The Skinny on Bibles

                                  


Okay, here today to divulge a little secret--I am coming to the realization that I have a serious Bible shopping problem!  I think I need a 12-step program or something...but I suppose there are worse vices to have than this one, right?!  Well, I was thinking back on ALL the Bibles I have purchased in my adult life, and it is a bit crazy!!  But it is good, too, in sooo many ways, because I have enjoyed and cherished all the Bibles I have bought for a variety of different reasons.

I thought I might take the opportunity to share with you just a bit about these various Bibles, to inform and inspire you if you are in the market for Bibles or if you are struggling with reading the Bible and just need a change of pace to better dive into God's Word for yourself.  And don't overlook the fact that Bibles make great gifts, too!

Oh--and just a word about Bible translations.  In my opinion, the best translation is the one you will actually read (this works for diets and exercise programs, too!), but different translations definitely have their strengths and weaknesses.  I will touch on that a bit more as we take our little Bible tour :)

Okay, right out of the gate, I would say that hands down, my FAVORITE Bible is the ESV Journaling Bible by Crossway.  I have four of these in my house--three for each of my children (for my use, not their's right now...you can read more about that here), and one for myself.  This Bible is a fantabulous size (compact but without the tiny print or onion-skin pages) and allows for LOTS of room to make notes or write out prayers in the margins.  LOVE that.

Lots of lined margin space for notes!

Love the compact size and elastic strap

I recently took a deep dive in the journaling Bible department and bought an ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible (and yes, I splurged for this gorgeous genuine leather strap version!).  This Bible has a blank page inserted between every print page, making for LOTS of room for notes and such, but this also makes for a bulky Bible, too, more like the size of a study Bible.  I have had mine for less than a year and am just breaking it in as I feel more willing to write in it and make it mine.

ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible

Blank interleaved pages are between pages of text

 I know that a lot of folks enjoy art journaling inside of a Bible like this one.  Here's one beautiful example I found online:

Photo source: instagram.com

Here's a great picture to show you the size difference between the ESV Journaling Bible (on the left) and the ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible (on the right):

Photo source: Illustratedfaith.com

I must add here that I think it is essential to own a King James Version of the Bible, as well.  I find this useful when I want to look up the Hebrew or Greek words using a Strong's Concordance.  This reference book is based on the KJV Bible, so when I read a verse in my ESV Journaling Bible, I must first find the word used in the KJV Bible to be able to look it up in the Strong's Concordance and find the meaning of the word in its original language.  I currently use a KJV Bible similiar to this one (I bought mine at a Mom and Pop book shop and cannot seem to find the exact one online)--it is compact and the cover has a nice hand to it and it has beautiful guilded page edges.

Now, as far as studying the Bible goes, there is no finer Bible than the ESV Study Bible.  In many people's opinion, this is the Cadillac of all Bibles.  It has outstanding notes and commentary on the Scriptures and is my go-to resource when I want to find out what a passage means, its historical context, etc.  This Bible also contains very informative introductions for each book of the Bible, extensive maps, and detailed charts.

Now, if you are looking for a Bible that will help you to apply the Scriptures to your life, look no further than the Life Application Study Bible in the very readable, thought-for-thought NIV translation (as opposed to a more literal word-for-word translation of the original text such as the ESV).  This is my preferred Bible translation for scripture memory, as well.  I have used this Bible for many, many years as an adolescent and young adult and recommend it highly for folks new in the faith, too.

Another Bible that has been useful to me is the One Year Bible.  It portions out the Bible so you can read it cover-to-cover in the span of one year.  Each day has an Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs reading.  I personally have had personal success with this Bible reading plan, but this Bible reading format was a nice change of pace, even though I did not finish it all!

My most recent splurge (I told you I had a problem!) was on a beautiful Bible crafted by the folks at She Reads Truth.  This organization is passionate about squaring Truth with beauty and goodness by pairing the Scriptures with drop dead gorgeous artwork and calligraphy.  I can't wait to have a copy of the She Reads Truth Bible in my hot little hands in a few short days!  I ordered the poppy linen version and you can check it out here if you are interested, too.  There is a great little video tour of it, as well!

Finally, if you are looking for a unique heirloom or gift, check out the ESV Reader's Bible that is handsomely crafted in a multi-volume set.   Without chapter and verse demarcations (which never existed in the original language anyways!) and with its use of thick paper and premium binding, it makes for an enjoyable reading experience.  I gifted this set to my Dad, so I will have to ask him what his opinion of it is and get back with you!

ESV Reader's Bible six-volume set

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this post on Bibles!  As you can see, one of my greatest joys is getting my hands on God's Word in ALL of its forms, and enjoying the pleasure of reading, studying, and journaling along side it from a variety of well-crafted volumes.  Perhaps, you, too, can reignite your passion for reading God's Word with a carefully selected Bible that will be uniquely yours, as well!  May you and yours have a blessed time in the Word this week!