Tag: sewn

Do you want a large print compact NASB? Review of the Lockman Foundation Large Print Compact Text Edition in Burgundy Leathertex.
Bible Reviews

Do you want a large print compact NASB? Review of the Lockman Foundation Large Print Compact Text Edition in Burgundy Leathertex.

Bob Snyder3 Comments

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Review of the Lockman Foundation Large Print Compact Text Edition in Burgundy Leathertex.

As usual Lockman did a fine job of packing and shipping the Bible to me.

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This edition is not expensive.  If you have high expectations you will be disappointed.  This Bible sells for about $20.00 it is produced in China.

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I’m not making excuses here, but there are some things you need to consider when criticizing a Bible.  I know some people have complained about the print and the paper on this edition.  They aren’t wrong.  The paper could be a bit more opaque or the print could be a bolder type face.  It would be much easier on the eyes if that were the case.

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What would the consequences of that be?  Well, if the font were a bolder type face and stayed 9 point, it would take up more space on the page necessitating more pages.  This edition is already pretty thick at about 1 3/16” not to mention that they have already taken out the references and made it single column paragraph format.

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There isn’t much in the way of helps either.  There aren’t any maps to remove to make this thinner.  So what about the paper?  Well, same problem if you make a thicker paper that is a higher g.s.m. then the Bible gets thicker.  It’s just the laws of physics in a finite world folks.  I hate to be a bummer.

This Bible tries to fill a niche that definitely is there.  I’ve heard many people complain that they want a nice clean, compact, text edition of the NASB in paragraph format.  The Cambridge Clarion is pretty close, but it costs almost $200 dollars in goatskin.  You could opt for the calf split leather for around $105-$115 but that is still pretty expensive.  So let’s look at what you are getting for $20.00 instead of what you aren’t getting.

This edition has 9 point font, the words of Christ in red arranged in a single column text format with limited footnotes at the bottom of the page.

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It has a sewn binding and is covered in leathertex which is modern synthetic leather.  It has a cross stamped on the front with a channel around the perimeter.

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On the spine is printed, “New American Standard Bible” in large letters from one end to the other.

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The page edges are gilded.  There is one ribbon marker that matches the burgundy color of the cover.  The ribbon is pretty thin and narrow.  The inner liner is vinyl and color matched to the cover.  It is glued down.  There are decorative head and foot bands.  You have a presentation page printed on Bible paper and not card paper.  Then, you have the copyright page, followed by the foreword with translation explanation.  Before the text begins you have a table of contents.  After the text of the Bible you have one page of the, “Parables of Jesus” then, four pages of, “Important Events in Christ’s Life According to the Gospels” three pages of, “God’s Promises” and next, two pages of, “Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ” and lastly, one page of, “The Miracles of Jesus.”  The outside cover closed measures 7 5/16” long by 5 1/4” wide by 1 3/16” thick.

This is exactly what it is labeled.  You can’t expect it to be everything you wanted in a Bible.  There are going to be compromises when you make a large print, compact, text edition.  I know this review sounds like an apology.  I really wanted to like this Bible, but the truth is that it is a bit hard on the eyes due to the seemingly skinny font and thin paper.

For the money though, it is an excellent value and the perfect size to carry with you.  The font is much larger than a 6 point font and you really haven’t gained that much in size over a traditional compact edition.  I would recommend this Bible for people with good eyes that aren’t going to do long reading sessions.  It would be good for break room reading or whenever you have a few minutes.

ISBN: 1581351569

ISBN-13: 9781581351569

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

A Pleasant Surprise from Holman, Review of the Holman KJV Minister’s Bible in Black Genuine Cowhide.
Bible Reviews

A Pleasant Surprise from Holman, Review of the Holman KJV Minister’s Bible in Black Genuine Cowhide.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

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Holman sent this Bible packaged in a cardboard box with some paper padding it.

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The retail box was inside.

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I had no idea which Bible they had sent me.  I didn’t remember requesting one for review.  I was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the KJV Minister’s Bible.  When I had originally requested it they were out of stock.  It seems that Holman remembered and sent it when it became available.

When I opened the shipping box I found the retail packaging inside. Keep the two piece gift-box to store your Bible.  This Bible is so supple that it will need to be laid flat for storage.  When I opened the retail box I could see that the Bible was wrapped in a dark colored construction paper to keep it safe from being deformed.

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I like this better than being, “shrink wrapped” with plastic wrap.  Plastic wrap has the tendency to pull the corners down and deform the cover and text block.  If the Bible arrives damaged or during use develops premature wear rest assured, Holman has a lifetime warranty on this product.

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I was impressed by the feel of the genuine cowhide leather cover. It was soft and supple.

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The Bible is edge lined not case bound.

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The edges of the outer cover are rolled over and sewn down.  The spine of the Bible has decorative spine hubs.  They used to be where the signature tapes or ribbons were sewn to the signatures.  The cover would have to be fitted over them which produced the raised hubs.  Now it isn’t an indicator of a sewn binding or not.  You’ll be glad to know this one does have a very flexible sewn binding.  It allows this Bible to do some pretty amazing things and come out unscathed.  It lays flat right out of the box and can even curl back under the spine with both covers at the same time.

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I wouldn’t make a practice of that, but it can do it.  When held open with one hand it drapes over your hand.

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The spine of the Bible is imprinted with, “KJV” at the top, “Holy Bible” in the Middle, and Holman’s logo at the bottom.

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The pages are edge gild with gold colored foil.

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There are two very nice quality ribbon markers in this Bible, one is red and the other is black.

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The pages are opaque, but could be a little more so.  They have a generous inch wide margin for adding your own notes.

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Wide margins are quite helpful for Pastors.  The opacity of the paper is important so that text doesn’t show through the page.

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While preaching and looking down at this Bible you should be able to focus on the text and not what is behind it.  The font is equally conducive to preaching.  It is a neat and clean 12 point font that is consistently inked throughout the Bible in this black text edition.  The text is arranged in a double column verse format making it easy to quickly locate verses.  Book names, chapter, and verse are printed on the top of the page along with headings.

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There are many aids for Pastors included in this Bible.  Here is a list of some of them; Sixty-six page KJV concordance, eight maps, Where to Turn When, Plan of Salvation, color presentation page, Various wedding and funeral outlines by Jim Henry, “Why Read the King James Version?” by Calvin Miller, “8 Traits of Effective Church Leaders” by Thom S. Rainer, “21 Essentials of Authentic Ministry” by James T. Draper, “Four Kinds of Expositional Preaching” by Ed Stetzer, “30 Keys to Giving an Invitation” by O. S. Hawkins, “Leading a Child to Christ” by Bill Emeott, “Reaching Students with the Gospel” by Lynn H. Pryor, “The Importance of Baptism and Communion” by Rick White, Commitment Counseling, The Christian Year and Church Calendar, The Apostles and Their History, and Table of Weights and Measures.  With all that this Bible offers it would be a wonderful blessing for your Pastor as a gift, even if the Pastor is your Dad.  Pastors shouldn’t feel bad about buying such a nice Bible.  It is money well spent on a product that should last for a long time.

You can purchase it on Christianbook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from Holman.

ISBN-10: 1586409301

ISBN-13: 978-1586409302

Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds

You want it both ways? So does Thomas Nelson. My Review of the Thomas Nelson Full Color Hardcover 2nd Edition Study Bible.
Bible Reviews

You want it both ways? So does Thomas Nelson. My Review of the Thomas Nelson Full Color Hardcover 2nd Edition Study Bible.

Bob Snyder3 Comments

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First I’m going to address the physical attributes of this Bible and its features with minimal critiques and then I will flesh out my opinions of the essays and notes included in this Bible. Keep in mind that part of the review is highly subjective depending on your theological position.

The Bible arrived sufficiently packaged in a cardboard box.

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It is a pretty big Bible as most study Bibles tend to be.  It measures approximately nine and half by six and three quarters by two inches and weighs a little less than four pounds.  It sells for about thirty three dollars on most internet retail sites.  The Bible has a dust jacket.

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I don’t like dust jackets.  They always get in the way.  Some people like to use them to mark their place, but I’d rather have some good quality ribbon markers.  This one only comes with a single brown ribbon marker.

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The hardcover itself is nice enough.  It has kind of a brown marbled look.  It is made in China, but seems to be well manufactured despite that fact.

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The binding is sewn.  The Bible opens and lays flat right out of the box.

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I expect if it is treated well it should last a long time.  It does have a lifetime warranty.

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It comes with a free download that I found quite useless.  It is not a download of the entire Bible.  Crossway gives you access to their study Bible online when you purchase theirs.   It is laid out really well and makes good use of the full color printing.  It is a double column paragraph format with references in the center column and notes at the bottom of the page.

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Each chapter has a book introduction and outline.  There are full color features like maps, word studies, essays, and photos dispersed throughout.

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The impression I got from reading some of the articles and notes is that this is a Bible for the masses. If you are Reformed, you’ll probably want about half of the notes removed.  If you are Arminian you’ll probably want about half of the notes removed.  If you don’t know what either of those are, you’ll probably love this study Bible.  That is just the impression that I got.  It could be that I am being overly sensitive.  Most people will find the notes well balanced between the two predominate theological positions.

An example of that is the language used in the explanation of women’s roles in the Church. It goes to extreme lengths to be sensitive to readers who might not agree with the biblical position and then briefly states the biblical position and then tries to scoot past in hopes of nobody noticing.  This technique usually pleases nobody and only confuses neophytes.  Of course if you wanted a study Bible that was more aligned with your position I imagine you could find one.  I like the MacArthur Study Bible, ESV Study Bible, and the Reformation Study Bible.  When you get a bunch of theologians from different tents within the camp of Christianity together to contribute to a study Bible, you end up with the modern study Bible.  It isn’t supposed to be a systematized theological work.

I actually would recommend the Holman NKJV Study Bible over the Thomas Nelson. You can read my review of it here.  I think the entirety of it is a little more honest and direct.  Think NonDenom vs SBC…  I think that sums it up.

 

 

 

ISBN: 0529114380

ISBN-13: 9780529114389

I received this Bible from the publisher gratis for the purpose of review and am under no obligation to render a positive review.

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 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 Lockman Foundation, NASB, Topical, Reference Bible, Hardcover, Red Letter Edition.
Bible Reviews

Review of the Lockman Foundation, NASB, Topical, Reference Bible, Hardcover, Red Letter Edition.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

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This edition is just the right size to carry around. The hardcover reduces the cost and also improves the durability in my opinion compared to some synthetic covers. The hardcover also helps if you want to sit in a chair and read instead of at a table. The hardcover keeps the pages from flopping around while you are reading.

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The sewn binding ensures that this Bible opens beyond flat when held and lays flat on a table or desk right out of the box. You won’t be fighting against the cover of this Bible while reading it, matter of fact, it helps you.

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The nine point font makes this easy on the eyes. It is clearly printed against a white paper giving you good contrast. This edition does have the words of Christ in Red. The red might not be as bright as some other publishers use, but this seems less intrusive to my eyes. The binding is sewn as I mentioned earlier. Between the binding and the spine being rounded this Bible opens up very well.

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I wouldn’t let the fact that this Bible was made in China stop you from buying it.

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It is a little jewel. 255 pages of topics at the front of this Bible in alphabetical order make it easy to look up most of the things a person might want to look up.

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After the 255 pages of topics you have a full Old and New Testament Bible.

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It is in double column format with center column references. The text is in paragraph format. After the Bible we have 210 pages of dictionary/concordance/thesaurus and after that, Genealogy of Jesus, God’s Promises, Miracles of Jesus, Prophecies fulfilled by Jesus, Parables of Jesus, Titles of Jesus, Introductions to the books of the Bible, a year Bible reading plan, and maps at the end. The maps are printed on a glossy paper like the presentation, and records pages at the beginning of the Bible.

Contains over 20,000 topics and sub-topics cross referenced to over 50,000 verses. Topics were researched and prepared by Biblical scholars, and include contemporary topics relevant to today’s issues.
Also includes a 4,200 entry dictionary—concordance—thesaurus and over 95,000 center-column cross-references to enrich your reading. ISBN-13: 9781581351477

Disclaimer, I received this Bible free from the publisher for review purposes. I am in no way obliged to write a positive review.

Review of the HCSB Study Bible, in Black Deluxe Leather
Bible Reviews

Review of the HCSB Study Bible, in Black Deluxe Leather

Bob Snyder1 Comment

First I’d like to start out by saying that study Bibles in general have some benefits and some drawbacks. One of the great advantages is that you have a set of commentaries with your Bible to be carried with you wherever you go.  One of the obvious drawbacks is that all those notes and features add to the bulk of the Bible making it heavier and bigger.  The size and weight isn’t the major drawback.  Most people expect that when they are shopping for a study Bible.  The major drawback of course comes into play when you ask, “Who wrote my commentary?” For instance if your theology is very liberal and intolerably inaccurate then you would absolutely hate the, “MacArthur Study Bible.”  You would probably love a study Bible caters to your liberal theology.  The downfall of having a study Bible with just one mans commentary is that you just get his point of view, and if he is a false teacher you get more false teachings. The benefit is if he is a good teacher, you get very focused and direct answers to difficult passages.

When you have a study Bible where hundreds of theologians were utilized for the commentaries, you end up with what could be a mixed bag of theologies. Unless, that study Bible is put out by an organization or denomination with set doctrine, then they would make an attempt to have the commentaries conform with their doctrines.

Well what if the denomination has a split opinion about some doctrines, like oh, I don’t know… perhaps the Southern Baptist Convention? You guessed it, you’ll have some Reformed doctrines and some Arminian doctrines espoused. I’m not knocking the SBC, after all I’m a member. I’m not knocking this study Bible either. So far I quite enjoy it. I think it is kind of a, “Jack of all trades, master of none” study Bible. I don’t mean to imply a lack of direction or focus on the part of the publishers.  I think that this study Bible will fit a very large cross section of evangelical Protestantism.  This can frustrate some or be refreshing to others. Like I said just a bit ago, I am enjoying it. I myself am in the Reformed camp when it comes to soteriology, but I am not the type of person who cries heretic when I see an Arminian walking down the street. With that all out of the way, we’ll start by taking a look at the construction of this Bible.

The most important physical feature of this Bible is the sewn binding.  I verified with Holman that in fact, this does have a sewn binding.  You can see here how the binding bends in the spine wherever it is opened.  A sewn binding bends and the Bible can open flat because the pages don’t have to bend around a fixed glued point.  The pages are also set up in journals and stacked before they are sewn to binding straps (tape)

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With this method of binding comes some added expense to the consumer, but in my opinion it is well worth it for durability and usability.  The pages don’t fall out of the front or back of the Bible as easily with a sewn binding.

The leather they use here is supple with a good grain.

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It just drapes over your hand.

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Here you can see it rolled up on itself.

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I don’t usually treat Bibles like this, but I wanted you to get an idea of how well bound this one is.  Most large study Bibles will fall apart if you do this with them.  Because of the sewn binding and the quality cover this Bible is going to last a long time.  It has a lifetime warranty from Holman.

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The inside cover does not appear to be lined at first glance, but upon closer inspection you can see that it is lined with some very flexible material that doesn’t crease like the normal vinyl and card paper you typically see.  I like that feature a lot.  It makes the outer cover that much more enjoyable.

The Bible has two ribbon markers.  One is kind of a gold color and the other is black.  They used good heavy ribbons instead of the thin cheap ones that fold up and crease.

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Another part of the binding process I truly appreciate is the first page being glued in further up and away from the gutter, keeping it more securely locked into the cover.

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As you can see the pages are edge gild.  The spine is gild as well.

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If you are like me you may be curious as to what exactly makes those pages so shiny.  I always thought it was gold leaf.  I e-mailed Holman and they referred me to their expert.  He told me that it is actually a gold colored foil made from colored aluminum particles.  The page edges get sanded and then the foil is rolled on.  The heat that is generated by the sanding process makes the inks that are printed on the pages sticky.  So that is why the pages stick together.  Here is a link to a video that they sent me showing how the machine works;

When I received the Bible it was packaged in a retail box.  It got banged around a bit during shipping and one of the corners of the cover was a bit bent.

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This Bible is a double column format with center column references.  It is a black text edition.  The font looks to be a 9 pt. font.  It is printed clearly with good contrast.  The ghosting is minimal even though the pages are very thin.  This Bible is made here in the U.S.

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I think the blue headings and chapter numbers are a nice touch.  The reference chapter and verse numbers are also in blue.  It seems to make them easier to locate for me.  You can also see there is a colored band separating the text from the study notes at the bottom of the page.  The inside of this band is utilized for more references.  It is all quite readable and there is a plethora of information.

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In the picture above you can see one of the word study boxes in the lower left of the page.

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In the picture above you can see one of the colored maps that is spread throughout this Bible in addition to the typical maps at the back.

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These closeup pictures should give you an idea of how clearly the text is printed.

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The page margins are pretty good sized as you can see in the picture below.  They look to be about 9/16ths of an inch.

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I can’t get over how many full colored features this Bible has.  It is chocked full of stuff.  This could be distracting if you are just wanting to read, but if you are studying it could add a number of side studies to your use.

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I know that there are people out there like me who like to see as much as they can before they plunk a chunk of change down on a purchase so I’ve included a photo gallery at the bottom of this review so you can see the features for yourself.  There are book introductions, outlines, topical concordance, presentation pages, records pages, lined not pages, one and three year reading plans, word studies, essays, and on and on and on.  This isn’t a cheap Bible.  It is a good value for all of the features and the quality binding.  You are getting what you paid for here.  I hope you enjoyed the review.

Here is a link to this Bibles page on Christianbook.com where it can be purchased.

You can also purchase it on Amazon.

This list of features comes from the Christianbook.com page for this Bible.  I noticed that some of the features listed there were different from the ones listed on the Holman site.  I think the Christianbook.com list might be more up to date.

Top-quality black cowhide binding
Online access to the HCSB Study Bible and Bible study resources
408 word studies
More than 100 photographs
59 timelines
59 maps
24 articles on practical and theological issues
Feature-length article on how to reaed and study the Bible
16 illustrations/reconstructions
15 charts
Four-color presentation pages
Two-column text setting
Center column references
One-year Bible reading plan
Topical subheads
Black letter text
Gold page edges
Lined pages for personal notes
Presentation page
Two ribbon markers
9.75″ x 7.00″ x 2.00″

The following information is from Holmans site.

Format: Cowhide Leather
Number of Pages: 2304
Vendor: Holman Bible Publishers
Publication Date: 2010
Dimensions: 9.75 X 7.25 X 2.00 (inches)
ISBN: 1586404571
ISBN-13: 9781586404574
Availability: In Stock
References: Center Column
Text Layout: Double Column
Text Color: Black Letter