Near Perfection | ESV Personal Size Reference Bible (TruTone, Forest/Tan, Trail Design)

A very good compromise between compact and classic size | ESV Personal Size Reference Bible (TruTone, Forest/Tan, Trail Design)

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	• ESV Personal Size Reference Bible (TruTone, Forest/Tan, Trail Design) Crossway Bibles, 2008 - 1408 pages average customer review:based on 25 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Good translation, decent Bible for the price

A few months ago I came across this translation at a gift shop while visiting the Creation Museum in northern Kentucky. While not being a died in the wool "KJV only" person as some tend to be, I do tend to be leary of some of the newer translations that have came along within the last half century, fearing the possibility of soemthing becoming "lost in translation", and possibly taking away or missing specific meanings and view points of the original authors of the origianl text. I am not a fan of liberal or politically correct translations, or paraphrases such as The Message. I must say, though, that after researching this translation on [...](very informative website, I recommend checking it out; it compares and desribes other translations also) and purchasing a couple of copies, I really have come to like this translation. It is a "essentially literal" translation, which seeks to maintain "word for word" accuracy of the original text, while also presenting it in a very readable format. This is differerent from many of the newest translations that translate in a "thought for thought" translation style rather than "word for word", which sometimes seems to inflict the opinions and views of the translator(s).
This particular Bible, for the money, is a decent buy. I don't care much for the tru-tone cover in the fact that after you open the Bible to read it, the cover remains open to a degree after shutting it, seeming to retain a "memory" of being open, and does not stay fully closed when set down. My experience has been that this is not typical of leather or bonded leather covers, which seem to snap back, lay flat and completely closed. Another minor issue with this particular Bible is that I can detect in a few various places that faintness of letters is present, and while still being able to make out the letter and ultimately the word to read, it just seems that the print quality is slightly "light on the ink" at times. Bleed through is not too terrible either from my experience, although a "backing sheet" is recommended for highlighting purposes. I prefer a center column reference as opposed to the inside column reference that this Bible has, but that is strictly a personal preference. The specific Bible that was sent to me was not bound equally, and while this does not affect the intended uses or purposes of this Bible, it is still noticable, non the less.
It is a shame that like many other things these days, "made in the USA" has not only disappeared in most things that we consume, but also in our Bibles as well. I would rather pay a little more for great quality, rather than sacrifice quality for a little cost cutter savings (this Bible is printed in China).

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Near Perfection

I love this Bible for a couple reasons:

Primarily, because it's single-columned, which is a blessing in so many ways. It makes extended periods of reading much easier on the eyes and much less discouraging on the mind (it's easer to read two pages than four columns). They've put the cross-references in the middle, which is a wonderful idea because I rarely use them so it makes sense to put the least-used feature in the least-readable place on the page.

The text is set in a good, legible font and the numbering of chapter and verse use a nicely contrasting (not distracting) font. I especially like the large size of the chapter numbers.

The feel of the Bible is stout and sturdy. It's relatively short and skinny and thick. I vastly prefer thickness over height and width, so I applaud this design choice. It's not so small that I need to squint or bend over to see it, yet not so large that it flops all over the place when I try to hold it with one hand. Perfectly sized - for me, anyway.

I really like the pattern of the binding. The color and feel of the material are elegant without being showy. I want my Bible to look nice, but I don't want to feel like it's a fashion accessory.

Given all these strengths, this is easily my favorite Bible I've ever owned (which includes quite a few). Yet there are some flaws that subtract a single star. First, the printing is a little blotchy on some pages. I can read these "blotchy" pages with no problem, but it's a bit disconcerting when I'm reading along and one appears. Secondly, the binding doesn't "give" much. I've had it and read it for over a month, and it will neither sit flat when open nor close all the way. I've owned a couple Crossway Bibles, and the first two bordered on trash - so they've improved tremendously, but still have a ways to go. Thirdly (and this is barely notable), I wish there were a couple maps in the back. I don't want anything fancy, just a basic outline of the Ancient Near East, Israel in the time of Jesus, and the Roman Empire. I hate having to look up locations online, in other reference books, or (worst of all) my old Bibles.

So four out of five. And a star better than anything else I've ever owned!

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A very good compromise between compact and classic size

I was quite apprehensive about ordering this edition of the ESV, because I could not find a copy to examine in person. Apparently it is not a big seller, since Borders doesn't even stock it (at least in my area). I was trying to imagine how one step up in font size from the compact ESV font would work since I find the compact's font just barely adequate for reading, and these 53 year old eyes can't stand reading that tiny font for very long.

Readability and font size -

I was pleasantly surprised that those same eyes did not seem to object to the font size in the Personal Size edition. In fact, I find the font choice to be superior. I'm not sure what font it is, but it is very crisp and uncluttered and aids readibilty a significant amount. There is significant bleed through from the facing pages, but because the font used is so efficient in spacing, this does not affect readability at all. Unless it bothers you to see a hint of text in the white spaces surrounding the text. I was concerned the references in the inner margins would be too small too be useful, but they are about par with the compact's font size. Granted, I would prefer a font size of 9, or at least 8, but then the bible must necessarily have become larger in size also. Compared to my Classic Companion NASB, the thickness is the same, but height and width are about 20% smaller. I especially prefer the single column paragraph style. It makes reading more contextual, I believe, and tends to make reading flow more naturally. I mean, there is a reason why this is the format most books come in.

Cover and binding -

The True-tone Navy/Khaki/Cream cover is silky soft and very flexible. Very much like a poor man's calfskin. The inside seams of the cover material are nicely sewn, not glued, and the facing paper is very well attached. The bible is very comfortable to hold and carry, and the size is perfect for a purse or small backpack, or even a large coat pocket. This edition's binding, printed in Belgium, appears to be a hybrid glued/sewn version. I am glad for the sewn pages as it will hopefully cause the glued pages to stay in place a lot longer than a simple glued binding would. The bible lays flat, or nearly so, when new and will surely become more supple with use.

Personal thoughts -

Overall, I am quite pleased with the Personal Size edition. Having a readable bible, with useful references in this size, makes it perfect for taking on trips and carrying as a daily reader. I try to avoid looking intentionally pious when I ride a train or bus. People who bring their huge wide margin and hi-lighted bibles on board a bus, train or plane just look pretentious, I think. I don't want to scare people away with my sword even though I am not ashamed of it or the gospel of Christ. For this same reason I am happy that this is a black letter edition. I don't want people to avoid sitting next to me out of fear I'm going to bible-bash them!

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Good bible, lame manufacturing

Pros: Stitched binding, font seems to be as big as my NLT personal size study bible and is very readable. Single collum is very appealing for reading, slightly harder to find specific verses but it flows much better instead of reading 5-7 words per line. For me it is the perfect size to carry, and with the sewn binding should be very durable. The pages are thick enough to prevent seeing the words on the other pages. A lot of people have given praise to crossway for putting the references in the center, which I do like, but it has been done before, so no need to praise them for that.

Cons: Right out of the box I noticed 2 things. The first one was that the trutone cover, which isn't leather, it's some sort of plastic, has a dime size 'smudge' that must have happened before the cover was cool. It is right in the center from side to side and is 2/3 of the way down from the top. VERY dissapointing. It's not enough for me to send back to get a new one, I just like buying new things and wishing they actually looked new. The other problem looks like it already has some shelf wear, or else the sewing is off in the middle. It has a definite sag in the middle, not a huge problem, but still I'd like a 'new' looking item.

Overall this should be a long lasting investment, and my first ESV bible. On the back of the box John Piper is quoted saying "We are building all of our future ministry around the ESV." I'll try and post a picture of the blemish on the front cover, not sure when.

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Having a Bible that can travel anywhere-in a briefcase, purse, backpack, glove compartment, or computer case-is especially helpful in these busy times. This portability, combined with the popular ESV Bible text and attractive cover designs, makes the ESV Personal Size Reference Bible the ideal choice for today's Bible reader. Larger and with more readable type than the Compact Bible, but not quite as big as the Thinline Bible, this version is just right for men, women, and students on-the-go. The Bible text is offered in a user-friendly single-column paragraph format that reads like a book.

Two new TruTone® editions are releasing, joining available Bibles with TruTone and genuine leather covers.

Features:

Size: 5.0" x 7.25" 1,408 pages Black letter text Single-column, paragraph format Introductions to each Bible book Cross-references Ribbon marker

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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