Rating: 
Summary: Part of a long time tradition: The Cambridge Bible
Review: After my old NIV Study Bible fell apart, I wanted to look for a new Bible, one which would last more than 5 years. I found this one, but was turned off by it's very high price - as I am sure you are now. What justifies the high price?First, we'll start inside, with the pages themselves. The text, though smallish, is very readable, and made more so by the extra wide margins. The font is a good size, and the footnotes and cross reference notes do not hinder reading in any way. The cross reference system is good, though not exhaustive. There is also a small and handy concordance. But, like the cross reference system, the concordance is not exhaustive. Second, the quality of the binding is superb. The pages are just the right opacity so that you do not see the words on the other side. Also, the ribbons are generous, and of a good material - and there are two ribbons - one for the Old Testament, one for the New Testament. The pages are double stitched for longevity. And, lastly, the leather used in this Bible is without equal. It has a wonderful feel, grain, and smell. It has far better leather than any other leather bound Bible I have ever seen. The bottom line is: this is the best Bible that money can buy that I know of. If you have the money, I highly reccomend this Cambridge Bible - it will last a couple of lifetimes.
Rating:
Summary: Great Bible for note-takers.
Review: Finally! I have been looking for some time for a wide-margined Bible which I can use to take notes during sermons and study times. I have several study Bibles that have and will continue to serve me well, but I am using this one to mark up and notate. The text is large and is single column, which I find helpful when making margin notes. The words of Christ are in red, which I also like. There are footnotes, but no cross references. I will continue to use my Thompson Chain Reference Bible for that. I highly recommend this very straightforward Bible.
Rating:
Summary: A great back to the basics Bible
Review: For those wanting to avoid today's popular study Bibles and focus on content this is a great choice. I purchased this Bible primarily because of the calfskin leather binding (which will probably outlast me) and the ample note taking space. I found the cross-reference system to be oustanding and the maps are large and very legible. In the Gospels I was pleasantly suprised to find parallel passage references under paragraph headings(what a great idea). This Bible is a great tool for individualized Bible study.
Rating:
Summary: A great back to the basics Bible
Review: For those wanting to avoid today's popular study Bibles and focus on content this is a great choice. I purchased this Bible primarily because of the calfskin leather binding (which will probably outlast me) and the ample note taking space. I found the cross-reference system to be oustanding and the maps are large and very legible. In the Gospels I was pleasantly suprised to find parallel passage references under paragraph headings(what a great idea). This Bible is a great tool for individualized Bible study.
Rating:
Summary: An awesome presentation of the most popular book of all time
Review: If you are looking for a Bible to use every day for the rest of your life, you might consider the hundred dollars or so for this one to be a modest investment. I love the real leather binding and the wide margins make reading easier on the eyes. There is also no red lettering -- only black -- which makes the narratives read more smoothly. A very cool Bible.
Rating:
Summary: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WAS ADVERTISED
Review: NIV Wide Margin Reference Bible (US) Black calfskin art gilt edges NIVWM207
This picture is misleading. I guess I should have noticed the description said "black". I believed from this image that this was going to be the cover w/a soft suede-like pinkish leather.What came is a really nice black leather with simple gold letters on the cover. There is a page where you can write an inscription (surrounded by a printed "frame"). The edges are gold leaf. I just thought you should know this if looking for a gift. The leather is nicer than that on my leather chair. Good feel, should hold up nicely. I was looking for an heirloom quality bible, and thought the description/picture of this was nice. I am actually more pleased with the simplicity of the bible I received than what is shown.
The interior is the same as the example. The text shows through from the back a bit, but not as bad as I have seen before. Will probably get a "special pen" for notetaking. I actually ordered three bibles.
One was a chronological organization-- this was just for my own study so I can get times organized in my head.
The One Year Chronological Bible [Paperback]
By: Tyndale House
I also ordered a paperback copy of Zondervan NIV Study Bible, Personal Size [Paperback]
as this has lots and lots of notes (archeological/historical/contextual)--which I like to enhance the experience. If they would have had this in a wide-margin high quality version, that is what I would have chosen.
This, the third bible, I chose to pass on to children or a niece after I pass. I plan to take notes in the margins as I am always writing on the programs at church. Now, I can write in the margins. The margins are almost equally spaced all the way around (so you get the top and the bottom). Also I like to interact with the text. This also has a verse referencing system in the center. Read a few pages and it will not bother you any more.
If they made one bible that had everything I wanted, I am afraid it would be too inconvenient to transport. This bible is a manageable size, and until I get a cover for it I will put it in the (sales) box it came in which seems pretty sturdy.
When shopping for a bible, consider what you are looking to do with it, how you study best, how you can interact with the text, also what version and quality you want. I upgraded from an off the shelf paperback from a used bookstore. The binding is frayed and broken.
This time I decided I wanted something that would last. This is excellent quality. Some bibles I also consider that are available in a "good" quality leather: Zondervan NIV Wide Margin Bible but the width of the one column format was so wide that my eyes lost tracking after awhile. I also considered Zondervan's Quest Bible, which had some ample margin space, but after reading some of the interpretive answers to questions, found that there was too much speculation that is not scripturally supported. I am gaining discernment; but if I do pass this along someday to a child or grandchild, I don't want them to be mislead. I recommend getting a bible, that, if anything is added, is only historical or contextual information to give a framework to the writing. Editors, in my opinion, should not be giving interpretation and moralizing as this is dangerous. Inside the bible is not the place to do that. I can't remember chapter and verse where it warns about this, but it is somewhat of a concern.
My husband pointed out that the cost of this bible which will most likely last the rest of my life and perhaps my grandchild's? life is really very small. The paperbacks will wear out in a few years if you are using them and toting them around. This bible will last.
Rating:
Summary: Great Bible for note-takers.
Review: This Bible is without a doubt the best Bible I've ever owned in my entire life. I previously owned a Life Application Bible and quickly grew tired of looking for the Scripture among all of the notes. It was not uncommon to have 5 lines of scripture on a page, and the rest taken up by notes. This Bible adds none of that. No notes cluttering up your pages. Ample note taking space, which is wonderful for jotting down thoughts and questions and reviewing later. The cross reference system is wonderful; you are able to follow a word trail all throughout the Bible. This has been a "spiritual treasure hunt" many a time for me, and I find the result always rewarding. It has a concordance in the back, and although it's hardly exhaustive, it is helpful in most cases. Also, the maps are helpful and well rendered. The leather binding is superb. Over time it softens into very beautiful leather. Overall, I highly recommend this Bible. It will outlast you!
Rating:
Summary: No frills, no nonsense Bible
Review: This Bible is without a doubt the best Bible I've ever owned in my entire life. I previously owned a Life Application Bible and quickly grew tired of looking for the Scripture among all of the notes. It was not uncommon to have 5 lines of scripture on a page, and the rest taken up by notes. This Bible adds none of that. No notes cluttering up your pages. Ample note taking space, which is wonderful for jotting down thoughts and questions and reviewing later. The cross reference system is wonderful; you are able to follow a word trail all throughout the Bible. This has been a "spiritual treasure hunt" many a time for me, and I find the result always rewarding. It has a concordance in the back, and although it's hardly exhaustive, it is helpful in most cases. Also, the maps are helpful and well rendered. The leather binding is superb. Over time it softens into very beautiful leather. Overall, I highly recommend this Bible. It will outlast you!
Rating:
Summary: Cambridge outdoes itself with this thick-cloth binding!
Review: This edition of the NIV Wide Margin Edition is extremely suitable as a gift and well worth the price even for yourself. The deep maroon color and the matching ribbon are both very beautiful. The cloth binding is very thick and feels like cloth, so much so that the book cannot slip out of your hands like most smoother cloth bindings. As far as the content features of this edition, the margins are wide. The print is not too small. The references are the best for any Bible. NIV's cross-reference system almost makes a concordance redundant, because it is so complete. If you're bored with the sermon you're hearing, this Bible makes it easy to do a personalized study by following the cross references. And, unlike the NIV Study Bible, you are not confronted with commentary that is printed more attractively than the text!
Rating: 
Summary: great bible for general use
Review: This is a great bible for general use. It has plenty of space for taking notes. I have started writing down questions that arise as I read to be answered later. The size is not to big, unlike most wide margin bibles that are huge. I like the red letter for Christ's spoken words. If there was a NASB version it would be the perfect bible.
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