I think I’m getting old. The first thing that tipped me off was that I was discovering a growing disdain for any music that I didn’t listen to in high school. Next came my desire for an increase in the analogue-watches, pens, pencils, and books. All these things could easily be replaced with digital versions, but now, I have an appreciation of holding something truly exquisite, truly exceptional in my hands. Fast forward a year or two and I’m holding the most premium Book I’ve ever held in my life- Crossway’s ESV Preaching Bible.
Recently, I’ve transformed the way I approach Bible study. For the first time in my life, I’ve consistently been reading the Word for over a year, and I’ve been reaping the benefits in almost every area of life. While I haven’t read the ESV exclusively, Crossway’s various ESV editions have been invaluable to helping me understand the Scriptures in a way that is accurate, concise, and orthodox.
Taking this into consideration, the people over at Crossway have graciously sent over a copy of their black goatskin Preaching Bible for review. A huge thank you to Crossway for this opportunity and their generosity.
The Build Of The Preaching Bible
I’ve never held a book like this one in my entire life. I know that sounds hyperbolic, but it’s not. Removing the Bible from it’s box, I couldn’t help but run my fingers over every inch of the goatskin leather cover. The front is plain, no text. The spine has golden lettering.
A very understated, solemn exterior that contains the most important words ever recorded. As with many ESV Bibles, this edition comes with a lifetime guarantee for defects with a promise to replace the Bible with an edition of equal or greater value. I’m not sure you’ll need to cash in on that- the quality here is A+.
Looking at the exposed pages yields another treat. Rose-gold colors shimmer along the edge of every page creating a truly stunning display as the pages are turned and flipped. I’ve never seen a color quite like this lining a Bible before. They truly chose to make this Bible very unique.
The words of God are printed on high-quality paper in 10-point type that makes reading this single-column easy to read, even at a distance. The words appear clear and crisp on the page, and finding your spot on the page is quite easy.
The Purpose
As its name suggests, the Preaching Bible is made for…preaching. It’s meant to lay on a pulpit and be easily read, referenced, and browsed. When opening the Bible and laying it on the table, it opens as flat as it can get. You’ll notice there are section headings and chapter and verse numbers, but no commentary or cross references, only sporadic footnotes.
This is not a study Bible. It is build for preaching and reading, keeping the text in the forefront. If you are looking to dive deeper in personal study of the Word, there are plenty of other editions to choose from that will meet that need.
However, you don’t need to be a preacher to appreciate this edition. While study Bibles can be invaluable tools in our daily devotional process, there is much to reading and absorbing God’s Word without the distractions, relying on the Spirit to help you understand the text before turning to outside commentaries and study Bibles. I’d highly recommend this approach to reading and studying Scripture.
Conclusion
The ESV Preaching Bible is one splendid piece of craftsmanship. Crossway’s commitment and devotion to God’s word is remarkable and put on prominent display in this edition. While not for everyone, this Bible would make a great addition to both personal and pastoral libraries alike. The main takeaway from reviewing this edition is read the Word, love the Word. That’s something we can all get behind.
Check out more about the ESV Preaching Bible here.
Stveve says
Hi Jesse, Thanks for writing this review. I’ve looked at several reviews of this particular bible. I haven’t been particularly impressed with any of the reviews on Youtube. I took a really close look at the photos you posted in this review, and quite frankly, I was sorely disappointed at what I saw. The finish of the binding leaves a lot to be desired. I recently acquired a Heritage Legacy bible, (Royal Jongbloed edition), and the Chinese effort on the Preacher Bible doesn’t seem to come even close to the Dutch edition in quality of print and binding. After I received my Legacy bible, I thought that I might have been better served by the 10 pt Lexicon type in the Preacher’s Bible, but looking at what I’ve seen, I’ll be more than happy with what I have. If ever Crossway publishes the Preacher’s Bible through Royal Jongbloed, I’ll certainly be in the market for one, but I’ll never buy a Chinese edition.