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Rating: 
Summary: A World Class Wide Margin Bible, Black Lettered Text
Review: A new standard for wide margins has been set. For once a bible publisher finally gets it right when it come to publishing a wide margin. The bible has 1.5 inch margin, one-column design, which reduces the need to write in the gutter. An easy to read type font and not that 8 font in most wide margin today. The type is a 10.5 font; in fact I asked the publisher and I inspected the bible at the bookstore on this font. Here are some other details of the bible... lines at the bottom of the page for additional note or journaling thoughts. The additional lines at the bottom are an outstanding idea and we should give that person a raise for getting this in the final bible product. There are also two ribbons for easy marking. No references which allows students of the bible to make there own notes. This bible out paces the NIV Wide Margin, Thompson Chain Wide Margin, NKJV Wide Margin, and the various KJV Wide Margin Bibles. I would say at this point the 2nd World Class Wide margin Bible is Charles Stanley's In Touch Ministries NASB Wide Margin Bible and the 3rd World Class daddy of them all for as a notetaking bible would be a good interleaved bible as the KJV Classic Note Bible. I would hope that the Bible publisher's would take a real hard look at the new standard in a wide margin bible. What are the negatives...each of us would find some negatives based on their own inspection. I personally would not used the NLT for serious study as well as using it as my note taking bible. But other than that I do not see any other negatives yet. Feel free to make your own judgement about this bible. I have talked to many publishers and they say to do wide margin cost them money and there is no real market for them. With many of us adults as well as our young people, being encouraged to take notes in church, I believe there is a need. Wake up publishers there is a new star in town with the right format for a wide margin. And good people out there, let our voices be heard for the other bible versions to follow suit in this format for a wide margin soon. Rodney
Rating: 
Summary: not "The Standard" for Wide-margins, but consider this...
Review: I would not say that Tyndale has set a "new standard" in terms of wide-margin Bibles. O, the extra writing space is nice, but the paper is still too thin to prevent bleed-through (although it is still better in that regards than many of the other wide-margin Bibles). Also, the bonded leather covering is just typical. But then again, this Bible does not cost very much. I just wish Tyndale Publishers would published this in "genuine" leather rather than the more flimsy "bonded" leather. As far as the NLT as a translation: There is some serious scholarship behind this translation. Indeed, many of the scholars who were involved in the production of this translation are top-notch in their respective areas of Biblical expertise. And while this translation is marketed and viewed as a Bible that appeals to "new (baby) Christians" or interested "seekers", in fact, it is on the cutting edge of translational and communication theory. While I think one's primary Bible should be of the more literal variety(NASB, ESV, NKJV, KJV), one needs to realize that "literal" translations have their own shortcomings and limitations. By their very nature, a literal translation can include only what is largely "explicit" in the text. It is not permitted to bring out much of the "implicit" information contained within the text (which thus leaves many passages and phrases very ambiquous--sometimes bordering on meaning-less). On the other hand, the NLT, as a "meaning-based" (i.e, dynamic equivalent) translation includes not only the information that is "explicit"; it also includes information that is "implicit." That is, it brings out many of the original-text nuances and information that is 'actually contained' within the text, (but information that simply cannot be expressed in translations that are based on a formal-equivalent theory of translation). So, don't think this is a Bible for "babies." True, I don't agree with EVERY interpretational decision of the NLT. But I don't agree with EVERY interpretational decision of the more literal translations as well. And on a personal level, I have found the NLT to be extremely insightful and a translation that does impact me the way the original likely impacted the earliest Christians. If you tend to define accuracy and faithfulness of the Biblical text in terms of word-for-word "literalness", I would challenge that assumption by saying that such a model of translation virtually "guarantees" distortion of both the text and the message within the pages of the Bible. As one who is fairly adept in New Testament Greek, I have been amazed by the way the NLT brings out both the 'explicit' as well as the 'implicit' information of a given passage (see John 1:1 in the NLT). Numerous times I have read a verse in the NLT and wondered to myself--"How did they come up with THAT translation"...only to discover after doing some digging into the text and context of the passge, the NLT rendering was, in fact, not only justified, but that their rendering reflected 'all' the information contained within the original-language text. Yes, this is not a "perfect" translation! The fact is, there ARE NO PERFECT TRANSLATIONS! The riches and depth of the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek simply cannot be transferred to another language without at least 'some' loss. We need to remember that the English Bibles we read are NOT the Word of God, but rather--They are 'TRANSLATIONS' of the Word of God! (ponder that). The NLT has much to offer. So let's keep our more literal translations close at hand...But let's 'supplement' them with translations that are based on alternate ways and philosophies of translation. As one wise professor once told me--"Eat the watermellon and spit out the seeds." The NLT does have some "seeds"...but so does EVERY other English "translation." The best of all options is to take the time and expend the energy to learn the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek). Until then, realized that we are blessed to have the option of having numerous outstanding English translations. By using the more "literal" translations alongside a good "meaning-based" translation (such as the NLT) one's understanding of and appreciation for God's word will be immeasurably increased.
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