It feels kind of strange to be writing a “review” for a Bible, especially as someone who affirms Scripture as authoritative, God-breathed, inerrant, etc. The word “review” gives off a connotation of standing over God’s Word with a critical eye or something, like “hmmm . . . The ‘Bible’, eh? Never heard of it. How’re the sales at Amazon and B&N?” Rest assured, though . . . this is a review of features, not content.
So, Crossway recently released their English Standard Version Bible in a new format, the “Personal Size Reference” (PSR) Bible. After seeing that it had some features I like and some favorable reviews here and there, I went ahead and ordered one from the Westminster Bookstore. It arrived today.
This review will be scored, per feature, on a WIN/FAIL basis. (A few of you might get that. 
)
Contents:
1) Layout/Text
2) Size
3) Binding
4) Translation
5) Conclusion
1) Layout/Text – Score: EPIC WIN
News flash: The Bible is a book. As such, it is meant to be read.
That being the case, I’m thankful that Crossway decided to go with a single-column, paragraphed layout for the PSR, rather than the traditional two-column (or even worse, a single-column, but one-verse-per-line) layout — two formats that are good for finding a particular verse or passage, but are terrible for just plain reading. Now, don’t get me wrong — God’s Spirit can work through his Word, regardless of the typesetting it’s presented in . . . but why give those He wants to reach even more barriers? (Their hard hearts are quite enough!) The single-column, paragraph layout is a pleasure to read, and the cross-references on the inner edge of the pages aren’t at all intrusive.
A shot from the book of Jonah, showing both prose and poetry (and an example of the brief introductions that precede each book):
I’ve read complaints in other reviews about the text being a little too small and/or not dark enough, but I personally have no problem seeing it clearly. It’s possible that that’s because I’ve gotten used to the teensy type in the Journaling Bible, but regardless, the readability is top-notch.
Size-wise, the PSR is (in a word) perfect. Absolutely perfect. Its 5″ x 7.25″ dimensions are nearly identical to the best Bible (physically) I’ve ever owned, the NIV Compact Student Bible I had in high school. That one met an untimely demise one evening after youth group when it met the pavement at 40 mph after being left on top of my car (I still weep for it). Since then, finding a Bible that was an equally formidable combination of size, content, and features proved pretty difficult (and since I was about to enter college at that point, I’d have felt silly if I were to replace it with the same “youth” edition). Since then, I’ve owned full-size study/reference Bibles, thinlines, and pocket-sized Bibles, and none have measured up (literally) to that Student Bible I had back in 1995.
Enter the PSR. It’s small enough to fit very nicely in hand without being so small that they had to use miniscule text (see above). It’s only slightly thicker than your average thinline, and that’s made up for in reduced length and width. It’s just a very nice size for any number of applications: carrying to church, tossing into the man-bag along with other books and a laptop, etc etc. See below, as compared to my wife’s ESV Classic Thinline and in hand . . .
Honestly, the PSR’s size was its number one selling point for me. A++
3) Binding – Score: FAIL (with potential for eventual WIN)
I opted for the “genuine leather” binding, even though I’ve been rather partial to the newer imitation leather bindings (they carry names like “NuTone”, “TruTone”, “DuoTone”, etc) lately. I’ll explain why — and why I decided not to go with that option — later.
Immediately upon opening the box, I was greeted with the unmistakable smell of leather. Reminded me a bit of times I’ve walked past Wilson’s in the mall and have been nearly overwhelmed by the aroma (not that that’s a bad thing). This binding is pretty typical of genuine leather bindings — cowhide, not very flexible, and that being the case, has a bit of a “memory” when flexed in a particular direction. See below . . .
See how the cover’s curled up there? That’s after having opened the Bible (once) to the cover/copyright page for a few seconds. I personally prefer a very flexible — almost limp — binding. The “TruTone”-bound editions are closer to the flexibility I like, but the pages are glued to the spine rather than sewn into it. Why does this matter? Well, if one wants to get a Bible re-bound at some point, sewn is the way to go. The genuine leather edition’s pages are indeed sewn, so that’s why I decided to go with it, despite its initial stiffness. I expect that the leather will soften and loosen up a bit with continued use, but since I want it to last for a good long while, I also plan on getting it rebound in flexible goatskin by Mechling Bookbindery some time in the next couple of years.
The genuine leather binding is passable for now, but its days on this Bible are already numbered.
I’ve been using the English Standard Version of the Bible since 2003, after having used the NIV for years and the KJV/NKJV during most of my childhood. Over the past five years, I’ve become more and more convinced that the ESV is the best overall English translation of Scripture currently available. There are certainly translations that might work better for certain applications and situations, and there are certain quibbles I have with some interpretive decisions, but overall, the ESV is the best balance of fidelity to the original text and readability for 21st-century readers you can get.
If you’re interested in learning more about the history, theory, and methods behind the translation of Scripture into English, check out The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation by Dr. Leland Ryken (disclaimer: Ryken was the literary stylist for the ESV).
By the way, the ESV text was ever-so-slightly updated in 2007 from its original publication in 2001. For a complete listing of changes made for the 2007 revision, see Bible-Researcher.com. The copyright page of any updated edition will read “ESV Text Edition: 2007″.
See?
5) Conclusion – Overall score: WIN
With its combination of a great translation and a fantastic size and layout, I have a feeling that the PSR will be my primary Bible for reading, studying, teaching, and preaching for many years to come (despite the . . . passable binding). I wholeheartedly commend this edition to anyone looking for a new Bible, and recommend one of the TruTone editions if you have no plans to re-bind.
The PSR is available at the Westminster Bookstore for 45% off of the retail price (as are all of their ESV Bibles).
17 comments ↓
So I just purchased a new bible as well. The TNIV Bible2.
I have used the NIV most of my life, but I have/use the NKJV; Message; RSV; The Net Bible; and the NLT. I have found the TNIV to be an improvement over the NIV. Of all of these I liked the NLT the least. It seemed to want style over substance.
Thanks for this review Rae. I am considering buying an ESV to round out my English translation collection (I nearly have them all, literally) and your review has really helped in my decision as to which version of the ESV to purchase.
Thumbs Up!!!
Good review.
Have you tried the ESV “Wide Margin Reference Bible” yet?
Love my ESV PSR. I’m especially pleased that I can preach from it. The font isn’t as big as the thin-line but it is still readable at a glance from a pulpit.
Thanks for the review. I am in the process of writing an post on the 2007 Text Edition. I hope you will share your thoughts when it is up.
Also, can i use your picture of the copyright page?
Luke – Yeah, I’m not sure what I think about the TNIV. Beyond the gender issues that people got all up in arms about, some parts that I read really butchered the English. On the other hands, other parts were a real improvement over the NIV. I prefer translations on the more literal side, though, so that’s why I went ESV.
Ben – Yes, if you’re going to get one ESV, make this one it. That is, until the ESV Study Bible is released in October.
Sterling – I considered it, but the single-column, paragraph layout sold me on the PSR.
Joe – Glad I’m not the only one!
Justin – Feel free to use that photo. It’s licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License, so the only conditions are that you credit me and that if you create a derivative work, you license it under the same (or similar) license.
[...] friend Rae Whitlock posted a review of his new ESV Personal Size Reference Bible last week. It inspired me. I recently purchased a new [...]
I just got the TruTone Forest/Tan edition of the Personal Reference Bible, and it definitely is much closer to a WIN on binding. Very limp, and the cover looks better than it did on the website (which was good enough to make me want to buy it on the basis of the look). In fact, I bent the cover around the back of itself, and it doesn’t stick up as much as your picture. Plus, all you have to do to fix it is hold it down for a second, and its back to a closed position. I love it already.
I just might pick up one of these, but I have to admit that I’m very displeased with the binding of my current ESV thinline trutone. The cover has come off completely on the front side and I have to be careful that it doesn’t fall off altogether. I’ve only had the Bible a year and a half and read it nearly everyday and has normal use (I’m not super rough with it or anything).
Rae, you have an amazing website! Did you also write the content for Grace Central’s site?
Steve: Thanks for the kind words! As far as the content for GC’s site, most of it (things like “Our Story” and other stuff from the “Who We Are” section) was written by Greg, the lead pastor. Good stuff, eh?
I do write the paragraph-long sermon summary blurbs, though.
I will shortly be ordering the Bible. Thank you all for your input, it has been useful. I am in the care of perhaps eight Bibles. I am not a collector but find inspiration in all interpretations. Gods Word Jesus Christ is with us every day in many ways. Listen my friends as I have listened to you. It is never the binding in the end. It is always the bond. May we find our hearts truly of Christ.
Tom
Thanks for your insightful review. It caused me to take the plunge and buy this Bible.
I just purchased my new ESV Personal Size Reference Bible TruTone,Forest/Tan, Trail Design last night (10-25-08).
Your review mentioned that the soft cover PSRB’s are glued. I looked on the binding and it looked like it might have been sewn, however that wasn’t really what made me think this. What makes me think that it was sewn or have at least a “hybrid” glue bindingis the fact that there are threads every 64 pages following page 17 (Genesis 19 & 20).
Maybe I’m just wishful thinking, but I think this ESV Personal Size Reference Bible just might be at least a mixture of both sewn and glued. Let me know what you think about this. Keep posting such fantastic reviews!
Thanks,
- Erik Kowalker
I just checked the ESV Blog and two of the TruTone Personal Size Reference Bibles are in fact, SEWN. Here it the link:
http://www.esv.org/blog/2008/05/summer.2008.esvs
Yes, yes, and yes!!!!!!!!!
It feels so good to know that in the future I can put cowhide, calfskin or the granddaddy of them all, highland goatskin on my Bible because of it being sewn and NOT glued.
Hi everyone,
Perhaps you can help me… I’m planning to buy an ESV study bible but I can’t decide whether to go for the Tru-Tone or genuine leather cover. Bother have sewn bindings. The Tru-Tone will certainly be more flexible but I’m concerned it wouldn’t wear as well as the leather…and instinctively you think leather’d be better, right? But I have read bad reviews of Crossway’s ‘genuine leather’ so I’m wary of it. Do you think the leather would ever soften up? And which covering would you recommend?
Thanks,
Estel
I have had this Bible for about three months, and you are right, the cover loosens up over time.
I took the plunge and purchased the Allan ESV Personal Size Reference Bible in black highland goatskin. It is truly a thing to behold. It’s one of those Bibles that will last a lifetime. Enjoy the link to some pictures of my new PSR:
http://kowalker.com/2010/01/20/100-pictures-of-my-allan-esv-personal-size-reference-bible/
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