This first set of Bibles were translated and published by Jewish people. As such they feature the Tanach alone, with the surprising exception of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. Most offer a version that includes the original Hebrew text. Some are from a more Orthodox perspective and some less but in all cases these are earnest translations of the Book, by the People of the Book themselves.

Richly and authentically Jewish. Literal and at the same flowing and poetic. Beautiful to both eye and ear. Artscroll's Stone Edition Tanach takes first place in our recommendations for literal English translations. Available in English, Hebrew, or both.

Artistically beautiful with colourful covers. Traditionally Jewish and historically Israeli. Sturdy and well-made. The Koren Tanakh takes first place in our recommendations for Hebrew Bibles! Let's begin with the story of the first Jewish Bible printed in almost half a Millennium.

First to use the original pronunciation of Hebrew names. Technical transliterations (Ḥ/ĥ for the Hebrew letter ח) and precise grammar ("thee/thou" singular and "you" plural.) Highly literal. Koren's Jerusalem Bible reads like a Jewish King James Bible and is your best choice if you prefer the majesty and resonance of the Authorized Version. Available in Hebrew/English and English-only.

Modern and true to the ancient text. Smooth but dynamic. Elegent yet down-to-earth. Full of deeply soulful English phrased just so, Koren's new Magerman translation is a true literary masterpiece, a gemstone sparkling against the backdrop of gorgeous typography, scribal formatting, and fine production that has made Koren famous. Available in Hebrew/English and English-only. Review forthcoming.

Delving deeper into the Koren Tanakh, let's start with how the Messianic prophecies are interpreted and then move on to how both the Hebrew and English texts are laid out according to ancient Scribal law. By the time we're done talking about the "jots and tittles" of the Torah you'll know more about the original text of the Bible Jesus read than every Pastor within a 100 mile radius!

The Living Torah takes first place for Jewish Bibles in modern English. Easy to read, rooted in tradition, and packed with informative notes and visuals, the Living Torah and Nach is perfect for anyone who wants a broader understanding of the original text - from the young or non-religious who may be reading through the Bible for the first time, to advanced scholars looking for the full spectrum of interpretations on a particular verse.

Street kid. Yeshiva brain. Physicist phenom. Father to nine. Orthodox Rabbi in unorthodox congregations. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan walked the fine line between religious genius and relatable guy. He was both traditional and 'with it', a living link between the old Yeshiva world and the 1970s. The way Rabbi Kaplan talked and wrote didn't just make God real to a new generation of Jews - it made the Torah come alive. This is the story of the man behind the Living Torah translation, with special attention given to his original take on Yeshua of Nazareth.

Has anyone ever told you that Isaiah 53 isn't about the Messiah? Or that one man's death can't atone for another person's sins? The notes to the Living Nach reveal that these are Jewish beliefs after all. And how about the Shiloh prophecy, what are the seven meanings of this multidimensional Hebrew term which are all lost in translation? And what about the ten chapters of prophecy in Ezekiel that haven't happened yet? Who are the Fishermen, Gog and Magog, and the Third-Temple Prince? Where are the religions of Christianity and Islam, and nations like India and Japan? The notes to the Living Nach reveal these prophecies through Jewish eyes, and more.

Messiah has been busy taking care of lepers for the last 2000 years and you can find him. The Ten Tribes assimilated but they emerge to accept the dying Messiah and Judah is subservient to them until Zionism. The final Redemption doesn't happen until the end of Y6K but it will still take everyone by surprise because the exact time hasn't been revealed. Leading up to it will be a time of labour pains in which only a third of humanity and Jewry will survive. The spirit of prophecy will be poured out on all mankind and the Jewish people will realize that the son of Joseph was pierced for their sins and repent. Then the Son of David will come and judge the Arabs and Roman Christians who tried to replace them. The nations will embrace Judaism, start speaking Hebrew and using the Tetragrammaton, and will celebrate Sukkot when all this went down. Are you surprised that these are Jewish beliefs about the End of Days? Let's look at the notes to the prophecies in the Living Nach and see what else we can find, because there's more!

How are the Daniel prophecies about past history and the future understood in Judaism? When are the 'time, times, and half a time', 'evening of the morning',  '2300 days', 'Seventy weeks', and '1290/1335 days'? How about the fourth kingdom - was that just Rome and, by extension, Romish Christianity? Or Islam? Or a division of these two world empires pitted against each other? Were the ten horns Roman Emperors from Julius to Vespasian, or future kingdoms? And who was the Little Horn - Antiochus Epiphanes, Constantine with his papacy, cathedrals, and celibate priests, or Muhammad? What if the three supplanted horns were the Moslems, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants? What will the messianic Kingdom look like? Will everyone be resurrected, or just the righteous? And most importantly, who was the 'anointed one' who was cut off during the Second Temple era? Was it really the assassinated Herod Agrippa, or was there another King of the Jews? All these questions and more are discussed in the Living Nach's notes to the book of Daniel!

The Gutnick Chumash (pronounced KHOO-mosh) takes first place for Chumashim (Pentateuchs with the special readings from the Prophets published for synagogue use.) It has the most aesthetically pleasing look and layout we've seen and the actual text is even more breath-taking for its mystical complexity and simple clarity. The commentary draws on ancient sources such as the Midrash and Talmud but its real strength lies in how it combines Judaism's foremost commentator Rashi with deep Chassidic insights from such greats as the Tanya and the Rebbe himself. See this sample for a taste of how this guide can take you into deeper and fuller dimensions of the Five Books of Moses than you ever imagined. This translation is also available with contemporary formatting and commentary as the "Five Books".

How is the Israel Bible the first to highlight the dynamic relationship between the land and people of Israel? By transliterating Israel-relevant verses on almost every page and connecting them to short biographies of Zionist leaders and insights from Judaism's classical commentators. By illustrating everything with maps and pictures of ancient and modern geography. By writing famous names with their original Hebrew pronunications along with Hashem for the name of God. By putting standard synagogue prayers for the State of Israel and the National Anthem in the back. The Israel Bible is produced by Koren in their crisp hallmark style with a two-column page featuring the Hebrew text side-by-side with the modern JPS translation and takes first place in our recommendations for visual Bibles. Review forthcoming!

The first Jewish Bible in modern English. A twenty-year collaborative effort between Conservative, Reform, and Orthodox scholars. A brand-new translation with a fresh vocabulary and style. The Jewish Publication Society's 1985 Tanakh replaced the earlier 1917 version and continues to be widely used across the Jewish world today. Available in English and Hebrew/English. Also available as the Etz Hayim Chumash packaged for synagogue use with textual notes, relatable commentary, and halachic action points. There's also the Jewish Study Bible edition which we don't recommend and the Israel Bible edition featured above which we highly recommend! Review forthcoming.

Written by Jews during the Second Temple, rejected from the Jewish Bible, these books were Christian property until now. While the text of the Jewish Annotated Apocrypha is the NRSV, the hundreds of pages of historically sound commentary is written by Jewish scholars. Essays grapple with Jewish theology, identity, and sectarianism in the Apocrypha along with more standard subjects such as the Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, Peshitta, Canon, Apocryphal Truth & Lies, and the Apocrypha in Rabbinic/Medieval Hebrew literature. Similarly, sidebar comments tackle controversial Apocryphal topics such as the 364-Day Jubilees Calendar, Magic, Bashert, Porneia, Conversion, Heroines, Spartans, Medicine, Greek Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Virtues. The books are categorized similar to the Tanach according to Law, History, Prophecy, and Wisdom. Notably, Jubilees was added and 2 Esdras was omitted due its Christian tone. Maps, Charts, Diagrams, and a Chronological timeline finish off this solid treatment of Judaism's 'Outside Books'. Review forthcoming.

Similar to the Jewish Annotated Apocrypha, the Jewish Annotated New Testament is the product of a group of Jewish scholars bold and secure enough to own a set of rejected Jewish writings and engage with them in a respectful and even positive way. Similar also to the JAA, the JANT uses the NRSV for its base text and then surrounds it with original notes, essays, maps, charts, and diagrams. We heartily recommend this work not just for its well-sourced commentary illuminating the Jewish character of the New Testament, but also as a groundbreaking step in Jewish-Christian dialogue. Review forthcoming.