A concordance gives the reader an index of every word used in the text of Scripture. This can be very helpful when comparing the author’s treatment of the same subject or use of a word. It can also be helpful when you have a passage in mind, but are not sure where it’s found. The key to purchasing a concordance is to make sure that it is matched to the translation of the Bible you use for study.

A closely related tool you’ll want to have on hand is a topical index. Nave’s Topical Bible is the classic in this category. From the blurb at Amazon…

Nave’s Topical Bible, the best known of all topical bibles, has been a valuable Bible-study reference and a best-seller for more than 75 years. It is a comprehensive digest of over 20,000 topics and subtopics with more than 100,000 associated Scripture references. The most significant references for each topic actually include the full text of the verse cited-saving the need to separately look up each verse.

Because Nave’s groups verses by “idea” (or “topic”), it offers a better overview of relevant Scriptures than a concordance, which only lists or indexes verses according to specific words. This edition also includes the helpful Scripture index (left out of some other editions), which makes it possible for the reader studying a particular biblical text to locate every topic and grouping of Scripture in Nave’s whenever a particular verse is included. That way, it is possible for the reader to study either all the verses related to a particular topic or all the topics related to a particular verse-it works both ways.

For the pastor or teacher interested in saving hours of time but not willing to give their second best, and for anyone wanting to be challenged by what God has to say about a given subject, Nave’s Topical Bible is the passport that will allow immediate and successful entry to the many points of interest.

You can find Nave’s on-line in places like StudyLight or BibleGateway.com.