A Side by Side Comparison of the Oxford NRSV with the Apocrypha and Book of Common Prayer in Black Genuine Leather, to the Cambridge KJV with the Book of Common Prayer in Purple Calfsplit Leather.

May 24, 2015May 24, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

You can look at all of the pictures on my Flickr page. Here is the link for the Cambridge album. Here is the link for the Oxford album. I received both Bibles undamaged. They were packed in their own cardboard boxes and were inside retail boxes that were both sturdy enough to be used for storing the Bible in when on the shelf.

Upon opening the boxes I was impressed with the purple color of the Cambridge Bible. The Cambridge cover was also more supple out of the box. This is due to the Cambridge being covered in calfsplit leather which is split cowhide leather as opposed to the Oxford’s cover which was your typical pigskin leather. The Oxford was ornamented with a gold stamped cross on the front cover as well as a gilt line around the inside perimeter of the cover. Both covers have a perimeter groove pressed into them.

The Cambridge and the Oxford alike have gold gilt page edges. I thought the two purple ribbon markers were attractive. The Oxford has three yellow/gold ribbon markers that were pretty nice even if they were a bit more narrow. I would have liked to see three ribbon markers in the Cambridge because of the added BCP.

Here is the Cambridge

Here is the Oxford

The Oxford was surprisingly smaller than the Cambridge even though it had the Apocrypha and the Cambridge did not. Due to all of the added text there had to be a compromise. I don’t think it was a very wise one. The Biblical text in the NRSV is very small. At 6 pt. it is still legibly printed, but does present a strain for longer reading. I think it would be fine for carrying to Church as long as you bring your reading glasses. If you do have poor vision I would not recommend this Bible for the Bible portion.

The BCP is perfectly legible being printed in 8 pt. font.

The Cambridge suffers from the same problem albeit not of necessity in my opinion. Of course I am not privy to all design constraints and I am certain there are reasons for making the Biblical text 6 pt. and the BCP text a very generous 11 pt. I would have liked to see the BCP down to 8 pt. and the KJV up to 8 pt. I think that could have been achieved.

Both Bibles have sewn bindings and are case bound. The Cambridge is printed and bound in Italy by L.E.G.O. SpA. Vicenza. It is the KJV Pitt Minion, Reference Second Edition setting.

That would be a double column, paragraph format layout with references in the center column. The small 6.75 pt. font is clearly and uniformly printed on very good and opaque Bible paper.

The Book of Common Prayer is mostly single column format. It is printed in large 11 pt. font making it easy to read. It is also printed to the same standards as the rest of the text.

Both Bibles were designed and had their layouts done by Blue Heron Bookcraft in Battleground Washington.

When we compare the two Bibles there are some big differences in quality. The Korean printed and bound Oxford uses a less opaque paper that tends to wrinkle, while the Cambridge is very smooth.

Here is the Oxford

Here is the Cambridge

The print in the Oxford is not as well inked as the Cambridge. The Oxford is a double column paragraph format with very limited footnotes. It is the NRSV translation. Both Bibles are black letter editions.

The Oxford does have some gold colored and heavily textured papers utilized for the presentation and family records pages. They look nice, but can be a chore to write on contrasted to the typical Cambridge presentation pages.

The Book of Common Prayer is mostly single column and printed with large 8 pt. font.

The Apocrypha is printed the same as the Biblical text.

Neither have maps or helps in the back. The Cambridge has, “Common Prayer” at the top, “Holy Bible” in the middle and, the Cambridge logo at the foot of the spine stamped in gold. The Oxford has, “The Book of Common Prayer” at the top and, “The Holy Bible” underlined and, “Apocrypha” immediately under it in the middle, and, “Oxford” at the bottom of the spine.

The Cambridge is a bit larger in length and width, but they are about the same thickness.

The Oxford might be a hair thicker. Both are aesthetically pleasing and pleasant to hold, however the Cambridge is the winner in the tactilely pleasing category. The calfsplit leather just is so much better than the shiny pigskin leather of the Oxford. I honestly thought the Oxford was bonded leather when I opened it. The head and foot bands on the Oxford were not properly glued down either. For quality of assembly I would have to give the Cambridge the win. Here is a look at the inside covers of both. You can see that they are both case bound.

Here is the Cambridge.

Here is the Oxford. It has a gilt line around the inside cover.

The Cambridge is geared more towards Anglicans and the Oxford is geared more for Episcopalians in my opinion. At least after reading much out of the BCP in each one that is my impression. The Cambridge utilizes the 1662 Book of Common Prayer while the Oxford uses 1979 Book of Common Prayer. If you are looking for an in depth list of what both BCP’s include I’m not going to do that, however I do have pictures of the table on contents pages that have those lists. You can see them on my Flickr page. Click here for the first page of the Cambridge Table of contents. Click here for the second page. Click here for the first page of the Oxford Table of Contents. Click here for the second page. The Cambridge is almost twice the price of the Oxford, but in my opinion it is worth it. I also like the KJV more than the NRSV. I am neither Anglican nor Episcopalian so I am not biased one way or another towards one of these Bibles. If you must have an Apocrypha in your volume then you would have to go with the Oxford. Both are sturdy and well made. They should provide years of service… as long as your eyes can take the small text. Make sure to visit the links to the Flickr photo album pages for both Bibles so you can get a good close look at all of the features.

If you are interested in purchasing either one here are some links for you,

Cambridge or Amazon or Christianbook

Oxford or Amazon or Christianbook

Bible Reviews

Have you ever wanted to compare the changes in the 2011 NIV against the KJV or NKJV?

March 26, 2015 Bob Snyder6 Comments

Have you ever wanted to compare the changes in the 2011 NIV against the KJV or NKJV?
Hendrickson’s Complete Evangelical Parallel Bible with the KJV, NKJV, NIV, & NLT in black bonded leather gives you that opportunity.

I saw this Bible on Hendrickson’s web page. It struck me as an interesting opportunity to look for myself at the changes made in the NIV and compare them to a trusted version like the NKJV. I’ve read a number of books on the topic. My studying was done between the time when the TNIV was introduced and when the 2011 NIV replaced it. I’m not going to say I can tell the future, but I called it when I told my wife that they will just drop the, “T” off of TNIV and try to sneak it by everyone. Well, I was right. That is what happened.

Hendrickson did a decent job of packaging this large Bible. It was shipped in a cardboard box, with airbag type packaging cushions inside.

The Parallel was wrapped in plastic, and was in a clamshell retail box, that should be retained for storage.

The Parallel has a black, bonded leather cover.

Bonded leather is less expensive than genuine leather, which is made from pigskin. Good bonded leather can last a very long time. Bonded leather is kind of like the particle board of leather. It is bits and pieces of leather that are pressed together with adhesives and die to make sheets of bonded leather. It is typically a bit stiffer than calfskin leather and very stiff compared to goatskin leather. It is the lowest grade of leather cover, but it does fill a niche in Bible cover options. If I were to buy a goatskin hide from a supplier it would cost me about $80.00. I could probably get about three or four Bibles this size case bound. So if the publisher wanted to make any money they would have to pass the costs along to the consumer. Synthetic covers are less expensive. They are also almost as flexible as premium covers. The problem is that they aren’t as tough and don’t last as long. Bonded leather covers, in my opinion are tougher than the synthetic covers. It might not be as flexible as a synthetic cover, but it will add more structure to a big Bible like this than a synthetic one. Your other option is to get a hardback. These are good for giving the Bible structure. They are also pretty durable, but they can get bent, torn, scratched, and waterlogged pretty easy. They are easy to rebind as well. So you see, there are several options, you just have to decide how much you want to spend, what features are must haves, and what you can compromise on.

I think as far as parallel Bibles go this one is built pretty well. This Bible has a sewn binding. That is almost a necessity on a Bible this size. You actually have four complete Bibles in one volume. The sewn binding makes this Bible much more flexible than a perfect bind. Perfect bound books have all of the pages stacked up, cut square, and glued together to form the spine. A sewn binding stacks pages into separate pamphlets called signatures. These are stacked up against strips of material called binding tapes. The signatures are sewn to the tapes and to each other. This gives the Bible the ability to open fully, last longer, not lose pages, and hold together even if the glue gives way.

It is case bound, which means it is glued into the cover by the end papers. An edge lined binding glues the inside cover tab to the end papers of the text block and then covers the tab with another piece of paper, vinyl, or hide/fabric. You see edge lined bindings on premium Bibles. Premium Bibles usually are $150 and up. Case binding is the most common kind you’ll see.

On top of having a sewn binding, four Bibles, ribbon marker, and a bonded leather cover, this Bible has pretty decent paper and print for a giant like this. I was expecting to have some difficulty with legibility due to how much they had to put in this volume, but this one uses clean sharply printed modern digital typeset.

It was printed in China. The font is 8 point in size. That doesn’t sound like much. Don’t let that fool you. It is very legible. I was pleasantly surprised. The paper is pretty good too. It offers good contrast with the font without being too white. The spine is square, not rounded. There are decorative head and tail bands, a ribbon marker, publisher’s notes, limited foot notes, and gold colored gilt page edges.

I am not going to address the translations in depth for this review. I wanted to focus on the quality of materials, features, and manufacture of this parallel Bible. If you want know more about translations and methods just do a search for translation notes, the version you want to know about, and the year of the edition. Google is your friend, kind of… It is also the gubbermint’s intelligence machine! Put on your foil hats and look out for the black helicopters! I’m not joking! Do it NOW! GET TO THE CHOPPA!!! (In conspiracy mode the government is always referred to as gubbermint)

I don’t want to sound like a, “negative Nelly” and wait for it… wait for it… BUT I didn’t expect to dislike the NLT so much. I’ve always heard that it was, “dumbed down.” I never expected it to be as gender neutral as the NIV. Now, don’t get the wrong idea, I am not anti-NIV or NLT per say. I am just a big fan of formal equivalent translations. Dynamic equivalents have their place. There are many new Christians who have trouble and need the extra help. My first Bible I was given was a parallel KJV/NIV. There are people who have trouble with English and need a little help. When you get down the road a little bit, you really need to get an NASB or ESV in my opinion. If you feel that you need a little help, I would suggest an HCSB over either the NIV or the NLT.

Overall a person buys a parallel Bible for the purpose of comparing translations. In that regard alone this Bible handily accomplishes that end.

ISBN-13: 9781598569490

ISBN: 9781598569490

Size: 6.5 x 9.5 inches

Pub Date: February 2013

Item Number: 569490

Bible Reviews

A Workhorse of Lockman Foundation is the NASB Large Print Ultrathin Bible in Black Genuine Leather.

March 21, 2015 Bob Snyder5 Comments

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Lockman Foundation, they are responsible for the New American Standard Bible translation. (NASB) They keep the copyright so it doesn’t get changed. They are not in it for the money. They are a non-profit corporation. The money goes back into making Bibles.

The NASB is my favorite translation because of the accuracy. When you look up Greek words and compare them to how the NASB has rendered them in English, I think you will find that it is the most reliable translation out there. I encourage you to read up on the history of the Lockman Foundation. I am encouraged when I see how God used Dewey and Minna Lockman to spread His word.

This typeset is one of the most popular typesets Lockman Has produced. It is a favorite among the NASB fans. There are plenty of good reasons for this. First it is a pretty good sized font coming in at 10 pt. Second, it is arranged in a double column, verse format, with center column references. Third, it is a modern typeset. It is clear and sharply printed. These are the top reasons why it is so popular.

The text block is smyth-sewn. This means that instead of what is called a, “perfect binding” which is, stacking the papers together, cutting the ends, and then gluing them together at the spine. They stack up pamphlets called signatures. These are stacked up and sewn to signature tapes. Then, they are sewn to each other as well. The spine is sometimes glued to reinforce it. A smyth-sewn binding holds together much longer because the pages are sewn together, and sewn to cords or tapes in the spine. Glued bindings often lose pages from the front and back of the book, as the glue loses its flexibility, and hardens. A sewn binding opens better, and it stays open, once it is opened.

This Bible was shipped to me gratis for review. It arrived packaged in a cardboard box with paper packing. It was not damaged during shipping. It comes in a two piece retail box that should be retained for storage. This Bible looks like it will be heavy, but it isn’t. It is pleasant to hold and read. It isn’t too heavy or big, even though you get a nice size font. The cover is genuine leather, not to be confused with more expensive cowhide/calfskin, or less expensive bonded leather. Genuine leather is a good durable choice in Bible covers. This Bible is case bound. The corners are cut and glued well. The vinyl liner matches the cover in color. The front of the Bible has a presentation page as well as family records pages. These are printed on a glossy paper. Sometimes ink will smudge so make sure if you write in pen on these that you allow the ink to dry before you close it. Maybe pat them with a tissue as well. Then, there is a section about the translation. It is pretty informative. You should read it at least once if you never have. The text of this Bible is as I mentioned before, a double column, verse format, with center column references. The NASB has over 95,000 cross references. This makes it an extremely useful reference Bible. This is a black text edition. That means all of the words are printed in black text. Some Bibles are red letter editions. Those have the words of Jesus printed in red. Well, since the entire word of God is God’s word, we should have it all printed in red, or we could just print it all in black. The paper is decent quality. For the price of this Bible you really do get a lot. There is a pretty good sized concordance at the end. In the back are eight, colored maps printed on the same glossy paper as the presentation and family records pages. I would recommend this Bible for anyone looking for a good reference Bible that will get used. It will provide you with a good translation and a utilitarian functionality. Since it isn’t a premium Bible, and it is pretty tough, you don’t have to be afraid of hurting it. You can purchase them here.

ISBN-13: 9781581351316

Bible Reviews

The Cambridge KJV/RV Interlinear Bible, in Black Calfskin Leather, A Bible you might not have known that you needed.

March 18, 2015March 18, 2015 Bob Snyder13 Comments

The KJV/RV Interlinear is an amazing tool. For anyone who has had difficulties with the Early Modern English of the KJV, you are not alone. The Revised Version was the first big translation to come from the Authorized 1611 KJV. The 1611 KJV was in Early Modern English. By the late 1800’s English had changed significantly. On May 6^th of 1870, at Canterbury, England, the general assembly of Episcopal clergymen, met and determined to, revise, for public use, the authorized 1611 KJV. This was notable for a few reasons, my favorite of which is that it was a cooperative effort between British and American theologians, who were experts in the Biblical languages. Their objective was, “From the outset the object sought by the revisers has been “to adapt King James’ version to the present state of the English language without changing the idiom and vocabulary,” and further, to adapt it to “the present standard of Biblical scholarship.” Since 1611 this latter has made great advances, especially during the last quarter century.” Here is some information I was given from Cambridge, “A little historical data/background: The Interlinear Bible is really two Bibles in one. It combines the King James Version of 1611 with its first authorized successor, the Revised Version of 1885. This edition includes the highly respected cross-references from the Revised Version, which are considered to be among the finest ever produced. It also carries the footnotes from both versions, giving at times four different renderings of difficult passages.”

A little later in 1901 American theologians made a few more revisions to come up with the American Standard Version. This translation of course is where we get my favorite translation the New American Standard Bible. For all of the NASB fans out there, be glad this work was done.

When you have an interlinear Bible usually the texts are run linearly parallel with one as the superscript and the other in subscript. When you have a parallel Bible usually there will be at least two columns of text, where one column is a translation and the other in the column running parallel to it side by side. This gives the reader an easy way to compare the two translations. This Bible however, is unique to my knowledge. Where the two translations are the same you will see only one line of text. Where they are different from one another the text will be more like an interlinear. The Revised version text when different from the KJV will be written in superscript and the KJV will be in subscript. It looks like this.

When there are a lot of differences, in a short space, it can get a little confusing, or distracting to read. This doesn’t happen very often. I find that this method, with these two specific translations, works quite well. When I come to a difficult section in the text, I have the RV to look at. It does help. Another attribute of this type of interlinear is that it avoids the bulk usually associated with parallel Bibles and other interlinear Bibles. Most interlinear Bibles have both texts in their entirety. This one only becomes interlinear when the text is divergent. This cuts down on the space needed.

It is a nice addition to any Bible collection, and for modern application, it makes the KJV more accessible, without losing the old world style of the KJV. Granted, there are more modern translations, and there are modern parallels, but they do make you aware that you are reading a modern translation. So if you love the KJV, but sometimes have difficulties with it, and you love the way the English language sounded then, this is a Bible you should own.

Aesthetically, this is a very nice Bible to look at. Cambridge has a good reputation for producing high quality Bibles that will last longer than you will. This Bible came packaged in a cardboard box. It arrived at my house undamaged and in good condition.

It was inside of a clamshell designed retail box that should be retained for storage.

The KJV/RV Interlinear is not a small Bible. It is about the size of my NASB, MacArthur Study Bible. The Cambridge is covered in very nice black calfskin. The cover is obviously, leather. There is no shiny, artificial look to it. It doesn’t feel hard, and slick, like the cheaper, pig skin leather covers on lesser Bibles. The leather smell also reinforces in your mind that this is not a synthetic cover or overly processed leather.

The binding is smyth-sewn. The Bible is case bound. The inner cover is lined with a black vinyl adhered to it. The corners are nicely cut and glued.

The cover is stamped with, “Holy Bible” in gold. The spine also is stamped in gold with, “The Interlinear Bible” at the top, “King James Version” under it, and “Revised Version” under that. On the bottom is the Cambridge logo with the word, “Cambridge” under it.

The page edges are art-gilt. The red under gold gives the page edges a warm look, when the Bible is open.

There are decorative red and gold, head and tail bands.

The two black ribbon markers are higher quality than you would find in cheap, mass produced Bibles.

I know some people complain about page corners curling with some Cambridge Bibles like the Clarion. When I first opened this Bible, the paper did seem a bit wrinkled and the page corners curled just a bit.

After being out of the box and giving this Bible a while to come to a state of homeostasis with the dry Idaho air, the page edges flattened out and the wrinkles went away. I do wish I had waited a while to take the pictures. The paper is behaving much better now that the Bible has been opened for a while. I personally, like the page corners to curl up just a bit. Have you ever tried to get the pages apart to turn them, on a Bible with very thin paper, only to be frustrated page after page? There you have it; I made a negative quality into a positive feature. Now don’t get me wrong, I hate it when the entire page edge curls up, and interferes with my reading, but let’s not get too crazy with our demands. After all, the paper on this Bible is very nice. It has wide margins and is thick enough to take notes on. The margins are about an inch.

It is also a pleasant off white color that contrast well against the dark, 10/11 point Millers 2n Small Pica No.4 (small body) typeface. It does look like an older typeset, but unlike some of the very old ones it has held up pretty good. It is also a larger size which helps. Again, thanks to the way this interlinear is set up. This is a black text edition.

In the front of the Interlinear you’ll find a presentation page.

After that, the publication information including that the Interlinear is printed in the Netherlands. I verified with Cambridge that Jonglboeds did the printing and binding. They are the premier bindery for Bibles. You can’t buy better that I know of.

Then there is some information about the Interlinear and translation information about the KJV and RV. The Old and New Testaments are both introduced with a Preface. Usually the older type settings of the KJV are verse format. This was one of the first editions to use paragraph format. It does so in a double column layout with center column cross references. Notes are at the bottom of the page.

At the end of the Interlinear there is a section called the, “Bible Companion” which is basically a Bible reading plan. Also there is an alphabetically arranged blank index. This is great for adding your own notes and references.

After that we have fifteen color maps, a map index, and a large list of variant readings preferred by the American Standard Version translation committee. All of this together makes for one highly usable, functional, and handsome Bible. If you like the majesty of Early Modern English, but need a bit of help from time to time, or if you just like the KJV and the RV because of their rich history, the KJV/RV Interlinear Bible from Cambridge is an excellent addition to any Christians library, even if it is the only book in it.

Be sure to check out the picture gallery at the bottom.

RV655X isbn: 9781107630932

You can purchase the Cambridge KJV/RV Interlinear in black calfskin on these online retailer’s sites,

Cambridge University Press

Amazon.com

Christianbook.com

Evangelicalbible.com

Bible Reviews

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

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

Wow, the Cambridge Cameo KJV Bible in Brown Vachetta Calfskin Leather is a Triumph of Form and Function!

December 24, 2014January 8, 2015 Bob Snyder5 Comments

I received this Bible from Cambridge gratis for review purposes. It arrived sufficiently packaged in a cardboard box with one other Bible.

They did not deform or break through their packaging and the Bibles were in perfect shape when they were delivered.

Upon opening the box I was presented with the clamshell retail box, which should be retained for storage purposes. The Bible inside the box was instantly striking in appearance. I am accustomed to many different qualities of cover material. When I picked the Cameo up out of the box I was struck by the soft texture of this type of calfskin leather. The grain was smoother with smaller pebbling compared to goatskin leather.

I was expecting a darker brown with a texture like other top grain cowhide Bibles. I was pleasantly surprised. This calfskin was smoother and soft. The front of the Cameo is hot stamped with, “Holy Bible” in gold. There is a channel pressed into the leather around the perimeter of the cover.

On the spine of the Cameo is, “Holy Bible” at the top, “King James Version” in the middle, and the Cambridge Logo at the bottom. They are all hot stamped in gold.

The page edges are beautifully art gilded with red under gold.

The construction of the Cameo is top-notch. In addition to having a wonderful cover that will last a lifetime, it has a sewn binding that will last as long as the cover. Because of these two fine qualities the Cameo is a pleasure to hold and read. The Bible opens well and lays flat easily without being overly flexible.

This edition does everything right. The only way this could be any better is if it were in NASB.

The inside cover is lined with vinyl that is glued down. The corners are finished nicely.

There are two ribbon markers that match the color of the cover as well.

Some less expensive Chinese or Korean Bibles try to entice you with a very supple calfskin cover lined with calfskin or another very flexible material. Then, they drop the ball with either the paper or the fit and finish. That is not so with the Cameo from Cambridge. The paper is nice and opaque. The font is a cleaned up 8 point, Petit Medieval Clarendon type. It is bold and easy to read. The text is arranged in a double column verse format with center column references.

In the front of the Cameo you have publication information page followed by a nice presentation page.

After that is the text of the KJV. Lastly, there is a very useful concordance in the back along with 15 color maps that are indexed.

I know there is a big trend now for the single column paragraph formats. Personally, I find it more difficult to focus on during reading in my home. I have a busy house and am always getting interrupted. As a consequence I routinely lose my place and have to look for where I left off so that I can resume reading. The paragraph format has all of the tiny verse numbers dispersed through the text and finding them or remembering where you left off can be a bit more tedious. I find it easier to pick up where I left off if I can find the verse quickly. This is my personal preference.

The Cameo is a delightful size Bible to hold and read anywhere. I can sit in my recliner and read it, I can read it in bed, I can read it on my work break, and I can read it while I drive… I was just checking to see if you were still awake. Never read and drive! Seriously, seldom will you find a combination of form and function like the Cameo.

Here the Cameo is compared to the Concord.