NASB Personal Size Reference Bible: Black, Bonded Leather, Giant Print

Overview - I would really give this bible a 4.5, and the reasons are as follows: A. Good things 1. The cross-reference system is excellent. It is the best I’ve seen in any bible, and I have 11 different bibles! 2. The translation is extremely accurate. Every version has their translation issues, but overall, this one is definitely recommended. It has word-for-word accuracy that is great for bible studies. 3. It has at the front of every book an introduction that is very brief giving basic info, but best of all, it has basic outlines of every book as well. 4. It doesn’t have any bible study notes at the bottom of the page. This is good because you don’t have opinions breathing down your neck. You are able to read the bible the way God wrote it. 5. It’s not heavy at all, as it measures in inches 5 7/8 x 8 ¾ x 1 1/2. It is great for carrying around. B. Not so Good Things (but not necessarily bad) 1. The Greek text of the 95 NASB is outdated by one edition. The reason for the new edition was that more Greek textual criticism has become available since 1995. I believe this would only benefit the word of God if the 95 NASB was updated again. Let me give you an example. It is kind of like when you buy a brand new car, never been driven. Well, it’s a great car and it has everything you’ve always wanted, but as soon as the new year comes around, a new and improved model of that same car comes out, but with more upgrades. And so while your car is still a great car, there is yet something better out there on the market. (Just a side note, the new ESV has the same translation principles as the NASB, but with smoother flowing English. It is easier to read (which creates its own problems, but overall very well done), and it is based on the most updated Greek texts available). 2. Words of Jesus are in red. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it does create some very minor problems. It must be noted that the original Greek texts don’t have Jesus’ words in red. It is purely a matter of translation opinion. Now most of the time it is very clear that Jesus is speaking, but some sayings are contributed to Jesus that he may not actually of said. Again, this is only minor, but most do offer black text only. I don’t know if this one does or not. 3. There are headings within the text telling you what is being discussed. These headings are not in the Greek or Hebrew, and therefore I don’t believe they should be in the English. These can be very misleading, especially to a brand new bible reader. The headings are merely opinion and they support theological beliefs that perhaps the bible doesn’t teach. Be aware! The bible is holy, and it should remain that way.