The commentaries listed on this page are those I would generally consider useful for pastoral or academic research. (Note: there are far too many published commentaries to discuss individual titles.)
My top recommendations are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Be sure to also take a look at my list of top commentaries for each book of the Bible.
ONE-VOLUME COMMENTARIES
- Adeyemo, Tokunboh, ed. Africa Bible Commentary: A One-Volume Commentary Written by 70 African Scholars. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Barton, John, and John Muddiman, eds. Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Gaventa, Beverly Roberts, and David L. Petersen, eds. The New Interpreter’s Bible One-Volume Commentary. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2010.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Newsom, Carol A., Sharon H. Ringe, and Jacqueline E. Lapsley, eds. Women’s Bible Commentary. 3rd ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2012.
- SBL abbreviation: WBC
- *Wenham, G. J., J. A. Motyer, D. A. Carson, and R. T. France, eds. New Bible Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Wintle, Brian, ed. South Asia Bible Commentary: A One-Volume Commentary on the Whole Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2015.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
CONDENSED COMMENTARY SERIES
- Keck, Leander E., ed. New Interpreter’s Bible. 12 vols. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994-2004.
- SBL abbreviation: NIB
- Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. 2nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2014. (See Walton, et al., below.)
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Keil, Carl Friedrich, and Franz Delitzsch. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Translated by James Martin, et al. 25 vols. Edinburgh, 1857–1878. Repr., 10 vols., Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.
- SBL abbreviation: K&D
- Longman III, Tremper, and David E. Garland, eds. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Revised Edition). 13 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005-2012.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Walton, John H., Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2000. (See Keener, above.)
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
COMMENTARY SERIES
The following commentary series are generally published with one biblical book per volume (although shorter books are often grouped together). I am only listing the name of the commentary series along with the publisher information.
- Abingdon New Testament Commentaries. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
- SBL abbreviation: ANTC
- Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
- SBL abbreviation: AOTC
- Anchor Yale Bible Commentary. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
- Formerly published as Anchor Bible. New York, NY: Doubleday.
- Unofficial SBL abbreviation: AYBC
- Former SBL abbreviation: AB
- Apollos Old Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.
- ApOTC
- Baker Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
- Multiple sub-categories (e.g. Pentateuch, Historical Books, etc.)
- Unofficial SBL abbreviation: BCOT
- Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
- SBL abbreviation: BECNT
- Berit Olam. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Concordia Commentary. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
- SBL abbreviation: ConcC
- Continental Commentary. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
- SBL abbreviation: CC
- Cornerstone Biblical Commentary. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Eerdmans Critical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: ECC
- Evangelical Exegetical Commentary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Forms of the Old Testament Literature. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: FOTL
- Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Historical Commentary on the Old Testament. Leuven: Peeters.
- SBL abbreviation: HCOT
- International Critical Commentary. London: T & T Clark.
- Originally located in Edinburgh, this series is over 100 years old and still publishing volumes
- SBL abbreviation: ICC
- International Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament. Stuttgart: Kohlhammar.
- SBL abbreviation: IECOT
- International Theological Commentary. London: T & T Clark.
- SBL abbreviation: ITC
- Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
- SBL abbreviation: IBC
- IVP New Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- JPS Bible Commentary. Melrose Park, PA: Jewish Publication Society.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Kregel Exegetical Library. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman.
- SBL abbreviation: NAC
- New Cambridge Bible Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- New International Biblical Commentary on the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
- Series title changed to Understanding the Bible
- SBL abbreviation: NIBCNT
- New International Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
- Series title changed to Understanding the Bible
- SBL abbreviation: NIBCOT
- New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: NICNT
- New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: NICOT
- New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: NIGTC
- New Testament Library. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
- SBL abbreviation: NTL
- NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Old Testament Library. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
- SBL abbreviation: OTL
- Pentecostal Commentary. Leiden: Brill.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Pentecostal Old Testament & New Testament Commentaries. Eugene, OR: Wipe & Stock.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Reading the New Testament. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Reading the Old Testament. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Readings. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Sacra Pagina. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
- SBL abbreviation: SP
- Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys.
- SBL abbreviation: SHBC
- Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Two Horizons New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- SBL abbreviation: TNTC
- Tyndale Old Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- SBL abbreviation: TOTC
- Understanding the Bible. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
- Formerly published as New International Biblical Commentary.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Westminster Bible Companion. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Wisdom Commentary Series. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Word Biblical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic.
- Formerly published in Waco, TX: Word; Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson
- SBL abbreviation: WBC
- Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
- Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
- SBL abbreviation: n/a
[Updated November 2023]