Tag: binding

A Review of the NASB Giant Print Reference Bible, in Genuine Leather, Burgundy.
Bible Reviews

A Review of the NASB Giant Print Reference Bible, in Genuine Leather, Burgundy.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

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Hello, 14 point font! This is definitely what the Doctor ordered if your eyes aren’t what they used to be.

The giant print NASB was delivered to my house, as usual from Lockman Foundation’s sales branch, www.americanbiblesales.com  it was packed in a cardboard box with paper as packaging material.  It was sufficiently safe from harm.

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Inside the box was a two piece retail box.  I would suggest holding onto it for storage.  Once opened, I was presented with a layer of plastic wrapping that had to be defeated before I could get this beauty out to examine it.

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Once the plastic was discarded, I was pleasantly greeted by the familiar smell of a nice leather cover.  There are numerous Bibles out there that say they have a genuine leather cover, but they look like and feel like bonded leather.  They have a fake grain pressed into them and their covers look shiny.  Not this big boy, the cover on this has nice texture and tactile feel to it.  Honestly, for the small price of this Bible I’d expect a cheaper feeling cover.  I thought the burgundy color was just right as well, not brazen, but still different than the venerable black.

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The spine of the Bible has the words, “Holy Bible” at the top.  Immediately below is, “New American Standard Bible Updated Edition.”  At the bottom is, “Foundation Publications” and the NASB logo.  Above them are the words, “Giant Print.”  There are decorative lines separating the words.

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The cover has a lined pressed into it around its perimeter for decorative purposes.  It adds a nice touch to finish it off.

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The inside cover is lined with a vinyl liner that is color matched to the cover. It is glued down over the corners and edges of the cover.

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The text block is firmly attached to the cover.  I noticed no problems with fit and finish.  It looked pretty good for a Bible printed and bound in China.

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The binding for that matter is a sewn binding.  It is a tad bit tighter than some of the other ones that Lockman Foundation puts out.  This is neither a draw back or a benefit as far as function goes.  The Giant Print edition opens flat and is pleasant to use.

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The sewn binding will help ensure years of use.  The Giant Print Bible maintains typical 6 ½” x 9 ¼” for the width and height, but is a tad bit thicker at 1 ¾” It is a little heavier than your typical reference Bible, but not by much.  Even with the slight size difference it is still pretty easy to hold and read.

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The page edges are gold gilded.

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The paper is a decent quality standard Bible paper 28 gsm.  It doesn’t have a problem with text ghosting.  I think Lockman must have realized that if you are buying a Bible with humongous font it isn’t because you have good eyesight.  The Bible paper, 14 point font, and uniformly printed text, all aid in making this a very legible Bible without making it too cumbersome.

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Also you should note that this is a red letter edition.

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The text is in a double column verse format with references at the end of each paragraph. There are limited references, for a reference Bible.  This one has about 13,000 references.  I doubt that anyone considering a 14 point font giant print edition is worried about having a ton of references though.

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There is a ribbon marker that matches the color of the cover.  It is of average quality as far as ribbon markers go.

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In the end there is a 146 page Dictionary/Thesaurus/Concordance. It should come in handy.  There is enough there to be useful, but not so much as to unnecessarily add to the bulk.

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After that we have a section devoted to book introductions.  Each book in the Bible has a nice introduction to aid the reader in their studies.

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Also, a section on God’s promises is provided after the book introductions.

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“Where to find help when” and “Verses for reflection” appear at the very end before the color maps.

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I think the biggest cons here would be the size of the Bible. For the very frail and elderly this would have to rest on a table for them to read it.  However, most elderly people won’t have any trouble holding this Bible to read.  The con is a very slight one.  We all have to obey physics here.  If you want giant text you have to sacrifice something.  I don’t think I’ve seen a better job on a giant print edition to date.

The pros here are of course the 14 point font and the wonderful cover at a very reasonable price.   Could hardly believe I was holding a $50 Bible.  It could have been twice that.  A noteworthy thing is that the presentation and records pages in the front seem to be a flat paper as opposed to the glossy paper they have been made out of.  I hope that Lockman carries this over to the maps as well.  This flat paper doesn’t crack or tear as easy as the glossy paper they have been made of in the past.

If you are in the market for one of these Giant Print Bibles they can be had for around $50. If you are lucky you might find them on sale for less.  Here are a couple of links to make it easier.

http://www.americanbiblesales.com/search/isbnlist1.php?ISBN=1581351100&hilite=yes

http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Print-Reference-Burgundy-Genuine-Leather/dp/1581351097/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417034883&sr=1-1&keywords=9781581351095&pebp=1417034894361

http://www.christianbook.com/nas-giant-print-reference-leather-burgundy/9781581351095/pd/51097?product_redirect=1&Ntt=%209781581351095%20&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCG

ISBN: 1581351097

Puritans, Pilgrims, and Reformers, a Review of the 1599 Geneva Bible from Tolle Lege Press.
Bible Reviews

Puritans, Pilgrims, and Reformers, a Review of the 1599 Geneva Bible from Tolle Lege Press.

Bob Snyder10 Comments

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Tolle Lege Press is responsible for the rejuvenating the 1599 Geneva Bible. Unfortunately not many people know about this or seem to care. (Except for Kirk Cameron)  I say it is unfortunate because I truly believe the historical importance of this translation has been overlooked for a blind allegiance to the KJV.  Many people don’t know anything about the Geneva translation.  They are happy with their King James versions.  I’ve always wondered why the KJV onlyists are so loyal to a version that was translated by order of the King to conform to the ecclesiology of the Church of England.  The royals and Church leaders were afraid of losing their grip on power.  The Bibles of that time period all relied on the Latin Vulgate to some degree as a resource for translation.  The Geneva and the KJV were no exceptions.  The KJV relied on the Geneva for reference during its translation.  The KJV onlyists are always spewing their venomous polemics towards all other versions being Papal translations from Rome.  It is disturbing that they can suspend rational thought in regards to the KJV, but seem rational most other times.

The Geneva was translated by the Reformers. They had to flee to Geneva so that they wouldn’t be martyred by the Roman Catholic Church and Bloody Mary.   John Calvin and John Knox are most often credited for the Geneva translation.  There were other individuals working with them in Geneva to make this translation.  The notes and references of this Bible are retained and printed in modern font.  They are printed on the bottom of the page like a modern study Bible.  These notes are what made this translation such an enemy to the Crowns of the King and the Pope.  You have to understand that the Roman Catholic Church was in the business of hunting down and killing the reformers.  Then Puritans were persecuted for believing what the reformation brought to fruition.  This is what led to them becoming pilgrims.  They fled to America hoping to live God honoring lives obedient to His word.  The Bible they took with them was the Geneva Bible.

For more on the Geneva’s history visit this site; http://genevabible.com/

Here is a short youtube video about it as well; http://youtu.be/Nq1YhU8cGko

Don’t mind the trolls. They keep complaining about some pagan imagery on the cover, but I don’t see any.  I’ve asked them specifically and really haven’t gotten any answers other than, “You’re going to Hell for using anything but the KJV heretic!!!”  and now for something completely different, how about the review of the 1599 Geneva Bible?

The 1599 arrived in a cardboard box.

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Inside was the Bible in its retail 2 piece box.  The cd-rom contains searchable, printable PDFs of the Geneva Bible, plus the Apocryphal Books and Metrical Psalms, was also in the retail box.

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The packaging was sufficient to ensure the Bible was delivered without being damaged.  Tolle Lege did a wonderful job of giving the 1599 a modern typography.  They placed all of the references and notes at the bottom like a modern day study Bible.

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The Bible is printed on some pretty opaque paper.  It is off white and a bit more rigid than most Bible papers I’ve seen.  I don’t know what kind of paper it is for sure, but it seems suitable.  The text is printed in a double column verse format with an 8 point font.  The notes are printed at the bottom of the page like a modern study Bible.  Chapter numbers are larger and in bold print.  The pages are bound in a sewn binding done here in America.

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The sewn binding makes up for the bonded leather cover.  I can’t begin to tell you how much I detest bonded leather.  I would much rather see a hardcover or trutone fake leather cover.  Of course if this Bible came in a top grain cowhide or goatskin cover with sewn edge lining of leather it would be great.  The cover is lined on the inside with white paper that is glued down.

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The front outer cover is decorated with, “1599 Geneva Bible” at the top and some kind of flower on the bottom.

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I imagine that these are the pagan symbols the kooks are upset about.  Who knows?  The spine is also gilded with the same as is on the cover except on the bottom of the spine is the Tolle Lege logo.

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The sewn binding makes this Bible open better than it would without it.  It doesn’t open as nicely as it could with a better cover.

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The binding doesn’t completely stop the pages from folding closed on you while you are reading.  This is only just out of the box, brand new.  As I used it this problem went away.  It also will make this Bible hold up much better.

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There is one black ribbon marker.  The page edges are gilded.

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There is a Middle English Glossary in the back and several prayers including morning and evening.  There is a purely subjective quality about this Bible that makes me want to sit and read it.  The combination of the size, weight, paper, and layout, make sense to me and I find it easy to read.  Now just because that is the experience I have with it doesn’t mean I expect everyone to agree with me so don’t go launching fiery darts at me.  This Bible should be a part of every Christian’s library.  If you don’t have one, go get one.

Don’t get this Bible confused with the 1560 facsimile Geneva Bible.  This one is actually useful for daily reading.  The 1560 is a little tedious.

The Perfect Size Bible to Sit and Read, The Cambridge KJV Concord Reference Bible in Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Edition.
Bible Reviews

The Perfect Size Bible to Sit and Read, The Cambridge KJV Concord Reference Bible in Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Edition.

Bob Snyder4 Comments

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Before I get into the vital features of this Bible I want to expound on its subjective qualities that have endeared it to me. At first glance most people won’t notice the exceptional quality of this Bible until they pick it up and give it a closer look.  Some folks won’t even notice even after picking it up.  That is not to say the Cambridge Concord Reference Bible is average or plain.  It is because the Concord is how a Bible is supposed to be.  It is the quintessential archetype of reference Bibles.  It smells like a Bible, it looks like a Bible, and it feels like a Bible.  When I pick it up to read from, I don’t have to struggle with it.  It does exactly what it should do.  It stays out of the way and allows me to focus on reading God’s word.  Everything about it is conducive to that end.

For me, it is the perfect size and weight to hold in one hand. I can comfortably read it while sitting in my favorite chair.  It isn’t heavy or unwieldy enough to require being laid on a table or desk.  It isn’t so small as to necessitate being held close.  It is not a thick Bible, yet contains many references and some helps.

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It is not printed on such light paper that the pages curl up and blow around while you are trying to read.  The pages are not a bright white.  They are off white.  Bright white pages tend to make my eyes strain during long durations of reading the word.  The India paper is strong and opaque.

There is approximately 7/16ths of an inch in the margins for note taking.

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The text is a nine point font that is printed appears pretty bold.

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The Concord is a double column verse format with pronunciations.  It has the references in the center column.

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Even with the references, 128 page Bible Dictionary, Concordance, Glossary, and 15 color maps, the Concord maintains a thin profile without sacrificing paper quality.  The pages are art gilded.  An art gilded page edge compared to a gilded page edge looks a bit more attractive.  It gives the page edges a red tint behind the gold color.  Before they put the gold colored aluminum foil on the page edges they first coat them with a red ink.  Then they apply the gold color gilding.  When the Bible is closed the edges show gold, when the Bible is open you can see the red show through the gold.

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The binding, outside cover, and inside liner, make it supple and comfortable to hold.  This one is edge lined not case bound.  It is rigid enough to not flop around like some unlined Bibles do, while it maintains flexibility with its synthetic liner that is stitched to the outside cover edges with black thread.

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The Binding is a smyth-sewn binding done by Jongbloed in the Netherlands.  They are famous for their quality work and history of Binding Bibles.  Currently, most luxury Bibles are bound by Jongbloed.  A sewn binding is a must in my opinion.  If you hope to hand a Bible down to your children and for them to use it a sewn binding is the only option.  With a sewn edge lined binding all of the pages are stacked in separate pamphlets called signatures.  These are then stacked and sewn to tapes or strings in the spine of the Bible as well as being sewn to each other.  This is why you don’t have the front and back pages falling out of a sewn binding like you would with a glued case bound perfect binding where the pages are cut, then stacked, then rubber cemented together.  Those pages are not connected to each other in any way.  If you bend the spine in a glued Bible, eventually pages will start falling out.  Not so with a sewn binding.  If you take care of it and treat it with respect it will last and last.  The other benefit of this binding is the functionality of it.  The Concord lays flat right out of the box.

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The cover doesn’t flop up and get in the way.  The covers can be rolled backwards and out of the way even.  I wouldn’t do this as a practice, but that is how flexible this Bible is.  This particular Bible is a red letter edition.

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That simply means that the words of Jesus are printed in red text, including places where He is quoted by the apostles.  Some people find this to be a very helpful feature.  The Concord has two black ribbon markers.  They are good quality without being too thick.

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I have had some Bibles with thicker markers that actually imprint on the pages they are between.  I have had other Bibles with markers that were so thin that they crinkled up and are almost useless.  It is very unattractive to open the Bible up to crinkled pages or markers.  The Concord has neither problem.  The Bible ships in a clamshell type retail box.  I would keep the Box for storage.  This Bible is to supple to stand on its edge.  It should be laid flat on a flat surface when not in use.  There was a slight problem with the shipping.  You can read about that here.

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Cambridge has assured me they are looking into this and it shouldn’t happen again.  This Bible is as pretty close to being perfect.  If Cambridge would produce this in an NASB I would be satisfied.

Here are a few good places on the web to purchase this Bible if you are in the market.

evangelicalbible.com

Amazon.com

Christianbook.com

Cambridge.org

Here are a few pictures of the Concord compared to the TBS Westminster

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Over all, I found the Concord to be a superlative Bible. It stands out from the mass produced Chinese and Korean Bibles as an example of what they should be aiming for.

KJV Concord Reference Bible, Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Text KJ566:XRE

Black Goatskin Leather RCD266

isbn: 9780521512978

An outstanding reference Bible and a great value! Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society, Westminster Reference Bible, Authorized KJV, 90U/BK in Black Premium Calfskin Leather.
Bible Reviews

An outstanding reference Bible and a great value! Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society, Westminster Reference Bible, Authorized KJV, 90U/BK in Black Premium Calfskin Leather.

Bob Snyder24 Comments

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Just a little disclaimer first, I am not a KJV only guy. I love the KJV and I do read the KJV, but I also use the NASB as my primary translation.  In addition I use the ESV, NKJV, HCSB, and Geneva.  This should be good news to people looking for an honest, unbiased, review.  The bad news is that I received this Bible gratis from TBS.  Some of you might believe that will make me biased, but if you look at my blog you can see that there are a few publishers represented by reviews of their products, all of which were gratis.  I am under no obligation to give a positive review to any of the books or Bibles I review.

That being said, this is an AMAZING reference Bible! I was very surprised to see the quality of this Bible considering the price they ask for it.  You can purchase one from TBS directly for $80.00 and they use the proceeds to provide Bibles and resources to Christians around the world.  Or you can buy it from evangelicalbible.com for a little less.

TBS took great care in packaging this Bible for shipping. When it arrived at my house it was in a clamshell type cardboard box filled with packing peanuts.  The Bible was placed on top of a foam pad inside the box.

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Its retail packaging is a blue clamshell box with product information on it.  Save the box for storage.

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I was so glad to see they took good care to ensure the Bible arrived undamaged.  I have received numerous Bibles that have had bent corners, wrinkled covers, and scratches on them due to insufficient packaging.

When I opened the box I could smell the calfskin leather. It was soft to touch and has a fairly smooth texture.  It isn’t heavily textured.  The cover is lined with typical vinyl looking material that is glued down.  It is a case bound book.

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The first and last pages are glued up higher to ensure the text block is securely fitted to the cover.

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The printing and binding were done by Jongbloed in the Netherlands.  They are well known for producing luxury Bibles like R.L. Allan, Schuyler, and Cambridge.

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The spine has, “Holy Bible” at the head, “Westminster Reference Bible” in the middle, and the TBS logo at the foot. These are written in gold lettering.  The page edges are gold gilt as well.

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The binding is smyth-sewn and very flexible. Fresh out of the box the Bible lies flat on the table from the first book to the last.

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When you hold it by the spine it drapes over your hand.  The cover has some rigidity due to the lining.  This is only a con if you are looking for a cover that edge lined.  I have had both types of covers on Bibles.  For a time I thought it was the mark of a good quality Bible to have a lining as flexible as the cover material, but I have come to appreciate some rigidity in the cover.  It helps to hold onto the Bible, if there is something to hold onto.  Some of the Bibles without it are more difficult to read because they are too flexible.  They tend to flop around.  This one has a great quality cover and it adds to the utility of the Bible.  The fit and finish of the text block to cover is very clean and well done.  It is obvious that they are doing this work with honoring God in mind.

The Bible comes with four ribbon markers. There are two red ones in the Old Testament and two black ones in the New Testament.  Both sets of ribbons are good quality and about a quarter inch wide.  I really appreciate this feature.  Often times Bibles only have one ribbon marker if you are lucky.  Sometimes you can get them with two, but four is almost unheard of.  I end up gluing more in on my own.  I love having four.  I can use one from the Old Testament for my daily reading plan and the other for following along with the sermon.  I do the same with the two in the New Testament.

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The first pages are made out of a heavier paper and TBS instead of just leaving them blank has tastefully printed some scripture quotes on each one of them. Instead of being out of place, they were quite a propos and well done.  After that we have a presentation page on the same paper, and then the paper changes over to Bible paper for the, Translators to the Reader, Epistle dedicatory, and the, Guide to Using the Westminster Bible, pages.

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At the beginning of the books there are verses that are helpful for the reading of each book and the Chapter numbers are larger and bold. The text is in a double column verse format with over 200,000 references printed on the gutter and page edge sides of the page.  I love these cross references, the TBS Westminster lives up to the claim of being a reference Bible.  They aren’t there to be pretty.  They actually are relevant to what you are reading.  One of my favorite features, is the archaic words are in the margin with an * by them in the text and in the margin.  In the margin you get the modern word or short definition.  This makes reading the KJV much simpler.

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In the top outside of the page you get the Book and Chapter, the inside has the heading, while the bottom outside has the page numbers. The font is clear and sharp 9.6 point, with consistent ink distribution making it quite legible and easy on the eyes.  The paper is opaque and a bit thicker than some of the very thin paper used in lesser Bibles.  It is a bit off white, but not so much as to diminish the contrast against the text.

At the back of the Bible there is a, Tables of Weights and Measures, List of Words and Proper Names with their Pronunciations, Daily Reading Plan, Maps and an extensive concordance. I was impressed with the size of the concordance.  Most Bibles have one, but generally they are little more than a few pages.  This one is actually large enough to be useful.

After spending some time using this Bible and reading from it, I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a King James Version Reference Bible. I have some Local Bible Publishers Bibles and the TBS is superior in the printing and binding.  Compared to the ones made in China and Korea the TBS wins hands down.

ISBN: 9781862281684

Review of the Holman, New King James Version, (NKJV) Large Print, Personal Size, Reference Bible, in Brown Genuine Cowhide, Indexed, Red Letter Edition.
Bible Reviews

Review of the Holman, New King James Version, (NKJV) Large Print, Personal Size, Reference Bible, in Brown Genuine Cowhide, Indexed, Red Letter Edition.

Bob Snyder9 Comments

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Not too many Bibles from large publishers like Holman surprise me. This one is the exception.  I am accustomed to receiving Bibles from big publishers that are for lack of a better term, “disposable.”  Many of them seem to make Bibles that you can use for a couple of years and then have to throw it away when it begins to fall apart.  This Bible truly surprised me.  It came in the mail packed in a white plastic bag-elope.  I was immediately expecting some substandard, mass produced, mail abused, Bible.  I opened the bag and didn’t notice any damage to the box…  bonus!  I was glad that the corners weren’t mashed.  I opened the box (keep the box for storage) and was presented with black construction paper.

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I seriously hoped that wasn’t the cover.  Upon closer inspection I determined that the black construction paper was there to protect the supple and soft genuine cowhide cover.  It smelled like a new leather jacket and the texture was very pleasant.

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One of the most important parts of a Bible is the binding.  Naturally I checked that next.  I was pleased to see that it had a sewn binding.  This makes a Bible last longer and lay flat when you want to read it.

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Have you ever had to struggle against an intrusive and rude cover made of bonded leather, always trying to close on you?  Have you ever had a fake leather cover get stained, scuffed, or torn?  Well I have, and that is why I love genuine leather and goatskin covers with sewn bindings so much.  This Bible’s chocolate brown colored leather cover is lined with a vinyl sheet matching the cover’s color.  The lining is glued down.  This is pretty typical.  I was hoping to see it lined with a higher quality material sewn to the cover, but for the price of this Bible and the features it has I can’t complain.

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This Bible can be purchased for about $48.00 on a couple of different web sites. Christianbook.com has it here and Amazon.com here.  I was a bit surprised to see that this Bible was made in China.

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I was surprised because they seemed to have put it together pretty well.  There is a slight problem with the binding at the bottom, but that could be one of the drawbacks of having it banged around during shipping from China to the States.  It didn’t look like a manufacturing problem as much as shipping damage.  The pages are gilded and indexed.

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The indexes caught my eye as they are rectangular with rounded shoulders.  The usual ones are crescent shaped.  The New Testament ones were red and the Old Testament ones were black.  The spine is gilded with the, NKJV in a circle at the top, and, “Holy Bible” in the middle, with Holman’s logo at the bottom.  The spine has decorative hubs.

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When you open this Bible up you first have the normal presentation and records pages as well as the publishers information.  Then there is some info on the NKJV translation and a page with the plan of salvation.  I was expecting cheaper paper that was more translucent, smaller font, and more ghosting. (text from the page behind showing through)  I was very pleasantly surprised again.  The paper was pretty opaque for a less expensive Bible.  Well, even for some more expensive Bibles it was pretty opaque.

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The font looks to be twelve point and is clear and legible.  The Bible is a double column, paragraph format with some foot notes and references at the bottom of the page.  This was a smart move.  Doing it this way enabled them to print some large font while keeping the size down.  This was going to become my daily reader until my dear wife picked it up.  I think to quote her she said, “Oooh this is so soft and nice…  Can I have it?”  What can you do? This Bible has one ribbon marker matching the color of the cover.

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It opens nicely and is very easy to read.  I love the accuracy of the NKJV.  This Bible has some colored maps at the end.  I highly recommend this Bible for those looking for a daily reader without a bunch of distractions.  It is comfortable to hold and easy on the eyes with the opaque paper and large font.  All of this with the low price makes it an excellent value and asset.

Dimensions: 8.13 X 5.38 X 1.13 (inches)
ISBN: 1433613190
ISBN-13: 9781433613197

I received this Bible free of charge for the purpose of writing a review and am not obligated to write a positive review.

Review of the Cambridge Pitt Minion Bible in Black Calf Split Leather
Bible Reviews

Review of the Cambridge Pitt Minion Bible in Black Calf Split Leather

Bob Snyder4 Comments

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The Pitt Minion Bible from Cambridge came in a clamshell type box.

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It would be good to hold onto and use for storing this Bible. The calf split leather is much more durable and rigid than then a Bible bound in goatskin leather, or faux leather, however, it is more flexible than one bound in bonded leather. Bonded leather is made from leather scraps, and dust. It is bonded together with adhesive and formed into sheets. This type of Bible cover is usually very rigid and you have to fight against it to keep your Bible open, or to make it lay flat. Being made of scraps makes this type of cover very inexpensive. The Pitt Minion from Cambridge I received for review was covered in genuine calf split leather. It has durability and flexibility, granted it isn’t as supple as goatskin, or top grain leather but, it will hold up much better than just about anything out there. It lays flat on the table, yet it is also rigid enough to be held up and read. It is also pretty small.

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This is great if you are sitting in a chair and reading. The inside cover is lined with what appears to be typical vinyl lining.

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The binding is smyth-sewn. This is the major factor that contributes to its durability and flexibility. Sewn bindings are more expensive to manufacture do to the many steps that are taken to produce them. The pages are folded into pamphlets called journals. These are then stacked and sewn to journal tapes. These are all sewn together. This is more time and resource consuming than glued bindings. Most inexpensive Bibles that fall apart after a couple of years are made with glued bindings. Even the best glued binding cannot compete with a good sewn binding in durability and flexibility. If you want a Bible you can hand down to your children, buy one with a sewn binding.

Let’s face it, if you are interested in a Bible this size it is because you want one to carry around with you. It isn’t for the size of the font. The font for the Bible text is 6.75 point. The lexicon font is 7 point. This is pretty small. It is printed clean and sharp. It is a consistent black that contrasts well with the paper it is printed on.

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It is printed by Jongbloed (Youngblood) of the Netherlands. Jongbloed is famous for their high quality and attention to details. They have been producing luxury Bibles since 1880. The quality of the print job does make it easier to read than less expensive, lower quality printings. Other companies skimp on paper quality. The paper is too transparent and not opaque enough so the text from the other side of the page bleeds through making it more difficult to read. This is not a problem on the Cambridge Pitt Minion. Even with its small font it is easy to read compared to its competitors. I have a Trinitarian Bible Society Bible, Royal Ruby Text Bible. It is smaller and has smaller text. When you compare the two the difference in the font size is obvious. It isn’t much of a difference, but it makes a huge difference in the work you have to do to focus and read. Hopefully most of us are buying Bibles to read.

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You can see it in comparison to the Cambridge Clarion in the pictures below.

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The Clarion is bigger all around.  It is more to carry and too large for some situations

The Pitt Minion has gilded page edges and spine. The spine is rounded and imprinted with, “Holy Bible” “New American Standard” at the top and “Cambridge” at the bottom.

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The first and last page is glued up higher to keep the text block firmly attached to the cover. This also keeps the pages in the front and back from falling out or separating as easily as they do without this detail.

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There are five blank pages and one presentation page in the front of the Bible.

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The text is arranged in paragraph format in dual columns with references in the center column. There are footnotes as well. Chapters have headings and the Chapter numbers are bold and larger in size.

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There is one black ribbon marker.

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The words of Christ are in red. The red ink is not offensive in its brightness or contrast. It blends in with the text around it. Of course the entire Bible is the word of God so highlighting part of it as the word of God can seem silly to some, yet to others it is a nice feature to have. It helps them recognize when the 2nd person of the Trinity is speaking.

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At the end of the Pitt Minion there is an 83 page concordance and color map index for the 15 pages of maps. At the end there are 7 blank pages.

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I have to admit, after carrying this Bible around with me for a while I can appreciate the size and convenience it offers. It has some very important features and the attention to detail makes the higher price less of an issue. The only thing that disappoints me a bit is the paragraph format. I am a fan of the verse per line or the verse format. It helps me look up and identify the verse I’m after more quickly. It is a small thing in comparison to all you get in this Bible. You can spend the money for this one up front, or buy a new $20.00 Bible every couple of years. This one makes more sense in the long run. We should invest in God’s word. I know I would have loved to receive my Fathers Bible after he died. It would be a nice feeling to read the word of God from the same Bible as he held in his hands for many years. Unfortunately, Dad never had access to Bibles of this quality. I hope to leave some well-worn Bibles to children when I go on to glory. I hope you feel that way to.

Here is a youtube video from Jongbloed’s facility; http://youtu.be/5r_CzfaCAOg

ISBN 13: 9781107686885

Review of the Holman NKJV Ultrathin Reference Bible in Brown Genuine Cowhide.
Bible Reviews

Review of the Holman NKJV Ultrathin Reference Bible in Brown Genuine Cowhide.

Bob Snyder10 Comments

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***Update 09/12/14***  I heard back from the publisher and they confirmed that this particular print of this Bible was not a sewn binding however the ones made after it in the same year do have a sewn binding.

*** Update 08/21/13***  Ok, I have to add some info here.  You can still read my original review below, but as I’ve been using this Bible I have been able to see some things I originally missed.  The first thing is that the paper is much better than I expressed in my original post below.  It is pretty smooth in texture and the ink is sharply printed on it offering good contrast and limited ghosting.  The second thing is that the cover is much softer leather than perhaps I explained.  If it wasn’t on card paper and lined inside with vinyl it would be floppy.  It is also pretty thick leather.  I doubt it will be easily hurt.  Last, I’d like to note that Holman as of yet has not responded to my questions about the binding.  I can observe that the maps in the back and the presentation pages in the front are sewn into the Bible, but that doesn’t mean the Bible itself has a sewn binding.  I still can’t see any dimples on the inside that would indicate stitching and the binding doesn’t bend like a sewn binding.  I’m going to wait a bit longer before I damage the Bible to find out if it is in fact sewn.  I really hope it is sewn.  Even if it isn’t, this is a great Bible.  I love the size and weight.  It is a good all around thinline reference Bible.  If it turns out to be a sewn binding, I would compare it to the $35 Lockman Foundation NASB.

The Holman Ultrathin NKJV Reference Bible almost got it perfect.  My only gripe is that it is a glued binding.  The advertisement on Christianbook.com says it is a sewn binding http://www.christianbook.com/nkjv-ultrathin-reference-brown-genuine-cowhide/9781433615030/pd/615030?event=ESRCG  and reviews on other sites have also said it is a sewn binding, but I don’t believe it is.  I took a close look at it and it looks and lays like a glued binding.  Here is what a sewn binding looks like when it is opened up

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Notice how it bends where it is opened.  The pages don’t have to bend from a central glued point in a sewn binding.  This is what the Holman looked like.

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I would hate to have to cut such a nice Bible up to see if it is truly sewn or not so I think I will first e-mail Holman and ask them.  If they say it is sewn, I’ll probably have to cut this Bible up to see.  They might be paying for it to be sewn in Korea, but who knows if it is getting done.  Perhaps there is a mix up over at Christianbook.com?

Having that said let’s take a look at what makes it a good buy.  First off, I like the New King James Version (NKJV)  it is a good translation.  It is easy to read and it is accurate.  It has been around for quite a while now and I am pretty familiar with it.  My favorite is the NASB, but the NKJV comes in fourth for me.  NASB, ESV, KJV, and NKJV.  I don’t think I’d bother with any other translations.  Too many agenda driven ones out there now.

The Bible came in a cardboard box, cushioned with paper.  The Bible was inside a retail box that would be good to store the Bible in as it is pretty sturdy.

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The Bible itself was wrapped inside two sleeves of thick, brown, paper.  This was to protect the cowhide cover.

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I liked the cover.  It was genuine cowhide and pretty thick.  It was somewhat tacky in texture making it easy to hold on to.  It is lined with what looks like vinyl glued to the inside which is pretty typical of Bible in this price range.  The Bible has a suggested retail of $49.99 but sells for approximately $39.99 on Christianbook and about $45.00 on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Large-Ultrathin-Reference-Genuine-Cowhide/dp/1433615037/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408390491&sr=8-1&keywords=9781433615030

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The Bible measures about nine inches by six inches by an inch.

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The spine of the Bible has raised hubs on the back that appear to just be decorative.  Just because there are hubs doesn’t mean it is a sewn binding.  I do like the look and feel of it.

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There is one brown ribbon marker and the page edges are gold colored as well as the spine.  I don’t know if it is real gold leaf or not.  For the price I’m guessing it isn’t.

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The font is 8 point.  It is clearly printed and easy to read.  The words of Christ are in red.  The Bible is printed in Korea.

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The Bible is printed in a double column format with center column references.  There are also book introductions.

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There is a sixty six page concordance and eight color maps. The paper that the maps are on aren’t as glossy as some and might hold up better because of it.

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The paper is good quality.

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ISBN: 1433615037
ISBN-13: 9781433615030

Review of the Lockman Foundation NASB Side-Column Reference Wide Margin
Bible Reviews · Theology

Review of the Lockman Foundation NASB Side-Column Reference Wide Margin

Bob Snyder5 Comments

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“Wow, this is something special!” was my first reaction when unboxing the NASB Side-Column Reference Wide Margin. It was delivered in a cardboard box packed with paper. Inside, I found the Bible in its retail packaging. The retail box it is packaged in should be saved to store this very supple Bible. I opened up the box to find a black fabric envelope containing the Bible. It had kind of a velour feel to it, but without the elasticity. It is probably a polyester frocked woven material. (I e-mailed Lockman Foundation to find out)

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I was surprised when I opened it and took the Bible out of it. The leather was so soft to the touch.

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I thought, “For a Chinese bound Bible this is a really great cover.” Then I thought, “For a Chinese bound Bible? For any Bible this is an outstanding cover.”

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I have a, “Cambridge Clarion NASB Bible” bound in black goatskin leather. It sells for about $199.00 on Christianbook.com NASB Clarion Reference, Goatskin, black on Christianbook.com

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Well the cover on this Bible is just as soft and supple. The Lockman Foundation sells for about $100.00 less than the Cambridge. NASB Side-Column Reference Wide Margin on Christianbook.com

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The texture of the cover begs for the Bible to picked up and read. The inside cover is calfskin as well. It smelled the way a leather Bible should smell. Some value Bibles smell like paint, adhesives, or just have a chemical smell to them. The page edges are gold gilt.  The spine is gold hot stamped.

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There are two ribbon markers to help you keep your place in both the Old and New Testaments.

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I found myself taking care and treating this Bible with respect due to the quality cover and its flexibility. The smyth-sewn binding seemed different than the European smyth-sewn bindings in how the cover is connected to the Bible,(again I e-mailed Lockman Foundation to find out) but it was loose enough so that the Bible lay flat, and the pages were not puckered or wrinkled in the gutter.  ***Update 7/4/15 since the time I wrote this review I learned more about Bible binding.  This Bible is edge lined as opposed to being case bound.  That is what I didn’t know about the binding when I thought that the smyth sewn spine was different than other Bibles I’d looked at.***

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They were all trimmed with no dog-eared pages. I can’t say that of the more costly Bibles I have. So even though this Bible is made in China, I wouldn’t hesitate in suggesting it to someone looking for a premium Bible without paying $250.00 for an R.L. Allan or a Schuyler. The paper and the page gilding might not be up to the level of a $250.00 Bible, but then again they are superior to the Bibles in its price range and market niche. The transparency of the pages is a little too transparent so there is ghosting. It isn’t any more than Bibles in it’s same category, but it isn’t as good as say an ESV with line matching.

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The photo above is of a page held away from the other pages and taken with light behind the page. The page trim size is six and a half inches wide by nine and a quarter inches long. It is about one and a half inches thick. NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 016 NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 015

The pages are laid out in a single column, verse by verse format. NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 014

I realize that many people find this hinders the continuity while reading, but I count it as a positive. It helps me to find a verse in a hurry. I don’t have to read through a paragraph looking for the verse. I have some paragraph format Bibles and I am biased towards the verse format. It is a black text only edition. If you’re one of the folks who like the words of Christ in red you are out of luck. Fortunately I don’t mind either way so in that regard I’m easy to please. There are 95,000 cross-references on the outside edges of the text. The cross-references are so helpful when following a word or theme through the Bible. Generous room for note-taking is available in the one inch margins. This edition replaces a previous edition that had half inch margins. NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 016

Even though the Bible is full size, its weight doesn’t seem as noticeable while reading. I believe this is due to the flexibility of the Bible’s binding, and the eleven point font. When I lay it on my lap while sitting in my recliner I can easily read the text. I don’t have to hold it up to my eyes, or fight with a cover that keeps flipping through the pages like a Bible with a bonded leather cover. NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 046 NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 039

The concordance in the back is a useful feature. NASB Reference Bible Genuine Calfskin Black 029

I don’t know if you are like me, but every once in a while I get curious to see where else a specific word is used by God in His progressive revelation. I want to see what He has said about it in other places, at other times, to other people. The concordance gives you a quick way to do a simple word study. Just remember to apply good hermeneutics in an exegetical exposition of God’s word kids! Just a note about the New American Standard Bible in comparison to many of the other versions today with a few exceptions, the NASB copyright is owned by Lockman Foundation. They do this to maintain the text so that it isn’t corrupted by people looking to make a buck. As of late the big Bible publishers have been bought by people more concerned with money rather than the purity of the word. Zondervan and Thomas Nelson are owned by Harper Collins. The debacle that was the TNIV was a direct result of trying to make the Bible more gender neutral. This was to make the word of God seem less offensive to women in my opinion. Well, needless to say when you start twisting the Bible around some people take note. The SBC and the Lutherans weren’t fooled when Zondervan dropped the, “T” from the TNIV and stopped printing the NIV to exclusively print their very bad translation. Thomas Nelson didn’t fare much better. They have always been the home of the NKJV or New King James Version, but hey! Why not make a completely evil version called the, “Voice?” I along with many other people still can’t get over people actually embracing this mess. So it makes me exceedingly joyful to find Lockman Foundation being loyal to God and working to keep the NASB from being perverted. I also appreciate Crossway for doing the same with the ESV and public domain for the Authorized KJV. God keeps His word from being lost. When I hear back from Lockman I will add the information That I had e-mailed them about.

ISBN: 1581351607 ISBN-13: 9781581351606 This Bible was provided free of charge by Lockman Foundation for the purpose of a product review. I am not obligated to give a positive review.

Review of the Trinitarian Bible Societies (TBS) Royal Ruby Text Bible with Zipper, Thumb Index, and Metrical Psalms in Black Calfskin Leather.
Bible Reviews

Review of the Trinitarian Bible Societies (TBS) Royal Ruby Text Bible with Zipper, Thumb Index, and Metrical Psalms in Black Calfskin Leather.

Bob Snyder1 Comment

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I was looking for a nice compact Bible to carry with me at work.  Most of the Bibles I found were not of good enough quality.  They would not withstand daily use and carry.  I wanted one that had a smyth-sewn binding and was covered in genuine leather.  While scouring the usual online retail sites I kept finding the same low priced compact Bibles.  Don’t get me wrong, for the price a person could afford to replace them when they fall apart, but there are other problems with inexpensive value Bibles.  The paper is usually not Bible paper, the font is not printed sharply and clearly, the Bible is put together in China or Korea where the workmanship isn’t as conscientious, The Bibles are stiff and by the time you brake them in they are falling apart, the bonded leather cracks and swells, the bindings come unglued and pages start falling out, and so on.  If you are like I am you’d rather spend a few extra dollars and get a Bible that will become an old friend, or something you’ll be able to hand down to loved ones when you pass.  Something that you would have used so often that it takes on your scent and the wear and tear you cause remind your loved ones of your love for God’s word.  Maybe it will inspire them to open it up and read it as well.

So with all of that in mind I did a search for, “compact smyth-sewn Bible” and found out about a Bible publisher called, “Trinitarian Bible Society.”  We’ll refer to them as, “TBS” for the rest of the review.  I tried to visit their web page, but to my surprise it was closed for business due to it being Sunday.  This was a pleasant surprise and caused me to become even more curious about them.  I did some research and found this little gem.

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It is the TBS PS31UTZ/BK Royal Ruby Text Bible

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in black genuine calfskin leather

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with a zipper,

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thumb indexes,

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gold gild page edges,

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spine,

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and Holy Bible on the front cover,

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metrical Psalms,

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two ribbon markers,

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presentation page,

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dictionary of King James era words,

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reading plan,

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Bible paper, set by jongbloed and printed in Belarus,

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and in the Authorized King James Version.

I’d like to take a bit of time here to tell you a little about TBS.  They are a ministry based in England.  They use the money they make off of the sales to provide Bibles to those who can not afford them.  They only print the Authorized King James Version, so if you want a different version you might try Cambridge.  I sent them an e-mail and asked for a review copy.  They sent one gratis with no strings attached.

I really like the size of the Bible.

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It’s cover is a bit stiff as it is glued to card paper and then lined with vinyl.  The grain of the leather is pretty defined so that makes it easy to hold on to.

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The zipper is sewn to the semi-yap cover.  It does a good job of protecting the pages.

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The Bible feels like it is going to break in nicely.  It looks like it is put together well.  It fits in my hand easily and it is light weight enough to hold for long stretches of time.  The Bible having a zipper makes this Bible able to survive my B.D.U. pants pockets.  I don’t have to worry about it opening up and having the pages get wrinkled, bent, or mutilated.  The genuine calfskin is pretty tough so it is protected from getting scratched of torn.  The font is a bit on the small side at 6.5 point, but it is a compact Bible.

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If you have descent vision it shouldn’t be a problem.  Mine is about 20/25 and I can read it fine.  I didn’t notice any production errors or defects.  The Bible came packaged in a cardboard box packed in foam packing shells.

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The Bible itself was in a cardboard sleeve, neatly wrapped in clear plastic.

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One might save the cardboard slip case for storage purposes.  Unlike the card paper sleeves that many value Bibles come in this case can provide a service to the owner rather than being thrown away.

I hope this review has been helpful.

ISBN 9781862283527