Zondervan’s NASB 2020 Text Thinline Bible is a hand-size edition that’s great for carrying and preaching. It’s a low-cost edition that’s available with multiple cover options. I’m reviewing the black Leathersoft edition, ISBN: 9780310455431, printed in China.
Zondervan 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 (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Table of Contents
Materials and Construction
The cover is black Leathersoft with white stitching around the perimeter. White and tan stitching is used on the front to create a unique diamond pattern. All the text and spine indications are debossed into the spine without color, giving them a dry-stamped look. The black Leathersoft is shiny and has a realistic grain. I like the look and feel of this cover. It isn’t floppy, but it’s not too stiff. It’s a good choice for travel.
The liner is paste-down with heavy paper that doubles as the presentation page. It has trouble staying completely open in the first few chapters of Genesis. The text block is sewn. My copy has noticeable cockling. That’s my main complaint with this Bible.
It has two ribbons- one black and one silver. They match the black cover and silver edges. They’re extra-long, making it easy to pull them to the corner to open the Bible. The overall size is 5.5 x 8.8 x 1″, making this a true thinline. It weighs 1 lb, 5.5 oz.
The paper is 30gsm. It’s smooth to the touch and it’s decently opaque. It does look better in some light than others. I usually had no issues turning the pages. I enjoyed reading from this paper. The only issue was the cockling, which makes noise as you turn pages. The page edges are gilted with silver.
Typography and Layout
The NASB 2020 text is printed in a double-column, verse-by-verse layout. Poetry is set to stanzas. Old Testament quotes are in all caps. The header shows the book name, chapter, and verse number in the outer corner. The page number is placed just inside of that with a line separating them. The footnotes are placed under the last verse on the page. They’re separated from the text by a thin line and they’re printed in a small font. The layout is clean and usable.
The font is a 9-point Comfort Print designed for the NASB by 2K/Denmark. This is a red-letter edition. Both the red and the black are about a medium in darkness. Both are highly consistent. It has 8-10 words per line with a comfortable amount of space between the lines and words. It has a good amount of inner margin space to bring the text out of the gutter. Each verse is indented, so they’re easy to find. They chose perfect dividing points for poetry, so poetry looks amazing in this Bible.
Extras
In the back are several lists to help in study and reference. The tools are short and simple. They would be helpful for simple study or devotions. They include:
Miracles of Jesus – a one-page table that separates the miracles into healing, power over nature, and raising the dead. It shows the names of the books across the top. The table includes the description of the miracle and references to where it’s found.
Parables of Jesus – a one-page table that shows the parables and the names of the books across the top. The entries show a description of the parable and the references to where it’s found.
Perspectives from the Bible -a 2-page list of what to read in specific situations. The situations are things we deal with in our daily lives. It provides a description of the situation with a list of passages.
Prayers of the Bible – a 2-page list of prayers in 6 categories. It shows the category and provides a description of the prayer and gives the reference.
Promises from the Bible – a little over a page of promises that God makes to us. It gives the promise and a list of Scripture for each one.
Conclusion
I’m a fan of thinline editions and the NASB 2020 Text Thinline Bible is an excellent example. The only issue for me was the cockling, but that might have just been my copy. The paper and print quality are excellent for this price range. The size is perfect for carrying. The verse-by-verse layout is better for preaching and teaching than reading. This, along with the clean text, makes the NASB 2020 Text Thinline a great choice for study on the go, following along with someone, and for preachers that prefer a smaller Bible.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Zondervan 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.