Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society Slimline Pocket New Testament in KJV

May 25, 2021 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

The folks over at Trinitarian Bible Society were kind enough to send me a copy of their Slimline Pocket New Testament for review. It has been a while since I’ve written a review of one of the Bibles they produce. I thought it would be a good time to take a look at a very affordable, and lightweight New Testament. This New Testament is shipped in minimal packaging. It was in a sleeve and wrapped with clear plastic. The pictures on TBS’ site look a bit browner than in reality.

The color is burgundy just like the site states. It is a two-tone cover with the darker color on the bottom. There is one ribbon marker that matches the burgundy of the cover.

The front cover has, “New Testament” pressed into it. The perimeter of the cover is stitched down. Since the spine is so narrow, there is no writing on it.

The inner liner is white pasted down paper which joins the text block to the cover. The spine is sewn.

The page edges are gold gilt. I did encounter a bit of a problem when opening this New Testament. The pages stuck together. I ended up tearing the front page while trying to separate the pages. I wasn’t careful enough. This volume indicates that it is printed in Great Britain by Eyre & Spottiswoode H.M. Printers, Cambridge University Press Cambridge. The paper is fine, and very light weight. It is opaque enough to not cause eye strain. The 8 point font is large enough to be of use, but small enough to keep the size of this New Testament down.

If you are considering a slimline pocket New Testament, I assume the primary features you are looking for are light weight and portability. This edition is one of the lightest New Testaments I have owned. It is also one of the slimmest. I forget that it is on my person while I am carrying it. I have had some New Testaments that are shorter and thus also thicker. Even though they fit into a pocket, it is evident to me that I am carrying one. This is so light and thin that it doesn’t cause my jacket to wear as if it is burdened. From outward appearances, it would be almost impossible to see that I was carrying it.

If I had to pick my other favorite feature of this edition, it would be the inclusion of a KJV wordlist. There are some English words that have gone out of use since the publishing of the KJV Bible. Peradventure you purchase this edition, you’ll encounter this, and observe that it is commodious to your reading. If you’d like to look at the rest of the pictures of this Bible I took please visit my flickr album.

Here is the product page for the Slimline Pocket New Testament (Vivella) – Burgundy [65E] This page has some of the measurements and other specifications I may have left out.

A Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society’s Family Bible.

October 21, 2016 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Trinitarian Bible Society (T.B.S.) was kind enough to send me a copy of their Family Bible in KJV translation for review. As usual it was packed very well, and arrived in perfect shape.

This Bible comes in a clamshell type retail box. It should be retained for storage.

T.B.S. as usual has been great to deal with. They always package their Bibles well, and are nice to correspond with. I gotta hand it to them, they have been pretty consistent.

The Family Bible is a Cambridge layout of their large print text Bible. L.E.G.O. SpA (LEGATORIA EDITORIALE GIOVANNI OLIVOTTO) of Vicenza Italy printed and bound this Bible. They did a fine job. I have seen a few Bibles from them. They seem uniformly consistent in quality.

The cover is black calfskin leather. It has a pronounced grain and is comparable to the calfsplit leather covers on Cambridge Bibles.

It is durable and provides a good sturdy exterior to hold on to. This is a case bound Bible with a liner that matches the black color of the cover.

The spine is decorated with the words, “Holy Bible” and the TBS logo in gold colored hot stamping.

The page edges are art gilt. This means there is a red color under the gold color. When the Bible is closed the page edges present a gold appearance. When the pages are shifted, like when it is opened the red color is visible.

There is one, black ribbon marker. I like to see at least two ribbon markers.

The spine is sewn to ensure durability and flexibility. A sewn spine should be a prerequisite for a Bible binding. There are decorative head and tail bands in the Cambridge red and gold.

This is a double column, verse format, black letter edition, with self-pronouncing text. The paper is opaque and strong. A 10 pt. font is utilized. It is bold and well inked. The text stands out well and contrasts with the paper nicely.

This Bible is called a Family Bible because of the records pages in the front. Back in the old days before all of the government interference in our lives, people used to keep their records in their Bibles. Since then, the practice has fallen out of popularity. People have been more than willing to accept the government forms and records. I have a feeling this might change in the near future. As the government becomes more intrusive. The records pages are from Cambridge, and are printed on a sturdy card paper.

To sum things up, I was pretty impressed with how sturdy this Bible feels. I was also impressed with the good looks of this Bible for the price. It is just under $100.00 dollars and is worth the money. Not only does it give you a great place to record your family history, it also would make a terrific wedding gift. If you are in the market for a family Bible or if you need a large print text Bible this would fit the bill nicely. Give T.B.S. a try if you haven’t already. They have been one of the best organizations I’ve dealt with. Keep up the good work T.B.S.

You can purchase yours on their site www.TBSBibles.org

Make sure to check out all of the pictures I took of this Bible on my Flickr page.

ISBN: 9781862280311

9U/BK (Black)

Bible Reviews · Bibles

A Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society’s KJV Classic Reference Bible in Black Calfskin Leather.

October 18, 2015October 18, 2015 Bob Snyder1 Comment

As many of you know TBS is a Christian ministry that provides high quality, good value KJV Bibles to many Christians in need, worldwide. To support the ministry, we purchase Bibles from them and are also blessed. Not only do we get to be a part of providing God’s word to our brothers and sisters, we also get a durable, well built Bible for our own use. Knowing the proceeds go to furthering the Kingdom is a comforting thought as well. I hope you will consider purchasing your next Bible from TBS after reading my review of the Classic Reference Bible.

As always TBS exceeds my expectations in the packaging and shipping department. They go above and beyond to ensure that your Bible gets to you undamaged. They are the winner, hands down, when it comes to packaging. The Classic Reference Bible arrived undamaged in a heavy duty, white, cardboard box, cushioned inside with foam packing peanuts.

The Bible itself was inside a sturdy cardboard slipcase, that should be retained for storage.

After removing the plastic wrap from the slipcase, I could take the Bible out. It is not a large Bible and it is not as small as a typical compact Bible. It is a full KJV Bible and it does have the Cambridge Concord cross references. It is just a very handy size. It measures about 4 ¾” across, by 7 ¼” tall, by 1” thick.

Here it is to the right of the TBS Windsor Text Bible. You can see that it is smaller than the text version while retaining the cross references.

Most typical reference Bibles are around 6” across, by 9” tall, 1 ½” thick. So you can see there is a substantial difference in size. Of course a compact is smaller yet. If this Bible were the size of a typical compact the font would be too small for normal use. Fortunately, the font in this Bible is a legible 8 pt. in size. Since it is the traditional typesetting instead of a modern digital setting, the font would contrast a bit less against the page if not for its boldness.

Here it is laid over a page from the Windsor.

The cover is listed as, “Calfskin” on the website. Keep in mind there is no industry standard. Technically the French Morocco Leather cover is made of calfskin, so it is true, but if you are expecting supple calfskin like some premium Bibles use, you will be disappointed. I don’t know why anyone would think that though considering the value pricing of this edition. I seriously don’t understand how a person could complain about this cover. Especially in light of the low cost and how much they are getting. For under fifty dollars they are getting a full KJV reference Bible, smyth-sewn binding, and genuine leather. Even if it is French Morocco, it is far superior to the covers of other Bibles in the same price range. Other Bibles in this price range use synthetic covers or bonded leather. The front cover is blank. The only gold lettering on the outside of this Bible is on the spine. It has the words, “Holy Bible” at the head, “Classic Reference Bible” directly under that, and the TBS logo at the tail. The cover is uniform in thickness and has a nice pattern pressed into it. It is on the smooth side and feels very durable. My first impression was, “This is a tough little Bible.”

This Bible is case bound, and as such utilizes black vinyl covered paper as an interior liner and to join the cover to the text block.

The front, inside, bottom edge has, “French Morocco Leather” in gold lettering stamped in it. Red and gold colored head and tail bands decorate this edition. It also includes two, black ribbon markers. The page edges are gold gilt. The corners and the spine are rounded. From the outside this Bible looks like what you’d expect a Bible to look like. It is a venerable style, and is very familiar.

The front inside of this Bible has a nice presentation page on card paper with a couple of blank card paper pages following it. Then you have the title page and copyright/publisher’s information page.

There is a list of the contents after that. It is followed by a guide to the pronunciation marks for self pronouncing text and an explanation of the bold-figure Concord cross reference system. Finally, there is the Epistle Dedicatory, the Translators to the Reader, and the list of the Books of the Bible.

The text of this edition should be familiar to KJV readers. It won’t take anytime at all to get right into and read. It is laid out in a double column, verse format, with center column references. The font is 8 pt. in size making it easy on the eyes. The center column references are pretty small and a bit tough to see, but they are discernable. The paper is thin Bible paper. It is opaque enough that the ghosting is mitigated. It does use the self-pronouncing text. Speaking of text, this is a black letter edition. The entire word of God is all the same color.

There are two black ribbon markers to help you keep your place. This is very helpful for people who read out of the Old Testament and New Testament on a daily basis.

One of the more significant, yet underappreciated features of this Bible is the smyth-sewn binding. Many publishers go for a cheaper glued binding. While TBS opts for a superior sewn binding in this edition. It is a bit tight at first, but as you use this Bible, the binding loosens up. Sewn bindings are much more durable and flexible. They add to the usefulness and longevity in a way that no other features do. I would say that it should be a prerequisite.

Contrary to popular belief, this edition of the Classic Reference Bible is not printed by Cambridge. Cambridge oversees the printing. It is also a typesetting of the Cambridge Concord that has been shrunk, and maintains the pagination. It is printed and bound by Printcorp in Minsk, Belarus for TBS. These distinctions can change depending on the production run at the time. It is acceptable to ask. TBS is always willing to answer specific questions. They are just an e-mail away.

Finally, in the rear of this Bible we have, Bible word list, Daily Bible reading plan, and 8 Color maps with Gazetteer.

The long list of features are understated by the very familiar appearance of this Bible. It is a conveniently sized workhorse that should provide many years of service. I recommend this Bible to anyone in the market for a reference Bible that is a tad smaller than the usual fare, but not limited in helps like a compact.

You can get one from TBS at the site, except on Sunday it is closed.

You can also purchase one from evangelicalbible.com

4U/BK (Black)
ISBN: 9781862281950

Bible Reviews

A Review of the Local Church Bible Publishers Hand Size Text Bible in Black 1 piece Ironed Calfskin Leather, the Item #: 180E1B.

September 1, 2015September 1, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I know many of you haven’t heard of Local Church Bible Publishers, or LCBP. I would like to remedy that problem for you. I say that it is a problem because you are missing out on a very well made Bible. The only caveat is that you must be a fan of the Authorized Version of the King James. LCBP only prints KJV Bibles. If that is not a problem for you, then you have a good selection of low priced, high quality, edge lined Bibles to choose from. Usually Bibles of this quality would sell for $100 or more. These range from the $20 New Testaments up to the $70 Super Giant Print. Here is a link to their page, Local Church Bible Publishers

The 180E1B is the 180 Hand Size, Text Bible in the Executive line, with a one piece cover, in black ironed calfskin leather. When closed, it measures 6″ x 8.5″ x 1.5″ It is an attractive looking Bible. The grain has been ironed out of it.

It is smooth and flexible. There are decorative spine hubs and gold gilt page edges. On the spine is written, “Holy Bible” at the head, “Authorized King James” at the middle, and, “Church” at the tail.

There are decorative gold and black, head and tail bands. It comes with two, black ribbon markers.

There is a perimeter line on the cover. The cover is perimeter stitched to the inside liner.

The Bible is edge lined and smyth-sewn, making it very durable and flexible. You would not get this quality without spending much more. LCBP Bibles are an extremely good value.

When you open this Bible you first see some blank pages made from a heavier card stock, then the presentation page, and the family records pages. Then the Title page as well as the Preface to the King James Version 1611, “THE TRANSLATORS TO THE READER.” We then get into the meat of the Bible. It is laid out in a double column, verse format, with a line separating the columns. This is a text Bible so there are no cross-references or footnotes. It is also a black letter edition that utilizes the self-pronouncing text in a 10.5 pt medium font. It looks like an old typesetting of the text. The font is not sharply printed like modern methods would produce. It is well inked and dark. The paper makes up for the font. It is very opaque and heavy.

If I could only get this Bible in NASB I’d be happy. I know the people at LCBP would not like that last bit 🙂 There is a robust 197 page concordance in the back as well as some blank sheets for note taking. There are six maps printed on the same cardstock paper as were in the front of the Bible.
If you are in the market for an AV KJV Bible that will outlast you, and don’t want to spend a bunch give LCBP a look. You might be pleasantly surprised. Make sure to check out all the pictures of this Bible on my Flickr page.

Bible Reviews

The KJV/MEV Parallel Bible from Passio.

August 15, 2015August 15, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

This review is about the quality of the Bible not the translations. The KJV has been around for a little over 400 years and is quite well known. The MEV is supposed to be translated from the same source texts as the KJV so don’t expect that many differences. This Bible came packed in a padded envelope.

I would like to say that it arrived completely undamaged, but it did not. There are a couple bent corners.

No big deal, but worth a mention, since all of the books I’ve received from Charisma House/Passio have been packaged the same way. The hardback Bible has a dust jacket that has the information a retail box would have on it. I don’t use dust jackets, so that was not a big loss. The cover is black and has in gold on the spine, “KJV KING JAMES VERSION” under that is, “Parallel Bible KJV/MEV” and then, “MEV MODERN ENGLISH VERSION PASSIO”

The attractive spine is hidden by the dust jacket. On the front cover the book is imprinted with the, “PARALLEL BIBLE KJV/MEV.”

Once opened, you’ll notice that it is, of course, case bound with 3 blank pages before the Title Page.

This is followed by the copyright and publisher information page.

Directly after that is the Table of Contents. Next we have The KJV Epistle Dedicatory page to King James.
Next up is a Dedicatory page for the MEV to Queen Elizabeth II. (That is just kind of strange to me.)

From there it is straight into the Old Testament. The KJV is printed on a slightly grayed out watermark to differentiate it from the MEV. The MEV is printed in the left column. The paper is pretty white, although it is excessively translucent. It is not near opaque enough. This doesn’t help when the font is only a 6 pt. font in size.

The Bible was printed and bound in America.

It looks like line matching was employed. That helps offset the problem caused by the thin paper. The binding is sewn and flexible.

If treated right it should last a long time. It seems to be a sturdy Bible. There are very limited notes, to the point of being nonexistent. If you purchased this Bible for that reason you will be disappointed. I guess that will teach you to look at the product descriptions more closely. The book titles, chapter and verse information are printed on the top outer corners of the pages, page numbers are at the top, center. It is a double column, black text format.

There are no fancy features here to run the cost up. No gilt page edges, ribbon markers, or concordances here, just the text of the two versions, the only exception to that is the One Year Bible Reading Plan after Revelation.
All in all it is a mediocre quality Bible with nothing of interest to offer except the two versions in parallel, and that is probably all the reason you need to buy a copy. The American production quality is good and the printing is consistent and sharp. For the money you can afford to have one just to compare the translations. I would like to see this in a 4 way parallel with, KJV/MEV/NKJV/NASB. I think this would go a long ways for the textual criticism guys.

ISBN: 9781621366409
Make sure to check out all of the pictures I took of this Bible here.

Bible Reviews

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

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

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

January 22, 2015January 23, 2015 Bob Snyder4 Comments

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

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

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

The cover material is very rubbery looking and feeling.

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

The head and foot bands did not stay glued down.

There is a gold colored ribbon marker.

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

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

There are book introductions before each book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ISBN: 9781598565461

ISBN-13: 9781598565461

Bible Reviews

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

January 14, 2015January 15, 2015 Bob Snyder14 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The inside cover is lined with paper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon has them here.