Crossway ESV Study Bible, Personal Size (Genuine Leather, Black)

3 reviews for Crossway ESV Study Bible, Personal Size (Genuine Leather, Black)

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   Linda Irvine – July 13, 2013

   I bought this Bible long before I knew evangelicalbible.com existed, and even before I knew Bertrand’s “quality Bible” movement existed. Because this was the first leather Bible I ever owned, I’m comparing it to… nothing, really. I now have some Allan’s and Cambridge Bibles, but I won’t compare it to them.

   I really believe you get what you pay for here. No doubt, the leather is not even remotely luxurious. It’s thin, hard and stiff, so don’t get this one if you want a Bible with a nice leather cover. However, if you’re looking for a well-priced Bible that is a bit nicer than hardcover, this is a good choice. I’ve had mine for a long time, and I can testify that it has not started to fall apart at all. An interesting note is that the genuine leather actually has a guilt line.

   Perhaps another plus of the cover is that it doesn’t distract you from what’s inside it. The ESV Study Bible is simply amazing; I have been helped out so many times by these notes! It’s nice to get some good, interdenominational opinions on difficult verses. One awesome thing anyone will appreciate: When it comes to Eschatology, I’ve had study Bibles that only give one opinion, and explain it like they know exactly how the end-times will work out. The ESV study Bible is different in that they tell you about every opinion in existence. I love this, as I admit there are a few opinions that each have good Scriptural evidence. This Bible also gives all opinions for all controversial passages as well.

   The ghosting has never bothered me, nor has the font size. Again, I had nothing to compare it to when I got it. I still find it a useful Bible to have. The key word here is “useful,” not “beautiful” or “luxurious.”

   All ESV Study Bibles come with access to the ESV Study Bible online. Seriously helpful.

   Check this Bible out! If you hate Crossway’s genuine leather with a passion, get another binding option. If you need larger print, they have that too. I recommend this Bible – especially the content.

2. Rated 3 out of 5

   Robert Anderson – March 10, 2013

   The ESV Study Bible, Personal Size is a 5 stat bible, but how it is bound is more of a 3 star. You first open the Bible and the leather looks nice enough, but feels stiff, But after just a little handling the leather softens up and feels nice, not R L Allen nice, but I didn’t expect that, no did I pay for that. I bought this bible for the size and I am well pleased. It is for more handy to use than the full size ESV Study Bible, which one needs a table to open it out on. 5 Stars on the size. The print is smaller, but not as small as the Cambridge Pitt Minion Bible. The type style is fine and the darkness of the type is fine. Don’t look down upon this Bible just because it was printed in China because so is R L Allen !!! and I don’t like that at all for the price you pay for a R L Allen Goatskin Bible. Cambridge is printed and bound in the Netherlands. 3 star for size of print and print type. The reason I didn’t give this Bible 4 stars is because of the way it was bound. The leather is fine, but the cardboard that is glued to the leather, like many Bibles, sucks. This Bible is so thick that the weight of the pages pull on the cardboard backing and pulls it away from the leather….not a good thing. If they had only bound it with leather or a synthetic plastic it would be a 4 star Bible. I would by it in the TruTone” and save money and have a better binding”””

3. Rated 3 out of 5

   Richard Hetke – July 3, 2011

   With the regular size ESV Study Bible, Crossway proved they could execute a beautiful, well-bound quality Bible. The regular size proudly boasts smyth sewn binding, and “Primalux 30 GSM” paper and the name of its printer and binder. The same information is provided in its smaller cousin–the “personal size Study Bible” but the paper feels flimsier, thinner and not of the same quality. Sadly, unlike it’s larger cousin (printed in the U.S.A.) all one has to do is glance at the front intro page and see the dreaded words “printed in China.” I’ve already had a page tear from the inner section of this Bible and in no time the binding is beginning to separate from the front cover. Again, unlike it’s larger cousin, the print suffers from slight–and I mean slight, this isn’t the disastrous gray-section problem of the Personal Size Reference ESV–spottiness in some lighter printing in spots. Nonetheless, this Bible isn’t a dud, and still retains the vibrant colours, and the bold print of the regular size SB. I love the size and perhaps the decreased paper quality was a sacrifice for smaller size. This is a portable Bible and has become my take-around, travel ESV although keep in mind this is still a bit of a “brick” albeit a smaller brick. It’s not a compact Bible, however if you like having the notes with you, this one suits as a portable travel Bible. The print is about the same size as the Personal Size Reference, and I’m sure the plastic-like stiff cover has some “genuine leather in it” as it says on the box, but perhaps I’ve become spoiled with Allan’s highland goat. Go with the trutone if you want a better quality cover–I would have gone with the trutone, except I’m a bit of a black-bible purist. Hopefully they’ll a) release a black calf-skin in the future or b) a black trutone sans the little orange triangle.