The NET Bible Single Column Reference Edition from Thomas Nelson is a personal size reference Bible that’s made for reading, carry, and study. It includes a beautiful layout and a reference system that’s easy to use. It’s available in several covers and colors. I’m reviewing British tan Leathersoft, ISBN: 9780785227267, made in China.
Thomas Nelson 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 book is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Table of Contents
- Video Review
- Cover and Binding
- Paper
- Typography
- References
- Concordance
- Reading Plan
- Maps
- Comparisons
- Conclusion
Video Review
Binding
The cover is British tan Leathersoft (imitation leather). It has a little bit of grain and some color texture. The upper right corner has the NET Bible logo debossed in a dark brown. It has double perimeter stitching in a dark brown thread. The spine has the text stamped in gold.
The liner is a pasted-down paper that doubles as the presentation page. There are no other thick end sheets. It’s Smyth sewn. The cover is a little stiff, so it will need to be broken in to stay open in Genesis.
It has two double-sided satin ribbon markers: 1 brown for the Old Testament and 1 blue for the New Testament. The overall size is 5 1/5 x 8 5/8 x 1 1/4″ and it weighs 1 lb, 9.6 oz. This is in the range of my favorite size for a Bible.
Paper
The paper is thin but decently opaque. I’m not sure of the gsm, but it’s at least in the lower 30’s. It’s something I’d expect to see in a study Bible and the thinline editions. It has an off-white color and a rough texture that’s easy to grab and separate with one hand to turn. It has no glare under direct light. I found the pages easy to turn and read from. The show-through is noticeable, but it isn’t bad.
Typography
The text is presented in a single-column paragraph layout. References are stacked in the outer margin at the bottom of the page. The header includes the book name and reference with the page number under that. Footnotes are placed under the last verse in a smaller text and separated by a line. Section headings are in bold italics.
The font is the Comfort Print was designed by 2K/Denmark for the Thomas Nelson NET. It’s 8-point, black letter. It’s about a medium in darkness and it’s highly consistent. It has around 14 words per line. It’s printed with line-matching, so the lines on both sides of the page line up to each other. This does improve readability. The opacity of the paper and medium darkness of the font keeps the show-through to a minimum and the text doesn’t look gray because of the text on the other side of the page.
The cross-references are placed in the outer margin to the bottom of the page. This creates a lot of empty space for about half the page for most pages, creating a good bit of writing room. This layout matches the NKJV Single Column. The poetic settings look great with this layout. Old Testament quotes are in bold italics, so they’re easy to recognize.
The small verse numbers can be a little difficult to find quickly. Following along with someone might be a touch difficult, but this makes it an excellent design for reading. Also, placing the references in the margin instead of the footer makes them easier to use, but it also makes the font smaller.
References
I’m not sure of the number of cross-references, but it has less than the standard in the NKJV. It’s similar in number to the NKJV Thinline Large Print Reference edition. The set isn’t extensive, but it is helpful for basic study and sermon prep. Like the NET Large Print Thinline, it has an abbreviated set of footnotes.
Here are a few examples of references to help you compare:
- Genesis 1:1 – Jn 1:1-2; Job 38:4; Ps 90:2; Is 42:5; 44:24; 45:12; Ac 17:24; Heb 11:3; Rev 4:11
- Deuteronomy 6:4 – Mark 12:29; 1 Cor 8:4, 6
- Isaiah 9:6 – Isa 53:2; Lk 2:11; Jn 3:16; Mt 28:18; Isa 28:29; Isa 10:21; 11:2; Isa 26:3, 12; 66:12
- Mark 12:29 – x
- John 1:1 – Rev 19:13; John 17:5; 1 John 1:2; Phil 2:6
- John 3:16 – Rom 5:8; Eph 2:4; 1 Jn 4:9, 10; ver 36; Jn 6:29, 40; 11:25, 26
- 1 John 1:1 – John 1:2; John 1:14; 2 Pet 1:16; John 2:27
Concordance
The concordance is 79 pages with 2 columns per page. It has a lot of entries and also includes biographical information. I find it excellent for study and sermon prep. Here are a few example entries with their number of references to help you compare:
- Christ – 78
- Christ’s – 2
- Christian – 2
- Christians – 1
- Faith – 58
- Faithful – 19
- Faithfully – 2
- Faithfulness – 21
- God – 4 columns
- God’s – 19
- Godliness – 5
- Godly – 4
- Gods – 2
- Praise – 34
- Praised – 4
- Praises – 5
- Praiseworthy – 1
- Praising – 2
- Pray – 17
- Prayed – 3
- Prayer – 8
- Prayers – 6
- Praying – 3
Reading Plan
It includes a 365-day reading plan. Each month shows the date and a morning and evening reading. The morning reading is from the NT (starting with Matthew) and the evening reading is from the OT (starting with Genesis). It takes you through the Bible once. It’s printed like a spreadsheet so the lines are easy to follow.
Maps
The maps are the standard 7 full-color Thomas Nelson maps printed on 8 thick glossy pages. They’re printed in bright earth-tone colors. They show topography, distance, routes, borders, possible locations of lost places, battles, elevation, cities, and locations for the events of Jesus’ ministry. It doesn’t include a map index, but the maps are annotated well, so they’re still easy to use.
Maps include:
- World of the Patriarchs
- Exodus and Conquest of Canaan
- Land of the Twelve Tribes
- Kingdom of David and Solomon
- Jesus’ Ministry
- Paul’s Missionary Journeys
- Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus
Comparisons
Here’s how the NET Bible Single Column Reference edition compares to other NET’s and a similar NKJV.
NET Bible Full Notes Edition
NET Bible Full Notes Edition is a lot larger and doesn’t include references. The font is about a point larger and it’s printed darker. The two make a great combo if you want to carry a smaller edition but have access to the full notes.
NET Bible Large Print Thinline Reference Edition
NET Bible Large Print Thinline Reference Edition has a larger footprint, larger and darker font, and references in the footer. It’s a double-column edition and makes more efficient use of space. It’s a better choice if you need a larger print.
NKJV Single Column Reference Bible
NKJV Single Column Reference Bible has the same layout but with a lot larger font and darker font. It’s also a lot thicker. The footprint is the same between the two. The NKJV has more poetic formatting than the NET, which is part of the reason for the thicker text-block.
Conclusion
The NET Bible Single Column Reference Edition is an excellent Bible for reading and carry. I love the size and layout. The cover does want to close in Genesis, but I’m sure it will break in with more use. The verse numbers can be a little difficult to find quickly. This does make it a tough difficult to follow someone, but it also improves readability. If you’re interested in a NET reference edition that’s easy to carry and has a layout that’s great for reading, the NET Bible Single Column Reference Edition is worth a look.
_________________________________________________________
This book is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Thomas Nelson 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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