I’ve been a fan of Derek Jones’ Bible reviews for years. I’m also a fan of the Cambridge Concord Wide Margin. In his video review for the Bible Exchange he takes a look at the goatskin edition.
The post Cambridge Concord Wide Margin KJV in Goatskin – Video Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Now that I’ve seen it I know what the fuss is all about
One of the most sought after Bibles among the Bible collecting crowd is the Cambridge Turquoise, or Presentation Reference. I had heard about this Bible for a while and finally got the chance to own a piece of history when I saw one on eBay. This one is a WWII vet with a 1946 printing. It has utility paper with a tan color-tone and around 38gsm. It has leather over board and has no concordance or dictionary. Now that I’ve seen it I know what the fuss is all about.
It has an 11-point font that’s dark and readable, center-column references. I’d love to have a newer edition with a concordance and a dictionary. The dictionary in the Concord is a great study and sermon-prep tool.
If Cambridge doesn’t re-release the Turquoise they will be missing out on that market.
For the last few years the premium large print KJV space has been owned by R. L. Allan’s Longprimer. This is a nice Bible. It’s easy to see why it owns that market. In a couple of years we will see the release of Schuyler’s Quentel in KJV. That will be a Bible to own. If Cambridge doesn’t re-release the Turquoise they will be missing out on that market.
I’m in the middle-age crowd. I’ve needed glasses for years because I have astigmatism. A year ago I needed reading glasses, so I went ahead and got bifocals. I love reading with a Bible on my lap. I love reading from the Concord, but with my two focal-points the font is too small to be in focus unless I hold the Bible closer than I want to. The Longprimer is perfect for this. So is the Quentel.
I also preach every Sunday. I love using large print Bibles. I’ve tried the Concord and every time I want the font to be larger. I’ve never needed the Longprimer’s font to be larger. That size font is what I want for reading and preaching.
So why the Turquoise? Center-column cross-references, dictionary, 11-point font. Sure, there are large print Bibles on the market. I’ve got a few good ones, but none of them draw me to the text like this Turquoise does. The Longprimer doesn’t have italics. Its references are chain references; which are great for study but I like having cross-references for general use. Then there’s the footnotes. The Longprimer’s footnotes are a mixture of good info (cited in xx) and annoying (the best MSS say…). I’ll take the footnotes in the Turquoise (just my preference). The Turquoise font is larger and has more white-space, making it more readable.
Cambridge could easily own this space
Show me another large print reference Bible in KJV with a dark 11-point font, center-column cross-references, and quality footnotes (aside from a $500 pulpit Bible). Even if you can come up with one, you can’t name one that’s made with good quality materials. With Cambridge you get quality paper, print, sewn binding, and calf-split, calfskin, and goatskin leather covers. Cambridge could easily own this space.
The aging eyes of yesterday’s Cambridge preachers have nowhere to go but to cheaply made editions that don’t match the quality they need or want to hand down to their children and grandchildren. The only other option for the moment is the Longprimer. The Turquoise has what the Longprimer does not with an 11-point font, italics for supplied words, and center-column cross-references. The Longprimer is a good choice but we need more choices. The Schuyler will be a good choice, but why give up this market?
Large print is not just for aging eyes
Large print is not just for aging eyes. I’ve always preferred larger Bibles and larger print. There is a time you need a small Bible, but in many cases you can use a large Bible with no trouble. I know many members of the younger crowd that feels the same way. They don’t choose one over the other – they choose both. Cambridge has them covered for the smaller Bibles with the Pitt Minion, Clarion, and Concord, but there’s no reference Bible with 10-point or above.
I want a larger ‘everything’ Bible
Up to this point the Cambridge Concord has been my ‘everything’ Bible. It’s the Bible I read from, study from, preach from, and carry with me. I want a larger print. I want a larger ‘everything’ Bible and the Turquoise is the only Cambridge Bible that fits that need.
Cambridge… please bring back the Turquoise.
How about you? Do you own a Cambridge Turquoise or Presentation Reference? Do you want Cambridge to bring it back? Tell us, and Cambridge, about it in the comments below!
The post Why Cambridge Should Bring Back the Turquoise KJV appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The New King James is sadly lacking in premium editions. I can count them on one hand. There is only one wide margin edition available. Fortunately it is available in two different covers: calf split and goatskin. Both are excellent editions. In this review I take a look at the Cambridge NKJV Wide Margin in black calf split leather.
This edition is calf split. The leather is split into two pieces. The top portion is removed and sent to automakers to be used to make car seats and various other industries that need the softer leather. This is the bottom portion of the leather, which includes a stamped grain and has a tougher feel to it. It’s a feel that I happen to like a lot.
It’s not as flexible as goatskin, but that’s not a bad thing. Sometimes goatskin feels a little too floppy and unwieldy. This is especially true on larger Bibles and even truer on wide margin editions. The liner is paste-down vinyl.
The cover opens to the first page with no trouble at all. The text-block is sewn, like it should be, and has no trouble lying flat.
As far as size, it’s a little thinner than the Concord wide margin and about the same size as the ESV wide margin.
The paper is 38gsm ad very opaque. This is the same paper as found in all Cambridge wide margin editions. It’s my favorite Bible paper for writing. It takes color pencils really well. I’ve tried regular mechanical pencil and had no issues. I’ve also used Pigma Microns and they were awesome. This paper doesn’t have a shine at all.
The font is a 7.9 Lexicon Number 1 with an 8.2 leading. It was designed by Blue Heron Bookcraft in Washington. For me the font could be a little larger and there could be more space between the lines. I’d like to see a 9/10. The font is good and dark, though not as dark as the Concord. I’d call is semi-bold. It’s consistent throughout. Even the red-letter is consistent. It’s about a medium/dark red and is probably my favorite red for a red-letter edition. Red continues through Revelation (like all red-letter editions should).
Section headings are in italics. There are lots of them throughout the text. They stand out just enough to not be a distraction and still be useful.
First, the NKJV in general is my favorite layout for any Bible whether it’s a single or a 2-column setting. Here’s why:
Many settings, such as the Cambridge ESV wide margin, have a lot of these features. The ESV does not indent letters. There might be others with this exact setting, but this is the one I’m the most familiar with. This is my favorite setting.
I want a KJV with this exact setting. In fact, if Cambridge would replace the NKJV text with the KJV text and leave everything else the way it is it would make the perfect KJV and my hunt would be over. It should be easy to do and it would make a perfectly matched set.
This is the same layout as the Pitt Minion, only larger. If you have a Pitt Minion, then you know this layout. The pagination is exactly the same.
The margins are:
If I could make one change in this Bible I’d make the inner margin just a touch bigger.
The columns are 2” wide with 38 characters. The center column is 5/8”.
These are the standard references and footnotes for the NKJV from Thomas Nelson. The one thing that I find a little difficult about using the references and translation notes is when there are too many to fit in the center column. The rest are placed under the last verse on the page. This means there are two places to look for them. I almost always look in the wrong place first. I’d rather have them than not, but I think it would be better if they were all placed under the last verse, or under both columns with that columns references and notes under the last verse of that column.
Here are some counts for references:
Footnotes include manuscript variances from:
There may be others, but these are the most prominent. They also include literal renderings from Hebrew and Greek. I’ve always found the NKJV footnotes to be interesting and helpful for study.
The concordance is 165 pages and has 3 columns per page. The concordance takes up the full page, so there is no margin space around them. There is an inch at the bottom if you want to add anything. This is a different concordance than the one in the Pitt Minion. Here are some of the entries and their counts:
There are 15 maps printed in thick, non-shiny paper. They take up the full page, so they’re not just Pitt Minion maps with wide margins. Maps include:
There is an 8 page index to maps that is color-coded:
The index makes using the maps a snap. The maps are very detailed and colorful.
There are two different sections of paper for writing your own notes. The first section is 13 pages and is called Index to Notes. There are two columns per page with a letter of the alphabet over each column. One way to use this is to write where your notes appear for each topic. For example, I you’ve written notes on Creation, under the column “C” you would write – Creation – Gen. 1:1, Ex. 20:11, etc.
The next section is 32 pages of notebook paper. The paper is thicker than the rest of the Bible. The lines make 2 columns per page. This is great for any kind of notes such as word studies, lists, topical studies, facts, etc. I plan to use this for outlines for teaching. Another thing I’m planning is to write studies. For example, study 1 would give the first verse and the topic. When I turn to that verse it would have a 1, give the note, and then give the next verse. Using this I could have as many studies as I wanted, which would make this an amazing teaching Bible.
I enjoyed reading from this Bible. I like to lay it across my lap to read. The paper is so opaque and the font was dark enough that I could read it with my bifocals without having to hold it closer. I usually need a larger font for that. The layout of course helps with readability. This Bible makes a great reader when reading on your lap or on a table. I don’t recommend holding it to read for very long.
I don’t really like using wide margin editions as my carry Bible. However, if I were going to carry one this might be the one I chose because it’s not as large as the Concord and the cover is easier to handle than goatskin. I did carry it in the car and around the land (in my prayer pasture) and had no problems carrying it. It doesn’t feel heavy and it isn’t much different than a study Bible. Proportionally it’s a little thinner and wider than a standard sized study Bible. If anything it’s light for its size.
I prefer a wide margin Bible to study in and study from. I like wide margins, thick paper, great tools, and a readable font. This Bible delivered on all accounts. I always use multiple tools for study, but this Bible gets me a lot of study because of the footnotes and concordance.
I had no issues with preaching from this. I expected the verse numbers to be hard to find, but I found every single one of them. This was particularly impressive to me considering that I went through a session where I read dozens of verses and found them with no trouble. I’m planning on switching from KJV to NKJV and this will be the primary Bible I use for preaching.
I’ve marked this with PrismaColor pencils. Before, I’ve colored over the text with color, but I’ve decided to underline in this one. I’ve underlined according to topics. For example, for the Godhead I’ve underlined in yellow, for salvation I’ve underlined in red, and for holiness I’ve underlined in blue. The paper has taken the color perfectly. Another option is to underline with Pigma Microns. I haven’t tried highlighters, but I think they would work just fine on this paper. Just be careful and try a page in the back first.
Besides the awesomeness of having a wide margin edition, you can easily pair this with the Pitt Minion for a combo (the NKJV, NASB, and ESV having matching Pitt Minion/wide margin editions, and the Concord wide margin has both the regular and personal size editions.). This makes a great combo because you can get used to a single layout and pagination and have a smaller edition to carry.
I would love to see this Bible available as a regular edition: same paper, same print (maybe a touch larger), without the wide margins. That would give a perfect set: small carry size, larger everyday use and carry Bible, and wide margin edition.
The Cambridge NKJV Wide Margin is an excellent Bible for personal study, preaching, and teaching. It’s perfect for laymen, students, and those in ministry. Anyone interested in a wide margin NKJV wont’ be disappointed. I can’t recommend it enough.
Cambridge provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge NKJV Wide Margin Bible – Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Cambridge wide margin Bibles. I recently reviewed the ESV in goatskin, the NKJV in calf split, and I’m currently working on an upcoming review of the Concord in calf split. I’ve always been curious about Cambridge’s ESV wide margin in bonded leather. I’ve heard that their bonded leather is better than many other publisher’s genuine leather. Matt Sherro has confirmed what I believed about it in his latest review. It’s an excellent read and I highly recommend checking it out. You can see it here:
The post From Around the Web: Cambridge ESV Wide Margin in Bonded Leather appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cambridge Concord is a popular setting from the 1950’s. The wide margin edition takes that setting, places it on writable paper, and adds wide margins and paper in the back to create a note taker’s dream Bible. It has long been the Bible of choice for both scholars and preachers. In this review I take a look at the calf split edition.
Pros
Cons
Features
The cover is calf split with a paste down liner. It has a pebbly grain and a matte finish. It feels tough, like it can take any beating I can throw at it. It’s more economical than goatskin but it’s still a high quality leather. The text block is Smyth sewn. The quality of materials and craftsmanship are very high.
The obvious question is how it compares to goatskin and which should you get. I don’t have the Concord in goatskin, but I do have the ESV Wide Margin in goatskin. The goatskin is edge-lined, meaning that is has the hinge that causes the cover to not lay open as easily (at least until it’s broken in). The paste-down liner in the calf split lays open with no problem at all.
My guess is the goatskin will last longer. I think the stiffer calf split is easier to handle – for the Concord at least (it’s larger and heavier than the ESV). Goatskin is floppy which would be more difficult to handle. Not that it’s bad and too hard to handle, but this is a large Bible and the goatskin could work against you rather than help you. The calf split is my personal preference with wide margin editions, but they’re both amazing.
Here’s how I would choose between the two: if you want a luxuriously soft cover and art gilt edges then go with the goatskin. If you like a slightly stiffer cover and don’t care about art gilt edges then go with the calf split. I find the calf split a little easier to toss around and use without worrying about it. I tend to baby the goatskin editions.
The paper is 38gsm Tervakoski Thinopaque. Cambridge calls it “Bible paper”. It’s extremely opaque and the perfect choice for writing. It has a slight egg-shell, off-white, ivory, creamy tint. I prefer this to white paper because it adds to the readability. It isn’t shiny and takes color from my color pencils the best of any paper I’ve used. It’s easy to read from in the pulpit or at my desk. After using this paper it’s hard to go back to anything else. I want a regular Concord with this paper.
In the back are two different types of paper for notes. You can use them any way you want. They total 94 pages (I counted them myself) not counting the thick end-sheets in the front and back.
The first is called Index to Notes. This is 26 pages of blank Bible paper with a different letter of the alphabet at the top of each page. In addition there are 4 other blank pages: the title page (which is blank except for the title Index to Notes), and a blank page after the page with Z. This brings the total to 30 pages (counting both sides of the page).
You can use this to show references where your notes appear. Of course you can just use it for charts, drawings, notes, definitions, lists, studies, or anything else you can think of. You can also use them the same way you use the ruled pages.
There are 64 pages of ruled notebook paper with two columns per page. This paper is thicker than the Bible paper. This is great for outlines, definitions, studies, sermons, notes, facts, lists, character studies, charts, tables, prayer requests, quotes, etc. I’m planning to use them for lists of references for specific topics. The line-spacing is like regular notebook paper. I write small, so I would like to see the lines be a little closer like college-ruled paper.
The font is 8/9 point Times Semi Bold 421 in black letter and it’s printed in verse-by-verse double column format. The print is very consistent throughout and is one of the most readable fonts I’ve seen. I’m a huge fan of semi-bold fonts. If you give me a choice between a dark font and a medium font, I’ll take the dark font every time. It has italics for supplied words.
There is enough space between each word to make it comfortable to read. None of the words feel squished in order to get more on a line. I’ve seen other Bibles where words are too crowded and a line will look like a single word. That doesn’t happen with the Concord text. It has around 38 characters per line.
The font’s not exactly an 8-point. At least it’s not if the regular Concord is 8-point. It’s more like a 7.8/8.8 (100% guess, but I think it’s close). The columns were shrunken just slightly to make the margins wider and taller. I didn’t notice the size difference until I saw them side by side. Even though the font is slightly smaller I find that the paper makes it easier to read. I prefer the larger margin, so this works for me.
The columns are 1 15/16 (4.5 for both columns and references) wide and 6 ¾ high. For comparison, the regular edition columns are 2 1/16 (4.75 for both columns and references) wide and 7 ¼ high. It actually doesn’t have that much of an impact on readability.
The text is self-pronouncing. I prefer self-pronouncing for preaching and reading aloud. I want to pronounce the names correctly and self-pronouncing is the only way to ensure that (sure, I could learn to pronounce it ahead of time but that would require a higher memory capacity). I don’t need this in every Bible (the text looks cleaner without it) but I do want it in the Bible I’m preaching from and a wide margin with thick paper is my favorite for the job.
There are no reference and footnote keys in the text. This makes a clean text that’s easy to read. At first I wanted the keys, but when I consider that I rarely use the references and I don’t need the distraction of having to always see the footnotes (squirrel!), I was glad they’re not included. The text is clean. I can read it without a single distraction. This makes it easier to read aloud because I don’t add an awkward pause thinking that the next part of the sentence needs to be separated just because of a letter causing an unnatural space that my mind reads as a stop in the sentence structure. Although it does make it more difficult to know which reference goes with which portion of the text it’s not that difficult to figure out and this is the format that I personally prefer.
The header includes book name, chapter numbers, and a page-summary of each column. Books start on the same page the previous book ended rather than on a new page.
Margin widths are:
Of course the inner margin is more difficult to use than the outer margin. This is just a by-product of having inner margins. These inner margins are large enough and the pages lay flat enough to get a decent amount of notes in there.
References and footnotes use a system known as Bold Reference System. This means they’re placed next to the verse they correspond to and they’re marked with the verse number. The verse number appears on the side of the column that the verse is in. I like them being next to the verse. This makes them much easier to use. I’m not fond of having to look up and down through a center column to find where the references are. As I’ve stated they’re not keyed to the text, which keeps the text clear of distractions. I’m not alerted to a reference or note and that’s not a bad thing.
There are 80,000 cross references (I know the number because of the TBS Westminster misprint on their box. I had a long discussion with TBS about this. It was actually a fascinating story. The short version is the Concord references were placed first and the number was used as a place-holder on the box. It just didn’t get changed before it went to print. But that’s not why you’re here, so stop distracting me).
They include where passages were quoted from and a few parallel passages.
Some examples include:
It includes the translator’s footnotes which include explanations on Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It gives alternate renderings. The word is placed in italics and then the alternate rendering is given.
There’s a 7 page glossary that gives the meanings of words that have changed meaning or have fallen out of use. It includes the part of speech and verses where the words are used. I find this essential for words that I think I know but are used differently than I realized. Here are a few examples:
The glossary is also in wide margin so you can add more if you need to.
The concordance is 137 pages with 2 columns per page. The layout is interesting. It’s in paragraph format. I find this to be more difficult to use, but it makes more room for the entries so there can be more of them. It has lots of entries and is one of the better concordances in a Bible. It also shows the parts of speech on some words.
Here are some counts for entries:
The concordance also has wide margins so you can easily add references to the concordance. You can also use this space for Hebrew and Greek definitions.
These are the newer updated maps with the color-coded index. There are 15 pages of maps on thicker non-glossy paper. They are bright and colorful. Maps include:
There is also an 8-page index to maps. I’m a huge fan of indexes to maps. They should be included in all Bibles with maps because they make maps so much more useful and keep them from having to be cluttered by annotations. The index is color-coded with 6 colors:
I love preaching from the Concord Wide Margin. I like to have references and notes in the margin so I know the main point I want to make or what verse goes with the one I’m reading. I also like to have definitions or facts that I want to make about the text. The font is smaller than most Bibles that I preach from, but the paper is so opaque that I don’t have any issues reading it from the pulpit. I do find that I lean closer to the text to read it though. The note paper is great for sermon outlines.
I teach in much the same way that I preach. I leave the Bible laying in front of me and read from it while standing or sitting in place. The paper in the back comes in handy for outlines, topical lists, etc.
The Concord Wide Margin is the perfect study Bible – just fill in all the empty spaces and you’re good. The regular Concord has the dictionary where the wide margin edition has note paper. This is a good reason to have both. Once you have your margins and pages filled with information the wide margin edition becomes your very own study Bible, but until then the regular edition’s dictionary might make it a better choice as a study Bible. I like referring back to my notes and material that I’ve written in the back.
The paper and dark font makes the Concord WM work as a reader. I like laying it across my lap for general reading. The inner margins keep the text from getting lost in the gutter. It’s also good to read from while it lays on the table or desk. I usually like reading from larger fonts, but this one is easy to read.
It’s a little on the large side for general carry (but how can it not be?). If you’re used to carrying around a large study Bible then you won’t have any issues carrying the Concord wide margin around. I don’t really need to take my notes with me unless I’m going to preach or teach. That’s where the regular or personal edition comes in handy as carry Bibles. This creates a large/small combo that works great and gives you the best of both worlds.
I’ve tried using the wide margin in the car and out in my pastor pasture next to my house. Handling it in the car is a little difficult due to its size but the calf split helps because it lays a little flatter than goatskin. I didn’t have any issues carrying it around outside but obviously I do notice the size and weight more than I do the other editions.
My standard marking is to use Pigma Microns for notes in the margins and PrismaColor pencils to underline and highlight keywords. The PrismaColor dark blue has a tendency to show through a little darker than I like. I’m considering only using Pigma Microns in this one and just underline. Of course PrismaColor pencils would work well for that too. I’m also considering using highlighters.
I use the margins for notes, cross references, chain references, bullet points, facts, definitions, section headings (it helps me in describing the context when preaching and teaching), and chain studies.
The chain studies is something I borrowed from three different Bibles: The Men’s Study Bible, The Full Life Study Bible, and the Sword Study Bible. Basically they have a topic with a number. In the front of the Bible is the topic and the first verse for that topic. I go to that verse and write the number for the topic. At the end of the passage I write the next reference. When I get to the last reference I write the first reference again – creating a circle.
Most Bibles with this type of system draw a line down the margin. I usually don’t, but this means that I have to write the topic number again at the end of the passage so I know which reference goes with which topic if they overlap. Also, these Bibles will show all of the references in the front or back. I just have the first one and use the margins to take me to the next verse. If there’s room I write them all, but not writing them gives me more space for more studies. You could just write them in the front or back as a list and not have them in the margins. You would just have to go back to your list for each verse. There are lots of good choices and plenty of writing space for them all.
The Cambridge Concord Wide Margin KJV is one of those Bibles that sets the bar high and the calf split edition makes it more affordable without sacrificing quality. There is enough space throughout – not only the text but also the tools – that you can truly make this your very own study Bible. To really get the best use out of the Concord Wide Margin you’ll have to put in some serious hours of Bible study. This is time well spent and a will make a Bible worth leaving to your loved ones.
I recommend the Cambridge Concord Wide Margin Bible in calf split to anyone in ministry that teaches or preachers, students, and anyone that loves marking their Bibles and making notes. It’s the perfect study Bible – just add study.
Here are some comparisons with the regular Concord in black calf split with red-letter and thumb-index, and the Personal Size Concord in French Morocco. All three serve different purposes and I can recommend owning all of them. You would have the advantage of visual memory because they have the same pagination and you will be able take at least one of them practically anywhere. I can even visualize some of my notes from the wide margin while reading the other editions. Also for the sake of comparison I’ve thrown in the Cambridge ESV Wide Margin Bible in edge-lined black goatskin to give you an idea of how the flexibility and texture compares.
Cambridge University Press provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge Concord Wide Margin KJV in Black Calf Split Leather – Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cameo is one of my favorite KJV’s. It has an 8-point font that’s bold and readable and the overall size makes it great for reading and carry. LCBP also produces several versions of it including a wide margin edition. Here are some photos that show how the two editions compare.
The Cambridge is black goatskin and the LCBP is the Signature Series cow hide. Both are edge-lined and sewn around the outside edges.
The print in the Cambridge edition is darker, but the LCBP looks sharper. The Cambridge paper is made to be thin, while the LCBP is made for writing. Both have their advantages.
Both have the Epistle Dedicatory. LCBP adds the Translators to the Reader.
They have different concordances and maps.
The post Cambridge Cameo vs LCBP 120 appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
As I grow older I find myself gravitating toward smaller Bibles with larger and bolder print. I used to use large Bibles with small print and lots of extras, but I’ve found that I don’t use the extras that much. They have their place but I usually study with tools outside of my Bible. They mostly take up space at the expense of a print that’s comfortable to read. I don’t need extras in a Bible I read or preach from.
For most of my reading I just need a small to mid-size Bible that I can carry and hold in the car to read, and a large font that’s sharp and bold. I want a text clear of distractions. The Cambridge KJV Large Print Text is exactly that. It’s a large print text-only edition in a size that’s comfortable for reading and carry. This edition was printed in the UK by Clays, Bungay, and Suffolk.
The cover is French Morocco. This is the underlying portion of the split calf skin. It has a grain stamped into it (this is normal for many leathers. You’d be surprised at some Bibles that have a stamped grain). It has a shiny finish. It’s stiffer than calf split. I actually like this because it will lay flat in one hand. The liner is paste-down vinyl. The cover doesn’t want to stay open until it’s broken in. The binding is sewn.
The size is 6.25 x 9 x 1.25. This is within my sweet-spot of perfection when it comes to Bible sizes. It lives in the same footprint range as the Westminster and Concord. To my hands that feels right. It’s not too big or too small. It’s on the large side of that scale, so I don’t want it any larger, but this size is good. Don’t change it. I can carry it with me and read it in the car. I can hold it in my hand as I walk across the platform on Sunday. I can lay it on the pulpit and it doesn’t take up too much space.
The paper feels like 30+ gsm to my fingers (but that’s just a guess). It’s off white and not at all shiny. It’s not the paper used in their reference editions. I prefer the paper from the Concord or Cameo. This feels like a lower quality that those, but it’s not bad paper. It’s wavy on the outer margins.
The edges of the paper have a slight bend. I imagine a knife dropping down and cutting the paper, bending the edge of the page. This makes it difficult to turn pages easily.
They say this font is a 10-point, but the design makes it look much larger than that to me. I’ve seen 12-point fonts that were not this large. I would at least call it an 11-point if I didn’t know better. It’s a 10/10 ½ Petit Medieval Clarendon. It’s bold, but not burn-your-eyes bold. It’s fairly thick. A little thinner might improve the readability. This is a black-letter edition.
The top of the page includes the book name and chapter number, and a page summary. This is an older style setting where chapters are separated with the word CHAPTER and then the chapter number. The drop-cap is the first letter from the first word in the verse.
The print quality is consistent throughout. It has self-pronunciation marks and italics for supplied words. It doesn’t happen a lot, but sometimes some of the wordsaretooclosetogether. This usually doesn’t bother me at all, but there are a few places where it stands out. The columns are 2.25” wide and have around 32 characters across.
There’s even a little bit of margin space and some room in the footer for notes. It has .5” for the inner, outer, and bottom margins. I’m considering writing chain references for topical studies in the margins and updated words in the footer.
It has some show-through that reads as gray to my eyes in some lighting. In other lighting it looks excellent. If the lighting is right and the pages are pressed against the page under it, the show-through can give a look of copied artifacts. This makes the font look fuzzy and dark gray, but it’s not really fuzzy at all and it is a black font. When I sit in my favorite reading chair under a light the page looks clean and the font looks sharp. There actually isn’t too much show-through, but if there seems to be I just lift the page so it isn’t pressed against the page under it and it looks great.
It would be nice to see an edition of this Bible made for those of us that believe the translators footnotes are part of the translation. They could be placed in the footer. I’m planning to write the footnotes myself. Maybe not all of them, but at least the notes that are the most helpful. I still want a clean edition too. There’s a lot of value in a Bible with no distractions.
The ribbon feels like fabric rather than silk(ish). It’s functional. It’s more than long enough to pull to the corner and open the pages easily. This adds to the utilitarian feel of this Bible where function is placed over elegance.
Here’s how it’s worked the best for me and how I’ve used it for the last few months. The short version is it’s great for reading, carry, and preaching.
I’ve noticed that I gravitate toward large and bold fonts and hand size Bibles. This is exactly that. I wear bifocals and it’s difficult (VERY difficult) to find a Bible that I can read through both lenses and still hold comfortably. For smaller fonts I usually end up holding the Bible close to my face and lift my head up high to read through the bottom lens. For Bibles like that I can’t read them with the Bible in my lap. It’s out of focus. The alternative is to get a giant print. Those Bibles are usually LARGE and hard to hold. I want hand size. The Cambridge Large Print lets me lay the Bible in my lap and read from the top lens AND I can hold it closer in one hand to read from my bottom lens. This is helpful for those times when there are too many cats fighting over my lap (and arms, shoulders, and my head). This bible passes my reading test with flying colors.
I carry a Bible with me every time I leave the house. I do a lot of reading in the car in the parking lots of stores or any time I’m waiting for anyone. I don’t like to carry large Bibles. They’re too difficult to hold and read. Smaller is better. I could just use my phone, but I like the idea of seeing someone reading a Bible in public. The more they see it the harder it is to forget. I have no problems holding this one. I open it and lay it across my hand. It lies flat, making it super easy to read. It’s not overly large or heavy. I also carry it outside when I’m walking in my pastor pasture. I can walk around the land and read it with no issues. I never want to set it down and give my arms a rest. It passes my carry test with flying colors.
This is a fine Bible for preaching. It has a large and bold enough font that I can read from it easily when behind the pulpit and it’s not so large that I don’t have room for a notebook. It’s easy enough to pick up and carry around the room. The self-pronouncing text is helpful if I want to make sure I pronounce name correctly. I passes the preaching test and now I’m wondering exactly what “flying colors” are. Hmm. Never mind. I’ll just edit all of that out.
I haven’t tried marking it yet, but I can talk myself into marking this one. I haven’t marked in anything except a wide margin Bible in a long time. I’ve been waiting until I find that one Bible that I want to preach from that I also think I can carry with me. I enjoy preaching from Bibles such as the Westminster, Concord, Concord Wide Margin, Cameo, and others, but I’ve been waiting for a large font in a Bible this size. This one fits the bill (whatever that means). If I do decide to mark in it I will either use my standard color-coding with PrismaColor pencils, or underline with Pigma Micron markers. I think either both would work fine in this Bible. Since it isn’t red-letter I don’t have to worry about my colors looking good over both black and red (or pink, or multiple shades of red). If I do mark in it I’ll post some pictures and share my results.
I don’t want to change the font size, overall size, or paper thickness. If I could make just one, and only one, change I would like to see this in a premium edition. This means edge-lined goatskin, art-gilt edges, several silky ribbons, and higher quality paper. I realize that all together those add up to more than one thing. So if I could just choose one of the items on the premium list it would be a goatskin cover.
I like that Cambridge makes this available in the sub $100 range, but I also think it’s a great candidate for a high-end premium edition. I would like to see text-only editions make an appearance in the world of premium covers.
This Bible feels like a utilitarian Bible. It feels like function and utility without much elegance. The Cambridge KJV Large Print Text comes close to being the perfect text-only KJV. It’s a good Bible to preach from, mark in, carry everywhere, and grow old with. I’ve never once thought this Bible was too large or too small. I’ve never needed the text to be larger or easier to read. It’s easy to hold. I love how it lays flat in my hand and how it lays open on the pulpit.
I would LOVE to see this Bible made available with high-quality paper, leather, and ribbons. Just saying (again). Covers can be changed. Ribbons can be replaced. But the paper and print – that’s the heart of the Bible. That’s what makes the Bible what it is. I like this paper and print enough to rebind it in goatskin if I ever have issues with the cover.
Anyone that want’s a KJV with a large and bold font in a size that’s easy to handle would appreciate the Cambridge Large Print Text. It’s an excellent choice for both reading and using in the pulpit. I highly recommend for both laymen and preachers.
Cambridge provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge KJV Large Print Text Bible – Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Here’s a quick comparison between three of my favorite Cambridge KJV’s: Concord, Large Print Text, and Cameo. The Concord and Cameo both have 8-point fonts. The Large Print Text has a 10-point.
I love all three equally and use them for different purposes. I’ve preach from all three and all three are great in the pulpit. I usually prefer to preach from larger fonts and consider the Large Print Text to be the best for preaching. The Cameo is by far the best for carry. If you want to do any detailed study the Concord is the best choice with its dictionary. The Concord and Large Print Text have about the same footprint. All three are great for reading.
You can see the reviews for each one here:
The post Three Classic Cambridge KJV’s – Concord, Large Print Text, and Cameo appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cambridge Standard Text is a hand-sized Bible that’s been around for many years. It’s also known as the Emerald, and is an enlargement of the Royal Brevier from the 1950’s by Eyre & Spottiswoode. The model I’m reviewing is KJ43. It’s black-letter and French Morroco and was printed in the UK in Belarus. It’s also available in red-letter and in hard cover (which would make a great pew Bible).
| Pros | Cons |
| Hand Size | Not available in edge lined leather |
| Thin | |
| Dark font | |
| No distractions in the text | |
| Glossary | |
| Reading plan | |
| Light |
This edition is French Morocco with a vinyl paste-down liner. This is the softest French Morocco that I’ve seen. I have several Cambridge Bibles in French Morocco (Concord Wide Margin and Personal Size Concord) and they don’t come close to the flexibility of this cover. Even though it’s flexible, it isn’t floppy. I can still hold it flat in one hand with no effort. This is the level of stiffness that I prefer in a Bible cover and this one strikes the balance between stiffness and flexibility perfectly.
The cover is shiny with gold lettering. French Morocco grain isn’t natural but looking at this Bible I wouldn’t know it. It’s sewn and lies flat easily. The overall size of the cover is 5 ½ x 8 1/8 x 1. The text block is 5 ¼ x 7 ½ x 7/8. This size is one of its strengths. Another is its weight: 1lb 3.7oz. It’s small and light enough to be a primary carry Bible. It includes head a tail bands and one ribbon marker.
The paper is around 32gsm. It has very slight off-white hue and is very opaque. The show-through is very slight and considering how dark the font is I would have expected even more show-through. It doesn’t have a shine or glare. I think it would be good paper for highlighting and marking.
This is a double-column text-only Bible set in verse-by-verse format. The text is clean with no pronunciation marks. It does have italics for supplied words (which I prefer). The font is a bold 8-point black letter Antique Old Style Number 3. It’s a very dark and readable font. It’s the older style fonts from the era of moveable type. It’s not as elegant as the Windsor, but the font is darker which can be easier to read. Even though it’s an 8-point I can read it easier than many larger fonts. I can read it in just about any type of lighting with no issues. The print quality is consistent throughout.
The columns are 2 3/16” wide and have 36 characters across. Rather than increasing the number of hyphens, some words have extra spaces between them where it doesn’t create awkward spacing. It doesn’t have words that are too close together, so the text never feels too crowded. The margins are too narrow for notes. Fortunately the inner margin is wider than the outer margin and bring the text out of the gutter. This is a big help for reading and preaching. It lays flat enough to help bring the text out of the bend of the gutter.
The verse numbers are indented. I prefer this because it helps locate verses. If verse numbers are right-justified they can blend in too much. The pilcrow (paragraph marker) stands out more than average. It’s large and has a lot of space around it. The header includes page summaries, and the book name and chapter numbers of all the chapters that appear on that page. The footer shows the page number.
This is a 14-page glossary of more than 600 words that have changed meaning or are no longer in use. It gives you the word, the modern equivalent, and the verses where you can find it. Sometimes a word has more than one meaning. With this is the case, it gives a definition with references where it applies, and then the next definition with references where it applies. I appreciate that this is included. A lot of people are not aware that words have changed meaning. I know to look up words that I don’t know the meaning of. I don’t know to look up words that I don’t know the meaning of but think I do. I recommend glancing through this word list to get a better understanding of the text. In my opinion all KJV’s should have this. I’d especially like to see this added to the Cambridge Large Print Text.
It includes a two-year reading plan that will take you through the New Testament and Psalms twice. As a two-year plan you’ll have two readings per day that includes the OT and NT or Psalms. Alternately you can read both years together and have four readings per day. This is the exact plan (the M’Cheyne reading plan) that my family uses. There are four of us and each of us reads from the plan aloud every night. I’d like to see this reading plan as a standard feature in Bible publishing.
The font size and overall book size has a perfect balance that makes it an excellent choice for carry, reading, and preaching. It’s smaller than a thin-line and has a far better print and paper.
It’s easy to preach and teach from. The clean and bold text helps for public reading. I might end up pronouncing a word wrong (according to the British pronunciation anyway) but I won’t have awkward pauses that the pronunciation marks sometimes cause.
The size of this Bible is perfect for carry and holding. It’s not enough smaller than the Concord to buy it instead, but it is enough cheaper – it comes in at less than half the price. It feels like a thin-line but even shorter than most, and its font is much larger and bolder than every thin-line that I’ve ever seen.
It feels strong and rugged. I would throw it in a backpack and take it on a missionary trip and not worry about it. It’s a very light Bible. It makes the Windsor feel heavy (and it’s not). It stays open better than the Personal Size Concord or the Windsor. I don’t have to worry about it trying to close while I’m holding it open in my hand or while it lays open on the pulpit or on my table.
Preachers often like to carry small Bibles for preaching away from home, preaching funerals, etc. I hear a lot of complaints about having to use a small font. This one helps overcome that problem with a dark font. This font is easier to read than many larger fonts. There’s no room for notes, but with this paper you can highlight and underline with your Bible marking tools. There are no other study tools, but that’s what smartphones and tablets are for.
I love everything about this Bible. If I wanted to pick up a text-only edition to read or take with me I could take this one with no reservations. It’s made to be used and it’s made to last. I can see this being your one Bible.
I’d like to see this Bible available in a premium edition complete with edge-lined goatskin, art-gilt edges, and two luxurious ribbons. I’d buy that Bible. This Bible is worth buying and having it rebound if you prefer edge-lined leather to paste-down liners.
Here’s how looks compared to a few Cambridge KJV’s. From the top down we have the Cameo, Standard Text, Concord, and Large Print Text.
Cameo
The goatskin on the Cameo is soft and the Cameo is noticeably smaller. The darkness and size of the text is about the same. The Standard Text is easier to read.
Concord
I’m very fond of the calf split of the Concord. The Concord is just a touch larger but not enough to care. The Concord’s font is the same size but not quite as dark. They’re both easy to read. The Concord is more elegant.
Large Print Text
The Large Print Text is not a larger version of the Standard Text. The use the same style of font, but the Large Print Text has self-pronunciation marks and it’s text gets squished in places. They’re both easy to read. The Standard Text is cleaner.
There’s a reason the Cambridge Standard Text KJV has been around for as long as it has. It’s a solid text-only Bible that has a perfect balance between overall size and readability. Once you pick it up and start using it it’s really hard to use anything else. I can’t get over the overall size and weight. It’s very lightweight and easy to handle, and the size of the font doesn’t suffer for it. It’s lighter and thinner than the Windsor and the font is bolder. It doesn’t feel elegant and stylish, but it does feel like the kind of Bible I can use and not worry about it. It’s perfect for reading, carry, and preaching.
The post Cambridge Standard Text KJV Bible Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Here are a few photos showing how the Concord and Longprimer compare.
The post Concord and Longprimer Comparison Photos appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
I’ve already taken a look at the features of the Concord. Rather than reiterate what I’ve already discussed, I want to look at what makes this one different. So in this review I’ll focus on the cover, paper, print quality, art-gilt, and maps, and show how they compare to the previous editions that I’ve reviewed.
This edition is model KJ566:XE
For reference, here are the Concord reviews in the order they were published including their model numbers to help compare the differences:
I will mostly compare to the calf split edition and highlight what is different. In comparison photos, the goatskin is on the right or on top.
Price $184.10 | Buy From Amazon
This edition is black goatskin with an edge-lined synthetic liner. The grain is small and pebbly which is the natural goatskin grain. It looks and feels elegant. It’s soft and flexible, but not so flexible that I have trouble handling it.
The edge-lined tab isn’t too stiff and doesn’t get in the way of the Bible laying open. The size of the tab is appropriate for the size of the Bible. The Bible I’m reviewing has already been broken in, so you might not see this flexibility of the tab out of the box.
The cover is stitched around the outer perimeter with small stitching. Spine hubs are etched into the spine to give the appearance of hubs. Real hubs would be nice but these do look good and add a little something extra to catch your eye.
It’s flexible but not so flexible that I can’t hold it in one hand for reading. For long periods of reading I like to hold the Bible in one hand and tilted toward me so I don’t have to look down. I find the calf split easier to handle, but the goatskin isn’t too flexible for this.
In Church I like to hold the Bible flat in one hand and turn pages with the other hand. We often go through many verses quickly and rolling the Bible like a newspaper is simply too awkward and time consuming. With Bible studies I like to lay the Bible open in my lap while I make notes in a journal that I’m holding. The Concord’s goatskin cover isn’t so flexible that it fights against you in Church.
Here’s the calfsplit for comparison:
The paper is creamier than the calf split edition. It might even be more opaque, but just barely. I love paper with a slight cream tint and this paper gets it right. The weight is the same – around 30gsm. I have no issues turning the pages.
I love reading the 8/9 Times Semi Bold 421 font on this paper. The only paper I like better in any of the Concords is the wide margin edition with its 38gsm writable paper, but that goes without saying.
The edges have art-gilt with a beautiful copper color that changes to salmon when the Bible is opened. The red die doesn’t seep into the page. It looks elegant and clean.
This edition is black letter. It’s also available in red. The red only covers the words of Christ while on Earth, so Revelation is black letter. The print quality has some slight variation but it’s just barely noticeable.
The maps in this model are not the same as my calf split edition. This edition uses the newer maps with the color-coded index to maps. It’s the same maps as my calf split wide margin Concord. If you’re looking for specific maps you’ll need to check the model that you’re getting.
Being the world’s oldest publisher Cambridge got it right with the Concord. It’s a design from the 1950’s so it has the typical KJV layout (double column, verse by verse), but with the clean and bold text it’s highly readable and usable.
I prefer covers with enough stiffness that I can hold the Bible open in one hand and read both pages and turn to verses quickly. Although this cover is flexible, it’s not so flexible that it’s unwieldy. It’s soft and elegant, and has become my favorite Concord.
The calf split edition is a nice Bible but the goatskin is worth the extra cost and is the one I recommend the most.
Inside photography by hannah C brown
Price $184.10 | Buy From Amazon
The post Cambridge Concord KJV Bible in Goatskin appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
I took a look at the NIV Clarion this morning. Here are some photos. I’ve included the NKJV and ESV for comparison.
In my opinion this is the prettiest Clarion so far. It’s slightly thicker than the other Clarions. It will be available in July.
The post NIV Cambridge Clarion appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Here’s a quick look at the Cambridge NRSV from the ICRS showroom floor. The size is the same as the KJV Large Print Text. I love this Bible! The paper and print are amazing.
I’ve included a Concord and Large Print Text for comparison.
The post Cambridge NRSV appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Cambridge had a booth this time around, and just as I hoped, the NIV Clarion was prominently displayed (review coming soon). I saw it in both calfsplit and goatskin and both were amazing. I loved being able to hold Bibles that I haven’t seen in person. For example, the Concord Wide Margin in goatskin. This Bible isn’t as difficult to handle as I expected and now I kind of want one. A lot.
They have several interesting programs including an NRSV in giant print that’s print-on-demand and their custom Bible program where they will build Bibles for your organization (more on that soon).
The Cambridge crew is always fun to talk to. Cambridge is celebrating their 425th year of publishing. They’ve been publishing Bibles for longer than the KJV has been in print.
The post ICRS – The Cambridge Booth appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Cambridge has an interesting program where they will custom manufacture Bibles for your organization. They can customize Bibles such as the Cameo, Concord, Clarion, Pitt Minion, and even wide margin Bibles.
Customizations include:
For more information contact Valarie Guagnini @
Here’s Valarie with more information:
The post Cambridge’s Custom Manufacturing Program appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Clarion has become a staple design for Cambridge. It’s a paragraph edition with reading in mind, placing the focus on the text with a comfortable font size, without sacrificing references. It has a single-column format with references in the outer margins. This hand-size Bible is now available in the NIV.
The Clarion is available in calf split and goatskin. In this review I’ll take a look at both editions. For other translations see my other Clarion reviews: KJV, NKJV, ESV.
This edition is black goatskin with a synthetic edge-lined liner and perimeter stitching. This cover is as flexible as any goatskin that I’ve seen from Cambridge. For me goatskin can become unwieldy but the Clarion isn’t so large that it’s too difficult to handle. I do find the calf skin and calf split editions easier to handle than the goatskin but the goatskin is far more elegant and I’m sure will last longer due to the construction design.
The grain is natural and is much tighter than the calf split. The finish is close to satin. It’s flexible and soft to the touch. It feels smoother than the calf split.
The cover doesn’t have anything printed on the front. The spine has Holy Bible, New International Version, and Cambridge printed in gold. It has indications for spine ribs etched into the spine but they’re not pronounced. It does give it a better visual appeal than no etching at all.
It is floppy but it’s not too difficult to hold open in one hand. I find that I sometimes lay it across my arm when reading. I haven’t felt the need to use two hands to hold it. This cover is the most elegant of the three. The edge-lined tab does attempt to close in Genesis 1, but I can tell it’s breaking in and near the end of Genesis I can’t even tell it’s there. The flexibility of the cover is more apparent than the tab is.
This edition has two cardinal red ribbons and art-gilt page edges.
The calf split edition has Holy Bible printed on the front in gold and the spine has Holy Bible, New International Version, and Cambridge. It has marks to indicate spine ribs stamped along the spine. These help give it some aesthetic texture.
The finish is similar to satin. It has a tight grain that looks similar to cow hide. It’s actually more pronounced than the goatskin. It has a paste-down vinyl liner. For reading I actually think this edition is easier to handle. The cover isn’t soft to the touch like the goatskin or calf skin is, but it’s much less flexible and the extra stiffness allows it to lay flat in the hand. The rougher texture of the leather keeps it from trying to slide out of my hand when I tilt it toward me.
This edition has two black ribbons and gold-gilted page edges.
The paper in the NIV Clarion is 28gsm. This is a different paper than the 27gsm in the other Clarions that I’ve reviewed. It’s more opaque and the thickness feels the same to my fingers at 27gsm. It has a whiter color than the other editions and feels smooth to the touch while the others feel rough. There is no glare even under direct light. The extra opacity makes it much easier to read than the other editions. The thickness difference is minimal. This Bible is thicker mostly because it has more pages.
No Page Curl – this paper doesn’t have the page curl issues as the other editions. I took the NIV and the ESV outside with the wind blowing to compare how they responded to the wind. I was able to get the ESV to curl and immediately opened the NIV. The NIV did not curl. I went back to the ESV and it had instant page curl. I set it down and opened the NIV and it had no page curl. I tested this for many days and never got page curl when the other editions did have it.
UPDATE – Now that we’re in the cooler months (October) here in east TN I’ve seen a very slight amount of page curl in the corners. The other editions (ESV, KJV, NKJV) are curling so bad that I don’t want to use them, while the NIV remains usable.
I know a lot of people have highlighted previous editions of the Clarion. I personally haven’t tried it and I don’t recommend highlighting in Bibles that were not made for it. If you do highlight in yours please share your experience in the comments.
The text is presented in single-column format with poetry in stanzas. Cross references are placed in the margins near the verses they correspond to and footnotes are placed in the footer. The header shows the page number in the inner margin and the book name and chapter in the outer margin. They’re close enough to the outer margin that it’s easy to thumb through and find the book you’re looking for.
The font is the Clarion standard 8.75/10.5 Lexicon No. 1A. 8.75 refers to the font itself while 10.5 is the leading (the size of the font plus the size of the space between the lines). I find this to be one of the most readable fonts in any Bible I’ve read. It’s medium/dark and consistent throughout.
The text is line-matched on both sides of the page to reduce show-through. The paper is opaque enough that I don’t notice the lines on the back of the page except for in the poetic settings.
The references and footnotes are keyed to the text with letters. Footnotes are regular letters and references are italic. Although I have to remember which is which this keeps me from confusing a verse number for a footnote.
Verse numbers and footnote/reference keys are small and can easily be ignored while reading. Some Bibles make them more prominent, which makes it easier to see them, but they also get in the way when reading. I find them easy to ignore in the Clarion and I don’t pause while reading aloud when I stumble across a letter or number. I don’t get distracted by every single footnote when I read.
The columns are 3.5” wide and have around 64 characters across, allowing for 12-14 words per line. The word-spacing feels natural. No words are too close and there are no extra spaces between them. The inner margin is just wide enough to keep the text from bending too far into the gutter. I still end up flattening the page though to make it more readable.
The NIV edition has my favorite layout of the Clarions that I’ve reviewed. My previous favorite layout was the NKJV. The text has more white-space than the other editions. For example, the NIV spaces out the Psalms into thoughts with spaces between the stanzas, and dialog is set on individual lines. This is why the NIV has more pages than the other Clarions.
My perfect Bible would remove the footnote and reference keys from the text. This would make them more difficult to use but I read the text more than I look for footnotes or references. I don’t think it would be that difficult to use. The references footnotes already show the verse number they correspond to. The footnotes would need the word it corresponds to. The Clarion needs this less than other Bibles though.
The NIV cross-references are placed in the margins as close to the verses they correspond to as possible. They’re tagged with the chapter and verse numbers in bold. This gives an added benefit of being able to scan down the margin to find the verse number and then you can look across the verses to easily find any verse. It uses the Zondervan 1984 cross reference system.
Here is a sample of references to help you compare:
The NIV footnotes appear in the footer and are keyed to the text with regular letters. The footer shows the letter and verse number the notes correspond to. The footnotes are the standard NIV footnotes and include information about the original languages, alternate renderings, weights and measures, alternate names, information such as diseases, flora, fauna, musical instruments, clothing, etc. These are useful because they shed light on the text and can help in understanding the culture.
The concordance is 102 pages in double-column format. It includes a topical index of people. Most are a paragraph or two but it has enough to help with study and sermon prep. It places similar words in parenthesis to help give you ideas to expand your searches. It uses the 2011 Zondervan concordance.
Here are a few sample entries with the number of references to help you compare:
There is an 8 page color-coded map index to help you quickly find anything in the maps. It’s printed on the same paper as the maps. The index is color-coded to highlight:
There are 16 pages with 15 full-color maps on non-glossy paper. This paper isn’t the heavier card stock in other Bibles but it’s not thin either. They are more colorful than most maps. They include annotations, routes, borders, water, topography, dates, distance, cities, vegetation, battle sites, and more.
Maps include:
It feels a little chunky because of its thickness but it really isn’t that difficult to carry around. I carried both editions around with me and used them in the car. Their size make them great choices for carry Bibles. It isn’t as easy to carry as a thinner edition like a Pitt Minion but it doesn’t feel like a large Bible.
The opacity of the paper makes the line-matching almost invisible where the lines are printed. The text remains dark and sharp. The chapter numbers and reference/footnote keys are easy to ignore. I had no issues reading from this for long periods of time. The thickness of the paper does away with page-curl which makes the NIV Clarion much easier to use in the car than the other editions.
I prefer to hold a Bible while reading. The form factor isn’t as easy to hold as a Concord. I would consider the Concord closer to the perfect size. The Clarion is shorter but a lot thicker. This makes the pages sag if you tilt the Bible too far toward you for reading. It also makes it a little more difficult to hold, but I never wanted to stop reading so it never got too difficult to manage.
Both editions are easy enough to handle but I found the calf split easier to hold and read than the goatskin. The goatskin lets the sides of the pages fall away from you which bends the text while the calf split keeps the pages flat and the lines straight. The width of the column can make it difficult to find the start of the next line if the line isn’t straight.
I found that I shifted the weight of the Bible so that the page I’m reading was flat. This is easy to do with either cover but the calf split was a little easier to handle. This isn’t a problem if you read while holding the Bible with two hands or laying it on a table.
The NIV Clarion uses the Zondervan cross references and concordance. Combined with the NIV footnotes they make the Clarion a nice choice for basic study. I find the paragraph layout conducive to study because it helps keep verses in context.
The topical information about people in the concordance is a big help for study. For example, I wanted to read about the miracles of Jesus. The concordance has a list under the entry for Jesus called Miracles. This lists 34 miracles that Jesus did with references to every gospel where they’re found.
The topical lists for the apostles is much less detailed but there’s enough here to get you started. Each apostle is listed separately and the list is a basic outline of events. Most of the people in the concordance have a couple of paragraphs for their list. Jesus has several paragraphs and is the most detailed.
I love paragraph format for reading but I was never a fan of using them for preaching until the Clarion came along.
Preaching from the NIV Clarion is easy. I’m not used to preaching from a paragraph edition but I can find the verses easier by looking for the verse number in the references in the margin. Then I look across the text and find the verse I want.
The font size feels much larger than it is and I had no issues finding the next line. I did sometimes use my finger to help me keep my place though if the text would bend into the gutter. The wide leading (the space between the lines) helps a lot.
There are several advantages of the Clarion as a preaching Bible:
This makes the Clarion a perfect choice to carry with you on preaching trips. I highly recommend using the Clarion for preaching.
Here’s a look at how the NIV Clarion compares to the calf skin ESV, NKJV, and KJV editions. I may have even included a Concord and a Pitt Minion or two.
The NIV is my favorite edition of the Cambridge Clarion. It has a nicer layout and by far better paper than my older editions. It’s a little thicker, but that can’t be helped with the current height and width and it’s worth the extra thickness to have the white space in the poetic settings. The text is highly readable and the tools are good for study, making the Clarion a good all-around Bible. Both covers that I reviewed have their advantages and disadvantages and l like both for different reasons.
In my opinion the NIV edition of the Cambridge Clarion is the best NIV available. If you just want something rugged than I recommend the calf split edition. If you want elegance then the goatskin is your best choice. Both are great choices. I highly recommend the NIV Clarion to any fan of the NIV.
Cambridge provided these Bibles free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge NIV Clarion in Goatskin and Calf Split – Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cambridge Transetto is an ultra-portable KJV with a unique design. It’s meant to be the ultimate balance between portability and readability. I reviewed this Bible when it released in 2011 but my wife claimed it because it’s so portable. At this year’s ICRS the Cambridge crew was kind enough to give me another one. Now that I have it in my hands again I wanted to write a new review.
What is a Transetto? In this Bible the book-block is turned 90 degrees. What would normally be the left and right are the top and bottom. Due to the binding design the pages are as flat as possible, making the two pages lie together as a single page. This is known as a flipback design and it’s portable, easy to handle, and readable. It was designed by 2Krogh and printed by Jongbloed in the Netherlands.
_________________________
_________________________
The cover is considered a soft-cover or paperback, but it’s basically a hard cover with three heavy cards (for the front, back, and spine) with a coated covering holding them together. It’s not flimsy like a paperback. This is the green edition (ISBN: 9780521248990). It’s also available in blue and purple.
This is a sewn binding and lays flat. When I say it lays flat I don’t mean like a regular Bible. This one has a unique feature: one side of the cover and the spine are not attached to the book-block. This lets the book-block slide closer together as the Bible is opened, making a U shape and allowing the pages to flatten and create the effect of a single page. This can’t be done with a cover that’s attached on both sides of the book-block. It isn’t perfectly flat, but it’s good enough for the effect to work.
The Transetto’s overall size is 4.68 x 3.25 x 1.18”. It fits great in large pockets. It can be a little tight in smaller pockets due to its thickness. Holding it feels natural. It lays perfectly across my hand and in my fingers just right. I do have to move my fingers to read the text though and my hands are holding the actual paper. Fortunately there was never any smudging or wrinkling.
The paper is 27gsm thin India paper with a slight cream tint. It’s highly opaque and the show-through is barely noticeable. The pages are easy enough to turn, but with the flipback design and the small size I find it easier to thumb through the pages rather than turn them. Side-to-side motion is easier than up-and-down motion for turning pages in books.
The text is presented in two columns that run top to bottom. The text is not right-justified, so all of the words and characters have the same spacing. This is a text-only edition.
The font is around 6.5 point. It’s small but the font’s design improves readability at this small scale. The leading (space between the lines) also help improve readability. It’s black letter with a medium darkness that’s consistent throughout. It doesn’t include pronunciation marks. It does have italics for supplied words.
Verse numbers are small and easy to ignore while reading, but they’re also easy enough to find because they have space around them helping them stand out a little. They didn’t hinder readability too much. With no other markings in the text and with verses not set apart on separate lines I found it easy to read.
Columns are 1.8” wide with 50 characters across, which gives space for around 10 words per line.
The design actually makes a large page area for the text. Most double-column Bibles actually show 4 columns – 2 on each page that’s facing you. This page mimics just one of those pages. It’s almost like a text-only Pitt Minion but you’re only seeing one of the two pages at a time. This saves a lot of horizontal space.
Paragraph markers (pilcrows) appear in the middle of a line. There are no pilcrows after Acts 20. The chapter numbers and pilcrows are in green. Book titles are simplified to just the name rather than including the writer. Paul’s letters include the endings that tell where it was written from. They are highlighted with a small green pilcrow.
Psalms’ introductions are included as well as the Hebrew alphabet in 119 with both English and Hebrew spellings.
Page numbers and book names are placed to the far right and follow the landscape format. I find it easier to turn the Bible counter clockwise to landscape to turn to the book or chapter I want. Book names are given, but not chapter numbers. I would like to see the numbers added to help finding chapters quicker.
The one thing that makes the least sense to me is books start on a new page. This leaves enough blank space throughout that it makes me think they could have placed the text in paragraph format. Most likely paragraph format would have added too much bulk, but on the flip side of that the bulk could have been reduced further by placing books on the page where the last book ended. For example, 2 John takes a single page, but the page under it is blank. 3 John also takes a single page with the page under it blank.
I prefer this format to verse-by-verse for reading. There are no distractions other than pilcrows and chapter numbers. Since verses are not separated from each other, which can cause them to be isolated and taken out of context, it’s easier to see the overall context and see the text as a whole.
This is the daily reading plan from God’s Word Translation and is used by permission of Baker Publishing. It’s a one-year plan that takes you through the Bible in one year in biblical order. It gives you the date and references for that date. As long as you read on those dates there’s no need to mark your place (there’s no ribbon, but I think this design works better without it).
Here’s a look at how the Transetto compares to the Pitt Minion and Holman Compact KJV.
The KJV Transetto is the first English Bible in the flackback design. I’ve found the Transetto to be an excellent Bible for carry and reading on the go and at home. The portrait layout is easier to handle than a landscape layout. I would like to see real paragraphs, but I prefer this to vbv.
Even though the font is small I find it to be readable. The Cambridge Transetto is small, handy, practical, comfortable, affordable, and readable. These are excellent Bibles for ministering, witnessing, and giving away. I would like to see this design in all of the major translations.
Photography by hannah C brown
_________________________
_________________________
Cambridge provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge Transetto KJV Bible – Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cambridge Pitt Minion Reference Edition has long been a standard in the high quality yet portable range of Bibles. It was originally only available in the KJV. Recent years has seen the addition of many of the popular translations including the New Living Translation. In this review I take a look at the NLT Pitt Minion in black goatskin.
FEATURES
___________________________
___________________________
BINDING
The NTL Pitt Minion is available in black imitation leather, and brown or black goatskin. This edition is black goatskin. All editions have a paste-down liner. It has a pronounced grain that I love the look and feel of. This one has a slight shine to the leather. The leather feels soft to the touch but it’s not limp at all. This matches my personal preference exactly. It’s easy to hold in one hand and have both pages lay flat. It’s also easy to tilt toward you (my preferred holding method) without having to fight against the cover or without it sliding out of your hand.
A line is impressed into the leather along the outer perimeter. Nothing is printed on the front. On the spine is printed Holy Bible, New Living Translation, and Cambridge. It has 5 impressions of spine ridges. The text-block is Smyth sewn and has no issues laying open. The weight of the paper isn’t quite enough to keep it open in Genesis 1, but I think it will break in after enough use.
The overall size is 7.3 x 5.25 x 1”. This is a slim Bible. I’ve come to love this size. Now that I’ve used this size for a while it’s hard to use anything else. It’s printed and bound in the Netherlands by Jongbloed. It has two cardinal red ribbons and red and gold head/tail bands.
PAPER
Pitt Minions use India paper with a gsm of 27 or 28. It’s thin but it doesn’t have much show-through. I didn’t have any issues turning the pages. The ivory color makes a great contrast against the typeface and makes the print really pop. In certain conditions it did get page-curl (when sitting outside on a cool and windy day), but that was one time out of the dozens of times I took it with me. The edges are art-gilt. It has 1146 pages plus maps.
TYPOGRAPHY
The text is presented in double-column paragraph format with poetry set in stanzas. Dreams and letters are indented and not right-justified, making them stand apart from the rest of the text. Lists are presented as tables. Thoughts are separated with section headings. Cross references are placed in the center column and footnotes are placed under the last verse on the page.
The typeface uses a 6.75-point Lexicon No. 1 by Blue Heron Bookcraft. It has a 7-point leading (size of the font plus the space between the lines). The text is line-matched (lines on both sides of the page are printed in the same location to reduce show-though). This is a red letter edition. Both red and black are dark and consistent throughout. The font is sharp and well-designed for reading at a smaller size.
In order to get everything in this small of a book-block the leading has to be small. The text is still readable but for me it takes a little more concentration. I have to use my bifocals but with them I can read and even preach from it with no trouble. A larger leading would help but it would also drastically change the layout.
Readability is greatly improved by not including reference keys in the text. This does make the references a little more difficult to use but I read the text more than run the references, so I prefer this method. The only interruptions are asterisks for footnotes. The section headings are in italics. I find them easy to ignore.
The columns are 1.75” wide and have around 47 characters, giving space for 8-9 words per line. There isn’t much of an inner margin but the spine is so narrow that the pages lay flat without the text bending much at all.
Dialog is set apart on individual lines. This can sometimes be mistaken for poetry. Poetry does suffer from the narrow columns. It looks great but there are many verses that place a single word on a line, which interrupts the poetic stanzas. This could have been solved by breaking up the sentence where it naturally breaks.
There’s something about this text that kept me reading it. I think a lot of it has to do with not having reference keys. I ended up reading Jonah, Acts-Revelation, and portions of the Gospels before writing this review. I couldn’t stop. Of all the Bibles I had at my fingertips this is the one I grabbed.
REFERENCES
The cross references are not keyed to the text. Instead they only include the chapter and verse number in bold in the center column followed by the cross references. Parallel passages are marked with double lines //. This is so easy to understand that it’s natural.
The references for the left column align with the top of the column and are left-justified. References for the right column are aligned with the bottom of the column and are right-justified. This leaves blank space in the middle of the center column on many pages.
If there are more references than will fit within the column they are placed under the footnotes. This causes you to look in two different locations for references. I’d like to see all of the references under the footnotes like Crossway’s settings. This would give a wider column which would give more horizontal space for poetry.
Here are a few sample entries to help you compare:
FOOTNOTES
Footnotes appear under the last verse on the page. They include the chapter and verse numbers and are printed in a much smaller font than the text. I’m not sure of the size but it’s close to 4 point.
Footnotes include the original languages, alternate renderings, literal renderings, manuscript variations (does not identify Greek manuscripts, but it does identify variants from Dead Sea Scrolls and many others), weights and measures, variant spellings, references to quotes, descriptions, explanations of people such as ranks, meanings of names, wordplay, etc.
I found the footnotes to be useful for understanding the text and for seeing alternate renderings when I came across a verse that seemed to go into a different direction than I expected. There are some places where I expected to see a footnote where there wasn’t one. For example, 1 John 3:2.
CONCORDANCE
The concordance is 118 pages with 2 columns per page. Entries include the part of speech, a short definition, and similar words to look up.
Here are a few example entries with their alternate entries, part of speech, definition, and number of references given:
MAPS
It has 16-pages with 15 of full-color maps on thick non-glossy paper. It includes an 8-page index. This Pitt Minion is an older edition that has the older maps and does not include the color-code in the index.
Maps include:
COMPARISONS
To help give you an idea of the size of the NLT Pitt Minion here’s how it looks sitting next to the NLT Select.
CONCLUSION
The Pitt Minion is the perfect size for carry and handing. The quality of the materials and construction are excellent. I love the look and feel of the black goatskin. The text is small and takes a little more concentration to read but I find it easy enough to read with my glasses. Readability is improved by not having reference keys in the text. I recommend the Cambridge NLT Pitt Minion for anyone looking for a small reference NLT in a quality edition.
___________________________
___________________________
Photography by hannah C brown
Cambridge provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge NLT Pitt Minion – Bible Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cambridge Pitt Minion is a standard in small high quality Bibles and for good reason – it’s a full reference edition that’s easily carried while presenting a readable, yet small, typeface. The result, if you’re okay with small type, is a Bible that can easily become the only Bible you need. In this review I take a look at the English Standard Version (ESV) in black goatskin. It’s also available in brown goatskin, black calf split, and black imitation leather.
__________________________________________________
Buy from Amazon
__________________________________________________
The cover is goatskin with a paste-down liner. This stiffens the Bible and makes it easier to hold and carry. It has a natural grain that looks and feels soft to the touch. It’s sewn and lays open, flat but this cover is stiffer than the other goatskin Pitt Minions that I’ve seen and takes a few more minutes before it lays completely flat. But it will lay flat.
It has a pressed line around the perimeter that gives it some extra style. No words are printed on the front cover. The spine shows Holy Bible, English Standard Version, and Cambridge. It has 5 marks to indicate spine ribs, but it doesn’t actually have raised ribs. The spine is slightly rounded while the text-block is flat.
The goatskin edition has two cardinal red ribbons that are long enough to pull them to the corner and still have something to hold onto.
The paper is 27 gsm with a slight cream tint. It’s highly opaque doesn’t have enough show-through to be distracting. I had no issues turning the pages.
I’m reviewing this at the end of November. This is the time of year here in TN that I see a lot of page-curl and this one does have it. It hasn’t been so bad that I can’t use it, but it is there at least sometimes.
The text is set in a two-column, paragraph layout with center-column references. Poetry is set to stanzas. Poetry suffers a little from the double column format. Many verses have a single word on a line when they could have broken the sentence in a more poetic place like you would with a song.
The text never gets lost in the gutter. You can see it bend, but what little bend there is (due to how thin the Pitt Minion is) isn’t enough to bend the text out of view.
The font is a 6.75 Lexicon 1 with a 7 point leading and is printed with line-matching (the lines are printed in the same location on both sides of the page). The line-matching and the font’s design greatly improves readability. Even though it’s small, the boldness of the print and the opacity of the paper help with readability. It’s small, but not tiny. The lines are a little close for my tastes. This requires a little more concentration to read, but I find it readable and I enjoy reading from it.
The print is consistent throughout the Bible. It’s about a medium darkness or lightly darker and remains readable for hours at a time. I never found myself wanting it darker or lighter. The red is about a medium to medium/dark and is also consistent throughout. I find this shade of red to be highly readable. It never made me want black letter instead.
The verse numbers are smaller than the regular text. This can make it difficult to find verses but it also improves readability. This is better for reading than for study or preaching because it can take extra time looking for a verse.
The pagination is the same as the wide margin edition. I like this because if you’re used to the Pitt Minion then you’ll be used to where the verses are laid out on the page. They make a great combo – one for carry and reading and one for study, teaching, and preaching.
Columns are 1.7” wide and contain 42-43 characters and around 7 or more words per line. It has 62 lines per page. The columns are a touch smaller than other Pitt Minions that I’ve seen. This is due to its center reference column being wider.
Section headings are in italics. They set the sections apart while at the same time they’re not bold and don’t call attention to themselves, making them easy to ignore. The header contains the book names and chapter numbers that appear on that page over the outer column, and the page number over the inner column. The next book starts on the same page where the previous book ended.
Every now and then I confused a verse number for a footnote. The numbers for footnotes are at the end of a word, but if the words are close it almost reads like it could be a footnote or verse number. They do make them different enough (footnotes are italic). I just have to remember that when reading.
The reference and footnote keys are small enough that they don’t get in the way of reading. Even when reading aloud I haven’t had a lot of stumbles like I have with other reference editions. My personal preference is to have no keys within the text itself, but if they’re going to be there then I want them like the Pitt Minion (and Clarion).
References appear in the center column under the chapter and verse number they correspond to and are keyed to the text with letters. References for verses in the left column are at the top and references for the right column are at the bottom of the center column.
Sometimes there are too many to fit. When this is the case the rest are placed at the bottom of the page under the translation notes, under the last verse in the right column, creating two different places to look for references. I’d like to see them all in the footer or under the last verse (maybe in each column). This would give more space for the text and poetry could look better.
There are a lot of good quality references that cover both words and themes. Here are a few examples of references to help you compare:
The footnotes are placed under the last verse on the page and are keyed to the text with numbers. They don’t include a reference to verse they go to. It can be difficult to find the verse that something in the notes corresponds to because the numbers in the text are hard to find.
Footnotes include alternate translations, literal translations, Hebrew and Greek terms, special uses of Greek words, the meanings of names, words where meanings are uncertain, clarification of additional meanings, grammatical points, supplied pronouns, English equivalents of weights and measures, and manuscript variations. The footnotes are useful for personal study and for sermon prep.
The concordance is 70 pages with 2 columns per page and has lots of entries, although it doesn’t has as many as the wide margin edition that I reviewed last year. It contains 1700 entries and 5900 references. There is a lot of good material here that greatly helps in study and sermon prep.
Sample entries include:
There are 15 full-color maps complete with an 8-page color-coded index to maps. The colors in the index show settlements, political, physical land, physical water, travel, and Jerusalem.
The maps are colorful and printed on thick, non-glossy paper (my favorite paper for maps). They show routes, birders, water, distance topography, vegetation, cities, dates, battle sites, etc.
Maps include:
At first I thought the font would be too small for my eyes, but with my bifocals I can read it for hours at a time with no issues. The narrow space between the lines (leading) does require more concentration, but I can read it just fine. Its size and weight are great for holding in one hand, which is my preferred method of reading. It never has to be forced open. It lays open and flat in my hand just right.
I carried this Bible everywhere I went and it did everything I needed it to. It isn’t too large and it has all the tools I would look for in a reference Bible. The overall size is so handy that I’m willing to deal with the smaller text. For me, this is the perfect size for a general-use Bible. It’s not really a compact Bible but it does fit snugly in the inside pocket of my suit jacket, making it ideal to carry anywhere including schools, hospitals, Churches, prisons, etc.
The references, footnotes, concordance, and maps make it a great choice for study. For preaching and teaching I prefer a larger font but I did preach from it a few times without any issues. Finding verses does take an extra second or two though.
Here are a few Bibles to help you compare. The first is the Cambridge Wide Margin ESV which uses the exact same pagination. The second is the closest Crossway ESV I have to the Pitt Minion – the Personal Size Reference. The third is the other great choice from Cambridge – the Clarion.
Here’s a look at how the Pitt Minion edition compares to the wide margin edition. Since they have the same pagination they make a great combo – one for carry and reading, and one for study and preaching. It’s available in edge-lined goatskin, or calf split with paste-down liner.
Crossway’s Personal Reference Bible is a small ESV with a similar footprint of thickness. It’s a touch thicker. It has a single column setting with references in the inner margin and footnotes in the footer. It’s a nice little Bible and is very readable, but the paper and cover of the Pitt Minion are much higher quality.
The Clarion is a single column edition with the same font in a larger size. The footprint is the same as the Pitt Minion, but it’s a touch thicker. It uses the same paper and is available in paste-down calfskin or calf split, and edge-lined goatskin. It’s a great reader that’s easy to carry, but it’s not as easy to carry as the Pitt Minion.
The Pitt Minion is one of my favorite Bibles. The ESV edition continues the excellence for a hand sized reference Bible that’s both portable and usable. The small print will be an issue for some but if you can tolerate small print then this overall size is just about perfect. I’ve become fond of using smaller Bibles and the Pitt Minion feels just right.
The ESV Pitt Minion is a great Bible for carry and reading and the ESV edition is hard to beat. It’s a great all-arounder and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a high quality ESV reference Bible in a small size.
__________________________________________________
Buy from Amazon
__________________________________________________
Cambridge University Press provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge ESV Pitt Minion in Black Goatskin – Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
The Cambridge Pitt Minion has been a popular Bible for many years, and with good reason – the size and quality create a Bible that’s easy to carry without sacrificing features. It’s available in several translations including the NASB. In this review I’m taking a look at the NASB Pitt Minion in black goatskin. This is model NS446:XR, ISBN: 9780521604123, which was printed and bound in the Netherlands by Royal Jongbloed and provided free for review by Cambridge University Press.
_______________________________________________
Buy from (includes affiliate links)
and a few local Bible bookstores
_______________________________________________
The cover is a soft pebbly black goatskin with a paste-down liner. The liner keeps the cover from being floppy. It’s sewn and lies open in Genesis after a little use. It’s easy to hold open in one hand a read for long periods of time. I love the soft feel of the leather.
The spine has Holy Bible, New American Standard, and Cambridge printed in gold. There’s nothing printed on the front. It includes 5 tooled spine ribs (not raised). It also has tooling around the perimeter of the cover.
It includes 2 red ribbons and red and gold head/tail bands. The overall size is 7 3/8″ x 5″ x 1″. It weighs 15.3 ounces.
The paper is 28gsm. It’s smooth to the touch and has a slight cream shade. It’s highly opaque and contrasts the ink beautifully. Show-through is mostly noticeable in the poetic settings and even then it’s minor. The edges are art-gilt (red under gold). I used it all through winter and haven’t had any issues with page-curl. If there was any it was minor. I found the pages easy enough to turn.
The text is presented in double-column paragraph format with poetry set to an indented poetic setting and Old Testament quotes in all caps. Letters are indented. It includes section headings. Center-column references and footnotes with some appearing under the last verse on the page. The header shows the book name and chapter numbers in the outer margin and page number in the inner margin.
The font is 6.75 Lexicon No. 1 with a 7-point leading. Both the black and red-letter is medium to dark and highly consistent throughout. Lexicon No. 1 has always been a highly legible font at small sizes and that legibility shines in every Pitt Minion I’ve seen including this one.
Even though I need glasses to read anything up close I can read the Pitt Minion with ease. After a while of reading the text does begin to feel cramped due to the small print and leading. This is more noticeable when my eyes are tired from writing all day. I have more trouble with the reference and footnote keys than anything else.
Each column has around 42 characters across with 7-9 words on average. The words have enough space between them that they don’t run together. It has enough inner margin, and the Bible is thin enough, that the text doesn’t get lost in the bend of the gutter.
The text includes footnote and reference keys using the traditional numbers and letters. They’re small enough to ignore easily. The references and footnotes being in the center column and in the footer means there are two locations to search for them. They’re not near the verses they correspond to. Considering how many there are it would be difficult to place them near their verses. Also, I don’t use them so much that searching in two locations bothers me.
The text looks excellent on the page. The paragraphs are small and make sense. The section headings are in italics and help break up the text a little but don’t get in the way of reading. The poetic settings could break the lines a little better. Rather than breaking the lines as stanzas they go all the way to the physical edge of the printed area. This creates lots of lines with a single word. This is only a minor complaint and wont keep me from reading it.
References for the left column appear at the top and are left justified while references for the right column appear at the bottom of the column and are right justified. The reference verse numbers are in bold. If there are more references that will fit in the center column they’re placed under the the last verse.
Here are a few examples of references to help you compare:
Footnotes appear in the center column with the references and include alternate renderings, literal renderings, manuscript variants, explanatory equivalents, explanations of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words, weights, measures, time, etc. They’re helpful for shedding light on the wording in the original languages.
The concordance is 84 pages in double-column format. It includes related words or synonyms following the keywords. It’s a decent concordance for study and sermon prep.
Sample entries include:
It has 15 pages of maps on thicker, non-glossy, paper. The maps are colorful and include distance, topography, routers, borders, water, settlements, dates, commodities, natural vegetation regions, battles, kingdoms, etc. The maps are detailed and easy to use.
It also includes an 8-page color-coded index to maps printed on the same thick paper. The color code highlights settlements, political, physical land, travel, and Jerusalem.
Maps include:
The Cambridge NASB Pitt Minion is a joy to hold, carry, and read from. I even used it in the pulpit with no issues. I love the size and weight. I’ve become fond of thin Bibles (around an inch thick) and this one doesn’t suffer from being so thin. The text is small, but that’s an advantage for the Pitt Minion and part of how it has so much in such a small package. Even the thin paper is highly opaque and a joy to read.
It has the same pagination as the wide margin edition (which has a slightly larger font) and the two make a great combo. Like all of the current Pitt Minion line (see reviews of the KJV, ESV, NLT), the NASB is a full reference edition with nothing missing. I highly recommend the NASB Pitt Minion in goatskin for anyone interested in a small yet high quality NASB.
_______________________________________________
Buy from (includes affiliate links)
and a few local Bible bookstores
_______________________________________________
Photography by hannah C brown.
Cambridge University Press provided this Bible free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review. My opinions are my own.
The post Cambridge NASB Pitt Minion Bible Review appeared first on Bible Buying Guide.
Conclusion