Oxford Annotated Bible

The Oxford Annotated Bible (OAB) is a study Bible published by the Oxford University Press (OUP). The notes and the study material feature in-depth academic research from non-denominational perspectives, specifically secular perspectives for "Bible-as-literature" with a focus on the most recent advances in historical criticism and related disciplines, with contributors from mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and non-religious interpretative traditions.

The original OAB and the first edition of the New Oxford Annotated Bible (NOAB), edited by Herbert G. May and Bruce Metzger, were based on the Revised Standard Version (RSV) of the Bible. After the release of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible in 1989, OUP published a second edition of the NOAB based on that translation. The NRSV was also the basis of the third edition (2000), edited by Michael Coogan, which is considered to be much more ecumenical in approach. For example, it calls the Old Testament the "Hebrew Bible" out of consideration to Jewish readers. A fully revised Fourth Edition was released in May 2010.

Some editions of the Oxford Annotated Bible also include the apocryphal and deuterocanonical books used by the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek and Slavonic Orthodox Churches, as well as churches of the Anglican Communion (including The Episcopal Church); these editions are titled the " Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha". The Apocryphal books are also available in a separate volume.

Some groups, including fundamentalist and evangelical Protestants as well as traditional Catholics object to some of the translation principles used by this Bible, such as the assertion that passages in the Old Testament traditionally seen as referring to Jesus do not do so, and the claim that 1 Corinthians 6 does not refer to Homosexuals. Another objection is raised to the OAB because the editors adhere to contemporary, scholarly views of Biblical criticism, and thus call into question the traditional authorship of some books.

Despite controversy over its content, the NOAB is widely accepted for numerous reasons.It remains one of the most thoroughly researched and painstakingly translated Bibles available in contemporary, idiomatic English. It relies upon centuries of Biblical interpretation and scholarship. Aesthetically, it is beautifully designed and typeset. The text of the Bible appears in the upper portion of the page in two columns with the annotations in a separate section at the bottom of the page. Annotations are judicious and comprehensive without distracting from the reading experience. The flow of the verses is similarly undisturbed by subheadings or cross references. The only superscripts are those that appear in the NRSV text. This arrangement allows for clear reading of the passages.

This edition also includes a number of useful essays. Essay topics include Bible translations, early Jewish history and the geography of the Bible. The NOAB also features maps of the Holy Land during various time periods. Because of its many features, the NOAB is now commonly assigned in collegiate classes about the Bible.

In addition to the NRSV editions, OUP continues to make the 1973 and 1977 RSV editions available.

In 2009, the 4th edition was published, containing new color maps and updated essays and commentaries. As always, versions with and without the Apocrypha were made available.