The Holman NKJV Compact Ultrathin Bible in Brown Genuine Cowhide is a Winner! It is one of the Best Small Bibles I’ve Seen.

August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 Bob Snyder8 Comments

The Compact Ultrathin from Holman arrived at my porch, well packed in a cardboard box, with paper packing.

The retail box is a two piece box that should be retained for storage. (Once you get this it will never be stored, it is that good.)

Inside the box the Compact Ultrathin is wrapped in black construction paper to protect it during shipping.

The Holman New King James Version Bible in brown genuine cowhide leather is one of the best compact Bibles I’ve seen. It is a bit smaller than the Pitt Minion settings, larger than the Ruby Text settings, while also remaining an ultrathin. Here is a picture of it with the Cambridge Cameo on the left and the Cambridge Pitt Minion on the right.

It is a great design. 2K/Denmark did the typesetting/layout for Holman and I have to say it looks excellent. Even though this Bible was manufactured in China, Holman has managed to ensure quality control. I don’t know how they accomplish this, as many of their competitors have failed. The cover is their standard chocolate colored, soft, cowhide leather. It remains one of the nicest covers you can get for the money.

It is aesthetically pleasing with decorative spine hubs adorning the spine and gold lettering. NKJV inside a circle is at the head of the spine, with, “Holy Bible” in the middle, and the Holman logo at the tail of the spine.

The Bible is case bound so the inside color matched, vinyl liners are pasted down to the inner cover.

The covers corners are mechanically folded with precision.

Inside you’ll find a, “Presentation Page “and three, “Occasions to Remember” pages.

Next are the, Copyright page and the, “Table of Contents” along with a, “Preface to the New King James Version” and, “God’s Plan for Salvation.”

The paper appears to have a good amount of titanium dioxide in it as it is pretty white and opaque for being so thin. The print is also laid out with line matching, which greatly aids in legibility. 2K/Denmark used a modern digital font that at 6 pt. in size remains easy on the eyes during reading. They got the line spacing just right as well. At the beginning of each book the title is printed boldly in larger font on the top of the page. The chapter headings are bold as well. Book names and chapters are indicated on the top, outer margin of each page, while the page numbers are on the top near the gutter of each page.

The print of this red letter edition is arranged in a double column, paragraph format, with limited notes on the foot of the page.

There is a brown ribbon marker, as well as decorative head and tail bands. They match the colors of the cover and liner. The page edges are gold gilt and there is a small concordance in the back.

The individual word entries are in red while their concordance information is in black. This makes looking up words quick. It is easy to distinguish between the word you are looking for and the concordance information.

After the concordance are eight pages of color maps printed on slightly heavier and more glossy paper.

It is the same as the, “Presentation” and, “Occasions to Remember pages.” Measuring in at 6.75”x4.5”x .75” this handy little Bible is very portable and can fit in a lunchbox or purse easily, leaving plenty of room for other items. It can be had for $22.50. Considering its size, low price, and brilliant design, I predict that this will be number one in my top ten compact Bibles of 2015 Comparison. (If I do one… would you all like a top ten?) That being said, GO BUY ONE NOW! Visit my flickr page to see all of the super cool pictures of this Bible 🙂

Bible Reviews

Cambridge Pitt Minions, a Tale of Three Covers.

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 Bob Snyder8 Comments

Comparison Review of Morocco, Calf Split, and Goatskin Leather Covered Pitt Minion NASB Bibles.

I’m fortunate to have been sent review copies of the same Bible, covered in three types of leather that Cambridge uses. They have sent me three Cambridge Pitt Minions in NASB Bibles. One of them is covered in black Morocco leather, another in black calf split leather, and the last one is covered in brown goatskin leather.

This review will depart from my other reviews in that I am not covering the same points over again. You can read about the Pitt Minion typeset and binding information here. Instead, I am going to compare the different types of leather covers. You can view the Cambridge page with information about their leathers here.
Here is their definition of what Morocco leather is, “Leather taken from a split hide – sheepskin, calf or cowhide. Slightly thinner than the other grades of leather and therefore relatively flexible and soft even when new. A French Morocco binding offers high-quality real leather at an economical price.” This is the cover material for the lowest priced Pitt Minion at approximately $60.00 available at online retailers.

Here is their definition of what calf split leather is, “A superior grade to French Morocco leather, tanned to approach the quality and feel of full-grain calfskin leather.” This is the next step up from the Morocco leather and can be purchased for about $80.00 online.

Finally, here is their definition of goatskin leather, “A beautiful and very resilient top-quality, natural grain leather. Traditionally known as ‘Morocco’ leather, it is strong yet supple and is used in the finest bindings.

The best goatskins for bookbinding come from an area of northern Nigeria where environmental conditions are ideal for producing hides with the necessary balance of strength and suppleness. Here they are partially tanned using the same vegetable materials and methods that have been used for several thousand years. Traditionally, they were transported by camel across the Sahara desert to merchants in Morocco (hence the term ‘Morocco leather’) from where they would be distributed throughout the ancient world.

Cambridge uses Nigerian goatskins finished in the United Kingdom for our top-of-the range bindings.”

I understand there can be some confusion when talking about cover materials. There really isn’t a standardized nomenclature. I hope this information clears it up for anyone with questions as to why the Morocco covers were more expensive than the calf split covers. I know I’ve been asked this question before. I’ve included plenty of pictures and a video to help you see as much of the differences for yourselves, but I have to tell you, only by handling these Bibles will you be able to appreciate the qualities of each one. All three are wonderful Bibles and offer specific benefits. The price of the Morocco covered Pitt Minion makes it exceedingly affordable. You get all of the great features of the Cambridge Pitt Minion text block, like the sewn binding, thin profile, compact size, complete Bible, clearly printed modern digital font, references, and red letter text. This cover has a bit of a glossy look to it and the grain is not pebbled. It is also quite a bit thinner than the other two. However, it is vastly superior to other Bibles on the market that advertise having, “genuine leather” covers. Many of the lower quality Bibles that claim to be genuine leather are covered in split pigskin leather with an artificial grain pressed into it. They almost look plastic and are very shiny. This Morocco cover is much better and the price has remained very affordable.

For just about $20.00 more you can get the calf split leather, again with all of the great Pitt Minion features, plus a more supple, thicker, leather with a deeper natural texture. The calf split is also less shiny or glossy than the Morocco cover. This gives it a much more tactilely pleasing feel in your hand. I’ve also noticed that it softens up quite well after it is broken in.

For about $100.00 you can acquire the Pitt Minion covered in goatskin leather.

I know it seems like a lot of money, but when you pick one up you’ll understand why it is more. The goatskin covers have a finer pebbled grain that is soft to the touch. It is softer than the calf split or top grain leathers while remaining durable.

If you have ever held a sheepskin leather Bible you would find that it is very supple, but susceptible to scratches and tears. The goatskin is great because it has the best features of both types of leather. It is soft and supple while remaining effective at protecting the text block. None of these three are edge lined so you won’t be doing any, “Bible yoga” with them. I wouldn’t recommend bending them that much regardless. Even if a Bible is flexible enough to bend like you might see some people do online, it isn’t a good idea.

Over time it will loosen your binding too much and prematurely wear it out.

No matter what your budget is you can find a Pitt Minion to fit and be assured that it will last long enough for your kids to enjoy if you treat it with respect.

Make sure to check out the rest of the pictures on the flickr page.

You can purchase these Bibles on Amazon, Christianbook, or Cambridge Press.

Bible Reviews

The NASB Pitt Minion Reference Edition NS446XR in Brown Goatskin Leather is the Best Compact NASB You Could Purchase.

June 14, 2015June 14, 2015 Bob Snyder17 Comments

In my opinion this is the number one, of the top ten compact/ultrathin NASB’s you will find on the market today. The top three are Cambridge Pitt Minions. First place, goes to the goatskin leather. Second place, to the calfsplit leather edition. Third place goes to the edition covered in black French Morrocco leather. Here is a picture of the brown goatskin Pitt with the black calfsplit one. They are both gorgeous.

I’ve reviewed Lockman Foundation Bibles. I’ve looked at cheaply constructed Zondervan’s. If R. L. Allan made a compact NASB, they would be the only serious competition on the market. That would only be true because Cambridge and R. L. Allan would be using the same printer and binder, the world famous Jongbloed of the Netherlands. They are the premier printer and binder of almost all the high quality Bibles available today. Chances are, if you have a luxury Bible it came from Jongbloed. It makes sense that the Cambridge Pitt Minions are the highest quality Bibles in this market niche.

The attention to detail and quality is what sets the Cambridge Pitt Minions apart. When you hear, “You get what you pay for.” Many times you disregard it as a sales pitch, but with Bibles it is usually quite true. I strongly urge you not to balk at the initial price. Consider how many cheaply made Bibles you will buy over the next sixty years of your life. This is assuming, of course, that you are a serious student of God’s word, and read it daily. Now, multiply the twenty to fifty dollars that you would spend on a glued together, poorly covered, mass produced Bible, times the number of replacements you would purchase of that sixty year period. Let’s arbitrarily say you’ll need to replace it 6 times, and that is a conservative estimate on my part. Thirty times six is one hundred and eighty dollars. That is less than the price of the top of the line Pitt Minion. Not to mention the amount of time and energy it will take to transfer your notes/highlights/underlines.

The Pitt minion can be handed down to your children and if taken care of I dare say their children. The Cambridge Pitt Minion comes with a lifetime warranty from Cambridge and I fully expect these Pitt Minions to outlast me. How loving would it be for you to hand down one of these to each of your Children with your personal highlights and underlines? They could read from the same Bible that you held lovingly in your hands each morning and remember how faithful you were. Your zeal for God and His word would be an inspiration to them.

My Pitt Minion arrived in a cardboard shipping box safe and sound.

The retail box is a clamshell design and should be retained for storage.

The first thing I noticed about this Pitt Minion when I removed it from the box was the brown goatskin leather cover. It has a simple elegant perimeter line, and a naturally soft and supple feel.

Goatskin leather offers the best of both worlds. It is tough and supple, sacrificing neither quality as you might see with other leathers. The leather covered Bible smells the way a Bible should. It doesn’t reek of chemicals. The brown reminds me of a milk chocolate color. It might be difficult to see in the pictures.

This Bible is a case bound one. It is not edge lined.

The spine is smyth-sewn. All of the pages are part of a group of pages called a signature. These pamphlets called signatures are stacked up and then sewn together offering a supremely flexible and durable Bible.

The corners are and the end pages are well done.

There is a simple, yet attractive presentation page in the front.

Decorative head and tail bands cap the ends.

The spine is stamped with, “Holy Bible” at the top, “New American Standard” under that, “Cambridge” at the bottom in gold.

The page edges are art gilt, with red under gold.

There are two brown ribbon markers. I appreciate when a Bible has at least two ribbons. Many of us read daily from both the Old and New Testaments. It is very convenient to have a built in marker for each. I don’t like using a book mark for one and the ribbon for the other. I wish all Bibles would come with at least two ribbon markers and a third for the Proverbs as devotional reading. Here is a picture of the Pitt Minion on top of my Clarion. The Clarion has red ribbons. The Pitt Minion has brown to match the cover. I’m not sure which I like more 🙂

Upon opening the Bible the texture and opacity of the Pitt Minion’s India paper was very impressive for a compact. It is uniform in texture and color.

The typeface is 6.75pt on 7pt Lexicon No 1.

Here is an excerpt from the products information page on Cambridge’s site,

…a stylish modern digital typeface which like its predecessor combines utility and elegance. It uses the Lexicon typeface, carefully chosen for its economical use of space. This is the font used for dictionaries and encyclopaedias because it accommodates a lot of characters in a small space. The result is a classic Bible for the twenty first century produced in a remarkably compact yet readable form.…

I agree with them, that it is very legible. It also employs line matching. The text on the other side of the page is printed directly behind the text on the other side. This dramatically reduces distraction while reading, which is especially important in a compact Bible.

The text is laid out in a double column, center column, paragraph format in this red letter edition.

Book and chapter are located on the upper, outer corners of the pages, with the page numbers on the upper inner page corners, making it much easier to look up passages as you flip through the pages.

It is remarkable to have a full reference Bible of this size, approximately 7.5″ x 5.25″ x 0.75″ that remains legible. It is a testament to the design work that went into the Pitt Minion. There is even a useful concordance in the back along with a map index and 15 color maps.

If you are in the market for an ultrathin or compact high quality Bible look no further. The Cambridge Pitt Minion is the only choice.

You can purchase your copy on;

evangelicalbible.com

Amazon.com

Christianbook.com

or also on Cambridge’s site

Make sure to check out all of the pictures I took of the Cambridge NASB Pitt Minion in Brown Goatskin Leather NS446:XR-B1168 on my flickr.com page.
ISBN:9780521604116

isbn: 9780521604116

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

The Holman HCSB, Deluxe Ultrathin Reference Bible in Black Genuine Top Grain Cowhide, is an Excellent Idea, but Poorly Executed.

May 11, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I would love to give this Bible a glowing review. It is a good idea. My favorite size Bibles have been ultrathins. They are generally pretty portable and handy. An ultrathin with, sewn binding, some references, top grain cowhide leather cover, edge lined binding, opaque paper, and legible typeset is a wonderful Bible to have. If done correctly, they could sell them as fast as they could make them. Like I said earlier though, the design needs to be properly executed. There have been some problems with both review copies I was sent. The first copy arrived with the gold stamping on the spine missing in spots,

the tail band was sliced, one of the end pages was dog eared, the cover was not glued down to the inside liner well enough, this allowed the pages to get between the liner and cover, and the pages were all stuck together. The gold stamping would have been enough to send this Bible back as it is fairly expensive. The second Bible sent to me to replace the first one has leather debris sandwiched between the cover and the liner, leaving two lumps on the front cover.

These will cause the cover to wear out and eventually put holes in it. That would have been enough to warrant sending that Bible back as well. Generally, I am very pleased with Holman Bibles. Many of their Bibles are produced in South Korea. This one was produced in China. Almost all of the incidents I’ve had with defects in workmanship or materials, have been with Bibles made in China. It doesn’t seem to matter who the American publisher is, whether it is Lockman, B&H, or Hendrickson when they make Bibles in China the quality control is problematic.

Where Holman stands above some of the other publishers is in their customer service. They have quickly and courteously supplied me with another copy, when I brought the defect to their attention. Some publishers were unwilling to replace defective copies. Lockman has replaced defective copies as well, but this review is of B&H.

If this Bible would have been produced without defects, with a higher quality liner, and end papers, it would have been worth the retail price. I would suggest that B&H stop making this Bible in China, and move the production to someplace with higher quality standards. This would have been a great Bible considering the ambition of the design. It was shipped in a cardboard box with paper packing.

The retail box inside is a two piece box, that should be retained for storage.

The Bible inside the box was wrapped in black construction paper to protect it during shipping. The cover is supposed to be top grain cowhide leather. It does feel very soft,

but it has been pared pretty thin.

I don’t know if Holman supplied the leather or allowed the Chinese binder to provide the leather. The liner looks like a synthetic material. It doesn’t glue well to the hide cover. The end papers are very thin as well. This might have been done to increase the flexibility of this Bible given that it is edge lined bound and not case bound. I appreciate what they were attempting to do, but the end papers just came off as cheap. I love when a Bible has a genuine, high quality hide as a cover. The smell and feel of a genuine hide, not to mention the durability, ensure many years of use. Combine that with a flexible sewn binding, and you have an easy opening Bible that lies flat on your table, or can be wrapped around itself, to be held in one hand for easy reading.

The line matching helps to keep the text legible in conjunction with the uniform printing and ink consistency.

This is a double column paragraph format, red letter edition Bible.

There is an oddity that puzzles me. They printed the book names and chapters on the bottom of the page, instead of at the top where it typically is located. It makes you pause for a moment when trying to turn to a specific scripture. Chances are good that I could have been sent a Bible with zero defects and my review would have been extolling the virtues of this great little Bible. Chances are, you might order it and receive a good copy. I just happened to get tow in a row with defects. The good news, is that Holman will make it right if you get a bad one. If you really want an HCSB in ultrathin that is edge lined and covered with top grain leather, this is about one of your only choices.

Make sure to check out all of the pictures I took of this Bible and its replacement on my flickr page.

9781586404314

Bible Reviews

Need a Complete Bible in a Handy Size to Slide into a Pocket? The NASB Compact Bible in Black Bonded Leather with a Snap-Flap Fills the Niche at a Great Value.

April 22, 2015 Bob Snyder1 Comment

As a fan of the NASB translation, I find myself needing a copy of it for several applications. The problem is that my choices are limited once I demand a sewn binding. If I want a compact NASB with a sewn binding, I can either spend around a hundred dollars for a Cambridge, or I can spend around twenty for a Chinese made Lockman Foundation. I know how nice a Cambridge can be, but I there are some benefits to spending less, especially when you are getting a compact Bible. If you tend to carry the compact with you everywhere, it can get worn out from travel. You might also forget it on a table somewhere after a talk. Not to mention the accidental spills and drops. If you spend around a hundred dollars on a Bible, and then have all of that happen, it would probably give you some heartburn.

Then there are the numerous glued Bibles from companies like Yawn-durp-ven, you know who I mean. I can’t begin to tell you how much I hate glued bindings. Constantly losing the front pages and pages from the back, the spine breaking in the middle, I mean, come on already! I’ll pay the extra few bucks for a sewn binding. Wait, what’s that? Lockman Foundation makes a value priced, compact Bible, with a sewn binding? Do tell. Yes, it is true. Now don’t get me wrong, these are not premium Bibles, but if you need to have access to the printed word and you don’t want to use an app on your phone, this little Bible could do the trick. I know, I know, “It has rubber on the flap… It smells funny… The pages pucker where the treads secure the signatures… It is covered with bonded leather…” I understand the complaints, but there has to be a compromise. Like I just got done explaining, do you want to lose a hundred dollar Bible at a coffee shop? I didn’t think so. Do you want to open your Bible up to help someone out, and have pages fall out on the ground? I didn’t think so. So you see there is a niche that this little Bible fills quite well.

As for some of the gripes, the rubber flap holds up much better than just having a bit of bonded leather there. The smell is not as strong after it airs out for a couple days. The puckers are there, you have a sewn binding, deal with it. Better to not have pages falling out. The bonded leather keeps the cost down. Hides are expensive. This is a value Bible. You can even afford to lose them or give them away. I think I saw this one online for like fifteen bucks. Come on, that is extremely affordable. So, don’t be a Bible snobs like Bob, get what works for your application.

Time for the rundown, this Bible was shipped in a cardboard box, packed with paper padding.

It was in a two piece retail package. Inside the retail package it was wrapped in plastic.

Some of the features of this Bible are a sewn binding,

verse format with section headings,

bonded leather cover, protective snap-flap,

gilded page edges, presentation page, black ribbon marker, 6.8 pt. font, and compact size. (4.5″ x 6.5″ x 0.75)

Due to the sewn binding this Bible can be opened up without hurting the spine. The spine is stamped with, “New American Standard Bible” in gold. The snap-flap protects the page edges, so you can just slip it in a pocket. The verse format helps you find verses quickly. The 6.5 pt. font makes it legible. The end pages are a bit flimsy, but I think that is to keep this small edition from being too rigid. Overall, this Bible performs the purpose it is intended for. I would recommend it based on the low price and sewn binding.

be sure to check out the rest of the pictures on my flickr page

If you’d like to purchase a copy of this Bible here are a couple of links,

amazon.com

Christianbook.com

Bible Reviews

The NET Bible, Full Notes Edition, for Language Geeks or for all Bible Students?

April 21, 2015 Bob Snyder4 Comments

I was aware of this translation a while back, but haven’t had the time or ability to look into it until now. I was gladly sent a copy of the, “NET Bible Full Notes Edition” covered with Tuscany style brown Cromwell bonded leather for review on my blog. It was well packed in a cardboard box with paper packing. Inside the shipping box was another two piece box containing the Bible. The two piece box was not your typical retail box. It was less sturdy. You could retain it for storage, but I don’t think it will make a difference either way.

The NET Bible was also wrapped in plastic, and was shipped with a book mark.
I was very curious about the notes and the results of the translation methods. Let me begin by saying that I am a big fan of open access, whether it is software or public domain books and music. The NET translation is available for free on the internet. You can read their copyright information on their page. With the knowledge that this work has been made available for free, I was inspired to do a little more research. I found that there are some groups that hate this translation. That would be you KJV onlyists, and some of your folks who are like me with their love for formal equivalent translations. The formal equivalent lovers usually love formal equivalent translations because they love the word of God, and appreciate the hard work of translators. Sometimes they are just Bible snobs. (Myself included) The NET Bible doesn’t seek to be a formal equivalent, but I wouldn’t lump it in with agenda driven dynamic equivalents like the NRSV, NIV, or NLT. The NRSV has, as part of their translation agenda, the direction to be gender inclusive, even if the text does not indicate doing so. In my opinion the NIV has the same type of agenda, but watered down and minimized, so as to keep selling copies to the folks who don’t know anything about the agenda. I thought the NLT was just extremely dumbed down, until I obtained a review copy. It is just as gender inclusive as the NIV, if not worse. The NET however, seems to be concerned with accurately conveying the intent of God in His progressive revelation. So rather than changing a word based on a gender agenda, the translators would make changes based on how they understood the intended communication. I guess what I am trying to say is that I believe they are honestly attempting to make a genuine dynamic equivalent true to God’s word. It reminds me of the 1984 NIV in that regard, but not in how it reads.

From looking at this Bible’s size you might erroneously assume it is a study Bible. With a cursory perusal you might think it is a reference Bible. Both assumptions are somewhat incorrect. Unlike a conventional study Bible this one is full of translation notes. Notes that cite Hebrew and Greek texts, with explanations as to how and why the translators translated a passage the way they did. There are notes besides the translation notes, but predominately the notes are about the translations. These notes are not just every few pages, but instead are extensive. There are approximately 60,932 notes.

I couldn’t find any information about where the NET Bible was printed and bound. I e-mailed the publisher and asked them. They informed me that the, “NET Bibles were printed by World Wide Printing whose office is in Dallas, but the actual printing was done in Belarus.” I thought that was interesting. I have a TBS ruby text KJV that was printed in Belarus. I wonder if they used the same printer. I was pretty happy with the smyth-sewn binding. It is a large Bible and the binding is good and flexible.

There is one ribbon marker that matches the color of the cover. It is a pretty good ribbon compared to the anemic, twisted, little things you find in most Bibles.

The paper is as thick as it can be at 28 g.s.m. considering the bulk of this volume. If it were thicker, this Bible would be as well, and it is already quite thick. The paper is just opaque enough. The page edges are gold gilt.

The layout is double column, paragraph format, with the notes underneath.

The font is a good compromise in size and legibility at 9.5 pt. The notes are 7.5 pt. making them easy to read as well. Since there are so many of them it is a good thing they are very legible. The face is Times New Roman. It works. There are certain finite qualities that when changed cause necessary changes in other qualities. If they would have used a larger or different font, then the Bible would have been even bigger. Considering the publisher’s goal, I agree with their choices in design.

The end pages are marbled brown pattern, and pasted down to the bonded leather cover.

The cover has an artificial texture to it. It feels like it will withstand scratches, and abrasions better than some natural hide covers. According to the publisher, the bonded leather used for this cover is the top of the line for this type of application. They say the modern bonded leather is not the same old bonded leather of the past, that we have all come to dislike. I am told that the leather fibers are bonded to polymer instead of paper like in the old fashioned bonded leather and that this cover could last more than 100 years.

The corners are pretty typical. This is a case bound Bible. The spine is stamped with, “The NET Bible, with 60,932 notes, Bible.org.”

There are five sheets of card paper in the front and in the back, that could be utilized for notes. Hebrew and Greek alphabet charts are included in the back. The black and white maps in the back are nice, and they are bolstered by a unique set of satellite image maps printed in full color on a glossy paper. These include a fold out to.

Here is an excerpt from their description page,

“Full Notes Edition

The NET Bible is a completely new translation with tens of thousands of notes! Completed by more than 25 scholars working directly from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts this translation is the most accessible ever due to the unparalleled detailing in the notes and up-to-date language.

To read this translation along with all the notes go to net.bible.org where it was the first translation to be made available free online. You can read more about the NET Bible translation process, see sample pages and view the state of the art maps on bible.org. Or check out the short video about the development of the NET Bible.

“The NET Bible is ingenious. Its continuously updated translation, supported by an array of quality footnotes on the original languages, will be an invaluable resource for pastors, missionaries and well-trained laymen. Bringing instant access to the best research with just a few clicks, the NET Bible has truly brought a visionary form to a timeless function. It’s a great step in the Church’s preparation for the next millennium.” — Dr.Gene Getz

Full Notes Features: • All 60,932 translators’ notes
• Full color satellite maps of the Holy Lands
• 9.5 point font
Print Bible features: • Premium Cromwell Leather
• Premium Bible paper
• Premium Smyth sewn binding
• Gold gilded edges and a premium ribbon
Bible Specifications •Width – 6 3/4″
•Length – 9 5/8″
•Thickness – 2″ ”

This Bible seems to be for a niche of Greek and Hebrew students at first glance, but after using it for a while I can say that all Bible students could use the Full Notes edition of the NET Bible. They have done an excellent job at explaining why they chose the words they chose during the translation. You might not agree with them all of the time depending on your expertise or lack there of, but you can’t deny that they have well documented their work. I would recommend this to any serious Bible student. It comes in very handy.

Make sure to look at all of the pictures I took of this Bible on my flickr album.

ISBN-13: 978-0737501933

You can purchase your own copy at these sites,

Christianbook.com Amazon.com and the publisher’s site Bible.org

Apologetics · Bible Reviews · Theology

Not a Study Bible, Rather an NIV Reference Bible.

April 3, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

On the front of the dust jacket of this Bible, the testimonial from Tim Keller is featured, “There are many Study Bibles, but none better.” This is very misleading. I have no idea why this quote is featured. I would hope that there is some good reason why Zondervan did this. Unfortunately, I can think of one and none has been provided. This is most definitely not a Study Bible. It is simply a Reference Bible with Book introductions, Concordance, and Maps. In no twist of the imagination could this be considered a Study Bible. If you are looking for a Study Bible, this is NOT one.

My guess, in my opinion, is that Zondervan knows the NIV has taken a serious hit, and as a result has a black eye. It no longer has the credibility it once enjoyed. It is not as popular as it once was. Back in 2011 Zondervan released this gender inclusive mess of a dynamic equivalent in an attempt to sneak it by everyone. They had the TNIV, and simply dropped the, “T” and changed a few more things to further comply with the translation agenda. The Southern Baptist Convention caught on to what was happening and officially disavowed the translation. Here is their resolution,

“WHEREAS, Many Southern Baptist pastors and laypeople have trusted and used the 1984 New International Version (NIV) translation to the great benefit of the Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, Biblica and Zondervan Publishing House are publishing an updated version of the New International Version (NIV) which incorporates gender neutral methods of translation; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists repeatedly have affirmed our commitment to the full inspiration and authority of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:15-16) and, in 1997, urged every Bible publisher and translation group to resist “gender-neutral” translation of Scripture; and

WHEREAS, This translation alters the meaning of hundreds of verses, most significantly by erasing gender-specific details which appear in the original language; and

WHEREAS, Although it is possible for Bible scholars to disagree about translation methods or which English words best translate the original languages, the 2011 NIV has gone beyond acceptable translation standards; and

WHEREAS, Seventy-five percent of the inaccurate gender language found in the TNIV is retained in the 2011 NIV; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention has passed a similar resolution concerning the TNIV in 2002; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 14-15, 2011 express profound disappointment with Biblica and Zondervan Publishing House for this inaccurate translation of God’s inspired Scripture; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage pastors to make their congregations aware of the translation errors found in the 2011 NIV; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we respectfully request that LifeWay not make this inaccurate translation available for sale in their bookstores; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we cannot commend the 2011 NIV to Southern Baptists or the larger Christian community.”

Shortly after the Lutheran Missouri Synod did the same. Here is the most important part of their statement as I see it,

“We find the NIV’s Committee on Bible Translation decision to substitute plural nouns and pronouns for masculine singular nouns and pronouns to be a serious theological weakness and a misguided attempt to make the truth of God’s Word more easily understood. The use of inclusive language in NIV 2011 creates the potential for minimizing the particularity of biblical revelation and, more seriously, at times undermines the saving revelation of Christ as the promised Savior of humankind. Pastors and congregations of the LCMS should be aware of this serious weakness. In our judgment this makes it inappropriate for NIV 2011 to be used as a lectionary Bible or as a Bible to be generally recommended to the laity of our church. This is not a judgment on the entirety of NIV 2011 as a translation—a task that would require a much more extensive study of NIV 2011—but an opinion as to a specific editorial decision which has serious theological implications” You can read the entire statement here.

Here is a link to an excellent paper in the Westminster Theological Journal. The article was written by Dr. Vern Poythress of Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Poythress was also part of the Translation Oversight Committee for the English Standard Version. By prominently featuring Timothy Keller’s testimonial on the front of this Bible edition Zondervan is trying to do some damage control. As most of you know Tim Keller also was faculty at Westminster Theological Seminary. He and Poythress share much in the field of theology. By getting his stamp of approval on this Bible I believe they were hoping to bring some of us back. Admittedly, the only reason I requested this Bible for review, over the other ones offered is that his name was on the front. I was curious if something had changed for the better. I was disappointed. Not only was this the same NIV, with all of the gender inclusive language, but it was NOT a Study Bible.

As far as the physical attributes of this Bible go, it is a pretty average to above average publication. It is blue hard back. It has a dust jacket. It is printed in China. It has two mediocre silver ribbon book markers. It is a sewn, case bound book binding. It is printed on good quality paper that is pretty opaque. The type is clear and uniform. It is 9 point font. There is limited ghosting. It is a double column, paragraph format, with references, concordance, and 14 color maps. It is nothing special, nothing distinctive, just a good quality hardback. If only they would revert back to the 1984 NIV and leave these other agendas behind.

ISBN-13: 9780310437956

Bible Reviews

The Apologetics Study Bible, in Black Genuine Leather, HCSB Translation, is not Your Usual Study Bible.

April 1, 2015 Bob Snyder2 Comments

Most people assume all study Bibles to be pretty much alike. If you get one with a person’s name on it, more than likely, it will reflect that person’s theology. If it doesn’t have someone’s name on it, then it is usually an eclectic grab bag of information. Well, “The Apologetics Study Bible” is not your average study Bible. Instead of just tossing in an abundance of information in some haphazard fashion or having one group’s theological presuppositions espoused, it systematically provides specific information about, the scripture, ethics, science, archaeology, philosophy, and non-Christian belief systems. It does it in a very thoughtful manner. I found the sections called, “twisted scripture” to be very helpful.

Just the list of contributors on this one had me sold on the idea; Albert Mohler, Ravi Zacharias, Phil Johnson, Chuck Colson, Norm Geisler, Josh McDowell, J. P. Moreland, and Hank Hanegraaff. Not to mention the features; the easy to read HCSB text, presentation page,

the two-color page layout for contrast, introductions and book outlines to each Bible book that focus on apologetics,

double-column paragraph format in black 10 point text,

translation footnotes, study notes that explain “problem” passages, sidebars on scriptures misused by cults, (twisted scripture) profiles of historic Christian apologists from Justin Martyr to C. S. Lewis, plan of salvation, lined pages for recording personal notes,

silver page edges,

5 full color maps, charts, and two ribbon markers, make this an excellent choice for the student polishing up their apologetics chops. This Bible lives up to the name, “The Apologetics Bible.”

Every believer is called to give an answer for the hope that they have, we are supposed to evangelize, and make disciples. This Bible definitely will help with the Great Commission. Everyone should have a copy of this to refer to. It puts some of the most expertly done work at your disposal.

This Bible was shipped to me in a cardboard box padded with paper. It arrived undamaged and in good condition. It was packaged in a two piece retail box that should be retained for storage. The Apologetics Study Bible is 9 1/2″ x 7 1/4” x 1 1/2” it has a genuine leather cover.

The cover is what you would expect from a genuine leather cover. It is made from pigskin leather. It is a bit shiny compared to calfsplit or cowhide leather, but not near as pricey, while offering superior quality to most synthetics and bonded leather covers. The corners are machine cut, formed, and glued, so they are nice and uniform. It is case bound with a sewn binding. There are decorative head and tail bands. The page gilt and stamp work is done in silver. The font is uniformly inked and printed. It is 10 point in size and is easy on the eyes. The coloring of some of the elements on the page can be a bit distracting if you are a purist. The paper seems to be opaque enough. The study attributes of this Bible are the big features. You are getting a lot for your money. This Bible is a great value.

ISBN-13: 9781433602917

ISBN: 1433602911

Bible Reviews

The Best Bibles in the World! Yes, Premium Bibles are Still Being Made. R. L. Allan’s Readers NASB R1 R.

March 27, 2015April 10, 2020 Bob Snyder49 Comments

The perfect Bible… For me, that is. Let’s face it, perfection can be subjective, when it comes to Bibles. Everyone has different deal breakers and necessities, when it comes to features. I know for me, a glued binding is a deal breaker. It is the unpardonable sin amongst Bible publishers. They really need to just stop trying to save a buck and do it right. Of course that is my opinion. Many people don’t even know the difference between a sewn binding and a glued one. To them other features are more important. They might insist on having a specific study Bible.

There are three premier brands today that I know of, Cambridge Press, Schuyler(skyler), and R. L. Allan. I’ve done reviews of Cambridge Bibles. They have been very generous providing me with review copies. Schuyler does not provide gratis review copies and neither does R. L. Allan. I had to wait for a time when I could afford to purchase one. I had seen a Schuyler. Our Pastor at Church received one for his Ordination. His is an E.S.V. Quentel in green goatskin. Reviewing Bibles exposes you to the differences between materials, features, and manufacturing methods.

With the knowledge gained by reviewing so many Bibles, I knew the attributes I wanted. I knew that first of all, it must be as legible as possible. I’ve reviewed several Bibles that either used paper that isn’t opaque enough, old typesets with edges that are not sharp, small font, thin font, poorly inked and inconsistently printed font, and cheap paper that offers little contrast.

Second, it had to have a sewn binding. Without a sewn binding it would not be flexible enough to make it easy to read, and it would not be durable enough to last a lifetime.

Third, it had to have a high quality, edge lined, goatskin cover. This might not seem like a must, but if you have held one of these Bibles before, you would agree. It is durable, flexible, and the grain is tactilely pleasing.

Fourth, it had to be in the New American Standard Bible translation.(NASB) This is by far my favorite translation, to both read and study. If you haven’t read this translation, you should. It is a formal equivalent, and very accurate. This is the translation to read, if you have ever wanted to get as close to the original languages, without learning them yourself.

Fifth, I wanted a double column, verse format, with center column references. I know, I know, it is old fashioned of me, and I need to get with the times, but it is so much easier to find a verse, in a verse format Bible. I have the Cambridge Clarion. It is a single column, paragraph format Bible, with references on the outside of the page. People informed me that this is the easiest to just sit and read. Well, that might be so, IF your brain, and eyes haven’t been trained to read a double column, verse format, over the years. I tried to teach an old dog a new trick, and it just didn’t work out for me. So this was a necessary feature.

Sixth, was size. I wanted a Bible for reading out of in my chair. It couldn’t be too heavy or big. Arm fatigue is a real thing people. Perhaps I’m just getting old, but if you are holding a big Bible in your hands for an hour or so, it gets heavy. Plus they can be downright unwieldy. I despise fighting against a Bible or the cover while trying to read.

Finally, it had to have more than one, crumby, cheap, nasty, ribbon marker. I know it seems minor, but I like to follow Ligonier’s TableTalk reading plan. It has readings out of the Old and New Testaments, daily. For that, I need, at least two ribbons. I didn’t want a Bible with the cheap, thin, anemic, looking ribbons, that fold over, and get wrinkled either. I wanted some ribbons of substance that would lay flat and help me turn to the page, without tearing the paper or rubbing the gilt off of the page edges.

The only publisher to publish a Bible that met all of my demands is R. L. Allan formerly of Scotland, now located in London. Robert Allan established R. L. Allan’s in 1863. They are still making some of the finest Bibles in the world. In 2013 they moved to London. The NASB R1 R uses the Lockman Foundation’s NASB double column, verse format, reference Bible, typeset. The reason I didn’t purchase the Lockman Foundation produced Bible is quality. Lockman is printing and binding their Bibles in China. Although they are less expensive to purchase, they did not measure up to the standards that I set for my, “perfect Bible.” R. L. Allan’s NASB R1 R is printed and bound in the Netherlands by Jongbloed. Jongbloed is, in my estimation, the premier Bible printer and bindery in the world. Cambridge Press, and Schuyler, use Jongbloeds as well. It is no coincidence that the three Best Bible publishers use the same printer and bindery. They all use Jongbloeds because of their continued excellence.

My choices were limited right off the bat. There are literally no other publishers making the Bible I was after. I could have compromised on a couple of things like, cover material, or case bound instead of edge lined. Providentially, I didn’t have to compromise. It really is a blessing to be able to find a Bible just like I wanted. I feel so very blessed to be living in a country, during a time, like this. The Reformers went through much persecution to get us translations in our native tongues. There are people today, deprived of God’s word by law of their governments. So I don’t take the blessing lightly.

I received my order less than two weeks after I placed it. It arrived in a cardboard box. It was cushioned with bubble wrap and little foam puffs.

The Bible was in a two piece box. The box is covered with a woven blue material. I am keeping it to put my Bible in when I am not using it. It will sit by my chair safe and sound.

It was wrapped in paper inside the box.

It arrived undamaged from shipping. While unwrapping the Bible I was welcomed with the aroma of quality goatskin leather. Some Bibles smell like chemicals and adhesives. The cover is thicker than I expected. It is a rich crimson red. There are two channels around the perimeter of the cover.

It has a wide yapp, that is the overhang of the cover. It protects the page edges. The inside cover is lined with dark blue leather. There is a gilt line around the inside perimeter.

The edges of the cover are folded over and glued perfectly. The corners are nice, neat, and tight. The spine of the Bible is stamped in gold with, “Holy Bible” at the top, “New American Standard Bible” under that, and, “Allan” at the bottom.

It has white, head and tail bands, art-gilt page edges, and three lovely, navy blue ribbon markers.

In the front you’ll find the presentation page, family records pages for parents, children, marriages, grandchildren, and deaths. These are printed on heavier paper, but not so heavy as to inhibit the opening of the Bible. Then, there is the Title page, Publishers info,Foreward, and a list of the Books of the Bible.

As I mentioned earlier, the Bible is in a double column, verse format, with center column references. The center column is bordered by a single line on either side of it. The chapter numbers are bold and large. There are topic headings throughout. This is a black letter edition. Lockman has over 95,000 cross references in this luxurious publication from R. L. Allan.

The font is 10 point in size. It is one of the sharpest and uniformly printed Bibles I’ve seen. The black contrasts against the off-white Bible paper, making it very legible. The paper is beautiful and opaque.

The concordance in the back is large enough to be useful, but not so large as to bulk it up. There is 40 pages of lined writing paper in the back for notes. Lockman’s colored maps are retained, but printed on the same type of paper that is used in the front for the records pages, instead of the glossy paper that Lockman uses. There are 8 maps. The glossy paper tends to crack and tear, so I am glad to see that it was not used in this edition.

This is a pretty thin Bible. It measures 1″ thick. The text block is 9″ tall by 6 1/4″ the Bible when closed measures almost 10″ tall by 7″ across. It is very handy. Just the right size to contain all of my desired attributes, while not growing too large with undesired features.

Since this Bible has everything I could want in a Bible it is no surprise that I would think so highly of it. I can’t get over how satisfied I am with it. I am so happy with it that I mailed several of my other Bibles to friends. This one replaces about 5 others I was holding on to for various uses. I have taken some ribbing that was unexpected. It was brought to my attention that this should be called the, “Spiderman Bible” due to the red and blue colors. I thought that was amusing, but come one? If I’m going to associate it with a super hero it would be Superman not Spiderman lol. In all seriousness, this is probably the best Bible I’ve ever owned. That is saying a lot, because I’ve been sent some pretty good Bibles.

If you decide you need a premium Bible, you should purchase one from

evangelicalbible.com They are the best online retailer of premium Bibles.