In part one of this blog we looked at two base factors to help us determine which Bible type we should purchase. At this point you should know what translation you would like to use, and the purpose for this Bible. There is one more factor to look at before we purchase our Bible.
Size
Bibles now come in many different sizes and form factors. This is heavily influenced by what ‘extras’ your Bible has within in. For instance, you can’t purchase a study Bible in an ultra-thinline version. There is too much information within a study Bible to put it into such a compact form. If they did this, the font would be so small that it would burdensome to read. For a Bible that I know I will be travelling with, I prefer a thinline version. This is going to be a more compact version with less quality pages, and a smaller font. This is what my ‘everyday’ Bible size is. For my Bibles that I know I won’t be travelling with, I prefer a large font, and don’t necessarily care about the Bible size.
Types
So we now have a translation, purpose, and size in mind. It is now time to look at the many different options you have at your disposal. Each of the Bibles should all have the same Biblical text because we have chosen our translation already. The following are simply add-ons or additional resources to help us fulfill the purpose we want.
- Readers Bible – I have already mentioned this Bible in the last post, but it is worth mentioning again. The Readers Bible is designed with reading in mind. It is laid out in a single column format instead of the typical dual column format. It also chooses to not have any references, study notes, footnotes, or verse numbers. The purpose of this Bible is reading.
- Study Bible – A study Bible is a great tool. It incorporates many tools into one format. It will typically have references within the text. It will usually also include some form of commentary or explanation notes on each page. At the back of most study Bibles you will also usually have an abridged Bible dictionary and concordance.
- Reference Bible – This is a good everyday Bible. A typical reference Bible will only include verse references to other verses within the Bible that are similar to the verse you are reading. They can be found in good sizes for travel as well.
- Journaling Bible – This is one of the new Bibles on the scene. A journaling Bible is set up in a way that includes extra large margins for the purpose of writing within them. If you are a Bible writer who seems to be lacking enough space on your Bible pages then you might want to take a peek at a journaling Bible.
- Devotional Bible – A devotional Bible has the purpose of daily readings within it. They are usually set up in a way that corresponds to daily segments instead of the standard Biblical book format.
- Gender/Age Bible – There are many Bibles which are focused upon the specific reader. There are men’s Bibles, women’s Bibles, and even student Bibles. These will have additional pieces within them that directly applies to the gender or age demographic that the Bible was written towards.
My Preferences
These are the main Bibles that I use. They are all with my favored translation of the ESV.
- My “Daily” Bible- ESV Thinline Bible
- I love this Bible’s form, and cost the most. I don’t mind taking a $10 Bible, and it getting worn out or bent. It serves the purpose of being the always available Bible. It consists of the cheapest leather and paper, and I am fine with that.
- My “Study” Bible- ESV Study Bible, personal size
- This is a large Bible that remains on my desk. I use it for additional study. I don’t like to carry this one with me, so I don’t really care about the size of it. It is a heavy Bible. I don’t mind spending the extra money for better leather and pages on my study Bibles since they usually don’t get worn much sitting on my desk.
- My “Reading” Bible- ESV Reader’s Bible, cloth over board
- I love this Bible to read. It looks clean, and isn’t distracting in any way. I also like that this Bible is hardback. It feels more like a typical novel, than the Word of God. It is an easy book to grab off the shelf and read. It is also written in a single column format which is what I prefer to read.
These three purposes cover most of the bases I am looking for within a Bible. I have some Bibles that cross into each of these categories. I also have different leather options for each of these Bibles. Hopefully this was helpful as you choose your next Bible. Let me know what you choose, and please show it off to me!