Yes, e-Sword and TheWord are VERY nice Bible programs. The shelf price for many of the things you can get for free with those programs would cost hundreds of dollars.
I'm old fashioned I guess. Sometimes I like to get away from the cpu and just have some books I can hold in my hand as I'm studying.
The very basics for anyone should be their bibe and a note pad. I use alot depending on on what book etc Im studying. A good set of commentaries would be recomended, but not necessary, a one volume comapanion is good.
I use tyndales commentary set, and various different ones ie, John by DA Carson.
Dictionaries: New Bible dictionary, and the full set of 'Dictionary of (Jesusand the Gospels. Paul,Later NewTestament, Pentateuch, Wisdom peotic books etc... Ive got thats published). These dictionarys are excellent in scholarship.
Dictionary of Theology, Dictionary of Biblical theology.
Strongs concordance.
The above are the books I usually go back to time and time again. I havent got any software.
However, if anyone reading would like a comprahensive study bible, I would say it would have to be the ESV Study bible. It is worth the buy just for the notes alone. There are thousand upon thousands of notes and evry sort of piece of information most will ever need in articles at the back.
But no matter what always read the bible first, meditate on it write out your thoughts, pray about it... and you can always check with other material to make sure you are on the right track.
What helped me the most in understanding the Bible was reading a couple of books that gave the overall story line of the bible, this puts it all together from start to finish.. a few authors to check if your interested. T D Alexander, Mark Dever, graeme Goldsworthy...in fact GET graeme Goldsworthys book ' Gospel and the Kingdom' I would recommend it to any christian wanting to know the story of the bible.
