How much Bible software do we need?
I recently got offered an upgrade to Logos 5 Diamond for £960. It comes with lots of books - but I don't know if I need those books. It seems to me that for anyone deciding which Bible software to buy, it would be wise to first work out which resources you actually need for what you're doing. I presently use Bibleworks and Logos 4.
These are the resources that I actually NEED on a regular basis for what I do (give or take a few).
For texts in the original languages:
Greek NT
Greek LXX
Greek combined NT & LXX
BHS
OT apparatus
NT apparatus
Apostolic Fathers in Greek and English (For Greek word/grammar studies)
Lexicons:
BDAG
BDB
HALOT or Holladay
NDIDDE
NDIOTTE
TWOT
Louw Nida
Moulton and Milligan
TDNT
Grammars:
Wallace
Robertson
Blass Debrunner Funk
Jouon Muraoka
Waltke
Gesenius
Arnold Choi (I don't think this is available electronically)
Systematic Theologies:
Grudem
Robert Raymond - New Systematic Theology
Bavinck - Reformed Dogmatics
Berkhof - Systematic Theology
Gerhardus Vos - Reformed Dogmatics
Berkouwer -
Calvin's Institutes
Commentary series:
WBC (not all the commentaries in this series are evangelical, or any good).
NIGTC
NAC
Pillar
Expositor's Bible Commentary
Keil and Delitzhe
Calvin
Exegetical summaries
New Testament use of the Old Testament
Textual criticism:
Metzger
NET Bible notes
NA27 apparatus
BHS apparatus
Comfort - Greek Manuscripts
Comfort - The New Testament Text and Translation commentary (don't think this is available electronically, except possibly in Accordance?)
Dictionaries:
The IVP essential library
Confessions:
Westminster
Second London Baptist Confession 1689
Conclusion:
I reckon that a big part of deciding what Bible software to get should be based on what resources we actually need.
