5.0 out of 5 stars ESV Preaching Bible is everything I expected

D.P. · 18 March 2024

TL;DR: Highly recommend this bible for people looking for a comfortable reader, that also has space for making notes in the margin, and still has useful cross-references.I've just received my ESV Preaching Bible via DHL (I'm in South Africa and got it delivered from the UK).The quality of the bible is top class. The goatskin cover has a wonderfully tactile feel to it (sorry goats). It smells like real leather. The quality of the paper is as advertised.I wasn't certain I would like the size of the bible but it's great for a long term reader which is what I intend for it to be, as opposed to preaching. I wanted a bible that didn't feel cluttered by double column, or the 'noise' that I sometimes feel the study bibles have with copious commentary everywhere. I wanted a bible I can pick up and read comfortably like a book. This preaching bible delivers all of that. Well done to Crossway!One thing I tried to find was a bible with Jesus' words in red text. I couldn't find that in single column format anywhere. However after reading up as to why that is, I'm pursuaded by the argument that it creates a 'canon within a canon' and that the decision to make words red or not is largely editorial and not a historic fact as such. So I was fine with giving up that requirement. Just mentioning that in case there are others who feel similarly.I note some of the complaints in the reviews of pages stuck together as such. I've flipped through the entire bible slowly and there are no such pages. This one I received appears to be pristine. A few pages had the corners still stuck together but I expect that's just an artifact of cutting the rounded corners and they are easily separated. No harm no foul.

4.0 out of 5 stars Quality Bible...but it's not all premium. Chinese factory made Vs

C.S. · 21 September 2019

Well it's a great Bible. The cover is goatskin, if a little thin eg compared to the Cambridge concord in goatskin. It feels lovely in the hand: a delight to sit with and pour over. Lot of pages stuck together lightly at edges: easy enough to sort but annoying. The paper is thicker I'm told than the ESV heirloom single colomn which is very like this: hence I went for this one. Lots of space for note taking: at least as good as a Cambridge wide margin for that. The paper is not silky smooth like deluxe Cambridge concord goatskin: but nice and thick for note taking. Also the gilt finish is not as impressive as the heirloom editions or the Cambridge goatskin versions- although its growing on me to love it. My one major annoyance (why not 5 stars) is that is made in China and not in the Netherlands. I want my bible made in a centre of fair trade not for maximum profit even if to have to save another month to buy better. A Bible like this is for life. I wouldn't have bought it if I'd known Crossways had sold out to produce it in China. It's a sad economic policy that Bible producers should abstain from,: unless it's bringing the Gospel to that land. Which I doubt that is the motive. I want quality and morality in a Bible of this speck, not cheap and mass produced in...who knows what conditions? I don't want to contribute further to the collapse of the west by being my once in a lifetime investment premium Bible like this. I note that the lovely omega 80th anniversary thinline Bible is still made in the Netherlands. I therefore decided to buy it as well. The goatskin leather on this preacher's Bible is so lovely...nicer to the touch than any other Bible I have. A joy of a Bible in short...nice yap to protect the text block.

Gorgeous Bible!

M. · 2 April 2024

I’m a huge fan of Crossway, their ESV translation is absolutely spectacular! This is a gorgeous, single column Bible, with 10 point font that is extremely easy to read.

Beautiful Bible that is simple and elegantly designed

A. · 10 April 2021

Beautiful Bible that is simple and elegantly designed. It has only the biblical text and keeps focus on what is said.There has been clear thought about the layout and details to make this easy to read and not get distracted by supporting material.

Amazing bible, poor quality assurance

P. · 10 October 2022

The goatskin leather is beautiful, the paper is nice and thin with little see through. But a few complains for a bible at this price point. Firstly, the pages are not properly glued to the spine when I look at it from the bottom of the book. Secondly, there's smudging of "1" in 1 Samuel. The quality assurance department gotta step up a bit. Otherwise, it's a pretty ideal bible

Great bible, would benefit from thicker goatskin leather

E.M. · 28 November 2019

This is a great bible. Single column layout coupled with a larger (10pt) font makes it really easy (and a pleasure) to read. The name "preaching bible" is misleading, imho. This should have been called "large print, wide margin bible". The paper is also very, very nice. I removed a star from my rating because the publisher (Crossway) used an extremely thin goat skin leather for the binding (likely trying to save some money). And given that this is a larger and heavier bible at (10" x 6.75" x 1.75"), it flexes too much when held in one hand. I personally can live with this, but I wish Crossway used a thicker goatskin for the binding.

Gorgeous Bible

R. · 9 March 2020

The last time I really bonded with a bible was an NASB Ryrie Study Bible way back before the 95 update. That is, until now. The ESV Preachers Bible is without a doubt the most gorgeous Bible I have ever had, and no I am not a preacher. From the goatskin cover to the uncluttered single column layout, all I can say is that this Bible is AWESOME!! A beautiful cover and a layout that makes the text the main thing. Am glad I bought this!!