Black Goatskin cover
3 ribbons with red under gold art gilt
Page Size: 8.1″ x 10.5″ x 1.7″
10 pt. font with words of Christ in black
Cross References and Concordance
See Descriptionbelow for more details.
See pictures here.
The CSB Verse-by-Verse Reference Bible features an easy-to-read design by starting each verse on its own line. The design also includes red bold and indented verse numbers, wide margins, and a cross reference system found at the bottom corner of the page to enhance personal study and reading experience. This beautifully crafted Bible is constructed with a durable smyth-sewn binding and a high-quality bonded leather cover material, making it perfect for preaching, teaching, personal study, or use at church.
Features include: Verse-by-verse layout, red bold and indented verse numbers that are easy-to-find on the page, two-column format, designed pages for enhanced reading experience, robust cross-reference system, black-letter text, 10-point type, three ribbon markers, concordance, smyth-sewn binding, high-quality cover materials and end leafs, presentation page, and full-color maps.
The CSB Verse-by-Verse Reference Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.
Details:
Trim Size: 8.1 x 10.5 x 1.7 Features: Concordance, Double Column Type/font size: 10
Reviews
12 reviews for Holman CSB Verse-by-Verse Reference Bible, Holman Handcrafted Collection, Black Goatskin Leather
Rated 4 out of 5
Tyler Giesel (verified owner)–
This is my first premium Bible and I’m glad I picked it up. The leather is nice, soft, and supple. I’m a big fan of the CSB layout with the cross references at the bottom right of each page. The CSB box was slightly damaged on arrival and could have been a big issue, but there is just one small crease in the yapp that is already coming out. Overall I am very pleased with this Bible.
Rated 5 out of 5
Wayne Williams (verified owner)–
Holman hit a grand slam with this one. The quality is on par with my Thomas Nelson Premier NKJV. Highly recommend this one.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jim L Sanderson (verified owner)–
This review comes from the perspective of a preacher. First, the font is to die for. Upon opening it the font struck me as the most beautiful I had ever seen. Easy to read and enjoyable to the eyes. The verse by verse makes it easy to find your place when reading. The goatskin cover is better than people are saying. From other reviews, I had planned on getting it recovered in a better goatskin. But upon touching it, the cover is soft, comfortable and drapes perfectly over your hand. It lays flat on the pulpit. This Bible is sheer enjoyment. The only downside is that it is CSB version. I have no problem with using the CSB it is that no one else in my congregation uses it. So for me I will continue to use my NASB for study and prep and use my CSB for reading to get a different read on scripture and the wide margins, which are very good, for notes as I read. I love this Bible and recommend it highly. I do wish it had note pages in the back. For the price ($92.00), is the best value on the market by far.
Rated 4 out of 5
mike4 (verified owner)–
I’m blown away at how much better Holman premium Bibles have gotten!
Since the CSB has been in print I have owned two other premium versions from Holman. They have in my opinion produced a far superior premium Bible with this verse by verse addition.
The goat skin leather cover is hands down the best cover I have ever seen on a CSB Bible from Holman. They have greatly improved the paper they use and I am grateful that they have come up with a verse by verse text block that is incredibly usable for the pulpit and enjoyable to sit and read. I do like that they have done as others have done by putting the verse numbers in red while the text is in black. This is very helpful when finding your place in the pulpit. They also have gone with a more modern design by putting the references in the bottom right corner while adding translation notes at the bottom of the page underneath a fine red line. I find little details like the small flower graphic at the beginning of each new book of the Bible to be a nice touch and a great reminder of the beauty that is found in the word of God. The outside margins offer just enough space to jot down a quick note. They have included a very nice concordance in the back and their maps are not on glossy paper! Although the ribbons are as thin as those used by Crossway they have included three of them in black, gold and red and that is a very nice touch.
There are certainly some minor things that could be improved upon like the gold printing on the spine which is not crisp and is slightly smudged and/or rubbing off already with only a couple days of use. That is not a huge concern to me because of all of the other major improvements that they have made in this addition. This certainly is not as premium as a Schuyler however it is hands down a better built Bible then the last couple of so-called premium Bibles that I have purchased from Crossway. It is strange for me to say this but I think Crossway could learn a thing or two about constructing a premium Bible from Holman.
All in all this is a wonderful Bible that I would recommend to anyone looking for an easy to read Bible that also lends itself very well to pulpit ministry or simply following along with your Pastor if they teach verse by verse. Great improvements by Holman!
Rated 1 out of 5
BenGreenwald (verified owner)–
I was very disappointed with mine. I would leave pictures if I were able to. All pages prior to and into the book of Genesis were smith sown well above the traditional binding area. When reading these pages it pulls the pages way off kilter.
Rated 5 out of 5
Eric Smith (verified owner)–
Dollar for dollar the best value Bible I own. I can’t really add to what has already been said. The goatskin leather is beautiful, but yes I did smell the smell that everyone smells at first, but that has left in the couple of weeks that I’ve owned it. This thing is very much comparable to my Schuyler ESV. I love this Bible, and for less than $100 the value can’t be beat. Check out the CSB website to learn about their translation philosophy, it is impressive. The 2020 update seems legit, but if you like to listen while someone reads, the differences might throw you off. Anyhow, highly recommended, by me at least.
Rated 4 out of 5
Michael –
This is a well made bible in very nice goatskin binding. It’s Smyth sewn and nice 36gsm paper. The elephant in the room is its smell; it smells like chemicals and not the normal nice leather smell. Hopefully it will subside and others on Facebook have made this same observation but the first time I’ve came across a bible smelling like this.
Rated 5 out of 5
gary johnson (verified owner)–
My favorite bible I’ve ever owned. Real goatskin is wonderful. 3 ribbons is a plus. The font is a good size for my ok eyes. Verse by verse has always been my favorite. I’m glad it is also all black ink, no red letter. Perfect for both study and preaching. The overall size isn’t as big and clumsy as others I’ve owned. I enjoy the CSB version. But still use my ESV at times.
Rated 4 out of 5
Steve Spencer (verified owner)–
I have had this Bible for over a week now—time enough to peruse and check things out. I agree with Christian Cotton as to everything he said except for the paper. Writing in the margins with my Pigma Micron 005 pens I have been disappointed by the shadowing on the other side of the page. The print, however, is line-matched and crystal clear–very readable to these aged eyes. There is no shadowing on the other side. Also there is good information at the footnotes at the bottom of each page–which is a real plus. I use the Zebra Zebrite yellow highlighter to highlight verses that hit me–and there is no problem there. I also underline with red 005 pens and still no problem–and so that is a real plus. I would hope they would add to the gsm on their next batch. That would make this the almost perfect Bible (if they would use a higher grade of goatskin as well). But regardless of these pitfalls the CSB IS an outstanding translation. Reminds me of the NASB but with a smoother and more readable style. I am glad that I purchased this Bible. Perhaps I can find some pens that will not shadow so much as the ones I am using.
Rated 5 out of 5
Christian Cotton (verified owner)–
Awesome Bible! I ordered the CSB verse by verse on the strength of customer reviews I had seen on social media and was not disappointed. For the price point I believe this Bible might be the best bang for the buck on the market. It isn’t on par with Schuyler or Allan as far as the goatskin is concerned, but for $100 it is a beautiful Bible. The paper is thick, the text is line matched, and the layout is wonderful. Highly recommended.
Rated 5 out of 5
Daniel Waycaster (verified owner)–
I wasn’t expecting too much from an inexpensive bible but I’m really surprised by the quality and portability. A very easy to read bible with line matching, great leather covering and sharp text. Paper is kinda thin but this is a thinline. I bought a couple to give away as gifts.
Rated 5 out of 5
Greg (verified owner)–
I truly think that for the price, this Bible can not be beat. If your in the market for an affordable Thinline, then this is a great option. Leather is very good for Genuine Leather. Bible lays flat after a little break-in. You can not go wrong buying this one!!!
Tyler Giesel (verified owner) –
This is my first premium Bible and I’m glad I picked it up. The leather is nice, soft, and supple. I’m a big fan of the CSB layout with the cross references at the bottom right of each page. The CSB box was slightly damaged on arrival and could have been a big issue, but there is just one small crease in the yapp that is already coming out. Overall I am very pleased with this Bible.
Wayne Williams (verified owner) –
Holman hit a grand slam with this one. The quality is on par with my Thomas Nelson Premier NKJV. Highly recommend this one.
Jim L Sanderson (verified owner) –
This review comes from the perspective of a preacher. First, the font is to die for. Upon opening it the font struck me as the most beautiful I had ever seen. Easy to read and enjoyable to the eyes. The verse by verse makes it easy to find your place when reading. The goatskin cover is better than people are saying. From other reviews, I had planned on getting it recovered in a better goatskin. But upon touching it, the cover is soft, comfortable and drapes perfectly over your hand. It lays flat on the pulpit. This Bible is sheer enjoyment. The only downside is that it is CSB version. I have no problem with using the CSB it is that no one else in my congregation uses it. So for me I will continue to use my NASB for study and prep and use my CSB for reading to get a different read on scripture and the wide margins, which are very good, for notes as I read. I love this Bible and recommend it highly. I do wish it had note pages in the back. For the price ($92.00), is the best value on the market by far.
mike4 (verified owner) –
I’m blown away at how much better Holman premium Bibles have gotten!
Since the CSB has been in print I have owned two other premium versions from Holman. They have in my opinion produced a far superior premium Bible with this verse by verse addition.
The goat skin leather cover is hands down the best cover I have ever seen on a CSB Bible from Holman. They have greatly improved the paper they use and I am grateful that they have come up with a verse by verse text block that is incredibly usable for the pulpit and enjoyable to sit and read. I do like that they have done as others have done by putting the verse numbers in red while the text is in black. This is very helpful when finding your place in the pulpit. They also have gone with a more modern design by putting the references in the bottom right corner while adding translation notes at the bottom of the page underneath a fine red line. I find little details like the small flower graphic at the beginning of each new book of the Bible to be a nice touch and a great reminder of the beauty that is found in the word of God. The outside margins offer just enough space to jot down a quick note. They have included a very nice concordance in the back and their maps are not on glossy paper! Although the ribbons are as thin as those used by Crossway they have included three of them in black, gold and red and that is a very nice touch.
There are certainly some minor things that could be improved upon like the gold printing on the spine which is not crisp and is slightly smudged and/or rubbing off already with only a couple days of use. That is not a huge concern to me because of all of the other major improvements that they have made in this addition. This certainly is not as premium as a Schuyler however it is hands down a better built Bible then the last couple of so-called premium Bibles that I have purchased from Crossway. It is strange for me to say this but I think Crossway could learn a thing or two about constructing a premium Bible from Holman.
All in all this is a wonderful Bible that I would recommend to anyone looking for an easy to read Bible that also lends itself very well to pulpit ministry or simply following along with your Pastor if they teach verse by verse. Great improvements by Holman!
BenGreenwald (verified owner) –
I was very disappointed with mine. I would leave pictures if I were able to. All pages prior to and into the book of Genesis were smith sown well above the traditional binding area. When reading these pages it pulls the pages way off kilter.
Eric Smith (verified owner) –
Dollar for dollar the best value Bible I own. I can’t really add to what has already been said. The goatskin leather is beautiful, but yes I did smell the smell that everyone smells at first, but that has left in the couple of weeks that I’ve owned it. This thing is very much comparable to my Schuyler ESV. I love this Bible, and for less than $100 the value can’t be beat. Check out the CSB website to learn about their translation philosophy, it is impressive. The 2020 update seems legit, but if you like to listen while someone reads, the differences might throw you off. Anyhow, highly recommended, by me at least.
Michael –
This is a well made bible in very nice goatskin binding. It’s Smyth sewn and nice 36gsm paper. The elephant in the room is its smell; it smells like chemicals and not the normal nice leather smell. Hopefully it will subside and others on Facebook have made this same observation but the first time I’ve came across a bible smelling like this.
gary johnson (verified owner) –
My favorite bible I’ve ever owned. Real goatskin is wonderful. 3 ribbons is a plus. The font is a good size for my ok eyes. Verse by verse has always been my favorite. I’m glad it is also all black ink, no red letter. Perfect for both study and preaching. The overall size isn’t as big and clumsy as others I’ve owned. I enjoy the CSB version. But still use my ESV at times.
Steve Spencer (verified owner) –
I have had this Bible for over a week now—time enough to peruse and check things out. I agree with Christian Cotton as to everything he said except for the paper. Writing in the margins with my Pigma Micron 005 pens I have been disappointed by the shadowing on the other side of the page. The print, however, is line-matched and crystal clear–very readable to these aged eyes. There is no shadowing on the other side. Also there is good information at the footnotes at the bottom of each page–which is a real plus. I use the Zebra Zebrite yellow highlighter to highlight verses that hit me–and there is no problem there. I also underline with red 005 pens and still no problem–and so that is a real plus. I would hope they would add to the gsm on their next batch. That would make this the almost perfect Bible (if they would use a higher grade of goatskin as well). But regardless of these pitfalls the CSB IS an outstanding translation. Reminds me of the NASB but with a smoother and more readable style. I am glad that I purchased this Bible. Perhaps I can find some pens that will not shadow so much as the ones I am using.
Christian Cotton (verified owner) –
Awesome Bible! I ordered the CSB verse by verse on the strength of customer reviews I had seen on social media and was not disappointed. For the price point I believe this Bible might be the best bang for the buck on the market. It isn’t on par with Schuyler or Allan as far as the goatskin is concerned, but for $100 it is a beautiful Bible. The paper is thick, the text is line matched, and the layout is wonderful. Highly recommended.
Daniel Waycaster (verified owner) –
I wasn’t expecting too much from an inexpensive bible but I’m really surprised by the quality and portability. A very easy to read bible with line matching, great leather covering and sharp text. Paper is kinda thin but this is a thinline. I bought a couple to give away as gifts.
Greg (verified owner) –
I truly think that for the price, this Bible can not be beat. If your in the market for an affordable Thinline, then this is a great option. Leather is very good for Genuine Leather. Bible lays flat after a little break-in. You can not go wrong buying this one!!!