God’s Word Deluxe Large Print Bible is a nice personal size Bible published by God’s Word Mission Society.
ISBN: 9780998447735 printed in China by RRD Communications
Mission Society 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 (contains affiliate links)
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Table of Contents
- Construction & Materials
- Typography & Layout
- God’s Word Translation
- Extras
- Comparison to Wide Margin
- Final Thoughts on the God’s Word Deluxe Large Print Bible
Construction & Materials
The cover is Duravella (imitation leather) in two shades of gray. A lighter gray for the back cover that wraps around the spine and is about two-thirds of the front cover, and a darker gray on the outside edge of the front cover.
Imitation leather isn’t necessarily what comes to mind when something is labeled Deluxe. But this is a nicely done imitation leather and a definite step up from the paperback this translation is most readily available in.
It weighs 2 pounds and 3 ounces and measures approximately 8 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ x 1 5/8″.
The paper is around 30 gsm. It is a nice soft white color and the pages are easy to turn. This isn’t the most opaque paper and there is show-through. I didn’t find it distracting while using the Bible but it was quite noticeable while thumbing through it. There is also some light crinkling in the gutter in some places. Unfortunately, it doesn’t show up well in photographs.
The page edges have silver gilt and there is one silvery gray ribbon page marker attached.
Typography & Layout
This is a black-letter Bible. It has a 12 point font. Four lines of text and four spaces between lines fit in the height of a penny.
The ink is medium darkness and is consistent throughout the Bible. Section headings and chapter numbers are in bold.
The header has the guide verse in the outside corner and the page number in the center of the page.
The footnotes are separated from the text by a small line and are a smaller text. Footnotes include alternate translations, manuscript variations, and clarification of historical and cultural details.
God’s Word Translation
We don’t often comment on the translation of a Bible. Since the God’s Word Translation is a little less familiar to some people (I didn’t know much about it before receiving this Bible) I decided to include a little information in this review. I am not any sort of expert or scholar of languages or translation processes so keep that in mind.
The God’s Word Translation is a closest natural equivalent translation. It seeks to convey the original meaning in the natural style of the language it is translated into. It reads similar to other dynamic or thought for thought translations. A team of translators went back to the original language texts and there were many reviews of the word choices during the process. One step of the process I found interesting is that they tested how easy it would be to read aloud.
I haven’t read large portions yet, but I didn’t find any major problems with the translation in the couple of weeks I have used it. I read it both in church and for personal study. It was difficult to follow along with a preacher reading from the KJV using this translation since the sentences are often in a slightly different order. Once you’ve read the entire verse from both translations though the meanings are very similar if not identical. It seems like it would be easier to understand to those who do not have much of a Biblical background.
God’s Word Mission Society has posted comparisons for over 80 verses to other translations on their website. Bible Gateway is also a great place to read and compare any translation that is new to you before you buy it.
Extras
A 9-page index of the Teachings of Jesus is included in the back. Topics are arranged alphabetically with subtopics and references.
There is also a 5-page Application index with just a list of relevant scriptures underneath each application.
Both of these will be especially helpful to new converts but can be useful to all Bible readers.
Comparison to Wide Margin
This Bible is noticably smaller than the wide margin version Randy reviewed. It is 1 3/8 inches shorter, 1/14 inches narrower, and 3/8 of an inch thinner. It also weighs about 1 pound and 3.5 ounces less.
The smaller size will make it easier for some to carry with them. The page quality is not quite as good as the wide margin version. It has less opaque paper and there doesn’t seem to be any line matching so there is obviously more show-through.
It’s also worth noting that these are two entirely different text settings. Having different pagination and numbers of words per line won’t be a problem unless you were planning on using them as the study and carry version of a Bible you have gotten very familiar with.
Final Thoughts on the God’s Word Deluxe Large Print Bible
The God’s Word Deluxe Large Print Bible is a nice, easy to read, personal size Bible. It is a good choice for those who are looking for something easy to carry, easy to read and understand, and a large text size. While Randy and I both prefer the slightly better page quality of the God’s Word Deluxe Wide-Margin Bible this is still a good Bible for its price and size. It would especially make a nice gift for new converts and others who have turned away from Bible reading because it is difficult to understand.
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This Bible is available at
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Mission Society 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.
I have been enjoying this translation quite a bit. In fact I am pairing it with new king James version for a chapter and verse study through the Gospel of Mark. I’m glad to see that you like it as well it’s a good choice for people who are new to English
Excellent pairing! I like that idea. Thanks for sharing.