ESV Personal Reference Bible (TruTone, Brown/Walnut, Portfolio Design)

The media could not be loaded. Just got this delivered within the hour so I’m still exploring it and ensuring there is no pages missing, understanding the layout etc.bible itself is beautiful, clean and fresh. I love the extra space on the side for notes/placing tabs etc.the Words of Christ are true red (not pink like some bibles).Words aren’t too big but aren’t small. Comfortable size.My only little issue is I noticed Is that all the pages I have Attempted to open up to inspect are stuck together. lol!! See video.I’m not mad but I actually think it’s funny lol.Idk if this is an “ESV” thing because this always happens with ESV’s but hasn’t happened with any other Bible translations (… and I have Several).The explanations are clear in regards to how to use the ESV references/footnotes etcOverall I am very pleased!

Excellent Bible, quality construction and best price! Many study resources: concordance, accurate explanatory notes, cross references, subject index, sound theology and doctrine, more. Excellent quality construction, smyth-sewn binding, printing, quality paper, more. The best

This review (October 2024) is for the Crossway ESV Wide Margin Reference TruTone Bible. I had tried a number of local stores to try and find a copy of this Bible so that I could see and feel it in person, but no one local to me carried it. After a year of reading reviews and watching videos I finally ordered it. I opted for the TruTone version because it was less expensive and because I wanted to test this Bible with my note taking and highlighting. So let me compare this against the Crossway Bibles that I have experience with. Their ESV Journaling Study Bible in TruTone is much softer and floppy/bendable. This Wide Margin version is stiffer. Not a plus or minus, just an observation. This version also is one solid color where as the Journaling Study Bible is two colors.Now let me address the main questions and that is the typeface, paper, and margins. The Journaling Study Bible is 7.5, the Wide Margin Reference is 9. That was one of the main reasons I had been wanting this Bible was the larger font. I use 1.0 Reader Glasses and the 7.5 while readable would still be a slight challenge after a long day of looking at a computer screen. The t9 point font is much nicer.The paper is thicker/heavier than the Journaling Study Bible. There is one YouTube video that compares the Crossway Wide Margin with a Cambridge Wide Margin and his conclusion is the Crossway paper is heavier/thicker. I would say the paper is similar to the Thomas Nelson NKJV Single Column Wide Margin Reference Bible. I write all of that to simply say this paper is meant for note taking. Yes there is ghosting, but much less so than in the Journaling Study Bible that I have. Please note that I use the Pigma Micron 01 and 005 pens and no I've not tested any other pens mainly because I started with them and have stayed with them. I am still using the same set I purchased a year ago with no indication that they are wearing out, so the initial price for me was worth it. Also the weight of the paper lends itself to less crinkling of pages as you flip through them.The Bible is two column with one inch margins on both side. Now the inside margin (writing space) is slight more and that is due to Crossway moving the text outward toward the edge providing a true inch of writable space. This was one of the reasons I was leaning toward this Bible for so long. I have space to write next to the individual scripture. In the Journaling Study Bible you have two column text with a two inch margin on the outside which results in notes written away from the scriptures which are in the inside column. Neither method is right or wrong, just two different layouts.My final thoughts are I really do like this Bible due to everything above. I still like the Journaling Study Bible, but had I started with this one I would probably go ahead and get the ESV Study Bible as a complementary piece. As for the TruTone cover, I have no long term experience with it. I think one of the reviewers here on Amazon showed his as being worn out after ten years and suggested that you go ahead and purchase the real leather version. From a cost perspective I can see both sides and that is something that as an individual you will have to decide. For me I wanted to test the format out on the less expensive version and then after a year or so decide if I want to purchase the leather version or just have this one rebound.I know this review has been long, but I hope it has been helpful as I tried to address the main points/issues that I had when I was researching this particular Bible.

For people who love using wide margin bibles, but have a limited budget, this one is perfect! For less than $50 you get nice, even, 1” margins around very crisp and nicely sized bold font. The paper is 36 GSM which is a fantastic thickness for writing notes, without being thick to the point of making the Bible too unwieldy. It also has a very complete and helpful reference suite, which they have wisely placed at the bottom right of every page, making for very clutter free and clean looking pages. The Tru-tone cover is nice looking and feels soft. Of course, it will not look nice for as long as the top-grain leather one will, but it’s half the cost! I will probably upgrade to the top-grain version as soon as I am able to, because I love this edition so much!

The best layout I’ve ever experienced. The margins are extra wide, which helps me focus and not get overwhelmed while reading. The font is clean, paper thickness is just right, and the leather feels high quality. 10/10 would recommend.

Very attractive and well made Bible for the price.The translation is very good in places and questionable in others, as is the case with most versions.

I was looking for a daily carry Bible. This one is small enough with references and single column so you can read it easier.

I usually use the same bible until it falls apart at the seams. In January 2019, I started a new year long bible study and thought that a new bible would be a good idea for the new study. I spent about an hour and a half at a local Lifeway store to pick the one I wanted. I had no idea how picky I was with bibles! Haha! I originally thought I wanted a journaling bible, but eventually decided against it. I picked this bible for the following reasons:1. It is a reference bible2. The words of Jesus are in red. (I wouldn't have thought this would have been a big deal to me - but it was)3. The paper is not "see-through" thin and I'm able to write with a gel pen and gel highlighter without it bleeding through.4. The margins are both sides of the page, even on the inside. I hope that makes sense. Most journaling bibles only have extra space to write on the outside margins.5. The font is perfect for me. In my research, I found that most journaling bibles have TINY font point sizes. If you wanted a large print bible, they were very large and sometimes, not even true 'large print'.6. This bible has a CONCORDANCE. Yes!!! One of those things I didn't think I'd want until it wasn't in most other bibles.I used to be a diehard NIV fan. My pastor preaches from the ESV version and I've grown to really like it's readability and how it is the closest translation from the original language.I have really enjoyed using this bible and look forward to using it as a tool to draw closer to Christ.