liturgical readings—perfect for you to better understand the apostolic roots of Christianity and the insights of the early church fathers.

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While other study Bibles that you gain access to as a member of Bible Gateway Plus—like the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible and the NKJV Chronological Study Bible—give a greater understanding of the time in which the biblical events were taking place, The Orthodox Study Bible reference notes focus on Scripture as read and taught within the context of early church history.

By starting your membership with Bible Gateway Plus, you’re upgrading your Bible Gateway free account and will have access to a treasure trove of theological thought upon which to draw, compare, and read right alongside Scripture. For example, you might be reading Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, and you may want to understand better what Jesus meant by “the meek.” You can use a range of Bible reference material in Bible Gateway Plus to deepen your understanding of the perspectives on this phrase.

The Sermon on the Mount happens to be a good illustration of what sets The Orthodox Study Bible notes apart from the notes of other available study Bibles. For verses such as Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (in the King James Version), The Orthodox Study Bible tends to have more to say on the actual attitude and bearing of the Christ-minded person than some other study Bibles (though, we recommend using many different Bible Gateway Plus resources for a fuller understanding of each Bible passage).

On Matthew 5:5, The Orthodox Study Bible has this to say about who the meek are:

The meek are God-controlled and have mastery over their passions, especially anger. Meekness is not passive weakness, but strength directed and under control. The earth that the meek will inherit is not power or possession in this world, but the new earth, which is everlasting.

As you familiarize yourself with The Orthodox Study Bible, you’ll discover that many of its notes are—like the one on Matthew 5:5—beautifully put. Two verses later, it offers this wording on mercy in 5:7: “Mercy is love set in motion…” If you lead a Bible study, you’ll appreciate that its notes are a goldmine of phraseology for your own messages.

We’re excited to add The Orthodox Study Bible notes as the newest resource available to you when you upgrade your account to access the valuable library of Bible Gateway Plus!