Tyndale is set to release their NLT Filament Bible Journals. Available in 19 individual journals or 5 boxed sets these journals combine the NLT Biblical text with lightly dotted pages for notes or artwork and are enabled to use the Filament app system.
ISBNs: Revelation 9781496458599 The Alpha & Omega Collection 9781496458568 Printed in India
Tyndale provided these journals in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
_________________________________________________________
These journals are available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
Video Review
Books and Collections
The 27 books of the New Testament are printed in a total of 19 separate journals. The list price per book stays the same for thick or thin volumes. The 19 individual books are:
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Acts
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Philemon and Colossians
- 1 & 2 Thessalonians
- 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 & 2 Peter and Jude
- 1-3 John
- Revelation
The 5 Filament Journaling Collections are:
- The People of God Set – 3 Journals – Matthew, Hebrews, and James
- The Birth of the Church Set – 4 Journals – Mark, Luke, Acts, and 1 & 2 Peter and Jude
- The Alpha & Omega Set – 3 Journals – John, 1-3 John, and Revelation
- The Chronological Letters from Paul Volume 1 – 4 Journals – 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Galatians
- The Chronological Letters from Paul Volume 2 – 5 Journals – Romans, Philemon and Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
Each collection comes in a cardboard slipcover with a gray on navy version of the colorful geometric patterned covers of the books included in that set.
We were sent Revelation and the Alpha & Omega Collection for review.
Construction and Materials
The NLT Filament Bible Journals have Smyth sewn pages glued into softcover bindings. Heavy cardstock covers are each printed with a slightly different colorful geometric print.
NLT, Filimant Bible Journals, the name of the book (or books), and the Filament logo are printed in gold on the front of each journal. They have scored lines front and back that make them easier to open and use. However, like most paperbacks, they will not stay open on their own.
The journals measure approximately 7 3/4″ x 5″ and vary in thickness from 1/8″ to about 3/8″. These journals are lightweight. The heaviest of the three different ones I have is around 5 ounces and the Alpha & Omega Collection weighs less than a pound including the slipcover. Their compact size and light weight make them useful for studying or journaling on the go.
The paper is light cream and we’re guessing about 80 gsm. It is thinner than some other similar journals we’ve reviewed, but still thick enough for most uses. The pages turn easily. The show-through, which is inevitable with blank pages, is minimal and should almost disappear once you have written your notes.
Typography and Layout
The NLT Filament Bible Journals are laid out with the Biblical text on the left-hand page and a lightly dotted grid page on the right.
They have a 10-point font. There is a nice amount of space between the lines of text. The text is laid out in single-column paragraph format with quotes indented. Lists look like lists. It is all black letter and the print quality is consistent throughout.
The book name and chapter number are printed in the top outer corner with the filament-enabled page number in the center of the header. The footnotes are the NLT translation notes.
There is a 1/2″ margin on either side and a 7/8″ margin at the bottom. This brings the text nicely out of the gutter and gives you a small amount of space for notes on the text page.
A unique feature is the bullet-journal style dot grid on the right-hand pages. The grid is just dark enough to see.
I’ve never actually used the bullet-journal style dot grid. I can see where it would be both less intrusive than lines for artwork, charts, and a varied style layout and easier to keep neat than completely blank sheets.
A varying number of blank dot-gridded pages are included in the back (to make the signatures come out even).
Filament Enabled
These journals are filament enabled. This means you will have access to a large number of study and devotional materials if you pair it with the Filament App on your mobile device. The app doesn’t work on Randy’s Kindle Fire tablet but it works well on any Galaxy phone or iOS device we have tried it on.
By scanning the page number and filament symbol at the top of each page you will be given the option to choose Study, Reflect, or See.
Study gives you study notes, an overview of the book, and various articles related to the page you are on. Reflect links to devotionals that include the verse or verses.
See links you to videos, maps, and other interactive help related to the passage.
You can easily navigate to a new set of scriptures by scanning the symbol on a new page of your journal or by using the arrows at the top of the app page.
You’ll need to scan the QR code (that looks like the Filament diamond) on the first page of each journal to get started. You’ll have to scan each journal separately if you own more than one and tell the app which journal you are using each time you switch books. You do this in the settings menu. You can reach the setting easily by returning to the Study, Reflect, See page and hitting the symbol in the lower left corner.
While you are in settings you can also change text size, chose light or dark mode, and view various reading plans and tutorials.
For a more detailed explanation of the Filament system, you can check out our most recent Filament Bible review, one of our other reviews of a Filament Bible, or visit Tyndale’s website.
Final Thoughts on the NLT Filament Bible Journals
The NLT Filament Journals are nice Bible books for studying, journaling, and using on the go. With the full text of a Bible book, lots of study material an app click away, and the versatility of a dot-gridded space for recording your notes and thoughts they are as practical as they are portable. I can see them being most useful for people who are already used to bullet journaling, who are doing individual book studies, or who want a highly portable way to do their Bible journaling.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Photography by Lucinda Brown
Tyndale provided these journals in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
Recent Comments