Holy Bible: English Stanard Version, Thinline Cordovan Premium Calfskin

Rating:
Summary: Needs Some Work To Make It Great
Review: I bought this calfskin edition directly from Crossway Books (the publishers of the ESV) however I returned it the same day. This calfskin edition is lacking in so many areas. Let me give you the pros and cons of this edition.

PROS - First, The English Standard Version (ESV) is a great translation. It is an essentially literal translation and reads much better in its flow than the NASB while maintaining a literal translation unlike the NIV. Second, this is a calfskin leather Bible that feels great, smells like leather, and is small enough to easily take into the pulpit or in your briefcase.

CONS - First is that the words bleed through nearly the entire Bible especially in the gospels where the words of Christ are in red. Second, the paper used for the pages is not top quality Bible paper as in the Cambridge editions. Third, no cross references.

I would urge you to wait before buying this Bible until Crossway is able to correct these problems. A Crossway official e-mailed me and said they were a work in progress and that they are hoping to make the ESV a popular and beautiful Bible to buy. I hope so myself. May God be glorified in His Word!