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ESV Illuminated Scripture Journal Review

December 31, 2019 by notesfromtheparsonage 2 Comments

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The Scripture Journal is a great new Bible study tool that I think you’ll love! Each book of the Bible is broken down into its own little notebook with plenty of room for notes and doodles. Your inductive Bible study experience will never be the same!

At the end of last year, I was able to review Crossway’s Illuminated Scripture Journal New Testament set. It is such a beautiful set and I have enjoyed it this year. Crossway released the Illuminated Scripture Journal Old Testament set earlier this year, and I knew it’d be just as lovely as the New Testament set. What I was not expecting was the sheer size of the thing.

Illuminated Scripture Journal Old and New Testament box sets on blue wood table

I mean, clearly, I was aware that the Old Testament is larger than the New Testament. But seeing it like this made it very vividly clear just how much bigger the Old Testament really is.

Looking at them side-by-side is a bit mind blowing.

Thick Scripture Journal book compared to thin Scripture Journal book

Clearly, some of the books are massively thick and others are pretty thin. The thinner books have some extra blank pages in the back of them.

Spines of Scripture Journal prophet books up close

The minor prophets are combined, so there isn’t a book for each one. Additionally, books with a first and second (Kings, Chronicles) are combined.

A Look Inside the Scripture Journal

Scripture Journal open on table to reveal Scripture on one side and blank paper on the other side.

Just like the New Testament set, you have the words of Scripture on the left hand page and a faint dot grid on the right hand page.

Picture of gilded Bible verse printed on dot grid paper

Illustrations appear throughout. Some take up an entire page and are on the left side. If they are small, they are on the right hand dot grid page.

Scripture Journals and Bible Journaling

Warping of paper with watercolor use. Minimal page warping with watercolor colored pencil use.

If you’re curious how different media work with the paper, here are some examples from my Romans book. Our church had a small group on Romans, so I used my Illuminated Scripture Journal for that small group. The left page (above) has been watercolored on the back side of the page. There is some wrinkling, but no bleed through. The right illustration is watercolor colored pencil and micron pen, neither of which showed through or warped the paper much.

Scripture Journal opened. Scripture on left is highlighted. Happy cactus illustration in marker on the right hand side of page.

This page has Stabilo marker and Micron pens and it didn’t bleed through or warp the paper at all. The paper is much thicker than a standard Bible paper. It feels more like a Moleskin Cahier paper.

Do I Recommend the Illuminated Scripture Journals?

Close up of the box lid of the Illuminated Scripture Journal Old Testament set.

Yes! The entire set is just beautiful and well-worth the buy, in my opinion. I really enjoyed using these for Bible study. It was super convenient to be able to throw my Bible study book and the book of the Bible we were studying in my purse to read whenever I had the chance. I also really enjoyed taking notes and illustrating throughout the book. These are very much like my favorite journaling Bible, the Crossway Interleaved Journaling Bible. The paper is much thicker, and it isn’t quite interleaved, but the effect is very similar.

This set is perfect for inductive Bible study. You’ll have just the one book of Scripture and can highlight and take notes without feeling like you’re ruining your Bible.

These are also excellent when your pastor is preaching through a sermon series on a specific book of the Bible. Or when your small group is doing an Isaiah study– or whatever book they’ve chosen. It is just so convenient to have just the one small notebook sized book.

You can also purchase just a single Scripture Journal and not the whole set. So if you’re just wanting to deep dive into the Psalms– you can purchase just the Psalms Scripture Journal.

Spines of the Illuminated Scripture Journal Old Testament set in the box on a blue table

It is very large and takes up quite a bit of shelf space. I happen to think it is beautiful and looks lovely set out, so I don’t mind the size so much. I like both sets so much and am very glad to have both.

Collage image of ESV Illuminated Scripture Journals with text "ESV Illuminated Scripture Journal Review".

You can also put the Scripture Journals into a traveler’s notebook while you’re using them. They’re the perfect size and that gives it a little more of a “cover” to protect it.

Covers of two Scripture Journals- blue gilded notebooks on a blue table

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

  • ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible
  • ESV Personal Study Bible Review
  • She Reads Truth Review
  • Heirloom Study Bible Review
  • ESV Pocket Bible Review

**This post contains affilaite links. Affiliate links do not cost you more to use, but they do benefit your favorite content creators. **

Filed Under: Bible Reviews Tagged With: Bible, bible journaling, bible review, bible study, bibles, crossway, crossway Bible, illuminated, illuminated bible, journaling bible

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  1. ESV Women's Study Bible Review - Notes From the Parsonage says:
    February 14, 2023 at 2:07 am

    […] includes beautiful gilded Bible artwork inside the Bible. The artwork is from the ESV Illuminated Bible and are by artist Dana Tanamachi. They’re […]

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  2. She Reads Truth Review - Notes From the Parsonage says:
    March 4, 2023 at 3:19 pm

    […] ESV Illuminated Scripture Journal Review […]

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