I purchased this Bible in genuine cowhide leather. The edition I chose was Atlantic blue. It was listed as, “Genuine Leather – Tosca Cowhide Atlantic.” You can look at the product page via this link. I wasn’t aware that another edition had been published. When I saw that it had, I purchased one. The last Bible I received from the folks who run Biblehub.com was the Berean Study Bible. Keep in mind, this Bible does not come with a storage box.
The most impressive things about this edition in my opinion are as follows;
1. It was printed, and bound in the United States, not China.
2. It was priced very competitively. (Proving you don’t need to go overseas.)
3. The form factor is about perfect, in my subjective opinion.
4. The paper is excellent.
5. The quality, in toto, is excellent.
6. This translation is easy to read, without being dumbed down, or neutered to fit an extra-biblical agenda.
All of that considered, here is a citation from the product page linked above detailing the vital stats.
“The text is 9.5 pt. Cambria font, printed on high quality 39 gsm Thincoat Plus Bible paper that is also ideal for highlighting and note taking.
SKU: 9781944757090 ISBN: 9781944757090 Color: Dark Blue-green Dimensions: 6.15 x 8.5 x 1.25 Page Count:1504”
There are three ribbon markers. This edition includes decorative head, and tail bands, that are gold in color matching the ribbons. The ribbons seem to be high quality, and the ends are seared. The cowhide leather cover is moderately textured, perimeter stitched, with a paper interior liner. The perimeter stitching is an additional step that aids in the durability of the cover. Since the interior liner is paper, and it connects the text-block to the cover, it cannot be said to be edge-lined. This edition is case-bound, though you couldn’t tell by how flexible this edition is. It is just as flexible as some of the edge-lined Bibles out there. The cover gives the impression of being tougher than some of the garment grade goatskin covers I’ve seen recently. If you have purchased a sub $200, edge-lined, goatskin Bible, it is more than likely cheaper grade goatskin. The Highland goatskin covers on Jongbloed produced Bibles is significantly higher quality. The spine of this edition is smyth-sewn. The Spine is hot-stamped with gold colored foil. It says, “Holy Bible” at the head, and, “Berean Standard Bible” towards the center. There are four mildly pronounced decorative spine hubs. I think it is tastefully done.
The text-block has rounded corners, and spine. These features help to reduce the premature wear, and tear of the pages. The paper is 39 g.s.m. This is some thick paper, but since this edition lacks any maps, concordance, or other helps, the thinness is maintained. The page edges are gilt. As I mentioned before, this is pretty much the perfect sized Bible, for almost all occasions. The price is under $90. It is a true bargain, and good value.
If you aren’t familiar with this translation, the best way I could describe it to you, is that it is a pleasure to read, much like the N.I.V. was from 1984-2010 before it adopted a gender neutrality disorder. It is important to mention, this is not a dynamic equivalent translation like the N.I.V. This does seem to be more of a formal equivalence translation.
Now for all the pictures. Remember to check out my album of pictures on the Flickr page by clicking this link. If you click on the pictures in this review, they will take you to the high resolution, full sized picture on my Flickr page. It helps to get a closer look.
I preordered this edition when the option became available, and have been patiently waiting for it to arrive. I am also waiting for other editions to be published. I know that many people don’t use the cross references often, but I do like to have them in my daily reader. I am hoping for the MacArthur Study Bible in LSB to be announced one of these days. I know it is a matter of time. This Bible isn’t as large as the Large Print, Wide Margin edition, but it feels like it weighs about the same. It is not a light Bible. I have to say, I’m really enjoying the blue cowhide leather cover. The grain of the leather is more pronounced. It hasn’t got the ironed leather look. The perimeter of this edition’s cover is sewn. That should keep it from coming unglued at the corners, since we are talking about a case bound edition here. The corners, as well as the spine are rounded. The spine is smyth-sewn for durability, and flexibility. There are 5 raised spine hubs. “Holy Bible” is hot stamped in gold colored foil on the spine along with the logo for the LSB, and the publisher’s name at the bottom. I did notice some odd markings on the page edges. It looked like someone at the factory tried to repair some spots where the page edge gilt may have been damaged, or misapplied. There were also some minor dings in the page edges. In the Facebook group, another person mentioned the same problem with his Bible. (I hope, once they get the production procedures practiced, the quality control will get better. I sort of expect quality control problems with a new translation being published in South Korea. The Berean Standard Bible is printed, and bound in the USA, and doesn’t seem to have these problems It also costs much less. I wonder why 316 went with a Korean printer instead? Perhaps the American one couldn’t do the volume they needed?) There are 2 ribbon markers, that are nice quality, and the ends have been seared. The head and tail bands are blue to match the cover, and one of the ribbons. 40 g.s.m. paper is terrific! I love the paper. There are 14,000 translation footnotes. This is helpful for the language geeks like me. We want to know. The concordance is a nice addition. It has over 16,000 entries. The font is nice and legible at 11 pts. for the scriptures, and smaller for the references. This is a black text edition, with red titles, headers, chapter, and page numbers. The text is line matched with the text on the reverse side of the page for eye comfort. This is a single column, verse format Bible with the cross references in the inside column between the gutter, and the text column. There are some maps at the very back. I am very pleased that they included a storage box for this edition. It is the best way to keep a Bible protected when not in use. All in all, this is a really nice edition. This translation is, in my opinion, the best modern English translation to date. I am hopefully looking forward to more editions. 316 also included a lapel pin, and a daily planner with this Bible purchase. I have pictures of the planner on my Flickr page along with more pictures of this edition. Click the link to check them out.
Here are some pictures that highlight the features I mentioned. If you click the album link above, you can see the high resolution pictures instead of these lower resolution ones.
Instead of writing about a feature, and then having a photograph inline, I’m changing it up a bit. I’ll have the write-up of my impression of this edition, and all of the photographs will be after. So if you simply want to look at the pictures you can skip all the text… You weren’t really going to do that were you? I mean… Seriously? You want to just look at pictures… Okay, I tend to do that too, but if you do want to know what I think about this edition, continue reading.
The LSB is, in my opinion, the best modern English translation of the Bible to date. I’m purchasing all new resources to go along with this translation. The two column, verse format LSB, is the first edition of the LSB that is actually quite portable. The double column, verse format, is one of my favorite Bible layouts of all-time. This one lacks some of the fancier features, but for dragging around with me wherever I go, it is perfect. I’m also pretty jazzed that it isn’t made in China.
It is printed, and bound in South Korea. Not only do you get the great double column verse format layout, you also get 32 g.s.m. paper, 10 pt font, line-matching, double sided ribbon marker, perimeter stitching, head and tail bands, section headings, rounded page corners, and a rounded smyth-sewn spine. I know, you all wanted to see an edge-lined, goat skin leather edition, but we don’t always get what we want, nor should we. We get what we need… Now, for your reward for reading my opinion, some pictures of this Bible I drew using a camera…
I want to warn you all about the Passion, “translation” of the Bible. I review Bibles on my site. Publishers send me their works for review. I get them for free in exchange for a review. The author of the Passion is just one man. His name is Brian Simmons. He is not an ancient language expert. He is a false prophet. He is a worker of lying signs and wonders. He is a liar, and a charlatan. He sent me some of his work translating Koine Greek to English. He wanted a ringing endorsement. This was evident by the child-like temper tantrum he threw when I told him how horrible his work was. He did not even come close to actually translating the text. It was as if he read an English translation, and then put a bunch of uncalled for, flowery, word salad, in between the words that were actually present in the Hebrew, and Greek texts. Later this charlatan was on Sid Roth’s show, “It’s Supernatural” While on the program he claimed that Jesus appeared to him in his room. He claims that Jesus supernaturally empowered him to know the lost, and true, meanings of the ancient languages. He also claims that Jesus commissioned him solely to give the world Jesus’ true words in this new, “translation.” If you don’t believe me watch the linked video of the show. Start at the 15 minute, 20 second mark. That is where it gets to the point. The video before hand is full of lies about false miracles. https://sidroth.org/television/tv-archives/brian-simmons/ In case that video gets taken down, as many of them have been taken down, here is a link to another video where he tells his lies. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jzaph The interesting part of this video starts at 13 minutes and 38 seconds. This man is a dangerous heretic. Nobody should ever, under any circumstance, use the Passion, “translation.”
Let’s just look at one section of scripture in his fraudulent translation work. Here is the first verse of chapter one in the gospel of John. “1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. John 1:1”
I’ll transliterate it for you. En arche en ho logos, kai ho logos en pros ton theon, kai theos en ho logos.
Now let’s look at how those words directly translate into modern English. I’ll put them in the right order given the context provided by the definite article. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Here is how the phony renders it. “In the beginning the Living Expression was already there. And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God.”
Here is the Greek of verse 2. “οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. John 1:2”
Here is the transliteration. “Houtos en en arche pros ton theon.”
It translates to, “He was in the beginning with God. John 1:2”
In verse 2 he gives this false translation. “They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning.”
These are not difficult passages to translate. So why does Brian get them so wrong? It is because he is a fraud. He is a huckster. He is a false teacher.
Don’t follow this charlatan! Stay away from the Passion, “translation.”
The Illuminated Scripture Journal is a multi-volume set of New Testament books which have been artistically illuminated by Dana Tanamachi who was commissioned by Crossway for her artistry.
Each page that occurs on the left contains scripture in a single column with drop cap chapter numbers in gold, in a paragraph format, with the verse numbers superscript in black text. Also in gold are section headings above the text.
The pages that occur on the right, and opposite of the scriptures, contain blank pages ruled with faintly printed dots to help you keep your lines straight without being too obvious.
There are also scripture verses, and designs that are artistically rendered in gold on these pages. Some full page features are dispersed throughout.
My first impression of the boxed set was mixed. On the one hand, when I think of illuminated scriptures what comes to mind is an ancient hand copied tome with leather clad wood board covers and a metal hasp, along with ornately decorated pages, multiple colors, and drawings.
This set is much more conservative in its use of illumination. To me they look like a talented person went along with a gold colored marker and marked up the covers, and pages.
Mind you, it isn’t unpleasant, and most peoples minds wouldn’t go where mine did. I still found the work to be pleasant to look at, but we are talking about a set that is covered in card paper, and glued together.
I appreciate the binding being far better than, “perfect bound” books. It isn’t as good as a sewn binding with a leather cover. These personal preferences aside, this set is meant to be affordable, and it is also meant to be used. The idea is for you to engage the word, and for it to be engaging. These volumes are meant to be read, and then written in. They aren’t intended to be some priceless, unapproachable work from antiquity, and most likely, if you use them as they are intended to be used, they will never make it antiquity. You’ll carry them along with you, the corners will get bent, the pages will get marked up, and you’ll learn a lot about the Author, and His intent. If you’d like to look at more pictures visit my Flickr album.
As many of you know, we have been waiting for orders of this edition to ship. Some of us had per-ordered it in August of 2020. The one I ordered finally arrived. I knew what to expect from Jongbloed (Youngblood) as I have reviewed several premium editions over the years passed. All of them were printed and bound by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands. This edition did not depart from that standard set by Jongbloed in the past.
This edition was shipped in a cardboard shipping box via the U.S.P.S. The hardcover comes in a bubble envelope. The cowhide paste-down came in a smaller box. The goatskin edition arrived undamaged, and in perfect condition. The Bible was packed along with the Bible Armor carrying case. The package was cushioned with brown paper. The Bible Armor was in a plastic bag. The Bible was bubble wrapped. It was also wrapped with two paper bands, as is usual with premium goatskin edge-lined Bibles. These bands keep the supple leather from becoming deformed, and in the case of a semi, or full, yapp they keep them bent in to the text block. In times past, full yapp covers kept the text block protected. Keep in mind, these Bibles should never be stored vertically on a shelf! Never! When can you store them vertically on a shelf? NEVER! Glad we got that straight.
The text block is the same one used in the hardcover, and cowhide Bibles. There are two cowhide options. You can purchase the edge-lined, or the case bound edition. The hardcover’s text block does not have rounded corners. It comes with two ribbon markers. The Cowhide Bibles, and the goatskin have rounded corners. They all have rounded spines. The hardcover, and the cowhide paste-down/case bound Bibles have the narrower 1/4” ribbon markers. The two edge-lined editions come with three of the wider 3/8” ribbon markers.
The covers are dramatically different in tactile experience as well as smell. The edge-lined goatskin of course is the most supple. The paste-down cowhide is comparable to a Cambridge calfsplit leather. The surface is not as glossy and smooth. The leather editions all smell like… leather. What did you expect?
Each edition comes with head and tail bands that match the covers. The edge-lined ones have five spine hubs. The paste down and hardcover have gold colored foil heat stamped lines where the hubs would have been. All of them have, “Holy Bible, LSB Legacy Standard Bible, Steadfast Bibles,” heat stamped in gold colored foil on their spines. All of them have smyth-sewn spines. They all employ a 9.5 point font, that is line matched. That means that on the page facing you the text is printed directly over the unturned pages text so that the lines of text line up over one another. This helps reduce eye strain while reading, and helps if you are prone to headaches while reading for prolonged periods of time. Since these editions are printed on a cream colored french milled 32 g.s.m. Bible paper as well as having line matching, and modern printing, they are all a pleasure to read regardless of which edition you decide to purchase. From the value of the hardcover to the suppleness of the premium goatskin cover, you’ll enjoy the same text block. This text block is something you have to see. Finding this quality in a $40 Bible is very uncommon.
The text is in a single column, verse layout. Paragraphs are denoted by the verse number or a letter being bold. There are section headings in bold print. Page numbers are at the top center in read. Chapter numbers are in drop cap style and printed in red. This is a black letter edition. It is a text edition so there are no cross references or study notes. Italics denote English words that do not appear in the original languages, but are implied by them. An asterisk lets you know that the Greek verb was present tense, but rendered with an English past tense in order to conform with modern usage. Personal pronouns referring to God are capitalized where appropriate. Small caps are used when a passage from the OT is being quoted by someone in the NT, or when they are paraphrasing a citation from the OT. Brackets let you know you are looking at text that does not appear in the oldest collections of text, and probably were not in the original autoscripts.
All but the hardcover had art gilt page edges. For those who do not know what this is, it is a red pigment under the gold colored finish on the page edges. Like many book features today, they are decorative. This was not always the sole purpose of these features in the past. Spine hubs were where the signatures were sewn into cords in the spine. Head and tail bands were where the signatures were tied in. Art gilt page edges kept the moisture of a humid room from penetrating deep into the text block. You get the idea. Much of the decorative features were once functional.
If you have ever purchased a Shuyler Bible from evangelicalbibles.com, a premium E.S.V. or a premium Cambridge edition, you are probably already familiar with the quality of Bibles printed and bound by Jongbloed. If you have not seen, or held one of these editions, you should consider the investment. Expensive Bibles may seem like an extravagant expenditure to you, and they may be, depending on your budget. If you can afford one, it is a good investment. These Bibles will last a very long time if properly cared for. You could foreseeably hand this Bible down to your children, or grandchildren. Think about what it would mean for a believer a couple generations away, to be reading the very same Bible you held in your hands all of those years. They could read your notes, look at your underlines, and understand a connection to you, even though you went on to be with Christ years before they were born. I would love to have something like that from my grandparents.
My subjective opinion is that this Bible is of such similar quality to other Bibles produced by Jongbloed, and the price being comparable, there is no reason not to purchase one. Couple those facts with the fact that I believe the LSB will demonstrate that it is the new champ when it comes to communicating accurately the intended meanings of God the author, and you have a winner. I could go on about the paper, and the printing, and the high quality materials and manufacturing processes, but the real star here is the accuracy of the LSB translation itself. The men at Master’s have done a fine job, and I plan on scrapping all of my other daily use Bibles to replace them with LSB editions as they become available. I am looking forward to a thinline for carrying around, a MacArthur study Bible, and a full cross reference large print. In conclusion, visit 316publishers here, and go buy one that fits your budget, and get to reading!
Don’t forget to look at my flickr albums for these editions for more detailed images.
Here is just one interesting translation choice the translators of the Legacy Standard Bible (L.S.B.) made that I think is an improvement. I have found many so far.
1995 New American Standard Bible (N.A.S.B.)
2020 New American Standard Bible (N.A.S.B.)
English Standard Version (E.S.V.)
Legacy Standard Bible (L.S.B.)
Exodus 4:21
21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
And Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go to return to Egypt, see to it that all the miraculous wonders which I have put in your hand, that you do them before Pharaoh; but as for Me, I will harden his heart with strength so that he will not let the people go.
The italic formatted text in the LSB is used to denote English words that do not appear in the original language texts, but are implied by them.
The first thing you’ll notice is that the LSB uses Yahweh for the tetragrammaton instead of the conventional, “LORD.” This is a more accurate translation. I understand why it wasn’t changed sooner, but I am glad to see that it has finally happened. This was a bold and encouraging move.
The next thing you’ll see is that the other translations read, “…When you go back to Egypt…” The LSB uses, “…When you return to Egypt…” This may seem like a distinction without difference, but I appreciate the effort to be as accurate as possible. I think we would all infer that the implication of, “to go back” is that Moses is going back to Egypt, and that it was there that he had come from. Even so, “return” removes all doubt that this is what was meant.
The hand and a man’s work, or what he is doing, are related in Hebrew. An open hand can even mean power like יָד yâd earlier on in the verse. So seeing the connection here we can understand why the other translations went with, “…put in your power…” Since the LSB uses, “… put in your hand…” we can see the correlation directly from the text without the necessity of getting the concordance, and Hebrew lexicon out. Again, there is nothing wrong with the other translations.
This is the section that really gets me. I am starting to love the LSB. Instead of, “…but I will harden his heart …” The LSB uses, “… but as for Me, I will harden his heart with strength…” I may be wrong. I’m not a Hebrew expert, but from what I can gather there is an implication of strength or fortification in Hebrew word חָזַק ḥâzaq that is lost in the other English translations. The LSB puts that intended meaning back into the text. To back up just a bit, I also like how the first part of the sentenced is phrased as well. In English we always capitalize, “I.” When you capitalize personal pronouns in a translation to denote deity, and the letter, “I” is always capitalized it can perhaps cause a bit of confusion. By phrasing it the way they did, they kept the meaning, and helped the reader understand that it was God doing the hardening.
I am really enjoying this translation, and hope that you will order yourself an LSB. Here is the link to 316publishing.com where you can order one. They are the sole retailer of this translation.
A review of the E.S.V. Panorama New Testament from Crossway.
The folks at Crossway were kind enough to send me this edition for review. I have to admit, I don’t know what to think of it, or what niche it fills in the Bible lineup. It is too tall to fit standing vertically on most bookcases. It is too thin to lay horizontally unless it is on the bottom of the stack or it will warp. It is to wide across to not stick out of most bookcases when laying flat at the bottom of a stack.
I understand that on each page there are pages worth of Bible so that the reader gets to follow the theme of a section uninterrupted longer. I don’t have a problem keeping ideas in context while turning pages. I don’t find it inconvenient, or difficult. I don’t imagine many readers do. It might be a problem for some people. Who knows? I don’t anticipate that it is a large enough problem to necessitate a volume like the Panorama. In other words, it seems to be a solution for a problem that I wasn’t aware of. That being said, I’m not the sole arbiter of problem declaration. I imagine someone saw a problem that needed fixing in their estimation and designed the Panorama.
I know it sounds like I’m knocking this edition, but I’m not. What it was designed for, it does. The paper is very thick, and doesn’t show any ghosting. The text is Crossway’s single column E.S.V. text, but it is laid out in double columns. Each page has what would amount to pages of text in a regular single column Bible.
Here is what Crossway has to say about this edition,
“The treasures found in God’s Word do not come to his people out of context. Even our most beloved verses of the Bible come in the midst of chapters, of carefully reasoned arguments, of intentional flows and patterns of thought—and of entire books. Therefore, the goal of the ESV Panorama New Testament is to allow readers to see as much of a biblical book at one time as possible. In this Bible, any one of 17 of the books of the New Testament can be viewed in its entirety, without the need to turn the page; the other 10 books comprise as few pages as possible. The advantages of a panoramic, two-page spread are many. For instance, users may desire to trace the use of key words or phrases across several chapters of biblical text, or throughout a Gospel or Epistle. The format of the ESV Panorama New Testament allows readers to follow the uses of such words or phrases while turning as few pages as necessary. Furthermore, this edition provides generous spacing between each line of biblical text, with plenty of room to mark or circle words being studied. This panoramic view of the New Testament also encourages readers to consider the large-scale outlines and thought patterns of the writers of Scripture. Preachers or teachers planning sermon series or Bible study lessons, for example, will be able to utilize this edition in a way that allows them to appreciate the major sections and transitions of the book under examination. Line spacing and margins allow for outlining or other ways of marking the biblical author’s flow of thought. These are just a few ways in which the ESV Panorama New Testament will facilitate users’ undistracted interaction with God’s Holy Word. In a style reminiscent of the large scrolls of antiquity, this Bible encourages readers to encounter the New Testament as it was first delivered—as complete Gospels, Epistles, history, and apocalypse. It is our prayer that this edition will foster users’ appreciation of the unity, depth, and beauty of our God’s precious and inerrant Word.”
After looking this edition over, and spending some time with it, I can say that it could help in tracing a thought through in context. If you find yourself having that problem, you could give this edition a try. Let me know what you think afterwards. I think the oddity of this edition might even be sufficient reason alone to purchase it for your collection.
This edition is well made. The gray cloth over board hardback cover is very handsome, and durable. The spine is sewn. The paper, as I said earlier is heavy and offers a nice contrast to the text. The layout is pleasant enough, and the text is free of distractions. There is room on most pages for some note taking. There are 3 very large blank pages at the back of the edition where copious notes could be written. There are no helps at the back of this edition. This is a black letter edition, and does not have a ribbon marker. The only exterior writing on this edition is in silver stamping on the spine. The spine is rounded however, the corners are not. The page edges are not gilt. This is a case bound edition. Overall, I find it well made, and legible.
Here are the stats from Crossway’s product page,
Features
10″ X 12.5″
8.2-point Lexicon type
Double-column format
Thick, cream-colored book paper
Smyth-sewn binding
Extra-large page size
Product Details
Format:
Cloth Over Board
Type Size:
8.50
Page Layout:
Double Column
Page Count:
192
Size:
10.0 in x 12.5 in
Weight:
36.26 ounces
ISBN-10:
1-4335-7193-5
ISBN-13:
978-1-4335-7193-0
ISBN-UPC:
9781433571930
Case Quantity:
10
Published:
February 26, 2021
All things considered, you can make an informed decision about purchasing this edition. If after reading this review you think this would be useful, or interesting to you, you don’t have to worry about the quality of the edition. It is in keeping with Crossway’s standards. If you are interested in picking up a copy you can purchase it through Crossway’s site, or Amazon. Make sure to check out the rest of the pictures I took of this edition on my Flickr page.
I was unaware of this translation being available in a printed physical edition until I saw one on social media. One of my online friends had recently been touting it as possibly being, “The one.” He has been looking for an accurate translation that reads well. Many of us are longtime fans of Lockman’s 1995 New American Standard Bible. (N.A.S.B.) It has been a reliable formal equivalent translation since its release. We haven’t been looking for a new translation, but some were not satisfied so the 2020 NASB became a reality.
The 2020 NASB has been well received by many, but others like me, were not happy with many of the translation choices made in this most recent work. Some of us have been looking for a replacement that reads, “better.” This subjective preference is responsible for the majority of NASB readers opting to adopt the 2020 NASB.
Others like myself are waiting for something with a stricter translation philosophy. Enter the Legacy Standard Bible (L.S.B.) Master’s Seminary has been working on tightening up the translation work of the 1995 NASB. They have released a New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. The entire Bible will be released later this year, God permitting. I’m still in this camp. (For the time being.)
My friend and his like-minded counterparts insist on an accurate translation, that handles the Hebrew and Greek gendered words properly without the addition of modern sociopolitical ideologies being utilized in the interpretive process. Along with these core principles they also want a translation that is more accessible than the 1995 NASB was in their opinion. This is where the BSB comes in.
I really didn’t want to like the BSB, and was looking at sections of scripture, and their translation choices very critically. I wanted to find a reason to not like it. I attribute this bias to the fact that a bunch of the people I know on social media were fawning over it ad nauseam. It was like being forced to watch your friend and his new girlfriend baby talk each other. So, being the reasonable adult that I am, I requested a Bible for review. I hadn’t really considered my bias against the BSB until I began using it for my daily reading. I am usually critical of, “new” translations. Especially given the horrible track record of some new translations. I proceeded to use the BSB the way I normally do when I get a new Bible for review. I try to live with it for a while and use it side by side with my 1995 NASB, and some language tools on my computer. (I like Olive Tree’s Bible Study program. I’ve invested a good amount of cash on these tools, but not as much as my Logos friends.) When I read a section that seems different to me, I compare it the NASB, then I look up the Greek in Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) in the Bible Study app.
I need to state a disclaimer here. I am not a Koine Greek expert. I have had more Koine Greek than some Preachers, but not as much as I would need to be a translator. With that out of the way, keep in mind that all translation involves interpretation. You can have a valid translation of a section of scripture that is quite different than another person’s. This is why you need to have an education in the original languages instead of simply using concordances, and computer programs. It is like having a semester of philosophy and presuming you can fix all the worlds problems. Without the education, you aren’t aware of the period in history, the idioms, ways in which a specific word was primarily used, other extrabiblical contemporary texts to cross reference usage, regional differences, translation conventions, some textual criticism, and so on.
Since God is the author, and we want to understand what He intended to communicate, we need to seek to interpret what we are translating in such a way that His intended ideas are communicated. Just because a translation is linguistically valid does not necessarily make it a good or bad translation.
I started coming around after the first week of using the BSB. I don’t think it will be, “the one” for me, but it is one that I will use. I am still waiting for the LSB. I’d be very very interested in the Berean Literal Bible. I asked about it in one of my e-mail correspondences with John at Bereanstudybible;
Q: “Are there plans to make a physical edition of the BLB?”
A: “We are hoping to offer the full draft OT and NT of the BLB online around the end of the year or early in 2022. Following that time there will be a period for additional translation input, public comment, and consistency checking. For the full BSB this period was about 2 years before finalizing and beginning the printing process, so a comparable time period is expected before a BLB printing.”
I am excited for this translation. After using the BSB, it seems to me to be more formal than the first era NIV’s, which utilized a dynamic translation philosophy, and less formal than the ESV. I’d add it seems more formal than the CSB in my opinion. I do like the translation, in as much as I’ve been exposed to it. I can tentatively recommend the BSB as a translation.
Beyond the translation we have to talk about the actual physical Bible itself. It was shipped in a card-paper envelope with minimal protection. Inside it was in plastic. I hoped it wasn’t damaged. When I opened it up, it was apparent that the text block was exceptionally manufactured. I was impressed at how flexible it was, as well as the paper’s thickness. My first impression was that the spine was smyth sewn. I thought to myself, “Surely it isn’t sewn since it only costs around forty bucks?” I made sure to ask about it.
Q: “What process was employed to manufacture the spine?”
A: “The Printer was Sheridan in Grand Rapids MI and the Case Binding for the Softcover was done at Bintech in Nashville, TN. The Bibles are Smyth Sewn Flex bound (Caseside).”
As many of you know by now, there has been further verification of this by the re-binders who have since posted pictures of the spine to social media. The paper is 45 g.s.m. which is 30.5# with 88% opacity. The inside liner that connected the text block to the cover was a nice change. It was flexible, tough, and didn’t wrinkle as bad as traditional materials.
The cover material is called, “Alpha Aston” manufactured by Ecologicalfibers Inc. The cover material is already starting to show damage from use. I would not trust this cover material to last a long time. Synthetics can be cost effective, but they are rarely as durable as a good quality leather.
This Bible was printed by Sheridan in Grand Rapids Michigan U.S.A. I am happy about that. I really don’t like it when slave labor is used to print a Bible.
The print is a double column, paragraph format, black text edition, in 10 point font. It is clearly printed for the most part with only a few noticed smears of the text. There are some translation notes at the foot of the page.
Here are some more questions and answers from my correspondence with them;
Are you structured as a ministry, not for profit, non-profit, or something else?
Bible Hub is privately owned. I would say it is structured as a ministry (but supported by advertising so does not take donations.) The translation work was commissioned using ad revenue from the Bible Hub site.
How important is it to the translators to directly translate, when possible, gendered nouns, and pronouns, and allow the reader, with the surrounding scriptural contexts, to come to the correct conclusions?
The translators seek to be true to the original Scripture text regarding gender. Pronoun clarification was permitted where helpful to the reader. Clarifications, parsing, and variants are indicated in the word by word translation tables which are freely available at: https://berean.bible/downloads.htm
Are there plans to make a physical edition of the BLB?
We are hoping to offer the full draft OT and NT of the BLB online around the end of the year or early in 2022. Following that time there will be a period for additional translation input, public comment, and consistency checking. For the full BSB this period was about 2 years before finalizing and beginning the printing process, so a comparable time period is expected before a BLB printing.
Q: “Are there any plans to produce different text blocks? i.e. single column, verse format, personal size, thinline, so on and so forth?”
A: “Depending on sales, a personal size is most likely next. The other options are also strong considerations for the future, but not likely in the very near future.”
Q: “What has your experience been working with an American printer for this edition?”
A: “We have worked with Sheridan (formerly Dickinson) in Grand Rapids for both the NT and full printing and are very happy with their work. Since we are printing in smaller volumes in this early stage, printing in the US is a cost effective solution. Since we are located in the US we prefer to work locally as long as it is reasonably cost effective.”
Overall, I found the translation to be sound. The Bible size was just right allowing for a very comfortable and legible font size. The binding was my favorite feature. The flexible text block should also prove to be durable. The only negative I really have is about the flexible synthetic soft cover. I don’t think it will last long. The text block really deserves a better cover option. I think many people agree as I have seen numerous rebinds on social media. I am looking forward to their future work. Make sure to check out the rest of the photographs on my Flickr page, and watch the youtube video.
Crossway was kind enough to send me a copy of the Illuminated Bible, Art Journaling edition. This particular one is a burgundy colored, cloth over board, hard back, case bound Bible. It comes in an ornate slipcase that you should maintain for shelf storage to keep your Bible looking good, and to make it last.
We’ve all seen pictures or videos of books from the dark ages that have ornate drawings, and stylized artistic renderings of plant vines, leaves, fruits, and other various things on the covers, spines, page edges, and on the pages themselves. When a book has these features, it is said to be, “illuminated.” Imagine a monk in an abbey some place in Europe, bent over a page of vellum, (animal skin) using a quill, a dip pen, different colored inks, along with gold leaf, to decorate the page of a hand copied Bible. Books were not mass-produced back then. They were very expensive, and time consuming to make. The most valuable book of all time is the Bible. That is not up for debate.
In today’s era of mass-produced clones, it is nice to see something different, but the nagging truth comes back to ruin the illusion for me. This is a mass-produced Bible. It is a very nice mass-produced Bible, but it is mass-produced. The novelty of having all of the art inside, and on the cover is nice, and many people will enjoy this embellishment.
The immense upside of having a mass-produced illuminated Bible is that everyone can afford to have one, and enjoy the word along with the supporting art. Even in today’s day and age, if you were to commission a one off Bible to be made to your desired specifications, retained an artist to do the work, and then had the thing printed and bound, you would be spending a small fortune. I can’t even estimate how much it would cost. This Bible can be had for less than sixty bucks.
Here is a link to the product page if you just want to look at the specifications. Here is a link to Crossway’s page about how it was made, and here is one about illumination.
For those of you who are still here, and didn’t skip out, I have some other information for you that isn’t on those pages. I’ve already told you about the slipcase. Now we’ll get into the details of the Bible. The artwork is done in what looks to be a gold colored foil stamping of some kind. It is very pleasing to look at.
The spine has four raised decorative hubs. Between them we have, Illuminated Bible, Art Journaling Edition, English Standard Version, and the Crossway logo at the foot. The flowers, leaves, and vines harken back to traditional illumination features. The cover is also decorated in a similar fashion. The burgundy colored cloth is pretty typical of cloth covered hardback books. This Bible has cream colored head and tail bands, as well as a burgundy colored ribbon marker. The page edges are gold gilt. The spine doesn’t look rounded. The corners are not either.
There was an issue with some pages that the corners had folded into the text block during trimming. When that happens, they don’t get trimmed. When you unfold them, they stick out further than all the pages. I believe that would be covered under warranty, but I usually take care of it myself with a razor blade. You have to be very careful. If it is more than a couple of pages, you’re better off sending it back because those pages were not gilt if they were tucked in. Since this was only a couple pages, it wasn’t a big deal. It does happen from time to time though.
I know I shouldn’t like the end papers as much as I do, but I can’t help it. I assume the same artist, “Dana Tanamachi” did the art for them as well. This is a case bound, hard back, with paste down end pages attaching the text block to the cover. Two blank end pages precede the ornate presentation page. The sewn spine’s threads contrast with the darker presentation page, making them easier to see. The darker colors on the presentation page do remind me of some of the illumined books I’ve seen over the years. After that is a burgundy colored title page with gold stamped art. Then there is the publisher’s page, Table of Contents, About the ESV, and an Introduction for this illuminated edition.
Each book starts with a full page of gold colored thematic art. There is a drop cap at the beginning of each book and full page artistic scripture quotes interspersed. The page numbers, chapter numbers, and address references at the head of the page are all in gold colored ink. The text is laid out in a single column, paragraph format. The font is a uniformly printed 9 point Lexicon type. This is a black letter edition. The page margins are approximately 2 inches wide. They are not ruled. There is art interspersed throughout in the margins as well.
One of the more impressive features in my opinion is the 42 g.s.m. cream colored paper. It is easy on the eyes, and contrasts nicely with the text. Since it is so heavy it helps to reduce ghosting dramatically. In conjunction with the wide margins the paper is good for taking notes. With all of the bold lines in the art the paper can’t stop it from showing through from the other side. This is only distracting when it is the full page art at the beginning of the chapter as it is visible through the text on the opposite page when it is turned over it. At the end of the Bible there is an Index of Title Pages. It includes explanations of how the art expresses some of the themes found in the book. Finally, at the end there is a page with the names of the people who comprised the team that published this edition. There were also 4 blank end pages to write on if need be.
I like this edition on an aesthetic level. If that were the only reason to buy it, I think I would probably hold off. If you are like me, that just isn’t enough to warrant the purchase, but when you consider the 42 g.s.m. paper, and the 2 inch margins, as well as the price, it start to make a lot more sense. Perhaps more art influenced thinkers would buy this solely because of the art? I’m sure you folks are out there, and probably already own this one. For some of the more curmudgeonly among us, add a little flair to your life while getting a solid translation along with great print quality, terrific paper, and a good value. You can see more pictures on my Flickr album for this Bible.
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