Bible Study or Essential collection?

[Danny]

Hello everyone, I have been looking at Accordance for a while now and still have this question, Bible Study or the Essential collection? What I am really looking to know is because I do not read Greek and Hebrew is there any value in getting the Essential collection which comes with a lot of original language resources? As a English reading only person is there anything moving up from the Bible Study collection that would benefit someone like me? I like some of the additions to the Essential that the Bible Study does not have like the Timeline, Atlas, CNT and the Mounce New Testament to name a few. Any recommendations would be helpful.

[Abram K-J]

The Essential collection is a good deal, in my opinion. But you could always buy the Bible Study collection first, see how you go with it, and then upgrade later. Another option is use the same amount of money you would use for Essential and then buy Bible Study and add-ons of your choice.

 

That said, even if you didn't use original languages, the Essential collection would probably give you more bang for your buck than doing Bible Study + separate add-ons.

[ukfraser]

Danny, while you may be english only at the moment, do you think that you will dip into original languages later? It is actually worth having original language materials available when you start digging.

 

I have added a lot of jps materials to my collection and the original language isnt included in accordance but is in the hard copy.

Edited December 12, 2015 by ukfraser

[Julia Falling]

I agree with Abram that you get more 'bang for your bucks' with the Essential Collection.  Being able to create a real interlinear Bible in both OT and NT is something you would gain in addition to more texts and tools.  

 

 

It's also cheaper to buy it all now than to upgrade later.  I have upgraded step-wise and it has cost more than it would have.

 

You may never take a full Greek or Hebrew class.  But if you pursue Greek-light and/or Hebrew-light in order to deepen your studies & to be able to make use of technical commentaries, the Essential Collection is what you would want at that point.

 

If you never plan to pursue original languages and the very thought of it makes you suspect that your head is about to explode, don't spend the extra bucks.  If dollars are tight, don't spend the bucks.

 

I know these decisions aren't easy.  Very few of us have unlimited resources.  At the same time, Accordance has been the single most important tool for my husband and me for studying God's Word and we would hate to be without it.

[Dennis M Callies]

It was September 2003 when I first purchased Accordance software. Of course there are some modules today that weren't available then. But generally overall my timid bit-by-bit purchases have cost me much more than a purchase of a collection would have. A person would do well to look at his budget and purchase the greatest collection it will allow. Bible study becomes more and more engaging. 

[Danny]

Wow, I didn't expect so much activity so fast on the forums. I have been leaning towards the Essential collection but just didn't want to waste money on something I couldn't use. Ukfraser, I don't have any plans at the moment to learn the languages but I am definitely open to it, I have looked into some online learning classes for it before but have not taken the plunge yet. Thank you all for the comments, I think I will be getting the Essential collection because I do intend to study the original languages.

[ucfgrad93]

I think it depends on what you want to do with Accordance.  Are you a pastor, seminary student, leading a Bible study, etc.?  One of the really nice things about Accordance is there are several entry points and you can very easily add on material that you want at a later date.

[Ιακοβ]

Take some classes in Greek and Hebrew, it will be rewarding, and justify getting the better package

[Michele]

Hello Danny!

 

All of the previous responses from our users offer excellent advise. We do recommend selecting the largest collection that your budget willl allow, as it does offer the most value. You may want to take a look at our Current Specials page on the Store for a spectacular deal that started today.

 

Also, we do have custom upgrade options available within the Primary Collections, as well as with some of our add on bundles. Custom Upgrades take into account what you already own and charge you only for the new material that would be added. This allows users to upgrade in steps over time as their budget will allow. The overall expenditure ends up being fairly close in price, as if you had initially purchased the larger collection to begin with.

 

If you have any further questions regarding our products, please feel free to contact our sales team either via email at orders@accordancebible.com or by phone at 407-339-5855 ET. We would be more than happy to assist you in any way that we can.

 

Michele Bozzacco
Supervisor of Customer Service
OakTree Software, Inc.
Sales: (407) 339-5855
Tech Support: (407) 339-0266
www.accordancebible.com

 

[Fabian]

For me: There is a reason why the Essential Collection is most of the time the second package in the Top Selling Products list.

 

And now with 35% http://www.accordancebible.com/Giving-Gifts-That-Lastis this question for me obsolete

 

Greetings

 

Fabian

[Danny]

This might not be the proper forum but I went ahead and purchased the Essential collection using the link provided above. I am not sure if that was the right one or not I received an email after purchasing that said it was still pending and I would receive another to download. I still haven't got that email but when I log into My Account it shows Charged under the status and I verified the charge on my card so I proceeded to download the installer for Accordance 11 and when I try to log in and validate I get a message "Accordance 11 not found in account". Is there an email I am suppose to get? I am aware of spam so I have been checking the spam folder as well but no email yet.

[Rick Bennett]

This might not be the proper forum but I went ahead and purchased the Essential collection using the link provided above. I am not sure if that was the right one or not I received an email after purchasing that said it was still pending and I would receive another to download. I still haven't got that email but when I log into My Account it shows Charged under the status and I verified the charge on my card so I proceeded to download the installer for Accordance 11 and when I try to log in and validate I get a message "Accordance 11 not found in account". Is there an email I am suppose to get? I am aware of spam so I have been checking the spam folder as well but no email yet.

 

Sometimes orders have to be manually processed. Email Michelle (orders@accordancebible.com) and she or one of the staff can help.

[dlrude]

Ultimate collection.

 

The discount is so good this week that I would get that one even if I had to finance half of it.

 

The really nice thing about Accordance for faux intellectuals like myself is that I can look up many references in microseconds and learn so much.

 

The thing is that for that to really benefit you need a large database to search, just like going to the university library.

 

So one must build a large database and that means Ultimate collection plus what ever else you can add over time.

 

That's my story and theory. :-)

 

I have Ultimate and have added much to it over that past 2 years.

 

Dave

Edited December 15, 2015 by dlrude

[Timothy Jenney]

The really nice thing about Accordance for faux intellectuals like myself is that I can look up many references in microseconds and learn so much.

 

Research is the way most of us "faux intellectuals" have become real intellectuals over the years.

[Tony Lawrence]

Research is the way most of us "faux intellectuals" have become real intellectuals over the years.

I sort of feel like I am one of the watches they sell at a souvenir shop at Ephesus.

[dlrude]

I looked at the picture of the watch market sign, LOL!

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

Just throwing this out there for future readers, Essential is a really good collection, and one I consider the "sweet spot" to plunge into Accordance if you're new to Accordance. The reason is this collection will give you all of the majorly-acclaimed features of Accordance (Atlas, Timeline, PhotoGuide, etc), as well as a well-rounded collection of both English and Biblical Languages resources. Even if you're not formally taking Biblical Language classes, having some Biblical Language texts, coupled with the grammars you get in Essentials, would allow you to do some very solid DIY Biblical Languages studies and still mine some exegetical riches from the Biblical Languages even if you don't have a chance to get the formal training. I would consider Advanced the next recommended package as it offers a wealth of solid tools as well, but since it's a little pricer, for newbies on more of a budget, Essentials is an excellent starting point, and Advanced is something you can always dynamically price upgrade to later if need be. I'm still on Essentials (plus I've purchased other random modules) and it's been solid for the high-end seminary studies I've been doing.