Martin Manser is a professional reference-book editor. He has compiled or edited more than 200 reference books, particularly Bible-reference titles, English-language dictionaries and business-skills books. He is also a Language Trainer and Consultant with national and international companies and organisations.
Publications include:
Bibles and concordances
English Standard Version
- Adviser, Anglicisation, Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Harper Collins, 2002)
- Angliciser, Student Study Bible: English Standard Version (Harper Collins, 2011): winner of ‘Bible of the Year’ award, UK Christian Resources Together, 2012
Good News Bible
- Compiler of Additional Helps, Good News Bible, Youth Edition (Harper Collins/Bible Society, 2000)
King James (Authorised) Version
- Editor, I never knew that was in the Bible (Thomas Nelson, 1999) republished as King James Bible Word Book (Thomas Nelson, 2002)
- Editor of Topical Index, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary with Topical Index, (Thomas Nelson, 1996)
- Editor, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary with Topical Index, (Thomas Nelson, 1996)
- Managing Editor, Holy Bible: Today’s King James Version (Bible First, 2002)
- Editor, W. E. Vine’s New Testament Word Pictures (Thomas Nelson, 2015)
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
- Editorial adviser, The Bible: Narrative and Illustrated (International Bible Society/WTL Publications, 2007)
New International Version (NIV)
- Editor, The NIV Shorter Concordance (Hodder & Stoughton, 1997), republished as Pocket NIV Concordance (Hodder & Stoughton, 2001)
- Managing Editor of the NIV Thematic Study Bible (Hodder & Stoughton, 1996) published as NIV Thematic Reference Bible (Zondervan, 1999)
- Editorial Consultant, NIV Comprehensive Concordance (Hodder & Stoughton, 2001)
- Editor, Concordance in Today’s New International Version Bible (Hodder & Stoughton, 2006)
- Managing Editor, NIV Bible Speaks Today (IVP, 2020)
New Living Translation (NLT)
- Co-editor, Christian Basics Bible (Tyndale, 2017)
- Managing Editor, Spiritual Growth Bible (Christian Art, 2021)
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
- Managing Editor, NRSV Cross-Reference Bible (Oxford University Press, 2003)
International editions
- Co-editor, Myanmar Study Bible (CLC Myanmar, 2018)
- Co-editor, Bíblia Essencial (Sociedade Bíblica do Brasil, 2020)
Other Bible reference titles
- Compiler, Concise Book of Bible Quotations (Lion, 1982)
- Compiler, Daily Guidance (Marshall Pickering; Collins, 1988, 1995; Cumberland House Publishing, 2001)
- Author, Crash Course in Christian Teaching (Hodder & Stoughton, 1998)
- Editor, Dictionary of Bible Themes (Hodder & Stoughton, 1997; Zondervan, 1999)
- Joint Compiler, The Eagle Handbook of Bible Promises (Eagle, 2000)
- Joint Compiler, The Eagle Handbook of Bible Prayers (Eagle, 2002)
- Editor, Dictionary of Classical and Biblical Allusions (Facts on File, 2003)
- Compiler, Best Loved Hymns, Poems and Readings (Harper Collins, 2004)
- Compiler, Collins Dictionary of the Bible (Harper Collins, 2005)
- Compiler, Walking with God: 365 Promises and Prayers from the Bible for Each Day of the Year (Eagle, 2005)
- Editor, Critical Companion to the Bible (Facts on File, 2009)
- Joint Author, Christianity for Blockheads (Zondervan, 2009)
- Editor, Collins Bible Companion (Collins, 2009): winner of ‘Reference Book of the Year’ award, UK Christian Resources Together, 2011
- Author, Scapegoats, Shambles & Shibboleths (Hodder & Stoughton, 2009)
- Revising Editor, The New Matthew Henry Commentary (Zondervan, 2010; unabridged, 2013)
- Co-Author, Lion Bible Guide (Lion, 2010)
- Editor, Open Your Bible (Creative 4 International, 2011)
- Contributor, Illustrated Bible (Dorling Kindersley, 2012)
- Co-author, Who’s who of the Bible (Lion, 2012)
- Consultant editor, The Illustrated Children’s Bible (North Parade Publishing, 2012)
- Editor, NIV Bible Handbook (Hodder & Stoughton, 2014)
- Editor, The Open Your Bible Commentary: The Old Testament (Creative 4, 2014)
- Editor, The Open Your Bible Commentary: The New Testament (Creative 4, 2014)
- Managing Editor, The Complete Topical Guide to the Bible (Baker, 2017)
- Consultant Editor, Explore your Bible (Creative 4, 2020)
English-language reference titles
- General Editor, Macmillan Student’s Dictionary (Macmillan, 1985, 2nd Edition, 1996)
- Joint Author, Penguin Wordmaster Dictionary (Penguin Books, 1987)
- Lexicographer, Collins COBUILD English Language Dictionary (Collins, 1987)
- Editor, Good Word Guide (Bloomsbury, 1988, latest, 11th edition, 2011)
- Compiler, Dictionary of Eponyms (Sphere, 1988) Author, Guinness Book of Words (Guinness, 1988, 2nd Edition (Guinness, 1991))
- Lexicographer, Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1989)
- Editor, Chambers Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms (Chambers, 1989)
- Author, Dictionary of Word & Phrase Origins (Sphere, 1990)
- Compiler, Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Oxford University Press, 1991)
- Editor, Chambers English Thesaurus (Chambers, 1997, latest, 5th edition, 2015)
- Joint Editor, Guide to English Grammar (Macmillan, 1998)
- Usage Editor, New Penguin English Dictionary (Penguin, 2000)
- Joint Editor, New Penguin English Thesaurus (Penguin, 2000)
- Joint Editor, Writer’s Manual (Penguin, 2002)
- Editor, Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Facts On File, 2002)
- Editor, The Facts On File Dictionary of Proverbs (Facts On File, 2002, 2nd edition, 2007)
- Editor, Dictionary of Classical and Biblical Allusions (Facts on File, 2003)
- Editorial Consultant, Chambers Good Writing Guide (Chambers Harrap, 2004)
- Co-author, Facts on File Guide to Good Writing (Facts on File, 2005)
- Co-author, Facts on File Guide to Style (Facts on File, 2006)
- Joint Editor, Collins Dictionary for Writers and Editors (Harper Collins, 2006)
- Editor, Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions (Facts on File, 2009)
- Editor, Critical Companion to the Bible (Facts on File, 2009)
- Author, Scapegoats, Shambles & Shibboleths (Hodder & Stoughton, 2009)
- Author, 1001 Words You Need to Know and Use: an A-Z of effective vocabulary (OUP, 2010)
- Author, Effective Business Writing in a Week (Hodder Education, 2013)
See also:
Martin Manser was a member of Southcourt Baptist Church, Aylesbury, Bucks, England for over 40 years. In 2022 he and his family moved to Oxford and now worship at a Vineyard church: Hope Oxford, which meets in a local shopping centre.
For an example of Martin’s teaching in a Sunday service, click here. This talk was on Nicodemus from a series on ‘Encounters with Jesus’. From 13 July 2025 service; Martin’s teaching lasts just under 26 minutes.
