Rating: 
Summary: A Beautiful, Elegant Bible
Review: Cambridge makes the best Bibles. No other publisher can compare
with the quality of their Bibles, not even Oxford. This edition
of the NRSV is elegant. It feels good and has a fairly good
print size. The NRSV has become the standard translation for
many churches and scholars around the world. It is an excellent
translation, but like all translations has some weaknesses. Do
not let the criticism of others deter you from
choosing this Bible. Again, all translations have weaknesses,
but the NRSV gets an A- from me, while the RSV gets an A+. If
the NRSV is your translation of choice (and it frequently is for
me) then buy this Bible.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful, Elegant Bible
Review: Cambridge makes the best Bibles. No other publisher can compare
with the quality of their Bibles, not even Oxford. This edition
of the NRSV is elegant. It feels good and has a fairly good
print size. The NRSV has become the standard translation for
many churches and scholars around the world. It is an excellent
translation, but like all translations has some weaknesses. Do
not let the criticism of others deter you from
choosing this Bible. Again, all translations have weaknesses,
but the NRSV gets an A- from me, while the RSV gets an A+. If
the NRSV is your translation of choice (and it frequently is for
me) then buy this Bible.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely Edition of the NRSV
Review: Cambridge Press puts out some of the loveliest Bibles around...they have been doing it for centuries! On the outside you have Black bonded leather, gold gilted edges and two ribbon markers, plus a double slip case, which makes it unique in itself. This durable edition is very readable, both print and language, with Cross-references, Footnotes, Glossary, Bible Maps and Presentation page. This edition includes all the Apocryphal/Deuterocannical Books and is becoming very popular in all denominations from Protestants to the Roman Catholic Church. (Yes, this is used offically in Canada and was also quoted from in the Cathechism of the RCC.) This version does have inclusive language and has a nice introduction which supports this approach. It is also the Bible version now most used in colleges for study. Worth every cent, I am pleased to own a copy which I know I will use frequently for myself as well as passing down to future generations! Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A Bible with no Rival
Review: I have just purchased this Bible and am more than pleased with it. Quality abounds from the durable binding to the art gilt pages and handsome calfskin leather. This is the Mercedes of Bibles!
The NRSV text is an excellent translation. Used widely in colleges and mainstream churches, it is the translation of choice for many critical biblical scholars because of its overall accuracy. Its gender inclusivity and elimination of archaic English (thee, thou etc.) are all a plus in my estimation.
I am very glad this edition does not have the words of Christ in red. Not only is red often harder to read, it is also very often poorly aligned to the adjacent black text. But more importantly it oversimplifies the whole process of how the gospels were shaped and written. The red text in red letter versions of the Bible are not the verbatim words of Jesus in many instances, as any synopsis of the gospels will show and can mislead in its simplisticness.
The inclusion of the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books is welcomed by me. If anyone is put off by that just think in terms of how helpful this material is in learning more about the cultural/ideological background of the Bible. Now you have a nice, readable version to study!
My only criticisms are minor. The typography could have been a bit better edited and perhaps the font size increased a tad. Page margins could have been a little wider for limited note making. Also, offering different colors of leather than just black would be nice.
But hey, those quibbles are nothing compared to the enjoyment I am going to have with this Bible! I will enjoy the quality of this Bible everytime I handle and breathe in its supple leather aroma.
Rating:
Summary: A Bible with no Rival
Review: I have just purchased this Bible and am more than pleased with it. Quality abounds from the durable binding to the art gilt pages and handsome calfskin leather. This is the Mercedes of Bibles!The NRSV text is an excellent translation. Used widely in colleges and mainstream churches, it is the translation of choice for most critical biblical scholars because of its overall accuracy. (Nice credentials!) Some stickler evangelicals may quibble about a few seeming unorthodox points of translation and its gender inclusivity but don't let that dissuade you from enjoying this great translation. I am very glad this edition does not have the words of Christ in red. Not only is red often harder to read, it also very often poorly aligned to the adjacent black text. (Look closely at any red letter Bible.) But more importantly it oversimplifies the whole process of how the gospels were formed. The red text in red letter versions of the Bible are not the verbatim words of Jesus as any synopsis of the gospels will show and can mislead in its simplisticness. The inclusion of the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books is welcomed by me. If you evangelicals are put off by that just think in terms of how helpful this material is in learning more about the cultural/ideological background of the Bible. Now you have a nice, readable version to study! My only criticisms are minor. I am a graphic designer and note that the justified text is a little loose in spots (word spacing too "gappy"). I am sure most people won't even notice. Also, oddly in the poetic sections (Psalms, for example) some lines contain only a word or two as though the previous line got broken off at the end of the sentence. Perhaps this is to follow the convention of the Hebrew, I wouldn't know for sure on that. Also, offering different colors of leather than just black would be nice. It does give it that nice religious look though! But hey, those quibbles are nothing compared to the enjoyment I am going to have with this Bible! I may not be able to afford a Mecedes but I'll enjoy the quality of this Bible everytime I handle and breathe in its supple leather aroma.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty nice, but somewhat inferior to other Cambridge bibles
Review: I'm not real crazy about the Swift 9pt font. It is not bold as advertised on the Cambridge catalog. I would have prefered the semi-bold that they use in a lot of the KJV. Paper is good. References are OK.
1 star deduction for font. I know this isn't fair, but another star deduction for the translation.
I wish that Cambridge would publish the RSVCE or even just RSV with Apoc or the Confraternity version of Douay-Rheims.
I find the gender inclusive language problematic in places, but not horrific - EXCEPT in the poetic writings.
I take issue with the paraphrasing and over interpretation packaged as enlightened scholarship. Not saying that it isn't, not qualified to comment on that; I just don't care for it.
I prefer some archaic language at least in the poetics for reverence and beauty.
However, if you prefer the gender inclusive language and have never been spoiled with a high quality Cambridge KJV, then this might be a 5 star for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding Quality but Deficient as a Gift
Review: The look, the feel, the smell, and every other characteristic of this book is of the highest quality. Unfortunately, I was looking for an heirloom book to give as a gift to a family member. Missing are a family history section and a concordance, two key features that have high value as a family bible. I was greatly disappointed in these omissions.
Rating:
Summary: An almost perfect Bible
Review: This is a beautiful Bible. It's just a few things short of being perfect; the pages seem to be slightly offset (the page edges on the right side don't look as straight as they could be), one of the ribbons is fraying slightly (easily fixable). Another thing I was disappointed in was the box that it came in; it didn't come in Cambridge's "A Cambridge Bible" double slipcase like pictured, but a gray case with a red ribbon-like pattern on it. I'm not a huge fan of the Apocrypha, but I don't mind it being in there.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome to the fine art of Bible Publishing
Review: When it comes to fine art of Bible publishing, Cambridge University Press has few rivals. Correct that. No rivals. This beautiful publication is one of the finest editions of the NRSV available - if you can afford the hefty cost. It stands in that wonderful old tradition of Bibles that one likes to handle and smell. Note it comes in either Bonded leather or Calf skin. What you get in exchange for your money is the following: the FINEST leather binding of any Bible in print; the text of the NRSV in an eminently readable and bold, though not oversized font; a comprehensive cross-reference system; and a useful glossary of biblical terms. The bible also comes in a handy and durable size. Few Bibles feel as good and look as good as this one. So if you are looking for a single copy of the Bible that will last a lifetime, this is the obvious choice. The only downside to this Bible is that it is only printed in an edition that contains the apocrypha, i.e. there is no purely "Protestant" version of the Cambridge NRSV Reference - at least not at this stage. If however, you see the apocrypha as useful, or if you don't mind its inclusion in your Bible, the logical thing to do would be to order a copy without delay. It's worth every cent.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome to the fine art of Bible Publishing
Review: When it comes to fine art of Bible publishing, Cambridge University Press has few rivals. This beautiful publication is one of the finest editions of the NRSV available. It stands in that old tradition of Bibles that one likes to handle and smell. Note it comes in either Bonded leather or Calfskin. What you get in exchange for your money is the following: the finest leather binding of any Bible in print; the text of the NRSV in an eminently readable and bold, though not oversized font; a comprehensive cross-reference system; and a useful glossary of biblical terms. The bible also comes in a handy and durable size. Few Bibles feel as good and look as good as this one. So if you are looking for a single copy of the Bible that will last a lifetime, this is the obvious choice.
The only downside to this Bible is that it is only printed in an edition that contains the apocrypha, i.e. there is no purely "Protestant" version of the Cambridge NRSV Reference - at least not at this stage. If however, you see the apocrypha as useful, or if you don't mind its inclusion in your Bible, the logical thing to do would be to order a copy without delay. It's worth every cent.
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