Bible Reviews Archives - Notes From the Parsonage

NLT Thinline Reference Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:55:15 +0000

The Pastor decided he wanted to read the New Living Translation of the Bible this year. This is a “thought for thought” translation, which differs from the English Standard Version he usually reads, which is more “word for word”.

I have accidentally created a Bible snob, so when he said he needed a physical copy of the NLT, I knew that meant it needed a certain level of fanciness since he has become accustomed to the ESV heirloom Bibles.

Before he got hooked on the ESV heirloom Bibles, he loved his thinline reference Bible. So, I decided to try to bring those two things together in choosing a Bible for him. It needed to (1) not break the bank, (2) still feel a little fancy, and (3) hopefully be a thinline reference Bible.

Positive Features of the NLT Thinline Reference Bible

There were several cover options available for this Bible (brown leatherlike, black leather, brown leather, teal leatherlike, etc.) but I went for the olive green genuine leather cover. It is a textured, pebble-like leather that is a super dark green. The cover feels very nice in hand.

This Bible has classic Bible paper with golden gilding. The paper isn’t the type that gets stuck together easily. The font is also well-spaced and easily readableI also like the Visual Bible Overview in the back of the Bible. It has full color maps and charts that are helpful in understanding the Scriptures.

The Bible has a Smyth-sewn binding that lays flat (for the most part) when open. It does struggle to lay flat in the very front few and very back few pages due to it not being heavy enough.

This is a great size Bible. It is thin and has that “flop” in hand. It is about 5.5″ x 8.75″ in size and less than 1″ thick!

The cross-reference are minimal and are tucked neatly at the bottom of the page, so they aren’t distracting from the text. It does have the words of Christ in red.

Places the NLT Thinline Reference Guide Could Use Improvement

It only has one single ribbon marker! We all know, I think four ribbon markers should be standard (Old Testament, Psalms, Gospels, Letters). Three is acceptable. Two is okay. One is just a crime. Since The Pastor is using this Bible for his reading through the Bible, one will work.

Overall Impressions with NLT Thinline Reference Bible

Overall, The Pastor likes this Bible, which was the goal. It isn’t my kind of Bible, but it wasn’t for me. (I am not the biggest fan of two-column Bibles and I like more “stuff” in my Bible– notes, wide margins, etc.) But for what he wanted and needed, it is perfect. It was under $100 (under $50 when I bought it, actually), is a little fancy with the genuine leather green cover, and is a thinline reference Bible.

Now, if you need more “stuff” in the Bible, Tyndale does have the Filament app that goes with this Bible. There is a QR code in the front on the Bible that you can download to use along with the Bible. You don’t need the app, but if you want all the extras and don’t want them in the Bible– you can still have both. The Pastor was worried there would QR codes throughout the Bible, but there is only one in the front.

If you’re looking for a thin, simple Bible with easy to understand thought for thought translation, the NLT Reference Bible would be the perfect choice. You just may need some extra bookmarks.

CSB Study Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 03:24:11 +0000

Is the CSB Study Bible by Holman right for you? This review should help you find out!

For 2026, I chose the CSB Study Bible as my primary study Bible. We’re reading through the Bible Project’s chronological reading plan and I’m looking forward to diving in with this new Bible. The CSB Study Bible stood out among other options for me this year.

I don’t always buy a new Bible for a new year. Last year, I read the NASB (1995) on the Bible app on my phone for my primary Bible reading. I worked full time, night shift in a hospital for most of the year, so I needed something easily on me and the Bible app worked well for me for that purpose. However, I found myself missing having a physical Bible in my hands each day. I also enjoyed reading the NASB, which is more on the word for word translation side of the spectrum and opted to go the opposite this year for some variety so I can “hear” the Scripture differently.

Again, I don’t always swap it up so dramatically. In fact, I used the ESV for daily Bible study for several years in a row before last year. I went super rogue one year and read the Complete Jewish Study Bible, which I appreciated. I’m just saying, I mix it up sometimes, I don’t sometimes. I have no hard and fast rules. I typically do try to stick to one version all year for my personal study.

The CSB Study Bible is not small. It is quite a hefty Bible with a lot of extras. I chose the brown genuine leather. The leather is soft and untextured, but wrinkles in the hand when you’re holding it open. The leather doesn’t feel particularly thick. Now, this isn’t a premium leather— just a basic leather cover. I’m hopeful it will weather and wear well, but the quality isn’t great, so I’m not sure it’ll be much better than imitation leather in the end. Also, if you compare my pictures to the product pictures, you’ll note the color is very different. The pictures I saw prior to buying this Bible were a variegated, worn looking deep brown. In person, I got a smooth, mid-tone brown.

The paper is quite slick. It has full color maps, pictures, and artwork throughout– so the paper is a bit more magazine-like at times. I chose this Bible for all these features. However, in terms of paper quality, the slick finish makes the pages stick together a bit and make it a little hard to flip and navigate. I wasn’t going to use Bible tabs in this Bible, but because of the slick paper and some of the formatting that make navigating it a bit slow, I opted to add Bible tabs anyway. (Looking back, I might have chose the indexed version if I had known how I’d feel about trying to find 1 Corinthians.)

There are full size maps in the back and smaller full color maps throughout. There are articles throughout. Each book has a lengthy introduction with art work. There are study notes, cross references, and even word studies throughout the text. There is a three-year and one-year reading plan included. Again, so many extras.

The text itself it two column with cross references between the two. The margins are not wide. I really debated giving up the wide margins because I know how much I write in my Bible. Ultimately, I decided the extras were worth trading my margins. It also has the words of Christ in red.

We know I think 4 ribbon markers is the appropriate amount for any Bible. The CSB Study Bible comes short there, only having 2 ribbon markers. There is also a dedication page, but no birth, death, or baptism record.

Ultimately, I’m going to be happy with the CSB Study Bible this year. It is a pretty substantial, budget-friendly genuine leather Bible. It has so many extras (not even including the online help portion) to aid in daily Bible study.

Study Tools I’ve Chosen for This Year:

Other Bibles I Considered This Year:

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Omega Heirloom Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 22:52:00 +0000

The Omega Heirloom Bible from Crossway is a premium Bible that feels fantastic in hand and reads so clearly. Let’s take a closer look!

Crossway sent me this beautiful Bible from their premium Bible collection. At first, I was thinking it would be exactly like the Alpha Edition Heirloom Bible, but I was wrong! While similar, this Bible is uniquely different.

Bible Packaging

This Bible comes in the two piece black box from Crossway. Inside, you’ll find a velvet wrap for the Bible itself. It is so beautifully packaged. You can’t see this bit, but the smell of the leather really hits you when you open the box!

As always, Crossway’s Heirloom Bibles have a lifetime warranty. This is a Bible meant to last forever. It is meant to become an heirloom.

Omega Heirloom Bible Exterior Features

This particular Bible does come with two cover options. You can choose from the black goatskin option or this dark brown slick Wellington Leather. The Wellington leather cover does get marks from wear, but I actually like that a lot more. I love the look of worn leather, and I can’t wait to see this beautiful leather fully worn.

I know the worn leather and how easily it scratches might bother some people. Think about that slick leather getting a scratch. If you are annoyed by that thought, maybe go for the black goatskin cover.

The spine has those raised lines across it. The words on the spine are pressed into the leather, not printed onto the leather.

This Bible comes with ample ribbon markers! It has four and they are different colors, which I love. You have black, white, dark brown, and a medium brown.

The gilded edges are those that are gold with the red undertone– you know which ones I mean. When you flip the pages you get this flash of like a rose gold type color.

This Bible is a thin line style Bible. It is larger than the Alpha Heirloom Bible. The official measurements are 6.125″ x 9.125″. As you can tell in the pictures, it is thin. What you can’t tell is the slight floppiness of it. (For some reason, every Bible that arrives in this house, The Pastor grabs it and shakes it to see how it feels in the hand when you get fired up preaching and start shaking the Bible at people.)

Omega Heirloom Bible Interior Features

The interior of this Bible is beautiful. It is double column in a very easy-to-read 10.5 point font. You can see it contains cross-references but not study notes. The spacing of the letters and words is excellent and makes for a very comfortable and easy read.

As far as extra features, this Bible is pretty simple. It contains front dedication, marriage, birth, and death pages that are a thicker and slicker paper than the rest of the Bible. There is a good sized concordance in the back. Several full color Bible maps on thick, slicker paper are also in the back. That is really all of the extras there are.

I also need to talk about the paper itself. This European paper they use in their premium Bibles is just next level. It is so smooth and the pages don’t stick together at all. But it is also thin, like Bible paper should be. It isn’t something you can really photograph, so you’ll just have to believe me. (Unless you happen to be over at the parsonage for some reason and then you can feel it for yourself!)

Thoughts on the Omega Heirloom Bible

The size of this Bible is The Pastor’s preferred size of preaching Bible. That is where I can see this being the right Bible. This is an excellent everyday preaching Bible for a Pastor, Teacher, or Missionary. It isn’t a study Bible, but you can study this Bible (especially with all the cross references). There isn’t really room for notes in the Bible. The ease-of-reading and size make this a very ideal Bible for teaching and preaching.

My husband’s first preaching Bible was just a standard thin line leather Bible. It was a fine Bible (though no one wrote on the dedication page, which always broke my heart a little– always write on the dedication page), but it didn’t last. About fifteen years into ministry, pages were falling out and the Bible was falling apart. It was hard for him to let go of that Bible because it meant so much to him. And it made me sad that he didn’t have a better Bible to begin with.

That is why I think all preachers should be gifted an amazing premium Bible. It is a heartfelt way to put your endorsement behind their calling. It is a meaningful thing to do that is also useful for them. I can just imagine how beautifully worn this Bible could be over a lifetime of service to Jesus. Even 15 years in, it isn’t too late to get a nice Bible for sharing the Word to the world.

This is probably not the Bible for everyone. It isn’t the Bible for me. I need space to write. I want study notes. I’m not a nice, compact simple Bible type. I’m married to the nice, compact simple Bible type. So, just because it isn’t for me doesn’t mean it isn’t an amazing Bible.

Things I Have to Say

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ESV Artist Series Study Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 19:35:04 +0000

Have you seen the new ESV Study Bible with Artist Series Cover by Jessica Dennis Bush? Let’s jump right into the beautiful pictures and features!

Crossway sent me this beautiful Study Bible to review. It was perfect timing because our oldest daughter, Imogene, has been taking college classes and wanted a good study Bible to use for class. This Bible has all the study notes she needs and the cover is unique and artistic.

Study Bible Exterior Features

We’ll start with the exterior features of this study Bible. The cover is has this art print titled “Interlude”. It is a fabric over clothboard cover. The cover is quite lovely and has a little bit of a unique personality from a typical floral Bible cover.

You can get this study Bible with different covers. There is the simple hardcover, imitation leather, chestnut imitation leather, or bonded leather just to name a few.

It also has two ribbon markers in a dark brown color. While I think four is the perfect number of ribbon markers, I can be happy with two in this Bible.

This study Bible has all the notes! It has lengthy book introductions and outlines. It has extensive notes. And it has full color maps and diagrams along with the text and a few on glossy cardstock paper in the back. This Bible is made for study!

The ESV Study Bible also has quite a lengthy concordance in the back. It comes in pretty hand when you’re doing more of a topical study than a book study. While not as exhaustive as a separate concordance, this one keeps everything all in one place for you. This will be super helpful to Imogene in her dorm, since she won’t have quite the extensive Bible study library we have at the house.

Overall Impression of the ESV Artist Series Study Bible

This is the perfect Bible for in depth Bible study on the go! It has everything you need to do a pretty good job of studying the Bible without needing a full library of helps. The cover is beautiful and unique. It is quite hefty in size, so it wouldn’t fit well into a small purse or bag– but it’ll fit a school bag just fine. I feel like this is the perfect Bible for a college student. It does not have room for taking notes, but it does have all the study features you want.

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** This Bible was sent to me by Crossway for review. I am not obligated to give it a favorable review. All opinions are my own.**

Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition, Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 01:06:41 +0000

I received this beautiful ESV Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition from Crossway to review. I was super excited about the new Wellington Leather option. This Bible has not disappointed at all!

This beautiful Bible is one of Crossway’s “premium quality” Bibles. It does come in a Goatskin Black (which I have in other versions and love) and this Wellington Brown Leather. These premium Bibles do have a higher price tag, but they also have a lifetime warranty! It comes in this lovely box with the velvet cover.

As an aside, I did notice that Christian Book has this Bible listed as the ESV Heirloom Edition, Compact Size. I’m not sure why they opted to list it that way, but they did.

Let’s Talk About Size

First, let’s talk about the size of this Bible! It is smaller than the other Heirloom Line Bibles at 5 inches x 7 inches. It is a perfectly portable size, if you ask me. (You can get Crossway’s ESV Pocket Size Bible in Buffalo Leather if you’re looking for an even tinier Bible with a nice real leather cover.)

Heirloom Bible Feel and Premium Features

This Heirloom Bible feels so nice! The Wellington Leather cover is so smooth and floppy. Now, this leather absolutely will wear. It’ll look worn. If you want it to look perfect forever, the goatskin leather is the cover for you. This Wellington leather is going to wear. Within two minutes of having it out of the box, I had already scratched it by setting on on a tiny grain of salt. That is what attracted me to this new Wellington leather. I have a Chic Sparrow traveler’s notebook that is similar and I love the worn leather look.

The paper also feels different. It has a satin, smooth texture. It is thin, but doesn’t have that slightly glossy feel of most Bible paper. There is almost an eggshell feel to the paper. I know that sounds weird, but you’d have to feel it to understand. Just know, when they say “premium”, they mean it in all areas!

There are two ribbons on this Heirloom Bible. Now, other Heirloom Bibles have had four ribbons, which is just perfect. This smaller one only has two, which broke my heart just a little. I mean, I understand why they wouldn’t want to use more ribbons– but I want ALL the ribbons. They could add ten and I wouldn’t think it was too many.

Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition, Features and Format

This Heirloom Bible has double columns and 8-point font. I find this a very readable combination. It also makes more a very trim Bible.

There are no study notes or cross-references in this Alpha Edition Heirloom Bible. There are some full color maps in the back. However, this is a bare-bones, no frills kind of Bible. I LOVE my ESV Study Bible. But not everyone loves having those study notes all the time. Not having them there does make the Bible very trim and sleek.

The edges have this art gilding. It is a red with a gold on top. In some light, it looks rose gold. Dimmer lighting makes it look more brassy. It is lovely.

Who Is This Bible For?

I’ll say it again, do you need a super expensive Bible? No. However, if you’re in the market for a premium quality Bible- these Heirloom Bibles from Crossway are an excellent option.

These Heirloom Bibles are an excellent gift for someone just beginning their career. I firmly believe every pastor should be given an excellent Bible when beginning their ministry. I also think this could easily apply to others, as well.

These are the Bibles you’ll pass down to your kids and grandkids. They are such a high quality and they have a lifetime guarantee!

If you’re looking for a Bible to study exclusively out of, this may not be the right one. However, if you primarily use commentaries, this could be a good option even for study. There is no note taking space if you like to write, color, or paint in your Bible. This one is more for those people who don’t write in their Bibles.

Other Notes From the Parsonage Reviews You Might Like

Things I Need to Say

This Bible was sent to me by Crossway free for review. I am not obligated to provide a positive review.
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ESV Prayer Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 17:27:15 +0000

Is the ESV Prayer Bible the right Bible for you? Let’s take a look at this Bible and see.

Right off the bat, let me say, the Pastor has worn this Bible slap out since I originally reviewed this Bible. It became his absolute favorite Bible for his personal devotional time. He has told quite a few people about this Bible. He LOVES it.

First Look

Crossway sent me this unique Bible to review. I have to say, this Bible is very aesthetically pleasing to me. It is a cloth cover with a look and feel like a church hymnal. It only has one bookmark ribbon which is pretty standard for a Bible. But it looks and feels very pleasant.

As far as I have seen, it only comes in this almost navy blue cloth hardcover, ebook, and brown imitation leather. It also does not come in a box, but with this half sleeve. So, while it is giftable– you don’t get a nice box.

Look Inside the ESV Prayer Bible

I really enjoy the artwork on the half sleeve and inside this Bible. The sketched portraits are a nice touch.

It does have a dedication page in the front should you choose to gift this Bible.

In the front of the ESV Prayer Bible, you have this introduction about the Bible and prayers. It includes information about praying through Scripture, which I think is a helpful addition.

Each book of the Bible begins with a small introduction. The format is single-column and very easy to read. It also has footnotes throughout. The reading experience is very pleasant and unencumbered.

Within the text, there are small prayers tucked among the Scripture. This is very much a devotional Bible and not a study Bible. If your daily Bible reading time looks more meditative and less “pull out the commentary and see what this word in Hebrew means”, this would be an excellent Bible for you.

Features at the End of the Prayer Bible

In the back of the Bible, you’ll find an author index where prayers are listed by author. This is an especially nice feature, especially if you’re looking for something specific. (What was that prayer I read week ago by Wilberforce?)

There is also a list of prayers by when they are placed through the Bible. As a Wesleyan, I did notice there were far more Calvin prayers than Wesley prayers. But John Wesley is at least represented. And I will say this is not as Reformed-centric as many of the Crossway Bibles I’ve reviewed.

There is also a reading plan in the back with an Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalm reading for each day of the year. (Except you get a day off on Leap Day every fourth year.)

Thoughts on the ESV Prayer Bible

Overall, this is a really unique Bible and very good resource. I’m not sure how much I would like this as my only Bible. As I said before, the Pastor does use it primarily in his personal devotional time. (His personal devotional time looks a lot different from mine.)

It does have footnotes and a concordance for study purposes, so it could be a study Bible. However, I do think it is primarily meditative and reflective in nature.

For homeschoolers, it would also make a lovely Morning Time Bible, since you could read Scripture and prayers from it to start off your day. Really, it’d be unique for anyone for that purpose.

ESV Journaling Study Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 20:56:28 +0000

The ESV Journaling Study Bible combines the popular journaling Bible with a study Bible. Is this the right Bible for you? Let’s look closer and find out!

Crossway was kind enough to send me this Bible to review. I was happy to be able to get my hands on it, because it is exactly what I’ve been looking for! While there could be a few improvements, this is an excellent Bible!

Journaling Study Bible Features

I was sent the Natural Brown Leather cover with the wrap around flap. The pictures looked much darker than the leather I was sent. The picture on the website has a dark brown, but in real life, this is more of a natural tan/camel type brown. It also comes in a couple TruTone covers, a floral cloth hardback, and a black hardcover. You can see, it comes in this nice box for gifting.

It only has one ribbon bookmark, which we all know I find woefully insufficient. It also has a nice little pen loop inside the flap of the cover, which is a fun feature on all the Crossway wraparound covers.

The Journaling Study Bible is very square shaped. The Journaling Bibles do tend to be more square shaped, but this one seemed a little more square.

This Bible combines the large, lined side margins of a Journaling Bible with some of the study notes of a Study Bible. These Study Notes looked to me to be to be most similar to the ESV Student Study Bible notes. It didn’t contain the colored maps and things like the regular ESV Study Bible. (It does have full color glossy maps in the back, just not in the notes section.)

The text is in two columns with notes at the bottom. You can see the lined margins go the whole length of the page, even into the not section. The back has a glossary, concordance, reading plan, and glossy colored maps.

Comparing With Other ESV Bibles

The top Bible is the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible. You can see, it isn’t as wide as this Bible.

On top here, we have the ESV Personal Size Study Bible (which is what I currently use for my personal Bible study) compared to the ESV Journaling Study Bible on the bottom. You can see the difference in the notes here with the Personal Size Study Bible having a map here at the end of Daniel and the Journaling Study Bible does not.

This is the ESV Single Column Legacy Bible compared with the ESV Journaling Study Bible. The Legacy Bible clearly has much larger font, but you can see the notes aren’t present.

Here, we have the ESV Heirloom Bible, Heritage Edition, on the top (in a larger size than the personal size) and the ESV Journaling Bible on the bottom. The width was similar on these, but the Journaling Bible is significantly shorter. You can also see the notes are different between these two Bibles.

I was surprised to find the size between the ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible and the ESV Journaling Study Bible to be so similar. The Interleaved version is slightly larger. But this ESV Journaling Study Bible is one of the largest Bibles in our house!

The ESV Student Study Bible was the closest comparison I could find to the study notes, fonts, and format of the Journaling Study Bible. They are not identical, but they are pretty close to the same.

Is This the Bible for Me?

I have always struggled to find a Bible that checks all the boxes for me. I’ve been writing notes in the measly margins of my Personal Size ESV Study Bible, sometimes even taping in post-it notes to hold all my notes! This Bible solves that problem for me. Plenty of room for notes. But not completely plain.

If you are looking for a Bible to really STUDY– this would be a perfect Bible for you! There is room to write all your notes, plus there are study notes and helps as you go. (So you don’t have to look up the basic things elsewhere.)

I do prefer the notes in the ESV Study Bible. Not that these are bad, they’re just more aesthetic and less all the maps and all the things. However, I still think this is an excellent study Bible!

If you’re looking for more of an art journaling Bible, I think the interleaved or standard Journaling Bible is the way to go.

She Reads Truth Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 20:31:53 +0000

If you’re curious about the She Reads Truth Bible Studies, App, or Bible– you’ve come to the right place! This She Reads Truth Review is a full look at what She Reads Truth has to offer and what this mom and pastor’s wife thinks of it.

She Reads Truth Bible Study Books

If you follow the Notes From The Parsonage Facebook page, you may have already heard about She Reads Truth. I had signed up for their Auto-Ship program for their Devotion books. They release a new one each month, and most of the book is just Scripture. It makes devotional reading very easy to do on a daily basis because it is all right there. You can also scribble notes and prayers right there on the pages on not feel bad about “messing up” your Bible. (Not that I am at all averse to writing in my Bible.) The books are beautifully done. They contain beautiful art, scripture memorization cards, some have recipes, reflection questions, and charts. It is a very Bible centered devotion.

She Reads Truth App

Now, they also have an app. You can download the memory verses each week to use as a screen saver on your phone or tablet. I have found this particularly helpful in keeping the memory verse in front of me throughout the week. You can also purchase the devotions in digital form for significantly cheaper through the app. (The AutoShip program of the books is $29 a month with shipping. Each book on the app is $1.99 to $2.99 each. They even have some shorter books for free.) The app also has a Bible on it, if you don’t already have a Bible app you like.

I have really enjoyed the books. They have Scripture reading from the Old and New Testament each day, which I really enjoy. They connect the Scriptures very well. I have been very blessed in my personal devotion time with this resource and I absolutely highly recommend it.

He Reads Truth

They also offer a He Reads Truth version for men. I purchased the He Reads Truth Bible for the Pastor, but he didn’t like the size, font choices, or layout. It was too modern and too topical for his taste. It is also a THICK Bible with a hardcover front, which made it a little more difficult to cart around, since he doesn’t do his daily reading in one specific space. (The Pastor uses the Ancient Christian Devotional books for his daily reading.) All Scripture used for She Reads Truth is Holman Christian Standard translation.

She Reads Truth Bible

When She Reads Truth announced they were releasing a Bible, I preordered it immediately. I had a hard time choosing my cover and options, because they all looked so beautiful. Finally, I settled on the Gray Linen Indexed version. And since I have never owned an indexed Bible, so I thought I would give that a try. Now that it has come in, I can give you an overview!

It comes in a very sturdy box to match. The linen cover is very nice, like an old book. The indexed tabs have 3 books per tab.

The first thing you come to in the Bible is a “How To Read The Bible” article. It is extremely helpful. I often have people ask me just this question. This lays it our very succinctly. There are also study guides in the front of each book. They have a reading plan for that book that includes references to other places in the Bible for a deeper, fuller understanding.

Next, you come to an article called “This Is The Gospel”. As a Wesley-Armenian, I often have a difficult time finding theologically appropriate study materials. So, I was a little hesitant to read this article. I was sure they would disappoint me theologically and then I might not enjoy it as much. However, that was not the case. She Reads Truth is very based on Scripture, so theologically, they were right on track. It is sad when you are delightfully surprised to not find borderline heresy in your Bible. But I was.

Each book of the Bible has the key verse of the book illustrated beautifully to begin the book. There is an intro page for each book, giving you the background and setting of the book to give you some context for the writing. Each book also contains a timeline, map, or chart that is helpful in reading that book. Genesis has a timeline. Exodus has a map. Leviticus has a diagram of the tabernacle. You get the picture. And as I said before, each book has a reading plan, complete with additional verses from other books. It is broken down into 5 days per week. The number of weeks depends on the book.

I love the formatting. Single column with a slight margin. This margin might be wide enough to do Bible journaling in, but I will reserve it for notes. There are also very clear footnotes at the bottom of each page. They aren’t tiny and hard to read. The paper is really thin. Thinner than most Bible paper. I’m sure you can tell from the photos that the paper is thin, since you can see through the page to what is printed on the other side. I found that gel highlighters work best for this paper, since they don’t show through at all. However, for margin notes, you’re going to have to deal with being able to see through it. You could use a pencil, but I am not a pencil person.

There are also various devotions found throughout the Bible. They are a single page, two columns, and easy to find.

Back of Bible Features

In the back of the Bible, there is a list of the key verses for each book. There is also a genre guide, telling you how the Scripture is broken up. Each genre is color coded and you’ll find that those colors are also on the title page for each book. Then you’ll find the apostle’s creed. (It includes that Jesus descended into hell, but excludes the word Catholic.) Next there is a Bible in a year reading plan check list. It also lists a memory verse for each month. A topical index is next, followed by some maps they didn’t put in earlier, and a chart with weights and measures. (Ever wonder how much is a shekel or a cubit? Chart!)

Another awesome feature is that this Bible has TWO satin bookmarks! So you can hold your place in two places at once!

All in all, I am loving this Bible! I cannot wait to dive into it and use it on a daily basis. I think it is a wonderful resource and could be very helpful if you’re looking for something to help you get into God’s Word more regularly and with passion. They clearly put a lot of thought and attention to detail in their devotional plans and their new Bible.

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Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 04:28:04 +0000

Is the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible the right Bible for you? Let’s look inside and find out!

Crossway was kind enough to send me this copy of the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible to review. I love their journaling Bibles, but was pretty curious to see how the Large Print version would compare in both size and readability. I have the regular print Single Column Journaling Bible and the Interleaved Journaling Bible to compare.

Font and Paper

The Large Print Journaling Bible does not have a super large print. It is a 9.5 size font. I found it a readable size without being absurd. The paper is thin Bible paper, so there is quite a bit of ghosting, which I think impacts the readability even more than the font size.

The lines on the wide margins are slightly further apart than the regular journaling Bible. It really looks like they took the regular print Single Column Journaling Bible and enlarged the page just a bit and you have the Large Print Single version. The margins themselves are really only the slightest bit larger than the regular print Single Column Journaling Bible.

Available Covers for the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible

The cover is lovely and feels nice in hand. However, I do think if you’re going to use it for art journaling, the hard cloth covers make more sense. This is a nice cover for a note type Bible use. This is the Deep Brown Buffalo leather cover, which appears black in most lights. It also comes in a couple cloth board designs with the cute little patched corners, a bonded leather, a wrapped leather, and a few TruTone covers.

Extras

This Bible doesn’t have many extras. It has a single ribbon marker and a Bible reading plan. That is pretty much it in terms of the extras. No maps. No study notes. Just Scripture and some space for notes or art.

Size Comparisons

The Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible is more of a typical Bible size and shape. The regular Single Column Journaling Bible is almost square. It is close to the same thickness, but a tiny bit taller and wider than the regular print version. The regular print Single Column Journaling Bible has 1,340 pages. The Large Print version has 1,547 pages. And just as an esthetic aside, the Large Print version ends at the end of a page, rather than the middle.

Compared to the Interleaved Journaling Bible, it is smaller. The Interleaved Journaling Bible has every other page blank. So, even sizing up the font a little, it doesn’t make it the biggest journaling Bible.

Is the Large Print Single-Column Journaling Bible Right for You?

I’m not entirely sure. The font is more readable, but the margins aren’t much bigger. So, if you’re looking to save your eyes a little, then yes! This is a great choice. But if you were hoping to maximize the space a little more, this isn’t going to make much of a difference. If you’re wanting to really maximize space for art or notes, check out the Interleaved Journaling Bible!

Journaling Bibles are great for Inductive Bible Study, Bible art, sermon notes, and keeping your own Bible study notes. You’re not going to get bogged down with notes and maps. But then again, you’re not going to be helped by notes and maps. I think it definitely has its place. I personally keep several Journaling Bibles. One is my church Bible and I write sermon notes in the margins each week. Another is my counseling Bible and I keep counseling notes and verses marked for counseling purposes. And a third is my art journaling Bible where I paint and draw as I meditate on the Scriptures. I have other Bibles for study.

This is a great Bible! If you’re looking for a Journaling style Bible– definitely check this one out.

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** I was sent this product for free in exchange for my review. My review is my own and I am under no obligation to give this a favorable review.**

Church History Study Bible Review

notesfromtheparsonage — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:22:23 +0000

A Church History Study Bible is right up my alley! This review of the Crossway ESV Church History Study Bible will give you a good look into this new Bible to see if it is the right Bible fit for you.

First Impressions of the Church History Study Bible

Crossway sent me their new ESV Church History Study Bible to review. You have no idea how excited I was about this one! I expected rich timelines, thoughtful articles, quotes and study notes from church fathers, maps of different areas as the church grew and changed, charts of denomination as they veered off (or kept on track)… I expected a lot.

And I wrote this full review very soon after receiving the Bible. However, I sat on in for quite some time thinking that with use, I might like this Bible more. As it turns out, my initial impressions ending up holding true. If anything, I came to like it less.

This Bible did not deliver. At all. I’m ridiculously disappointed in it. The ESV Archaeology Study Bible was so thorough and the ESV Prayer Bible was surprisingly unique and wonderful. I’d just set my expectations so high on this one and it fell so very short.

Physical Features of the Church History Study Bible

The genuine leather cover on this one feels different than other Bibles I’ve received from Crossway. It is thinner and has an almost paper-like texture to it. Only one ribbon marker– which I expect from non-super-high-end Bibles (though I wish they’d change that).

“Extra” Content of the Church History Study Bible

The content is what is supremely lackluster. You have the Scripture, which is good and perfect. That is about half of each page. Underneath, you have study notes from different “voices” throughout Church history. It also has extensive cross referencing, which I can appreciate. The “voices” they chose are mostly modern and from commentaries readily available. (If I wanted Matthew Henry’s Commentary, I’d pick that up easily or download it on Bible Gateway.) Most of the “voices” are unknown. Not many of them are ancient at all. As an example, for Genesis 1, the chosen “voices” are: John Calvin (1509-1564) four times, Matthew Henry (1662-1714) three times, Henry Ainsworth (1571-1622), Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) twice, Edward Leigh (1602-1671), John Trapp (1601-1669), Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), and Thomas Manton (1620-1677). I think it is clear this is a “History of the Reformation” Study Bible and not a Church History Study Bible.

Another annoyance is that the index of authors contains no page numbers. You have no idea where or how often they were quoted. So if I wanted to see how many times Anselm of Canterbury is quoted and find quote from him specifically, there is no way to get that information other than combing through every single page and looking at every single note.

No charts. The maps pretty much have the basic Bible maps and then to the second century. Nothing beyond that. There is a “modern Middle East” map but it has no demographics– just basic country names and borders. The articles are sparse and incomplete.

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re looking for a Bible with a bunch of quotes from Reformers with some others tossed in there sparingly– maybe this Bible is perfect for you. But it is certainly not a Church History Study Bible. And not sure what is up with the leather quality on the cover. It is not Crossway’s usual standard.

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