Lockman has just released the NASB 2020 Side Column Reference Bible in a Prime Edition and in Leathertex. This is a full-sized edition that’s great for all-around use. In this review, I’ll look at both editions. Both were printed in Korea.
Specs
- 2020 NASB
- Single-Column layout
- Side-Column reference
- Prime Edition goatskin leather
- Regular edition imitation leather
- Sewn binding
- 2 3/8″ ribbons
- 6.5 x 9.75 x 1 1/2″ overall size
- Around 2 lbs, 10 oz
- 32GSM paper
- Line matching text
- 10.5-point typeface
- OT quotes in all-caps
- 95k references
- Full set of footnotes
- Topical Index
- Study tools
- 8 maps
- Printed in Korea
- Current price Leathertex $47, Prime $210
Lockman provided these Bibles in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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This Bible is available at:
Lockman Foundation Store
Amazon
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Table of Contents
- Video Review
- Binding
- Paper
- Typography and Layout
- References
- Footnotes
- Tools
- Bible Atlas
- Comparisons
- Conclusion
Video Review
Binding
Both editions have two double-sided 3/8″ ribbons. They’re long enough to pull to the corner to open the Bible easily. The head/tail bands are black. The overall size is 6.5 x 9.75 x 1 1/2″. Let’s look closer at each cover.
Prime Edition
The cover on the Prime Edition is a dark brown goatskin. The grain is pebbly and natural. It has a semi-yapp (overhang) with perimeter stitching. This cover is soft and thick. It’s floppy, but not so floppy that it’s unwieldy. There is no printing on the front. The spine is squared and has 5 raised hubs and text that’s printed in gold. I like all shades of brown and this dark brown draws me.
The liner is edge-lined in cowhide. It includes a gold gilt line around the perimeter. The edge-lined tab isn’t too stiff. It stays fairly flat in Genesis 1 right out of the box. There are a few thick end sheets and presentation pages to give it structure. The text block is sewn. The page edges are art-gilt with red under gold. The ribbons are brown for the Old Testament and black for the New Testament. It weighs It weighs 2 lbs, 12.7 oz.
Imitation Leather
The imitation leather is blue Leathertex. It has a texture that looks similar to the goatskin of the Prime Edition. It has a little bit of color variation that stands out. I like the look and feel of this imitation leather. There is no printing on the front. The spine has 5 hub indications and a darker text that’s stamped into the cover.
The liner is paste-down vinyl. It has no trouble opening flat at the beginning of Genesis. The page edges are silver-gilted. The ribbons are dark blue for the Old Testament and black for the New Testament. It weighs 2 lbs, 9.9 oz.
Paper
The paper is 32gsm in the Prime edition. It’s slightly off-white, which is great for long periods of reading. It does have a little more show-through than I’d like, but it’s still readable and I don’t notice the show-through most of the time. There is no glare under direct light. The texture is smooth. It feels elegant and it’s easy to grab and turn. The Leathertex feels like 30gsm and is a touch brighter white.
Typography and Layout
The 2020 edition of the NASB text is presented in a single-column, verse-by-verse layout with poetry in stanzas and indented, lists in a list format, and OT quotes in the NT in all capitals. The text has a ragged right edge (meaning it’s not right-justified). Cross-references are placed in the outer margin at the top of the page and footnotes are placed at the bottom of the page. This leaves the middle of the outer margin empty for most pates, which can be used for notes. The header shows the book name, chapter, and verse numbers in the outer margin. Page numbers are in the outer margin of the footer. Section headings are in bolder print in italics.
The typeface is a 10.5-point, black letter. The print is dark and consistent throughout. There is enough space in the text to keep it from feeling cramped and make it easy to read. Verse numbers are large and bold, and stand apart from the text. They’re easy to find at a glance, making this text great for preaching and teaching. Bold verse numbers identify paragraphs. The text is line-matched, so the lines on both sides of the page are placed in the same location. This greatly reduces show-through.
It has around 12-14 words per line. Supplied words are printed in italics. Poetry is divided into good places and it’s balanced well. Cross-references and footnotes are keyed to the text with letters and numbers. They’re easy enough to see and I don’t find them too distracting. This text is excellent for reading and preaching.
References
The NASB Side Column Reference Bible has 95,000 cross-references. They’re placed in the outer margin, starting at the top with each main verse on one line. The main chapter and verse numbers are in bold so they’re easy to find. These are excellent for study and sermon prep. Here are a few example references to help you compare:
- Genesis 1:1 – Ps 102:25; Is 40:21; Jn 1:1, 2; Heb 1:10; Ps 89:11; 90:2; Acts 17:24; Rom 1:20; Heb 11:3; Job 38:4; Is 42:5; 45:18; Rev 4:11
- Deuteronomy 6:4 – Matt 22:37; Mark 12:29, 30; Luke 10:27; Deut 4:35, 39; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4; Eph 4:6
- Isaiah 9:6 – Isa 7:14; 11:1, 2; 53:2; Luke 2:11; John 3:16; Matt 28:18; 1 Cor 25:25; Is 22:22; Is 28; 29; Deut 10:17; Neh 9:32; Is 10:21; Is 63:16; 64:8; Is 26:3, 12; 54:10; 66:12
- Matthew 28:19 – Mark 16:15; Matt 13:52; Acts 1:8; 14:21; Matt 25:32; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 8:16; Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 1:13, 15; Gal 3:27
- Mark 12:29 – Deut 6:4
- John 1:1 – Gen 1:1; Col 1:17; 1 John 1:1; John 1:14; Rev 19:13; John 17:5; 1 John 1:2; Phil 2:6
- John 3:16 – Rom 5:8; Eph 2:4; 2 Thes 2:16; 1 John 4:10; Rev 1:5; Rom 8:32; 1 John 4:9; John 1:18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9; John 3:36; 6:40; 11:25
- Acts 2:38 – Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; 5:31; 20:21; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 16; 22:16;
- Romans 10:9 – Matt 10:32; Luke 12:8; Rom 14:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Phil 2:11; Acts 16:31; Rom 4:24; Acts 2:24
- 1 John 1:1 – John 1:1; 1 John 2:13, 14; Acts 4:20; 1 John 1:3; John 19:35; 2 Pet 1:16; 1 John 1:2; John 1:14; 1 John 4:14; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; John 1:1, 4
Footnotes
This edition has the full set of 14,000 translation footnotes. They’re placed in the outer margin starting from the bottom of the page. They also include the main chapter and verse numbers in bold with one verse per line. They include alternate renderings, explanations of the original languages, etc. They’re helpful for study.
Tools
There are several tools in the back for study. Presentation/family pages are placed in the front.
Presentation and Family Pages – there are several thick pages in the front for records. They include the presentation page, marriages, wife’s family tree, husband’s family tree, births, deaths, and occasions to remember.
NASB Topical Index of the Old and New Testament – this is a large index that includes lots of topics. It’s somewhere around 120 pages with two columns per page. It includes people, places, events, concepts, theology, etc.
Introductions to the Books of the Bible – this includes a short description of each book of the Bible with information about its title and the main themes of the book. They’re not detailed, but they are helpful.
The Parables of Jesus – this table lists every parable that Jesus taught and provides the reference for each of the four Gospels.
The Miracles of Jesus – this table lists every miracle that Jesus performed and provides the reference for each of the four Gospels.
Important Events in Christ’s Life According to the Gospels – this 1.5-page table describes the event and provides references in each of the Gospels where it appears.
Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ – this one-page table shows the references for the prophecy, description of the prophecy, and references for the fulfillment.
Read Through the Bible in a Year – this includes two readings per day: one from the OT and one from the NT with various readings from Psalms integrated with both. It shows the date, OT book and chapters, and NT book and chapters.
Bible Atlas
In the back are 9 Lockman Foundation maps printed on 8 semi-glossy pages. They’re colorful and include a lot of information. Large land areas show a sandy texture while the other colors are solid. It doesn’t include an index to maps, but the maps do have a lot of annotations with explanations and Scriptures. The maps include cities, empires, distances, routes, battle sites, mountains, settlements, seas, journeys, etc.
Maps include:
- The Biblical World of the Patriarchs
- The Exodus Route and Conquest of Canaan
- The Twelve Tribes of Israel
- The Divided Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
- The Herodian Kingdom in the Time of Christ
- Old Testament Jerusalem / New Testament Jerusalem
- The Ministry of Jesus
- The Missionary Journeys of Paul
Comparisons
Here’s how the 2020 NASB Side Column Reference compares to a few other 2020 NASBs from Lockman.
Lockman NASB 2020 Wide Margin Reference Bible
The Wide Margin Reference Bible in Leathertex is thicker than the Side Column Reference Bible. It has the same references and footnotes, and slightly fewer tools in the back. Its paper is slightly creamy and more opaque than the Leathertex edition. The opacity is the same as the Prime edition. I personally prefer the paper in the wide margin, but both are excellent. The font size is the same, but it places the footnotes and references in the footer, so it has fewer verses per page. This is an excellent tradeoff if you want the writing room.
Lockman NASB 2020 Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible
The Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible Prime Edition is only slightly thinner, but it has a larger font in a double-column paragraph layout and uses more space on the page on average. It has the same references and footnotes, and slightly fewer tools in the back. The materials and construction are the same.
Conclusion
Lockman’s 2020 NASB Side Column Reference Bible is an interesting edition of the 2020 NASB. It’s slightly smaller than the wide margin and still has a little bit of note space on almost every page. Unlike the wide margin, this one wasn’t meant for note-taking, so they could use their thinner paper. I like seeing the references and footnotes in separate locations. This makes them easier to find. The text is highly readable. It has more tools than I’ve seen in the other editions, making this one an excellent option for study and sermon prep. Both are good options, but I prefer the paper in the Prime Edition. If you’re looking for a 2020 NASB for all-around use, the NASB Side Column Reference Bible is one of the best choices so far.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at:
Lockman Foundation Store
Amazon
_________________________________________________________
Lockman provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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