Lockman’s Prime Edition of their NASB 2020 Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible is now available. This is a large print center-column cross-reference Bible in the 2020 edition of the New American Standard Bible. This is a goatskin edition with upgraded paper and ribbons. This is ISBN: 9781581351965, made in Korea.
Specs
- 2020 NASB
- Black goatskin
- Cowhide edge-lined liner
- Sewn binding
- 2 3/3″ ribbons
- 7 x 10 x 1.375″ overall size
- 2 lb, 7.4 oz
- 31GSM offwhite premium paper
- Art gilt page edges
- Double-column paragraph layout
- Line matching text
- 10-point font
- Black letter
- 95k center-column reference
- Family Pages
- Topical Index
- Charts
- 9 maps
- Printed in Korea
- $126
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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This Bible is available at
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Table of Contents
- Video Review
- Binding
- Paper
- Typography and Layout
- References
- Footnotes
- Tools
- Bible Atlas
- Comparisons
- Conclusion
Video Review
Binding
The cover is black goatskin. It’s soft and it’s more flexible than most goatskin Bibles I’ve seen. It can be a little difficult to hold open in one hand. The pronounced grain looks and feels natural. It has perimeter stitching. There is no printing on the front. The spine has 5 raised hubs with text that’s printed in gold.
The liner is edge-lined cowhide leather. It has a gilt line around the inside perimeter that gives it an elegant flair. The edge-lined tab isn’t too stiff. It easily stays open to Genesis 1. The text block is sewn. It has a few thick end sheets and presentation pages that give it structure.
It has two double-sided 3/8″ ribbons- red for the Old Testament and black for the New Testament. They’re long enough to pull to the corner to open the Bible with no trouble. The head/tail bands are black. The overall size is 7 x 10 x 1.375″. It weighs 2 lbs, 7.4 oz.
Paper
The paper is 31gsm. It has an off-white tint rather than the blue tint the less expensive versions of this Bible have. This paper is great for reading. It does not have glare under direct light. It does have a touch more show-through than I’d like, but it’s not bad. The texture is slightly rough, which makes it easier to grab and turn.
Typography and Layout
This Bible was designed and typeset by 2K/Denmark. It takes the traditional layout approach with center-column references. The 2020 edition of the NASB text is presented in a double-column, paragraph layout with poetry in stanzas. The text is left-justified only, creating a ragged right edge. Old Testament quotes are in all caps. Cross-references are placed in the center column. The text is close to the header. The header shows the book name, chapter, and verse numbers in the outer margin. Page numbers are placed in the center. Footnotes are placed across the footer and are printed in a smaller font. Section headings are in a bolder print in all caps.
The typeface is about a 10-point, black letter. The print is dark and consistent throughout. There is enough space in the text to keep the lines and the words from feeling cramped. Verse numbers are large and bold, making them easy to find at a glance. The text is line-matched, meaning the lines on both sides of the page are placed in the same location to reduce show-through. It does reduce show-through quite a bit. The text on the other side of the page is a touch distracting at times, though.
Supplied words are printed with italics. It has around 6-8 words per line for most lines. 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. The poetic layout is exceptional. The lines of text seem to be divided in the best possible places to create a page that looks balanced. There aren’t many lines with a single word.
References
There are 95,000 center-column references. They’re excellent for study and sermon prep. They’re marked with letter
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
It has the full set of 2020 NASB of footnotes placed in a single column along the bottom of the page. They are separated from the text with a line and they’re printed with a smaller font. They include alternate renderings, explanations of the original languages, etc. These are helpful for studying and getting insights into the 2020 NASB translation.
Tools
There are several family pages in the front and tools in the back for study.
Presentation and Family Pages – 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 Testaments – this is a large index that covers many 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 provides a paragraph for each book of the Bible with information about its title and the main themes of the book. They’re not detailed, but they are insightful.
The Parables of Jesus – this is a table that lists every parable that Jesus taught and provides the reference for each of the four Gospels.
The Miracles of Jesus – this is a table that 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 is a table that lists the most important events of Jesus in the Gospels. It provides the reference for each of the four Gospels.
Bible Atlas
There are 9 maps printed on 8 semi-glossy pages. They’re colorful and have lots of information. The large land areas have a sandy texture while all of the other colors are flat (or solid). The maps have lots of annotations with explanations and Scriptures. This is extremely helpful. It does not include an index to maps. 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
Lockman NASB 2020 Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible in Calfskin
The Lockman NASB 2020 Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible in Calfskin also has a paste-down liner, but it’s vinyl instead of leather. The cover is much stiffer and has a more pebbly grain. The text and tools are the same, but it’s printed on different paper. It has a slightly blue tint, which is more noticeable when sitting next to the Prime edition.
Schuyler Quentel
My Quentel is an NKJV, but the design and materials are the same as the NASB. It’s a 95 edition, but I don’t have many premium reference NASB’s to compare with the Prime edition. The paper in the Quentel is thinner, but it’s more opaque (the camera picks up more show-through than my eyes do). The Prime’s text is slightly smaller and darker.
Schuyler Stridon
The Schuyler Stridon is a different design, but I’ve received questions about how they compare so I wanted to include it. This is the only other full-size premium 2020 NASB reference edition I have. It has the same paper, concordance, and maps as the Quentel. It’s a single-column verse-by-verse setting with poetry set to stanzas. The font is slightly smaller than the Prime edition.
Conclusion
Lockman’s Prime Edition of their 2020 NASB Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible is easily the best version of this Bible. The paper alone makes this the version to get. The edge-lined cowhide works great with the goatskin cover and creates a floppy Bible that looks and feels elegant. The text is good for reading and preaching. The Korean build quality is excellent. The Prime Edition 2020 NASB Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible is a great choice for anyone interested in a premium large print 2020 NASB.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at
_________________________________________________________
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.
Next week makes one year since I started reading the NASB Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible (goatskin cover). I expect to finish my second read-through of this Bible by the end of October, after which point I will likely not pick it up again because the whole book separated from the cover, with the exception of the dedication page in the front and a few maps at the back. After 6 months of daily reading, albeit very careful handling, both ends of the book ripped apart. It is uncomfortable to hold, or place on a lap or lectern, without it slipping away from the cover. Very sad and disappointed. 🙁 I’ll be going back to my NASB 1995 Zondervan Study Bible which has held together with its faux leather cover for the past 21 years.
Hi Peter. Sorry this has happened to your Bible. I recommend contacting Lockman to see if there’s anything they can do.
I did, moments before I posted this here. They replied in 12 minutes and I am working with them right now to see what can be done. Excellent customer care!
Excellent. I hope they will replace it.