The Trinitarian Bible Society’s, “Windsor Text Bible” in Black Calfskin, is the New Quintessential Compact Text Bible for King James Fans.

March 13, 2015March 13, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I have done some reviews on TBS Bibles in the past. They have all been very well built, and beautifully printed workhorses. I wouldn’t call them luxury Bibles like R.L. Allans, or Schuylers. Nor do they carry the extravagant expense of those Bibles. Some people feel convicted to not spend that amount of money on a Bible. They would rather put the money to better use. Of course these devout and practical people wouldn’t waste money on a shoddily manufactured product of suspect quality and durability either. Now, why throw away money on something that will fall apart? Why print the word of God on the cheapest materials, in the lowest of fashion? So, being the devout and practical people they are, they opt for a TBS Bible.

I was curious about the history of this edition. The quality, legibility, portability, and price inspired me to ask questions. So I e-mailed my contact with TBS with my questions about this edition. She forwarded them to another person who had the answers. This is a direct quote from her reply, “The Windsor was first published in September 2007. It was designed to be a replacement for the Emerald Bible: the print image of the Emerald was becoming rather problematic – a common problem with reprinting older Bibles. But rather than simply reproducing the Emerald, we wanted to have a clear, sharp, more modern font, one that would last through years to come. The Windsor is now often used by churches as a pew Bible (as was the Emerald).” I was very pleased to receive this information to include in my review.

As some of you who collect Bibles know, there are several Bibles that are printed from an old typeset. The old typesets were done before modern digital printing, back when typesetting was done manually. The methods used didn’t produce the quality we are able to get today with digital font and modern precision printing. Here is an example of both.

From steadfast practicality TBS produced a modern typeset of the 1611 AV KJV, printed it on high quality paper, bound it in a fine sewn binding, covered it in durable calfskin, and priced it for the common man.

The size and construction of this edition makes it tactilely comfortable to hold. I found that I wanted to carry this Bible around with me. I wasn’t afraid of scratching, tearing, dropping, spindling, or mutilating it. It begs to tag along with you, and it can handle it without being babied.

The Windsor arrived gratis for the purpose of review. It was very well packaged, and protected for shipping. It was in a cardboard box with packing peanuts, and cushioning.

I appreciate this attention to detail, in the packaging of the Bible, to ensure that it arrives undamaged. Many publishers, even higher end ones, don’t give this kind of protection to God’s word. The Bible comes in a slipcase as retail packaging. Retain it for storing your Bible, if you order one of these.

The calfskin is a bit shiny, and hard. It is more so, than the Cambridge calfsplit leather, but not near as hard, or shiny as a pigskin leather cover.

The spine is hot stamped in gold with, “Holy Bible” at the top and the TBS logo at the bottom.

There are decorative head and tail bands and gold gilt page edges.

Upon opening the Bible, you’ll notice that the inner cover is lined with a black vinyl material. The corners are done quite well.

The text block binding is smyth sewn and is case bound. There is a presentation page, and a publication page which shows that this Bible was printed and bound by Jongbloed in the Netherlands. Jongbloed is one of, if not the best print houses in the world when it comes to Bibles. You also have, Translators to the Reader, and The Epistle Dedicatory.

This TBS Bible should be the archetype for all compact text Bibles. It is easy to read. The font is 9.6 pt. in size. There are not any cross references to take up space. The font is printed clearly, and in sharp contrast, on opaque Bible paper. Ample line spacing adds to the legibility as well. This is a black text edition. The text is in a double column, verse format. There is little room in the margins for notes. However, there is some room at the bottom of each page for limited note taking. Chapter numbers are printed larger, and bold. Page numbers are on the bottom corners. There are two black, ribbon markers for keeping your places in the Old and New Testament during your daily reading. In my opinion a minimum of two ribbons is a necessity for all Bibles. At the end there is a, List of pronunciation of words and proper names, Bible word list and a Daily Bible reading plan. With all the quality, features, and price of this Bible you can’t go wrong. The Windsor Text Bible from TBS will set the standard for years to come.

25U/BK

ISBN 9781862283367

Bible Reviews

A Tome of Tomes, The Lockman NASB New Illustrated Bible of Jerusalem.

February 20, 2015February 26, 2015 Bob Snyder2 Comments

tome of tomes, get it? Well, I thought it was funny.

The Bible has been called the, “Book of books.” This Bible gives you the impression that it is a, “Tome of Tomes.” It is large and substantial. The size of this thing is not in vain. The paper is terrific, the print is great, and the binding is sewn. Not to mention all of the 436 interesting photographs. (Yes, they are from real photographs, not pictures snapped by a teenager with their phone, while on vacation.) The photographs are from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. They give you the feel that you are looking at an Israel before modern tourism. Of course there was tourism in Israel back then. These are just lacking modern accoutrements. The pictures help you to connect the places that you are reading about, to their actual locations. The photographs enrich the readers experience. I don’t know of any other Bible out there like this one. It isn’t really a family Bible. It isn’t one that I would take to Church, or carry around, due to the size, but it definitely scratches an itch for those of us who want to see the sites. It fills a niche that leaves it with little competition. There are archeological Bibles with pictures, but there is a distinct difference in their purpose, design, and layout.

It is also appealing because of the cover. I realize it is not genuine, tooled leather. It is a synthetic cover, but it does a good job of masquerading as an ancient tome that you discovered in an old library, far from home. That makes it kind of fun to have and put on display. I put it on the coffee table for a while and now it is on the mantle. Here is what the description on Lockman Foundation’s page says about it,

From Sacralion Publishing House, Includes 436 pictures of Holy Places taken between the middle 19th – early 20th centuries. These images are spread throughout the whole biblical text and correspond exactly to the specific verses in the Holy Bible.

Features include, Concordance, Maps, Full Column Cross References and notes, Verse Format, Black Letter, Two Column Text, Photograph Index, Two Marker Ribbons, Old Testament Genealogy Tables, and Illustrations.

Lockman Foundation credits Sacralion Publishing House with the NASB New Illustrated Bible of Jerusalem. If you are interested in them you can check out their pages here and here.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the NASB translation of the Bible, I can assure you it is one of, if not the most accurate translations out there. Lockman Foundation is dedicated to being loyal to God in their translation work. You won’t find any gender inclusive agenda with them. Some people say it is a bit more difficult to read, but I have never experienced that. I have found it an accurate translation that conveys the majesty of God’s word in a modern English translation.

So without further eloquence I will now show you the pictures.

The Bible arrived packaged in two boxes. One was inside the other cushioned with paper. I imagine this was due to the size and weight of this Bible. It arrived undamaged and in good condition.

It was shrink wrapped and labeled.

The spine is hot stamped with, “Holy Bible” at the top, “The New Illustrated Bible of Jerusalem” next, and then, “Updated New American Standard” and finally at the bottom, “Sacralion Publishing House.” The front cover is stamped with, “Holy Bible.” As well as being gilded it is ornately decorated like the cover.

As I mentioned earlier the synthetic cover is stamped to look like tooled leather. It does add to the aesthetic value of the Bible as well as the tactile experience. Of course this leads one to wonder what this Bible would look like with a tooled leather cover.

The first few pages are an, “Introduction to the New Illustrated Bible of Jerusalem.”

Then we have, “A note to readers.”

The, “List of Photographic Illustrations” in the front of the Bible is very helpful in being able to match a photograph to scripture and its real location, as well as the page number it is on.

The Bible is wonderfully formatted. It is a joy to read. The double column, verse format has a center column reference. The center column is black text on a grey background. The font is printed sharply and well inked against the cream colored paper. The paper is very opaque. There is virtually no ghosting making this one of the least distracting Bibles to read.

There are two ribbon markers that are quite different from what I am accustomed to. They aren’t flat. They are round. The ends are frayed, and it looks like they are supposed to be this way. I have a Greek New Testament that has the same style ribbon marker. It was bound in Germany. Since both came new out of the packaging like this and I have seen others like this, I assumed this is the style. One is a white and the other is blue.

The photographs are black and white. They are placed with relevant scriptures to help the reader connect to what they are reading. Here is an example of some of the photographs you’ll see in this Bible.

The binding on this large Bible is sewn. That is in my opinion a must for a large book of any kind. It enables a book of this size to fully open. At the end of the Bible is a Concordance, The Old Testament Genealogical Tables, and 11 maps. I think that this is a compelling enough edition that every home library should have one of these.

If you want to order one of these you can find them here Lockman.org and here Amazon.com and here Christianbook.com

ISBN: 0984234306
ISBN-13: 9780984234301

Bible Reviews

The Revised English Bible or REB, an odd thing here in the States.

February 14, 2015April 21, 2021 Bob Snyder8 Comments

Out of curiosity, I requested a copy of the REB from Cambridge. I typically don’t like synthetic covers. I was curious about the translation and the quality of the synthetic cover that Cambridge used on the REB. I am glad I took the time to look it over a while. Some have called the REB the UK’s equivalent to the NIV here in America. I would have to agree, but with an exception. I think the REB and the 2011 and newer NIV’s are similar. They both employ some gender neutral/accurate/inclusive language. I call it gender neutral, agenda driven translation when words are not directly translated into their English counterparts when they are available. This is done in the NRSV extensively and for the sake of being inclusive rather than accurate. That bothers me. How can anyone consider it a good scholastic translation when an agenda like that has driven its translation? There are the gender accurate ones like the NET Bible. Where they just correct some translation errors that versions like the KJV have. I don’t have a problem with that, as long as they are doing it for the sake of being accurate, and not for political correctness. After all, we are to conform to the word not the other way around. The REB doesn’t change as much as the NRSV or the NIV, but it does make an effort to be more gender neutral than what I think is acceptable. Keep in mind, I think that if it is a correction it is acceptable, but if it is for the sake of being, “inclusive” it is not. So that leaves us with the REB. Kind of a, “middle of the road” little guy.

Being neither theologically conservative or liberal has placed this Bible in obscurity. Roughly half of any given American Church is made up of liberals and the other half conservatives. We can see this demonstrated via the litmus test of gay marriage. When a Church accepts it, about half of the people leave. God even says He’d rather we be hot or cold instead of lukewarm. So fence sitting isn’t a good place to be. I’d suggest that the powers that be make this a dynamic equivalent that adheres to accurate gender pronouns, or they toss 2000 years of orthodoxy and just put in whatever pronouns they please. I’m sure that would make the liberals happy. After all, who are we seeking to please, God or man? So when the Bible says something like, “man” in reference to, “mankind” and the word is translated directly as, “man” with the understood connotation in English as, “mankind” leave it, “man” don’t change it to, “mankind, humans, or people.” We aren’t stupid. We know from context that the meaning is all of mankind. Anyone who would mistranslate something for the sake of inclusivity or societal acceptance should not be translating the Bible.

It’s not that this is a bad translation. A person could get saved reading it. It gets the concepts across. It isn’t as bad as the NRSV or NIV. It doesn’t mess things up near as much as they do. It is just not what it could be. I’d love to see a very conservative dynamic equivalent. The 1984 NIV was good. The REB could be better, but as it is I don’t think it will ever be that popular in America. There will always be a more conservative or liberal choice out there. There really isn’t much room for one that sits between. It is funny to me that the very things that this Bible lists as selling features on the back of the slipcase are the things that would stop me from buying it. They would also stop about half of the Church goers in America from buying it.

When I read the REB my American brain stutters a bit. It puts things an odd way. I read John 1:1-14 and was confused about word choices as well as the way things were phrased. ***(update/ 04/21/21 It was brought to my attention that I made a mistake here. I inadvertently quoted from the NEB which is the text the REB updated instead of quoting from the REB. Here is the REB text, “I copied the text from the NEB (New English Bible) and pasted it in by accident. The R.E.B. is an update of the NEB’s text. It should have read, “In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence, and what God was, the Word was.” I am leaving the article the way it was so that the comment about the mistake will make sense, and so people can also have the correction in the text of the article.)*** “Here is John 1:1 for your consideration, “When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was. “This translation was done for English reading people in the U.K. It doesn’t flow as easily for me. People from the U.K. probably have no problem at all with this translation. Being an American, it just doesn’t make sense to me. Here is how my favorite translation renders John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NASB) Finally let’s look at the Greek, “ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος” transliterated as, “En archē ēn ho logos kai ho logos ēn pros ton theon kai Theos ēn ho logos” or in English, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God. The HCSB is a mix between formal equivalent and dynamic equivalent and it does a better job with John 1:1, “In the beginninga was the Word,and the Word was with God,and the Word was God.”

Another concern I have is the ecumenism involved for this translation. I noticed that there were Roman Catholics involved with the translation. That put me off right away. There are many theologically liberal people in America who consider Roman Catholics to be fellow Christians. I don’t know how anyone can study the RCC Catechism and come to that conclusion. It is obvious that they do not hold to Biblical teachings as authoritative. Consider that when the Pope speaks ex cathedra, what he says trumps the Bible. Magisterium or RCC tradition also seems to trump the Bible. We haven’t even mentioned Mariology. So the squishy ecumenism is a reason for concern. Keep in mind that I am very opinionated. I am firmly in the conservative camp. I have my own allegiances. You might not agree with me or my conclusions about this translation, but that is alright. That is what we call tolerance people. We can disagree and not lop of peoples heads, burn a city, or politically pressure people into silence.

Now that we have dealt with the translation let’s look at the quality of construction. It was printed by CPI William Clowes in the U.K. William Clowes Ltd. is a British printing company that was founded by William Clowes in 1803. They printed reference books and catalogues. They have been in the printing business for quite a while. We might not be familiar with them here. I am satisfied with the quality of this Bible. I was a bit concerned when I read that the paper was recycled.

I thought perhaps it wouldn’t be opaque enough or maybe it would be to brittle or easy to tear. Thankfully none of that was true. The Bible was sent to me in an easy to open cardboard box along with the ESV Clarion that I reviewed here.

Both Bibles arrived undamaged and in good condition from Cambridge.

The REB comes in a stout slipcase. It looks like it should hold up well. Keep it for storing your Bible in.

Once I had the Bible out of its case I was quite anxious to look the cover, binding, and paper over. This is the first synthetic covered Bible from Cambridge that I have reviewed. The cover looks a lot like leather and handles like a leather cover for the most part. It appears that attention was paid to the details.

The corners look good, the vinyl liner is glued down well, the binding is sewn, but it is a bit stiffer than a luxury Bible.

Don’t expect it to behave like a $200.00 Bible. It isn’t. It won’t open flat right out of the slipcase.

It takes some breaking in. Since it does have a sewn binding it will be nice after it is broke in. There is a design stamped into the front. I have no opinion one way or the other about it. There is one ribbon marker, page edges are gilded, and the weight and size make this convenient for taking with you to Church.

This is a two column, paragraph, format text Bible, black letter edition.

The paper is less flexible than the paper used by Jongbloed on the other Cambridge Bibles I’ve reviewed. It seems a bit more stiff. Like the cleaner put extra starch in your shirt. The pages are off white and the font is nicely printed in 8 point, “Swift” typeface.

There is a, Preface, Measures and Weights, and a Presentation Page, at the beginning of this Bible. Even though I am not a fan of the translation there is nothing wrong with the quality of this Bible. They did a good job of putting together a durable Bible with a synthetic cover and recycled paper. The retail price online is too high for a Bible with a synthetic cover.

Amazon

Christianbook

I don’t foresee that many Americans shelling out their hard earned dollars for a synthetic leather cover and recycled paper. For the same amount they can get a Bible with genuine leather, albeit pigskin leather, and a sewn binding. So if Cambridge wants this Bible to make it in America they should either go full liberal or full conservative, put a leather cover on this, and by all means kill some trees. After all we aren’t going to destroy the planet like the Emergent church lunatics tell us. God will destroy it with fire like He says in His word. (disclaimer-I am not advocating and abdication of our God ordained duties of being in dominion of the Earth and the creatures thereof. I am asserting that quality paper for the word of God to be printed on is an honorable end for a tree. I was also attempting humor.)

***Addendum 02/18/15 “On a technical point the paper used in the REB is not ‘re-cycled’ – The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) reference denotes that the wood pulp used in the making of the paper comes from forests that are environmentally managed (cut trees replaced by new) and where the supply chain can be clearly identified i.e. we can be confident that no illegal logging has been involved. Although ‘re-cycled’ is mentioned, it does not form a part of this particular sub-group of papers.” ***

REB Standard Text Edition RE532:T Imitation Leather

ISBN-13: 9780521195577

Bible Reviews

They don’t get much better than this! The Cambridge Clarion, ESV Bible in black edge-lined goatskin leather.

January 30, 2015January 30, 2015 Bob Snyder8 Comments

What qualities do you look for in a Bible? Clear print, font size, paper opacity, sewn binding, quality cover, solid translation, lifetime warranty that you probably won’t have to use? Well the Cambridge Clarion, ESV Bible in black edge-lined goatskin leather has it all. I know you are probably getting tired of me giving these Cambridge Bibles such good reviews, but if they weren’t simply better than the others I wouldn’t. I think the other publishers might even wish I would stop reviewing Cambridge Bibles. Their publications don’t look as good compared to the Cambridge Bibles. Now, I know there are plenty of good Bibles out there, but when contrasted with the outstanding ones they fall short in some areas. With Bibles I’ve noticed that you get what you pay for in general.

The ESV is a solid translation from Crossway. Here is a link to some information about the translation. It is not a dynamic equivalent or thought for thought translation. It is more of a formal equivalent or word for word translation. Hebrew and Greek don’t have the same sentence structure and grammar as English. In translating the words are translated directly into English, but are arranged as English sentences so that we can understand them. In a dynamic equivalent the sentence or paragraph is read and studied by the team and they basically paraphrase it in English to convey the meaning in the most accurate way they can. The NIV is a dynamic equivalent. Dynamic equivalents may be easier to read, but in my opinion are by nature less precise. That is why I prefer formal equivalent translations like the ESV or NASB.

Here is a link to a chart that lists some common Bible translations and their translation philosophy. Keep in mind that several of the translations there were translated with the added agenda of being gender neutral and going beyond gender accuracy. They call their translations gender inclusive, but it is at the purposeful abuse of scripture.

Besides being an ESV this Bible is like Goldilocks and the baby bear’s stuff. It is just right. It isn’t too big, or too small. The paper isn’t too thick or too thin. The print isn’t too big or too small. The cover isn’t too soft or too rigid. It gets just about everything right. The Clarion arrived in an easy to open cardboard box along with an REB that I will review later.

Both Bibles arrived undamaged and in good condition. The Clarion was in a one piece clamshell box.

The box should be retained for storage, should you ever decide to put this Bible down for a bit to read another… I doubt that will happen. The first thing you’ll notice is the smell of the leather.

The next thing you’ll notice is the supple, perimeter stitched, edge lined, black goatskin leather cover.

If you have never owned a Bible with a cover like this, you don’t know what you are missing. For durability, functionality, and comfort, you can’t beat it. The cover works in concert with the sewn binding and quality paper to allow this Bible to open well and lay flat on a table or desk.

It also lays flat while held in one hand.

This makes it a joy to read. I love that you forget you are holding something. You aren’t constantly fighting the cover, the paper, or the binding. The Spine of the Clarion has, “Holy Bible” at the top. Under that is, “English Standard Version”. On the bottom of the spine is, “Cambridge.” They are all hot-stamped in gold. There are five small decorative hubs as well.

The grain of the goatskin cover is more pebbled than a top grain cowhide. It is softer than the shiny genuine leather covers that are made from pigskin. The perimeter stitching is uniform and well done.

The corners are stitched as well so you won’t see the typical corner treatment.

When you open the Bible, you’ll see the end papers are glued to cover and text block so that they will be more durable.

There is a simple presentation page that is made of heavier card paper. It has several blank lines on it.

Then there is a Title Page. After that is the copyright page with the font size and type. It list the font as 8.75/10.5 pt. Lexicon No. 1 A (Enschede ff) We also can see from this page that this Bible is printed by Jongbloed in the Netherlands.

For those of you in the know, that is a big plus. They have been doing great work for many years. One truly great feature of this Bible is the line matching utilized by Jongbloed. The lines of text are printed exactly opposite of the lines on the other side of the page so that the text isn’t distractingly visible through the paper.

The paper is a little off white and the black text contrasts against it nicely. It is printed clearly and uniformly throughout. The text is laid out in a single column paragraph format with the cross-references on the outside edge of the page in the margin.

This layout is conducive to long sessions of uninterrupted reading. The paper is smooth. The page edges are art gilded with red under gold. I think this is a pleasing aesthetic. When the Bible is open the red shows through and while it is closed the gold is prominent.

There are two red ribbon markers for keeping your place. Most other Bibles only give you one ribbon. It is nice to have to so you can mark your reading in the Old and New Testaments.

There is a useful concordance in the end with a map index and 15 color maps printed on a heavier card paper. I like this approach better than the glossy maps as the high clay content in their paper makes them crack easier.

With all of the features like, quality construction, quality materials, attention in design, you can tell why I love the Clarion Bibles from Cambridge. If you are in the market for a premium Bible, look no further. You can purchase them on these sites;

Christianbook.com

Amazon.com

evangelicalbibles.com

9780521182911

ESV Clarion Reference Edition ES486:XE
Black Goatskin Leather

Bible Reviews

Hey women! Are you tired of the pink, “so-called” Study Bibles, that are full of fluffy self-esteem candy?

January 27, 2015January 27, 2015 Bob Snyder1 Comment

Well, Holman has got a surprise for you! Their, “Study Bible for Women” in the HCSB translation. It comes in this quality chocolate color, genuine cowhide leather, with thumb indexes. It was a very pleasant surprise to see some actual study aids as opposed to junk food. There is academic quality here. There are some notes on hermeneutics, theology, some original language notes and transliteration help. Most women’s Bibles are pink and have a bunch of Osteen-esque, self help, self-esteem, feel good, prattle in them with little in the way of useful exegesis of scripture or how to apply it today. This study Bible has significant work in it from two established Christian women. Here are short bio’s from Holman’s site,

“Dorothy Kelley Patterson is Professor of Theology in Women’s Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. She is a homemaker, popular speaker, and successful writer, editor, and compiler of numerous books including A Handbook for Ministers’ Wives, The Family, BeAttitudes for Women, and Touched by Greatness: Women in the Life of Moses. She is co-editor of the two volume Women’s Evangelical Commentary:Old Testament and New Testament. Her husband Paige is President of Southwester Baptist Theological Seminary.”

and,

“Rhonda Harrington Kelley is President’s wife and Adjunct Professor of Women’s Ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a frequent speaker for women as well as an author of books including Divine Disciple, Life Lessons for Women of the Bible, and Personal Holiness: A Biblical Study for Developing a Holy Lifestyle. She is co-editor of the three volume Women’s Evangelical Library including Women’s Evangelical Commentary: Old Testament, New Testament, and The Study Bible for Women. Her husband Chuck Kelley is President of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.”

There is some of the fluff, don’t get me wrong. It is just kept in its proper place and proportion. I think that women should find this very helpful. However, I am not a woman and am just commenting because I want one like this for men.

Here is what the Publisher has to say about this Bible,

“Publisher’s Description

The Study Bible for Women will equip you to reach deep into God’s Word. Perhaps the single most powerful aspect of this Bible are the “threads” of specialized study thoughtfully woven throughout, pointing you to God’s larger story and allowing the Holy Spirit to write His revealed truths on your heart.In The Study Bible for Women, you’ll join a host of other women, all academically trained in the original languages of the Bible and passionate about God’s Word, for an intimately deep dive into Scripture that will equip you to unlock the riches and majesty of His Word, and ignite a passion to mentor others in your life to do the same. The Study Bible for Women includes the full text of the Holman Christian Standard Bible, a clear, contemporary English translation that’s faithful to the original languages of the Bible.

Features include extensive commentary notes, word studies, answers to hard questions, doctrinal notes, Biblical womanhood articles, character profiles, Written on My Heart applications, extensive book introductions, presentation pages, in-text maps, charts & timelines, full-color maps section and concordance.”

The Bible was shipped in a cardboard box with paper packing material.

The Bible was inside a two piece retail box. It arrived undamaged and in good condition.

Inside the retail packaging it was wrapped in two pieces of black construction paper to keep it from getting bent corners.

The genuine cowhide is a chocolate brown color with a soft texture. I can’t stress enough that this is not some cheap synthetic leather, nor is it some hard, shiny, pigskin leather you would find on other Bibles in this price range. This is a soft and supple cowhide leather.

The spine is hot stamped with, “HCSB” at the top, “The Study Bible for Women” orientated horizontally along the spine in the middle, and at the bottom is the Holman logo.

The page edges are gilded gold. The Bible is thumb indexed with gold text on black for the Old Testament and gold text on Red for the New Testament.

The pages are white with a faded blue color that becomes more solid as you approach the page edges and perimeter of the page.

It kind of gives it an art gilded look of blue under gold. It might have been better to gild this with silver instead. However, the effect is minimal so as not to be unattractive. The paper is 30 g.s.m. making it pretty opaque. Lighter paper would not have been good. With this weight of paper you don’t have much in the way of ghosting (seeing the text on the backside of the page show through)

There are numerous decorative designs throughout. I don’t know what your opinion is of that, but I could do without them. The font used for the main text is 10 point in ITC Clearface Standard. (Open-type) This makes it easy on they eyes unless you have bad eyesight. The coloring of the page perimeters could cut down on the contrast of the text to the paper. The paper could be a little brighter white where the text is, but then the perimeter effect would be lost. The text is laid out in a double column, paragraph format with the cross-references on the outside of the page instead of at the bottom or in a center column.

Interspersed throughout are other features. The inside cover is made of vinyl of the same color and glued down. They did a good job with the corners.

There is one ribbon marker and it is matching in color as well.

The binding on this Bible is a South Korean, sewn binding. They have been doing a lot of Holman’s bindings and are holding up quite well. This also makes them flexible on top of being durable. Way better than a glued binding.

Even though this is a study Bible, I don’t want you to be afraid that it is a behemoth. (funny right?) For a study Bible this thing is very manageable. It is just the right size for ladies who don’t want to use a hand-truck to carry their study Bibles to Wednesday night Bible Study. I think it is a very good investment if you are looking for a women’s study Bible that has good content instead of the motivational junk you get pushed on you nowadays.

ISBN: 9781586400941

http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/products/the-study-bible-for-women-chocolate-genuine-leather-indexed/

You can purchase this Bible on Amazon or on Christianbook

Bible Reviews

Update on the MEV Review.

January 24, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I was originally informed that it was smyth-sewn and later they corrected their error and informed me that this one is not, but future editions would be.

Bible Reviews

Review of the Matthew Henry Study Bible in black flexisoft synthetic leather.

January 22, 2015January 23, 2015 Bob Snyder4 Comments

I received the Matthew Henry Study Bible gratis from Hendrickson for honest review. Despite Hendrickson’s fine job of packaging their Bibles for shipping, this one arrived damaged. The two piece retail box was packed inside a cardboard box with air bag type packing material.

I noticed the damage upon opening the Bible. The material that joins the cover to the text block was torn along the hinge at the bottom. The tear is about 1 1/2 inches long. I suspect it was due to the size and weight of the MHSB.

I think it is too heavy for the cheaper materials it is made from. That in conjunction with being shipped from China where it was made could also be responsible for the damage. I contacted Hendrickson about the damage and asked about getting a different copy to review. They wanted me to go ahead with the review of the damaged Bible. I can definitely understand that. It gets expensive sending out free review copies.

The cover material is very rubbery looking and feeling.

In my opinion it isn’t a very attractive choice of cover material. I would go with the hardback if you are thinking of buying this product. I think it would hold up better. It has the words, “Holy Bible” in gold on the front. The spine has the words, “Matthew Henry Study Bible” at the top. In the middle there is a tree graphic and then, “King James Version” under it. On the bottom is, “Hendrickson Bible.”

The head and foot bands did not stay glued down.

There is a gold colored ribbon marker.

There is a presentation page and then an article about Matthew Henry.

The paper is a 30 gsm weight. The print does not seem dark or bold enough. If the paper were whiter, the text would have more contrast against it. The words of Christ are in read. Since the paper isn’t as bright, the red font doesn’t contrast well either. This also is hard on the eyes. The font is 10 point Garamond Pro.

There are book introductions before each book.

The text is laid out in a double column paragraph format with in-text quotes from the Matthew Henry’s writings. Side column references appear in the inside gutter area. Footnotes are at the bottom of the page. The notes are 8 point Myriad Pro. This does accommodate the 10 point font of the main text. The pages are thumb indexed on this edition.

There are eight full color maps and a concordance in the back.

With a Bible this size there has to be some compromise during the design. One trade off would be a thinner paper so that the already large Bible doesn’t become gargantuan. Keep that in mind when considering this Bible for purchase.

I know it like I don’t like this Bible, but don’t worry. There are good things about this Bible. The binding is sewn and pretty flexible.

Even if the cover, paper, and binding, were done in China. The binding is still pretty decent. The Bible opens well and is easy to hold despite its size. It is very flexible for a large Bible. The cover material does allow for lots of flexibility as well. Perhaps if the cover offered a bit more structure the tear wouldn’t have happened. My thoughts are that the hardcover would hold up better. I haven’t looked at the hardcover though so this is an assumption.

A. Kenneth Abraham did a good job of condensing the venerable Matthew Henry’s commentary down to Study Bible notes. I know that in many reviews people have mentioned that they didn’t think there were enough notes in the Old Testament. In sections of Historical Narrative I don’t know that you’d need study notes. I found the editing to be good. I think the task of cutting down the Matthew Henry’s Commentary would be daunting and was done satisfactorily. Keeping in mind that it would be extremely difficult to get every bit of even the concise commentary in here without making a ten pound Bible.

I don’t know how familiar you are with the English Puritan, Matthey Henry. He compiled an exhaustive commentary which he did not finish and a more concise commentary. Henry was a nonconformist. In other words he didn’t conform to the act of uniformity 1662. In England, at that time, the Anglican Church was about the only game in town. If you didn’t play by their rules, you often times didn’t get to. Matthew Henry only lived to 52 and died suddenly. His work of making an exhaustive commentary was finished by his peers. Charles Spurgeon spoke highly of his work. Modern day, Reformed Baptists also like his work. His commentary was exegetical and devotional. It is just as good now as it was then. Having it in even more concise fashion as Study Bible notes is nice.

If you’re buying this Bible it is probably because of the notes. If that is the case I think most people would be happy with this Study Bible. I would recommend the hardcover unless Hendrickson comes out with genuine leather or starts making these in the States out of tougher cover material.

ISBN: 9781598565461

ISBN-13: 9781598565461

Bible Reviews

The Modern English Version (MEV) a Curious and Surprising Translation.

January 14, 2015January 15, 2015 Bob Snyder15 Comments

I came across the MEV by chance while searching for different translations. I was curious because I have never heard of the MEV before. When looking into it I found out some more details that made me even more curious. I found out that it is a modern translation that seeks to be as “word for word” accurate as it can be while maintaining the King James text in modern English. I was a bit puzzled by this as we now have many more manuscripts, some are older and some are more reliable than the Textus Receptus. As for a modern version of the KJV, well we already have the New King James Version (NKJV) as for modern translations, I prefer the NASB as it makes use of many of the manuscripts we have discovered over the last couple hundred years without including the errors Erasmus made for the sake of expediency. This is one of the differences between the MEV and other modern translations. It is kind of like building a modern car, but using an old flat head motor. The Textus Receptus isn’t horrible, it just isn’t as good as the manuscripts we now have.

With those concerns considered I turned my attention to the actual translation of the MEV. I’m glad to say, that so far this has turned out to be pretty accurate and reliable. I’ve been reading it with my NA28, NASB, KJV, and NKJV side by side. I actually prefer the way the MEV renders some words over the NASB. For instance, in the New Testament the NASB renders, “Χριστός” as, “Messiah” instead of, “Christ” where the MEV renders it as, “Christ.” The MEV makes us of capital letters when referring to God, but not as much as the NASB. The NASB does a better job in other areas as well. For instance in John 1:5 I like the rendering of, “κατέλαβεν” as, “comprehend” more than, “overcome.” I understand that there is the implication in the Greek of struggling with a concept to finally comprehend it or overcome it. I just think that the English word, “overcome” has connotations that could lead one to think of a contest, battle, or race, without and missing out on the more important implication of comprehension.

Here is an excerpt from the MEV page, “The MEV is a translation of the Textus Receptus and the Jacob ben Hayyim edition of the Masoretic Text, using the King James Version as the base manuscript. The MEV is a literal translation. It is also often referred to as a formal correspondence translation. The Committee on Bible Translation began their work on the MEV in 2005 and completed it in 2013.” It also appears that some of the endorsers mention that this is the 1611 authorized with modern language. These lead me to believe that they haven’t fixed the problems that Erasmus introduced. Here are the last 8 verses from Revelation out of the 1611 Authorized KJV, the Cambridge KJV, The MEV, and the NASB, in that order:

“14 Blessed are they that do his commandements, that they may haue right to the tree of life, and may enter in thorow the gates into the citie.

14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoeuer loueth and maketh a lie.

15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

15 Outside are dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices a lie.

15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

16 I Iesus haue sent mine Angel, to testifie vnto you these things in the Churches. I am the roote and the offspring of Dauid, and the bright and morning starre.

16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things [fn]for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is a thirst, come. And whosoeuer will, let him take the water of life freely.

17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let him who hears say, “Come.” Let him who is thirsty come. Let him who desires take the water of life freely.

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

18 For I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke, If any man shal adde vnto these things, God shall adde vnto him the plagues, that are written in this booke.

18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book.

18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;

19 And if any man shall take away from the wordes of the booke of this prophesie, God shal take away his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy citie, and from the things which are written in this booke.

19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and out of the things which are written in this book.

19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and [fn]from the holy city, which are written in this book.

20 Hee which testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Euen so, Come Lord Iesus.

20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”

Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. {THE END.}

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with [fn]all. Amen.

You can see some of the differences between translations due to the error of Erasmus in the above verses. Of course the first three translations will look more alike when compared to the last one. The NASB is a modern translation that utilized more than just the Textus Receptus. It used the third edition of Rudolf Kittel’s Biblia Hebraica, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia for the Hebrew. It used the Eberhard Nestle’s Novum Testamentum Graece for the Greek.

According to their web page they were not allowing any cultural or theological agendas to dictate how they did their translation. I’m glad to see that there isn’t any gender neutral nonsense so far as I have read.

Overall it accomplishes what it sets out to do. It brings the KJV into modern English. I think it does a better job in some areas and could be better in others. I think they should fix the problems with the work of Erasmus.

The Bible Passio sent me to review is a Thinline Reference Bible. Here is an excerpt from their product page, “Thinline Reference Bible Black Leatherlike ATTRACTIVE AND LIGHTWEIGHT, this Thinline Reference Bible is a Bible your customers can take anywhere. Complete with study tools such as cross-references, a concordance, and four-color maps, it is sure to be a favorite for home, church, or giving as a gift.” The Bible was provided gratis for the purpose of review by Passio. It arrived in an envelope.

It was packaged in a card-paper sleeve. The sleeve or slipcase is not heavy enough to use for storage and actually was bent quite a bit from being mailed.

The Bible itself didn’t suffer too much, just some bent corners. The MEV was printed and bound in America.

I found this refreshing. So many of the Bibles I review are imported from China and South Korea. The Bible was covered with what they call a black leatherlike cover. It was black. It was textured. That was about where the similarities ended. This had some of the cheapest cover material I’ve ever seen.

The inside cover is lined with paper.

Keep in mind that this Bible has a very low price, very white opaque paper with sharply printed text.

We have to be fair. You can pick up a copy for around $20.00 online. The paper is 19.8 lb basis weight Tervakoski. According to the publisher it is the equivalent of approximately 29.3 gsm. Having used this Bible for a couple of weeks now, I’d have to agree. The paper is pretty opaque given its light weight and how thin it is. The font is an 8 point Delima MT Std regular. The words of Christ are in red.

The text is arranged in a typical double column format with center column references. There are not as many cross references as I’d like to see.

I have a feeling that there will be more as the translation matures. The page edges are gilded.

There is one black ribbon marker. The ribbon is narrow, thick, and seems to be better quality than most of the Bibles in the same price range.

There are short book introductions before each book and when a book ends the next book starts on a new page sometimes giving you room for notes at the end of the book.

There is a helpful concordance in the back and after that 4 color maps.

Now keeping in mind that this is a $20 Thinline Bible I want to tell you how impressed I am with its flexibility. After only a couple of hours of use this thing is flexible enough to double over and to wrap around itself. It is great for carrying with you in a bag or lunch box. It isn’t so expensive as to make you afraid to use it. It isn’t so small you can’t read the text. It is a very practical Bible if you are looking for an inexpensive Thinline to carry and read.

Amazon has them here.

ISBN-13: 978-1621369967

Bible Reviews

He said, “It is a Waterproof Bible!” I said, “What?”

January 13, 2015 Bob Snyder1 Comment

Review of the English Standard Version (ESV) Waterproof Bible from Bardin & Marsee Publishing

The first time I saw a waterproof Bible it was a local Christian book store. It seemed like a good idea. At that time in my life I was planning for the end of the world, doomsday scenario. The Bible was a KJV, so I wasn’t that interested. Fast-forward a bit and now they make one in ESV. I was very curious as to how they accomplished this feat of Bible construction. I requested one for review from the publisher. They sent one for me gratis for the purpose of honest review.

I’m not going to lie. The idea of pouring water onto any book without damaging it is pretty novel. That novelty earns it some points. Aside from the novelty, there are many practical reasons for having a waterproof Bible. I like the notion of having a Bible I can take to Church Camp or Men’s Retreat, and not have to worry about it getting wet or dirty. I can put it in my bag with my toothpaste and not worry about it getting messed up if the cap comes off. I can read it at the table and not worry about spilling my drink on it. If it does get messy from food, drink, dirt, mud, etc. I can just rinse it off and dry it with a towel or rag.

Some of the active peeps I know love their apps. Bible apps are fine, but one update and the enemy can change all the content of the Bible so that it isn’t the same anymore. Try pouring some coffee on your tablet or phone while reading your Bible via an app! Good luck with that move. Don’t drop your tablet in the dirt next to the fire pit. You’ll break your screen. What about when that battery gets low bro? What then? I love having a printed copy in hand to read from. So if it is the Bible you run to the hills with, it won’t get remotely updated. I jest… not really… OK, I’m kidding…

The Waterproof Bible was shipped to me packed in a cardboard box cushioned with paper packing material.

The Bible is a bit heavier than a comparably sized conventional Bible. I think this is due to the materials used in the manufacture of this Bible. It was in pretty good shape when it arrived. The corners were a little bent, but not bad.

The Bible is printed in China.

The page material seems to be some kind of plastic material that is very, very opaque. This is a good thing. You can’t see the text through the page.

One problem with this Bible is that the pages and text are a bit glossy. In sunlight they are pretty bright. The cover is blue and white. The signatures are sewn and glued together.

If you look closely enough you can see that they use a pretty heavy looking cord to sew them together.

Since the pages aren’t conventional paper, I don’t see this Bible getting damaged. It is a good investment even if you aren’t looking for a Bible to take into the wild. It will survive the urban jungle as well. Youth Pastors know what I mean. There are short book introductions before each book.

The 8 point font text is arranged in a double column format with references at the bottom of the page.

You can underline with pencils and ball-point pens. Pens will dent the pages and sometimes skip. Pencils do the same. I wouldn’t buy this with the intentions of putting a bunch of notes in it. I found that underlining is very doable, but note taking would be tough. Wet highlighters won’t work, but dry ones and sharpies will. There are no maps, concordance, or any other helps. The Bible would be too heavy if it did have them.

If you are in the market for a very tough Bible that will live up to your active life, then this is the Bible for you. Clearly printed font, no ghosting, rugged, and practical, this Bible is perfect for extreme applications. Take it anywhere and no worries.

9781609690120

You can purchase one directly from the publisher at the link below,

http://www.bardinmarsee.com/p-69-esv-waterproof-bible.aspx

or you can purchase one here, Amazon or here, Christianbook

Bible Reviews

Another Excellent Bible from Cambridge, the Clarion NKJV Bible in Brown Genuine Calfskin.

January 1, 2015January 1, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I begin by referring you to my previous review of the Cameo from Cambridge. The two Bibles were delivered in the same packaging from Cambridge. Both have the sewn bindings and both are covered with the same brown calfskin. You can read about those aspects in that review.

The Clarion from Cambridge is an example of modern Bible design done right. Here is a quote from the Cambridge website about the Clarion in NKJV;

“A Cambridge Clarion edition represents an unusual and attractive combination of features – a very readable text in a paragraph style, with a single-column layout – all within a personal size reference Bible format. Here, the NKJV text is presented in a single column with the cross-references in the outer margin, giving the page a very well laid out appearance. The font size is a little under 9 point with generous line spacing. It is typeset in Lexicon No.1, a modern digital font which has many of the characteristics usually associated with traditional Bible typefaces – in particular, a degree of readability more usually associated with much larger type. The Bible has 15 new colour maps and a concordance. There are two ribbons to keep the place in different parts of the Bible. This is a Bible of the very highest quality, printed on India paper with art-gilt edges, Smyth-sewn for flexibility and endurance, and bound in brown calfskin leather”

Chances are if you are considering the purchase of the Clarion NKJV Bible in brown calfskin, you have a list of desired attributes in mind; manageable size, legibility, quality sewn binding, beautiful and durable cover, and so on. The Clarion fits the niche almost perfectly in my opinion. It brings together many desirable features without sacrificing too much in the other areas of design. The Clarion is larger than the Cameo. It is definitely thicker. The thickness of the Clarion does make it a bit more to hold than the Cameo, but the font is so much more legible. The tradeoff is well worth it. Because of the thicker format the Clarion can use a larger font. It is a modern font, printed with modern technology making it very clear and sharp. The Cameo’s font was cleaned up, but still doesn’t compare to the font of the Clarion.

Another wonderful attribute is that you can get the Clarion in different translations. Currently it is available in the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the English Standard Version (ESV), the King James Version (KJV), and the New King James Version (NKJV), which I am reviewing.

So besides the size, font, and available modern translations, the Clarion also breaks in very well. I have been using an NASB Clarion in goatskin for my daily reading and it has become my standard for comparison. The NKJV in calfskin adds some rigidity to the cover. Instead of being edge lined and perimeter stitched with a very flexible material it uses a more common process of vinyl inner liners glued down to the outer cover. The added structure can be a pro to some and a con to others. In my opinion, if this Bible were thinner the stiffer cover would be a pro, but it is just a bit too thick. I can’t roll the cover all the way around like I can with the goatskin covered Clarion. It makes it a little less comfortable for me. The cameo gets the size right for this type of cover, but at the sacrifice of font size, line spacing. These all have an effect on the ease of reading. If you are going to buy the Clarion, I’d suggest the goatskin. Of course this is just my opinion. Everyone has different sized hands and preferences. I suggest looking one over in the Christian book store, or getting your friend to let you borrow theirs for a few minutes. It is not a small investment for most people. Because of the quality of craftsmanship and materials used it will be with you for a long time. So it is important that you do your research before buying a lifetime companion like the Cambridge Clarion.

This Bible is covered with a genuine calfskin in brown.

It is very supple and soft. On the front of this Bible is hot stamped, “Holy Bible” in gold. The spine of the cover has, “Holy Bible” at the top, “New King James Version” immediately under that. At the bottom of the spine is, “Cambridge” in gold as well. There are modest hubs worked into the spine as well.

The inner vinyl liners are black and glued neatly to the calfskin.

The calfskin has been folded over and finished uniformly. The corners are all perfectly finished. There are two ribbon markers that are color matched to the cover. The ribbon markers are about a quarter inch wide.

The page edges are art gilded. This gives them a distinctive look that you won’t find on less expensive Bibles.

The paper is high quality opaque paper. It is slightly off white and contrasts with the black font nicely. The text is printed in a single column, paragraph format with line matching. Line matching is when the lines of text are printed in such a way so as to make the text on one side of the page directly opposite of the text on the other side of the page. This aids in legibility. The font is large enough to be easily read yet small enough to keep the size of the Clarion down. It is clearly, and uniformly printed.

It has a useful concordance and the maps are printed on a heavier paper with a matte finish.

The sewn binding is of the quality I’ve come to expect from Cambridge. The Clarion opens well and lays flat when opened.

To sum up, the Clarion is an excellent Bible that fills a big niche in the Bible market. Many Christians are on the lookout for a Bible that travels well, is easy on the eyes while reading, and is well made. The Clarion fits the bill and is available in some great translations. Check out Cambridge Press’ Page. You can pick up a copy of this Bible on evangelicalbible.com for about $140.00 and you can also get it from Amazon for about $120.00 and Christianbook for about $155.00