by Evie Polsley, Bible Team Marketing Coordinator
It was pink, slim, and had a snap to keep the front and back covers closed. I will never forget the first Bible my mom and dad gave me when I made the decision to follow Jesus at 7 years old. It is still a prized possession, and I gave it to my daughter when she turned 9 years old and asked for a Bible of her own.
Though I’ve just started down the road of my “middle” years, the variety of Bibles available has greatly increased since I held that pink Bible in my hands. What hasn’t changed is the beauty that emulates from the text of God’s Word to us.
Picking out a Bible can be overwhelming. There are notes, wide margins, coloring options, devotionals, and etc.—so many features. But even if you just want a Bible without any additional features, the choices can still seem daunting.
Here are a few questions we think might be helpful when choosing a text Bible.
- Determine which translation to go with (we are partial to the NLT, but there are lots of great English translations available).
- Is this a Bible that will travel with you or stay at home?
- What’s the smallest font or print size that you can comfortably read?
- What materials do you prefer when handling the Bible? A hardcover is great for a stay-at-home library edition, while genuine leather feels like a fine pair of driving gloves that you want to use wherever you happen to be. LeatherLikes are great alternatives as they have the feel of leather without the associated higher price.
- Bibles come in a variety of colors now, so it is likely that you will find just the right Bible that fits your personal taste. And now there are even options to create your own cover. (Want to know more about custom covers? Check out Cover Expressions.)
Whether it’s your first or 51st, a Bible of your own is a wonderful opportunity to grow closer to God. We’d love to hear stories about important Bible moments in your life. Please share in the comments.
Looking for some examples of differences in text Bibles? Click on the images to learn more about each one.
I would love a large print pew Bible for my church. The current pew Bible you offer is 8-font and is too small a print for a number of people in my church. If Zondervan can offer at 12-font NIV pew Bible, why not you?
I will pass this along to the Bible development team. Thank you for reaching out!
I love the NLT
My parents were Christians they took us to church every Sunday they gave us bibles as they found new versions. I understood God’s love and Jesus sacrifice for me personally when I was 17 years old. That’s when I really had an interest in reading on my own. Someone gave me a small green Gideon bible. It was my treasure that I put in my back pocket. I took it everywhere, especially out in the back fields with me. I was so close to God out there.
Need a study bible for my sister who is blind in one eye and in a nursing home. Large font and soft cover.
I am exploring the possibility of getting this for her birthday in June.
Nor ready to purchase yet.
The Swindoll Study Bible is available in large print but not sure how large of print she would need. You can reach out to our customer service department at csresponse@tyndale.com or another idea might be an app. The Swindoll Study Bible is available through our Tyndale Bibles app.
Give me an app I can use on mycell, tablet or laptop, android or chrome.
Make it as versatile as https://www.biblestudytools.com without ads or BS common taters and clickbait ads.
All our apps are available through the Tyndale Bibles app.
I’ve been a Christian for as long as I can remember. I grew up in church, went to a private Christian School through elementary, but I’m ashamed to admit this next part. I lost/misplaced a couple of Bibles from moves etc. After graduating high school, I don’t think I even moved my Bible to my dorm room with me. So needless to say, I drifted from God through my 20’s. Then, after getting married and having my first child I started to attend church again. I started building my relationship with Him again. My husband had a Bible so I would read his. I finally bought my own Bible!! After receiving it, I took it and showed it to my mom and she talked about its beauty, and we talked about the distinct sound of a Bibles pages turning. The next day, or the next, she passed away suddenly. But I am forever grateful for one of our last conversations-that without a doubt happened because of Him. This is a Bible I will always cherish, and will be the first thing I move and will go every where with me.
Such a beautiful memory! Thank you for sharing!
About 20 years ago I went to a three day Silent Retreat. The last day there was a Mass. My second cousin and her husband were just attending the Mass. I didn’t know they were going to go and they didn’t know I was going to be there. At the end of the Mass they bought a Jerusalem Bible and gave it to me. I was very happy to receive it. When I was in junior high all the kids in my classroom had that Bible and I had a different one and I wanted to have the same Bible they had. When we read the Bible in the classroom mine didn’t exactly match the other students. So I finally got my Jerusalem Bible in my early thirties. I also like it because it’s small and very portable. It’s on my bedside table and I read it every morning when I pray. My cousin died about a month ago (she was a very kind Christian) and in the funeral I told her husband about that Bible and how much it has meant to me throughout the years.
Another Bible that I like is the Beyond Suffering Bible. I had been wanting to purchase it for some time but I didn’t. One day Tyndale had a contest for the Bible and I won one of them. It’s a leather special edition Bible. I was so grateful that I won that Bible because I had wanted to get it for a long time and I won it in a contest!
This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing! The Beyond Suffering Bible has been such a wonderful help to me as well. Thanks again!
Interesting. I expected help on considering paraphrase vs. translation, reliability of text based on research, THEN recommendations on style (i.e., color, font size, bound vs. paperback, etc.). Given our relativistic, postmodern day, it’d be good to focus on substance over style.
Thanks! We will keep this in mind for the future. If you are interested in translation difference a great book is “One Bible, Many Versions”
It’s not really possible to buy a bible online. You have to hold it in your hands, see the size of the font, feel the weight of the paper, experience the size of the bible and feel the cover. None of that happens online.
Hi:
Are these study bibles.
No these are text Bibles
I attended Bible study fellowship for many years and used the NLT Life application study bible for studying and preparing for class. It has been a great study bible.
I recently got a ESV study bible. I love this version! I had to get myself a non study version for church as I’d get carried away reading the notes and cross references. I also downloaded it on my electronic devices and now it goes everywhere with me.