Top 5 Logos March Matchups Deals Worth Buying Now
In basketball, March Madness will kick off soon, but in Logos Bible Software, the Logos March Matchups 2024 deals are live now—all of them! Logos users picked their favorites from dozens of options, and it came down to two options. The user crowned one of them the champ, and you get the winnings in big discounts.
I've got all the available deals, but I recommend these top 5 Logos March Matchups Deals for 2024. Check them out. Some of them are what Logos calls Hall of Fame titles. That means they were not part of the March Matchups, but you still get steep discounts because users picked them in previous years. Comment below to tell me which deal you buy and which you'd like to get. Now for the Top 5, in my opinion.
Take a look at the bottom of this post for other steep discounts on the Logos version of March Madness.
New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament
Logos currently charges $1,824.99 for NICOT and NICNT at their regular price. However, you can get them for $1,094.99. That's a great deal for the complete set covering the Old and New Testaments. Take a look at Best Commentaries, a site that ranks commentaries for users, and you'll see that this series boasts more volumes ranked first or second for each book of the Bible. I counted almost 30 volumes listed first or second. Many others rank third or fourth.
This commentary series offers scholarly discussion of each text and book in the Bible. It also adheres to Scripture as the infallible Word of God so you can trust it.
NIV Application Commentary Series
Get the NIVAC for $600 off the regular price of $1,199.99 during this sale. You'll love the way it's laid out. You get scholarly discussions of the text and some wonderful applications to modern life, hence the series title.
Like NICOT and NICNT, the NIV Application Commentary series put many books in the top two for each book of the Bible. Best Commentaries ranks 28 volumes in the top 5, mostly in the Old Testament.
New American Commentary Series
The New American Commentary, or NAC, strikes a wonderful balance between academic discussion of the text and accessible understanding for most people who teach or preach the Bible. I rank this commentary first in my list of Logos Bible Software commentaries and in other programs, too.
Lovers of this series feel frustrated that we still can't get Ephesians or the Psalm 1-72 volume. Ephesians supposedly ships on November 1, 2024, and the Psalm 1-72 volume hopefully comes out before Christ's return. Or should I say that I hope Christ returns before it comes out?
According to a person on the Logos Bible Forums, the author said he'd get it to the publisher by December 1, 2023, and it would come out in "late 2024."
Logos will sell you the NAC for only $439.99, a nice discount off their regular price of $1,117.57. That's a good deal!
Best Commentaries doesn't rank as many NAC titles in the top 5 in the New Testament, but most OT books come near the top of their list. Some of the NT books should rank higher because they're excellent.
Anchor Yale Bible Commentary
The Anchor Yale Bible Commentary costs a whopping $4,257.12 at regular price, but you can save a lot with this great discount and get it for $1,437.76. Because of the huge discount alone, I've included it.
It's always a good idea to have a commentary that challenges thinking in your library. If you're an evangelical conservative like me, then this set will do that. It's very good, so long as you know you must spot the non-conservative thinking. The publisher relied on Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish scholars to write this collection.
Christ Centered Exposition Commentary Series Collection
While Anchor might challenge you theologically and with its technical scholarly approach, the Christ Centered Exposition Commentary Series Collection reads like a collection of sermons on each book in the set. You could read it devotionally for your own benefit or use it to prepare sermons. Either way, it's worth the $195.59 price, which saves you over $200 off the regular price.
Other Great Deals on Logos March Matchups
Now that March Madness will heat up, Logos March Matchups just crowned its 2024 champion. Here's the rest of the top deals available this year.
- Baker Commentary on the OT - The Big Winner!
- Pillar New Testament Commentary - Runner-Up in the Final March Matchups Tournament!
- Evangelical Exegetical Commentary.
- Lexham Geographic Commentaries.
- Tyndale Commentaries Old and New Testament.
- Lexham Research Commentaries.
- The Story of God Bible Commentary
Find all the other deals by using my affiliate link. This will help me with the costs of keeping my site ad-free.
3 Great Logos Bible Software Deals You Should Buy
Here are 3 great Logos Bible Software deals that you can get now and save a lot of money. Find out how to gets free books and deeply discounted books, commentaries, and collections for Logos.
You know that I use Logos Bible Software for most of my Bible study needs. As a result, I'm happy to recommend these 3 great Logos Bible Software deals on some excellent books, collections, and upgrades to Logos 10 or even Logos 9 if you haven't updated to the new Logos 10 version.
Logos Bible Software Deals on Logos 9 Legacy Libraries
The first of our Logos Bible Software deals lets you update your collection of resources with Logos 9 Legacy Libraries. A legacy library includes books like the CSB Study Bible, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, and Theological Diction of the New Testament. Not only will the Logos 9 Legacy Libraries cost as little as $35, but also you can get a huge collection for thousands of dollars. Here's a recommendation:
- Get the Logos 9 Gold Legacy Library which includes excellent resources like...
- Pillar NT Commentary
- Baker Sermon Outlines Collection
- Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary
- Cornerstone Biblical Commentary
- John Piper's Sermon Archive
- Take a look at your denomination's library
- Baptist
- Lutheran
- Messianic
- Anglican
- Methodist/Wesleyan
- Pentecostal
- Orthodox
- Reformed
- Verbum (Catholic)
Free Book of the Month and Other Sharply Discounted Books
The free book for June comes from R. C. Sproul. Get The Consequences of Ideas: Understanding the Concepts that Shaped Our World for free. This book covers the "influential philosophies" from impactful minds in theology, education, arts, and more. Each of the 14 chapters covers a different philosopher or group of philosophers.
Sproul explained why we need to study Philosophy with the following quote:
Philosophy forces us to think foundationally. By foundational I mean first principles or basic truths. Most ideas that shape our lives are accepted (at least initially) somewhat uncritically. We do not create a world or environment from scratch and then live in it. Rather we step into a world and culture that already exists, and we learn to interact with it.
R. C. Sproul, The Consequences of Ideas: Understanding the Concepts that Shaped Our World
Likewise, the other books available for steep discounts include:
- Kingdom Race Theology: God's Answer to Our Racial Crisis by Tony Evans
- The Sabbath as Rest and Hope for the People of God (Short Studies in Biblical Theology) by Guy Prentiss Waters
- The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul by Andrew J. Schmutzer and David M. Howard Jr.
- Understanding and Applying the Bible by Robertson McQuilkin
- A Merciful and Faithful High Priest: Studies in the Book of Hebrews by Martin Lloyd-Jones
- The Heart in Pilgrimage: A Treasury of Classic Devotionals on the Christian Life by Leland Ryken et. al.
- Creative Bible Teaching by Lawrence Richards and Gary Bredfeldt
- A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: The Gospel Promised by Miles Van Pelt
- The New Moody Atlas of the Bible by Barry J. Beitzel
- Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique by J. P. Moreland, Stephen C. Meyer, Christopher Shaw, Ann Gauger, Wayne Grudem
- Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives by Guy Waters, J. Nicholas Reid, John R. Muether
- Unlocking the Bible Story (4 vols.) by Colin Smith
- The Holy Spirit: The Helper (The Complete Works of John Owen, vol. 7) by John Owen, Andrew S. Ballitch (PREORDER)
Publisher Spotlight: Eerdmans Collections
You can get deals on Eerdmans books. Specifically, the publisher offers 40% off the New International Commentary of the Old and New Testament, a great series with many volumes listed in Best Commentaries. More than 20 of the OT volumes are ranked in the top 5 while all but 4 of the NT volumes show up in the top 5. Amazingly, this collection retails from Logos for nearly $1,800 but will cost you only $1,061.99 with this sale offering 40% off. If you own any single volumes dynamic pricing will reduce the price.
You can also get several collections in the Old Testament, Soren Kierkegaard, Theological Dictionary of the Old and New Testament, the Pauline Collection of commentaries, and dated collections from the last several years.
Logos New Year's Sale Saves Up to 55 Percent
Logos has a great deal on a bunch of resources as part of their Logos New Year's Sale. Find out what's included and how to save.
Logos began a Logos New Year's Sale this week, with 2023 starting Sunday. This sale can help you save up to 55%. Let's take a look and save some money using my affiliate link.
As people think about a new year, they often turn to Bible study as one "resolution" or goal they set for the new year. You can find some good strategies for successfully starting and continuing a personal Bible reading plan here on my site. So, let's take a look at the deals in this Logos New Year's Sale.
New Year's Sale on Logos Bible Study Tools
If you want to read your Bible daily in 2023, look at some of these deals. People who want to read their Bible every day and grow in their study skills can grab some Greek or Hebrew resources. The sale includes...
- Mobile Ed courses like the first one on their page cover the Wisdom of John in Mobile Ed: NT 221.
- Other courses on Discipleship, a commentary on Romans, and one on Christian Life from a Kingdom Perspective
- Audiobooks using the new audiobook feature in Logos 10 and Logos 10 Mobile.
- Biblical Studies tools on theology, the book of Matthew, and the History of Biblical Interpretation.
- Plenty of other tools for studying church history, theology, and more.
Some of the resources I'm looking at getting include...
- Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World
- How to Know God Exists: Solid Reasons to Believe in God, Discover Truth, and Find Meaning in Your Life
- Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today
If you head over to the site, you'll see a lot of audiobooks. I love the new audiobook reader in Logos 10. It's a great way to enjoy our library while on the go or as you do something else that doesn't require much mental attention, like cleaning, walking, driving, or other things.
Logos 10 Packages Plus 5 Free Books
Logos extended their Logos 10 Packages sale. Buy a new package either as a brand new customer or as someone upgrading your previous version of Logos, and you'll get the discount and five free books if you use my affiliate link.
New customers get $15 off on a package while existing upgrades will enjoy 30% off. Most companies do this the other way around to entice new customers. They offer their general color-coded packages (silver, bronze, gold, etc.) and their denomination packages for Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, and others. People in the Academic world or advanced Bible study enthusiasts can choose from the Academic packages. You can find a package if you're a preacher or counselor. Customers who want only the feature upgrades and no new books can also get those at a discount.
This Month's Free Book Plus Deals on Other Low-Cost Books
Every month Logos offers a free book. Choose After God's Own Heart: The Gospel According to David this January 2023. Get this and the other discounted books on their site using my affiliate link. The other books and their prices are as follows:
- God with Us: The Meaning of the Cross and Resurrection—Then and Now - 99 cents
- According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible - $1.99
- Genesis 1-4: A Linguistic, Literary, And Theological Commentary - $2.99
- A Still and Quiet Mind: Twelve Strategies for Changing Unwanted Thoughts - $3.99
- A Theology of James: Wisdom for God’s People (Explorations in Biblical Theology) - $4.99
- The Message of Salvation: By God’s Grace, for God’s Glory - $5.99
- The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, Revised and Expanded - $6.99
- Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel: Prophet, Priest, Sage and People - $7.99
- Matthew, 2 vols. (Reformed Expository Commentary | REC) - $8.99
- Exploring the New Testament (2 vols.) - $9.99
- The Whole Counsel of God, Volume 1: God’s Mighty Acts in the Old Testament - $10.99
- A History of Evangelicalism Series Collection (5 vols.) - $15.99
You can also pre-order the volume of The Book of Ezra and Nehemiah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament or NICOT) for $48.99.
Logos Black Friday Deals on Books on Software
You can save a nice stack of cash by taking advantage Logos Black Friday Deals this month. We've got what's on offer and how much they cost.
I hate Black Friday, but these days few have to wait in line a store to get deals. In fact you don't even have to wait till Black Friday anymore if you shop on line at places like Logos Bible Software. They've already got Logos Black Friday deals going. Here's what you can get and save money on this month on books and the upgrade to Logos 10, which I shared with you in my overview of the new version.
Logos Black Friday Deals on Zondervan Courses and Mobile Education
These deals go from November 8th to 15th. You can save up to 85% on these courses. For example, save on courses to learn Biblical Greek or Hebrew. You can go for something as simple as a quick course on how to learn the alphabet for either $15.52 (Greek) or $21.36 (Hebrew). Then study the languages for $189.99 for Greek and Hebrew. Find them on my Affiliate page.
You can find other courses on Theology, Church History, Counseling, and Preaching. One thing I like to do is preach through books of the Bible. So, I get a course on a book of the Bible and study it as I prepare to preach through the book.
Other Deals Coming the Rest of the Month
Other deals are coming in the Logos Black Friday Deals include things like Commentary Mini-Bundles and Publisher Spotlight deals.
In addition, you can still get a nice discount on Logos 10. If you're new to Logos, you'll get 15% off. Prior customers get 30% off. And everyone will get 5 free books when they buy Logos 10 and a package deal, like the denomination collections, collections for preacher or counselors, or the basic color-themed collections, like Gold, Silver, etc.
You can use my affiliate link to get the 5 free books in this deal.
Every month Logos also offers free books and heavily discounted books. You can find the list of November's free and discounted titles here. Here's whats on offer this month...
- Luke (The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 26 | TPC) - Free
- Jon Courson's Application Commentary: New Testament - Free
- Thru the Bible Vol. 56: The Epistles (1 John) - 99 cents
- Did You Know? More Than 6,000 Bible Questions and Answers - 99 cents
- MacArthur's Quick Reference Guide to the Bible - $1.99
- Visual Survey of the Bible - $1.99
- God in the Manger - $2.99
- All the Parables of the Bible - $2.99
- KJV Bible Commentary - $3.99
- Proverbs (The Preacher's Commentary, Volume 15 | TPC) - $3.99
- 1 Peter (NIV Application Commentary | NIVAC) - $4.99
- Sermon on the Mount (Story of God Bible Commentary | SGBC) - $4.99
- 1 and 2 Thessalonians (Story of God Bible Commentary | SGBC)
- New International Bible Dictionary
- Ecclesiastes (Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23a | WBC)
- Illustrated Manners and Customs of the Bible
- Joel: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament)
- Believer’s Bible Commentary
- Mark (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament | ZECNT)
- Acts (NIV Application Commentary | NIVAC)
- John, 2nd ed. (Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 36 | WBC)
- Thinking through Paul: An Introduction to His Life, Letters, and Theology
In addition, Logos offers a pre-order for $34.99, It's the Leviticus: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible from Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament (AKA: ZECOT)
4 Ways Logos Bible Software Can Help You Share God's Word
Logos 9 Bible Software can help you share God's word. Check out these best posts on Logos 9 and a way to save 20%.
Logos Bible Software is one of the top Bible study programs you can buy for both Mac and PC. It's powerful, helps users access a large library of excellent content, and beginners and advanced Bible software users can quickly get used to the program.
I've written a lot about the program so I'm going to share some of my best posts and then show you how you can get a discount on the software.
Open the Logos Guides From Inside Accordance
Some of you might be coming over to Logs from Accordance or vice versa. You don't have to uninstall the old one. Just use them together. You can open a Passage Guide or any of the great guides inside Accordance and make use of your Logos library.
Find out how to do this great little hack in my post: How to Use Accordance Amplify to Website to Open Your Logos Library.
The Factbook: What is it and How Do You Use It?
Think of the Factbook as a Bible Encyclopedia on steroids. It's got a lot of facts about the bible. You can learn more about people, places, things, theological ideas, books of the Bible, and a ton more. So read the article about how to use it and watch the video below that demonstrates the Logos 9 Factbook.
Make Logos Work Like Wordsearch
If you loved Wordsearch, then you likely felt abandoned when Lifeway sold the program and all of its assets to Faithlife, the makers of Logos. But, I wrote a post on How to Make Logos Work More Like Wordsearch. So check that article out.
Get 20% Off Base Packages
Maybe you don't already own Logos 9 and would like to. You can get 20% off a base package using my affiliate link. The like will work from April 1 till May 3rd. For full disclosure, I will get 10% of the purchase price from Faithlife as a commission.
3 Great Logos Deals You Can Get Right Now
Logos Bible software users can get 3 great Logos deals right now.
Logos Bible software users can get 3 great Logos deals right now. The first one is an older deal that remains in place until June 15. The other three just started this June.
Do you use Logos Bible Software for your study? Logos 9 is a great package to study the Bible personally, for sermons, Bible studies, teaching, preaching, and for your scholarly study.
Save 15% on Logos Deal on Logos 9 Base Package Sales
We shared last month during our 6-month later review. You can get 5 free books from a select collection of titles plus get 15% off Logos 9 Base Packages. Here's the link to get the deal.
The base packages will let you upgrade to Logos 9 if you haven't already. If you did, you can jump up to a higher level or get the next level for your denominational base package.
50% Off Eerdmen Publishing Resources for Logos
Check out these great deals and add to your research or study library books like...
- NICOT and NICNT - a great in-depth commentary series on the Bible with "thorough and modern scholarship" on the books of the Bible covered by the New International Commentary series. You save over $600 off the $1599.99 regular price.
- Eerdman's Biblical Reference Collection - resources on language study, additions to the Factbook, and the Theological Dictionary of the OT and NT. The collection retails for $1,138.99, but you can buy it in this sale for $569.99.
- Theological Dictionary of the OT and NT - a great set for theological linguistic research and study. It normally costs $849.99, but with this Logos deal, save 40% and pay $509.99.
- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Revised - ISBE was a standard reference for almost any important word or topic in the Bible with a huge collection of 1,500 photos and 342 maps. Instead of paying $129.99, you only pay $77.99.
- Two Horizons Commentary Series - get 23 volumes with excellent biblical exegesis and theological study. It covers the Bible paragraph by paragraph rather than verse by verse. Pay just $249.99, saving 28% off the $349.99.
Logos Deal on Free Book of the Month
Every month Logos offers a free book of the month, where users can save and get a free book. Sign up for the email to get the book. You can also get other books drastically discounted. For example, this month get...
- Hard Sayings of the Bible - explains over 500 passages difficult to understand. Free
- The Spirit of Grace - part of the Christian Belief for Everyone Series, which gives readers an accessible explanation of the doctrines of the faith. This is the 4th volume covering "the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of the Saints, and the forgiveness of sins." $.99
- Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary - part of the Tyndale Commentaries series. $1.99
- The Person of Christ - focuses on the person of Christ in the history of church doctrine. $2.99
- 2 Corinthians The IVP NT Commentary - part of this commentary series and covers the book in a practical and theological way covering passage by passage comments. $3.99
- The Temple and the Church's Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God - G.K. Beale discusses the OT tabernacle and temple as symbols of the indwelling of Christ and talks about how this applies to NT understanding thanks to Christ. $4.99
- The Bible for Everyone - a new version of the Bible written to make it more accessible for everyone. $5.99
- Exodus Apollos OT Commentary - discusses the book focusing on the Exodus event and how we learn of God's love for his people as he changes the lives of people who were similarly victimized. $6.99
- Foundations of the Christian Faith: A Comprehensive & Readable Theology Revised and Expanded - a readable theology for the average believer. $7.99
- The Revelation to John: A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Apocalypse - Dr. Stephen Smalley offers a commentary on the Greek text of the book of Revelation. $8.99
- Pre-order Changed into His Likeness: A Biblical Theology of Personal Transformation - Gary Miller covers the issue of the Gospel where many promise too much and others expect too little of converts. $7.99
Logos 9 Upgrade 6 Months Later - Is It Still Worth the Upgrade Cost?
It's been about six months since Faithlife released Logos 9 upgrade to focus on some key improvements to the computer app and the mobile app. Also, you can save $1,600 on a Logos 9 Base Package plus get 5 free books using the link provided in this article.
It's been about six months since Faithlife released Logos 9 upgrade to focus on some key improvements to the computer app and the mobile app. I published my review over at ChurchTechToday.com on October 30, 2020, and talked about it here as well.
The Logos 9 upgrade brought the following key improvements, like...
- Some user interface tweaks make the software easier to use.
- An update to the Factbook in the Logos 9 Upgrade
- The interesting Sermon Manager and Sermon Builder
- A Counseling Guide
- New sorting features in the Bible commentaries section of the Passage Guide
- Improvements to the Reading Plans and the Reading Queue
In addition to the above improvements in the Logos 9 Upgrade, we also saw some decent changes in the mobile app. They added the Factbook to the menu seen in the toolbar at the bottom right corner of the app. You can also use your iPad or tablet for preaching, thanks to the new preaching mode in the mobile app. I actually love using my iPad to preach.
15% Off Discount on Logos 9 Upgrade to Base Packages and 5 Free Books
From now till June 15, 2021, you can get 15% off a Base Package upgrade. To do that, follow this affiliate link, and you'll get a discount. Full-disclosure, I'll get a little kickback from Faithlife.
Follow that link, and not only will you get the 15% off discount when you use the code PARTNEROFFER9 at Checkout, but you can also get 5 free books. Select from 28 different books, including some great titles.
Here's a list of my recommendations.
- Spurgeon Commentary 1 Peter
- Lexham Research Commentary: Colossians
- St. Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians by George J. Ellicott
- The Essentials of Prayer by EM Bounds
- The Life of St. Paul by James Stalker
Faithlife offers a myriad of Base Packages. Here's what I recommend depending on what you already own.
- Logos 9 Bronze - Great for people who are just getting started.
- Logos 9 Gold - Jump to this level if you already own a pretty big library.
At the bottom of the page, you see a link to see the other Base Packages. Follow that to find the Logos 9 Upgrade packages for Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Messianic Jewish, Methodist & Wesleyan, Orthodox, Pentecostal & Charismatic, Reformed, SDA, or Catholic (Verbum) users.
Logos 9 Upgrade: Best Feature is New User Interface Tweaks
One improvement stands above the rest. I like the features listed above, but the simple tweaks to the user interface on the computer version of Logos 9 made the most difference in my productivity with the Logos 9 upgrade six months after Faithlife released the update.
It sounds crazy, but the new button on the upper right corner of the screen helps users a lot. First, you can quickly jump to your account to see what you have or what pre-orders you might see published soon. You can also jump to Your Faithlife Profile, where you can interact with other users and see answers to your questions.
The other amazing new tweaks include transforming the program toolbar. For example, right-click on a book icon that you placed on the toolbar like I did as seen in the image above.
you now get a drop-down menu holding those books in that folder.
The new tweaks to the toolbar give you a drop-down list of icons from the toolbar that no longer fit on a narrow screen on small screens. See the image below to understand what I mean.
There's a new light mode, dark mode toggle in settings. People love dark mode, and I don't understand why. But if you do, then you now have it.
Other New Features in Logos 9 Upgrade
Logos seems most proud of the other new features in Logos, which include...
- Factbook
- Sermon Builder
- Sermon Manager
- Counseling Guide
- Improved Reading Plans
I like all of those, and you should see my review linked in the top section of this post from ChurchTechToday. The second feature I'm most excited about also doesn't seem big. Faithlife now added a feature to organize my library in a more useful way when I fun a Passage Guide.
Go to the Commentaries section of the Passage Guide and look in the upper right corner. You'll see ways to sort your books including...
- Priority - follows your customization where you rank certain commentaries above the others.
- Series - groups the commentaries by series, like the New American Commentary series or the Word Biblical Commentary series.
- Author - who wrote it?
- Denomination - what is the denomination of the publisher/editor/author depending on the commentary.
- Type - is it a technical or devotional commentary?
- Era - when was it published?
Mobile App Improvements
Logos added the Factbook to the mobile app too. You'll find it in the menu button in the lower right corner.
Faithlife added a preaching mode to the mobile app. That way, you can build and manage your sermons in the computer app. Then you can put your app in preaching mode and preach from the app.
Logos March Matchups Starts Today with Big Savings
Logos March matchups starts today with 40% off New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament. Find out what it is and how you can save money.
I love March Madness. I used to find a set of NCAA basketball brackets and fill them out. Then I'd watch as many NCAA college basketball games as I could find time to watch. The Logos March Matchups comes along at the same time to promote Logos Bible Software.
Logos March Matchups promotes the software to customers with some deals on commentaries during the March Madness season. Logos started the promotion today, and you can start voting on which books you want to be discounted. By the way, the above link is an affiliate link. That means if you use it to buy books, then you'll help me out since Logos gives me a kickback.
How Logos March Matchups Works
You can participate and vote on what books they offer at the best prices. The College Basketball March Madness works like this: they rank teams in four sections from 1 to 16. The best teams are ranked 1 with the weaker teams ranked 16. Take four groups of 16 and you get 64.
Each group of sixteen plays a single-elimination tournament. The winner gets to compete in the Final Four. That's the four winners of the four 16-team tournaments.
Logos does the same, putting 64 commentary sets in a bracket. Instead of playing a game, they let people vote on which commentary sets they want to receive the steepest discount. Since they start with 64 sets, they pair them up in 32 polls in the first round. The sets that voters choose move on to the second round. In that round, Logos pairs 32 sets and 16 can win based on the votes of users. This continues to the third round with 16 teams, the fourth round with 8 teams, the final four, and the final pair. By the end, voters pick one commentary set to get the steepest discount.
Buyers get smaller discounts in the earlier rounds. The final winning commentary set will cost 60% less after March 22, the end of the tournament.
What Can Users Vote On?
Buyers can get the "Hall of Fame" commentary set, the New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament, for 40% off today. You don't have to wait for the end of the Logos March Matchups tournament. Here's how Logos describes this work:
This massive collection combines the available New International Commentary (NIC) volumes covering the books of the Old Testament and the New Testament to provide an exposition of Scripture that is thorough and abreast of modern scholarship, yet at the same time loyal to Scripture as the infallible Word of God. This conviction, shared by all contributors to New International Commentary (NIC), defines the goal of this ambitious series of commentaries.
The brackets for the Logos March Matchups tournament show the following commentary sets...
Here's my list of recommendations from each division of the brackets.
Division 1 - This section includes the New American Commentary series, my favorite set of commentaries. However, a lot of people like Word Biblical Commentary, so I think it may win the division. However, consider the Lexham Geographic Commentaries. Logos says, "The Lexham Geographic Commentaries deliver fresh insight by drawing attention to an often overlooked component of biblical stories—their geographical setting."
Division 2 - I expect that Evangelical Exegetical Commentary will win this division. It's a critical commentary written by and for Evangelicals. They focused on creating a digital tool. The other set that should challenge for the win is the Pillar New Testament Commentary. It's slightly less technical that some commentary sets making it a nice choice for preachers or teachers not doing scholarly work.
Division 3 - The New International Greek Testament Commentary Series should take this division. In fact I'll call it now.
Division 4 - Either the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Collection or Anchor Yale Bible Commentary will take this part of the bracket. However, I'd prefer The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.
The final round should result in either Word or EEC winning it all. What do you think? Answer below to tell me what your favorite commentary is and which one you think will win it all.
Fans of Mobile Education and Verbum will also enjoy their own bracket.
Accordance Deals: 7 Perfect Price Points to Grow Your Library
Get some of these great Accordance deals on some excellent resources. I share my thoughts on them and what you should buy.
If you're an Accordance Bible Software user, then be sure to head over to their website and take a look at their 7 price point Accordance deals to help you grow your library. You might already know about the sale since they send out an email to customers. But let's take a look at what's included in these 7 price points to help you decide what you might want to invest in for your Accordance Bible Software library.
I'm not getting any kickback or free content from Accordance for this post. These are some great commentaries, reference books, and tools that Accordance users should look at.
Accordance divided this wonderful list of Accordance Deals into 7 different price points, which they call Choose Your Savings. The deals start at $200 on the high end and falling to $0 for the cheapest set. See below for the books included in each price point with some info about my experience using some of these tools.
$200 Accordance Deals
The three commentary sets that cost about $200 includes one of my favorites. The New American Commentary looks at the text with the pastor and advanced Bible student in mind. It's also useful for scholars, with some technical detail in the treatment of each scripture passage.
As a brand new pastor in 1993, I began subscribing to this set in book form. Broadman & Holman sent me a new book every few months. This continued for years until they slowed down. Today, they're still missing a couple of volumes. The books missing include...
- Psalms 1-72 - no known release date
- Ephesians - projected release date of October 2022
NAC uses the NIV text. It's not too technical, so that most believers could make use of this excellent set.
The other sets included in this deal at $200 includes...
- SIL Exegetical Summary Series - gives a summary of how many different scholars treat a text. Students could begin with this and then jump to other commentaries based on what they find in this summary.
- Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - this commentary also includes a detailed outline of each passage. Buyers will get the commentary focusing on helping the preacher organize sermons with exegetical outlines of the text and suggestions for teaching the text. I often consult POSB when I'm struggling to outline the text or, after I'm done, to check my understanding.
$150 Accordance Deals
Bible Speaks Today - The commentary set focuses on making their commentaries understandable and readable while still covering the important details of the text. The resource helps teachers and preachers with applicable and understandable exposition. It's in my top 10 list of commentaries that I consult when I preach.
Reformed Expository Commentary - as the name suggests, this work takes a reformed approach. I'm not familiar with it since I don't own it and don't consider myself reformed. According to Accordance, the series is "accessible to both pastors and lay readers" with "exposition that gives careful attention to the biblical text" from a reformed, Christ-centered focus.
Mentor Commentary Bundle - like the Reformed Expository Commentary, I'm not familiar with this set. Accordance brags about the set holding to a "high view of Scripture and stays close to "orthodoxy while appreciating and learning from the latest theological research. This unique combination allows the reader to see what recent scholarly research has discovered without losing sight of the inerrancy of scripture."
$100 Accordance Deals
Old Testament and New Testament for Everyone - Accordance separates this set into two, so you're really paying $200 for both. However, this lets people buy one or the other if they prefer. The OT set is written by John Goldingay and covers every single passage of the OT with a simple explanation for the average person. This makes a nice devotional commentary that users can also consult as they teach a small group. The NT volume, written by NT Wright, includes his own translation of every passage in the NT. If focuses on relevance for today making it also a good devotional tool
Perspectives Series - think of this as an issues-based work with the debate over "the most challenging issues in biblical studies, theology, and pastoral ministry. You get a point-counterpoint style approach to the big issues, including things like Family Ministry, the Doctrine of God, the Sabbath, and Your Child's Education, to name a few.
$80 Accordance Deals
Lenski's Commentary on the New Testament - most of the time a commentary authored by one writer might not offer the best option. However, sometimes that one person did a great job and so you jump in. Lenski translated each passage and then covers it with a conservative viewpoint. He discusses the language and translation with great detail.
Barclay's New Daily Study Bible New Testament - people who want a devotional commentary with depth will enjoy this work. The updated version in this work helps this generation understand Barclay's illustrations and discussion.
Introduction to the Old Testament - four volume introduction to the OT. I'm not familiar with it, so take a look at the description of each work from Accordance.
$50 Accordance Deals
John Phillips OT and NT Exploring Commentaries - this work focuses on practical application in an accessible format for lay people and pastors alike. It's full of illustrations that teachers and preachers can use in their expositions. I haven't used it a lot, but do occasionally consult it for help in bringing a passage to life.
Gold Nuggets: Sermon Outlines - the Golden Nuggets comes from The Preacher's Goldmine, a monthly publication of outlines aimed at helping preachers. They organized them into annual collections and put them together in this resource in digital form with Accordance.
For Everyone Bible Study Guides by NT Wright - go through the New Testament using this Bible study guide, which uses inductive study to come to an understanding of the meaning and application of each passage in the NT. It's a great resource to get you started in preparing Bible study lessons for a small group.
Accordance Deals Under $40
Complete Word Study Dictionary of OT and NT - while I own many scholarly and detailed word study tools, I usually prefer to look at this work when I'm preparing my sermons and studies. That's because each word has plenty of cross references, that help the reader understand the Greek or Hebrew word translated in an Old or New Testament passage. It's advanced by not as technical as other lexicons. I use the other ones too, but start here.
Portable Seminary 2nd Edition - think of this as a seminary in one tool with content related to Bible surveys, theology, history, homiletics and more. Authors like my mentor Haddon Robinson as well as other contemporary writers help readers learn about how to lead the church today.
Handbook of Bible Application - this book organizes itself by topic aiming to help readers apply the scriptures to everyday life.
Hard Sayings of the Bible - tackle the tough issues in Scripture with this reference of 500+ difficult to understand passages.
Life Essentials Study Bible Notes - Gene Getz gets at the topics in this set of notes on topics and passages simply and accessibly. The goal is to support preachers and small group leaders or teachers who want to help their students and church members understand in a practical way how to live out the truths of Scripture. I love this set and own it now in three different forms and just bought it for Accordance too.
5 Free Abraham Lincoln Collection Books
Get five free books about the Great Emancipator. You'll get the following works:
- Abe Lincoln’s Anecdotes and Stories: “A Collection of the best stories told by Lincoln which made him famous as America’s best storyteller.” Compiled by R. D. Wordsworth in 1908.
- Abraham Lincoln’s Religion: By Madison C. Peters (1908)
- Lincoln’s Use of the Bible: By S. Tervena Jackson (1909)
- The Soul of Abraham Lincoln: By William E. Barton (1920)
- Abraham Lincoln: Was He a Christian?: By John E. Remsburg (1893)