CEB Common English Bible Gift & Award Black Red Letter Edition Misc. Supplies – February 18, 2014

I purchased this Bible because I wanted a copy of this new translation. It was recommended by my seminary professors and a number of pastors I know. The translation is striking! This translation catches the idioms of the original languages so you understand not just the words but how they would have been heard by the original listeners. Some familiar texts are different, of course, but they are intriguing more than jarring. Here is a bit from John, chapter 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.2 The Word was with God in the beginning.3 Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being.What came into being4 through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people.5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.The poetry of the original remains, but there is a new clarity to the words. Many modern language Bibles are really paraphrases of other translations, like The Message. (The Message is terrific, but I want to be clear about what it is.) The CEB is a new translation drawn from the original languages, and the direct translation brings integrity and authority to the text. I have found that reading different translations help us deepen our understanding of the Bible, and this is an excellent addition to whatever translation might be your favorite.Now about THIS CEB Bible. In addition to personal use, I will be using this copy in leading worship, and the hardcover book is beautiful. The softly mottled brown is a lovely color the copper accent shines, and there is a cool texture to the cover. I chose this large print to get a nice size font for public reading and when it arrived I found there is plenty of space between the lines as well--very easy on the eyes! The pages are thin, but there is very little bleed through. On pages where the verses are arranged in poetry form you can see a little gray shadow from the text on the other side, but it is very light and you can't make out any letters, so it doesn't affect readability.I think this is a beautiful book, inside and out. I highly recommend it!

I wasn't even aware that this translation was in the making. What a pleasant surprise to come across it!As a progressive Christian, I have always used the NRSV as my go-to translation. Widely used by moderate biblical scholarship and a pillar for most mainline/liberal/progressive churches, it is a translation of high value.The philosophy of the NRSV was to straddle the middle of the road. It aimed to be literal enough for "serious" bible study yet readable enough for the common person. I think it did a great job on that score. Yet it always has had a stiltedness to it, due to its predecessor, the even more "literal" RSV.The CEB is a very welcome new translation. Its readability is superior to the NRSV for the average reader. Its scholarship is based on a very qualified group of moderate, theologically diverse biblical scholars. What I have read, so far, seems not to have sacrificed any accuracy to its readability.Previously, I have complimented the NRSV, for my own use, by using the New Living Translation, a competent evangelical translation, that is absolutely fantastic for reading the Bible in large chunks at a time. The NLT is fluid, elegant in its simplicity, and as transparent as a crystal-clear lake.Now, I think the CEB, when its final version comes out (2011?), will take the NLT's place for me and what I would take with me to church or Bible study and grab to just plain read.Let me be clear, the CEB does not provide much of the sometimes brilliant translation work of, say, the older New English Bible or the Jerusalem Bible. Sometimes, these kind of translations enabled one to see Bible verses in fresh, provocative, new ways. The CEB, however, is much more workman-like and almost pedestrian. However, it is far more consistent and reliable to these translations, while remaining very easy to read.My final comment is folks, its time to realize that Bible reading may be best served by moving to electronic readers like the Kindle or iPad. From highlighting verses, making notes, to quick navigation (esp. the iPad), to saving trees, this is a great way forward. Amazon provides a Kindle version of the CEB NT that you can access both from your Kindle or iPad. For $4 how can you go wrong?

great product/ as advertised

I waited for about three weeks, but I got beautiful one today!

The navigation problems with this book have now been put right. It includes a table of contents and links to individual chapters for each book of the Bible. The CEB is one of my favourite translations and to have the books in Vulgate order is a real plus.

Beautiful children's bible it's very informative and the explanations alongside the pictures are really good the best parts of this bible are the front cover its holographic picture is really cool and makes the bible fun and understandable to read

awesome