NLT One Year Bible NT Illustrated Edition Review

The NLT One Year Bible New Testament Illustrated Edition provides 365 daily readings, decorated with illustrations on a specific theme. The NLT text is presented in a clean layout that’s ideal for reading. The illustrations include photos or artwork, depending on the edition you want. I’m reviewing the Lakeside Haven and Floral Paradise editions. They were printed in India.

Tyndale 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)

Amazon – Lakeside Haven | Floral Paradise

Christianbook – Lakeside Haven | Floral Paradise

and many local Bible bookstores

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Table of Contents

1. Binding
2. Paper
3. Typography and Layout
4. Daily Readings
5. Illustrations
6. Conclusion

Binding

The NLT One Year Bible New Testament Illustrated Edition comes in several covers. I’m reviewing two editions. Both are softcover with thick paper covers and glued bindings. They’re made like a regular book rather than a Bible. The overall size is 7.5 x 8.25 x 1″ and they weigh 1 lb, 14.3 oz.

Lakeside Haven

Lakeside Haven includes a photo of a lake with trees and a mountain. The front cover shows the title in a circle with the text in silver and gold, and a branch in silver. Each of the elements is stamped into the cover. The spine is blue and includes the text printed in white and silver. The inside flap shows Psalm 90:2 printed vertically.  The liner works as a presentation page and includes a photo of a lake with trees.

Floral Paradise

Floral Paradise includes floral watercolor paintings with a light green and light brown color scheme. The front cover includes the same circle with text, but it’s printed in gold and green and includes a leaf in gold. The spine is brown and includes a light brown pattern. The inside flap shows Isaiah 40:8 printed vertically. The liner works as the presentation page and includes leaves painted in watercolor.

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Paper

The paper is extra thick and ultra-opaque. I’m not sure of the GSM, but I’d guess it to be between 60-80. It’s great to read from and has a slightly rough texture that’s easy to turn. There is no glare under direct lighting. I love this paper for reading.

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Typography and Layout

The NLT text is presented in a single-column layout with all of the NLT formatting, so poetry is presented in stanzas, lists are in a list format, and personal letters are indented. The footer shows the page number in the inner margin.

The font is 9.5. This is a black letter text. It’s dark and consistent throughout. I think it was printed with line-matching, but I can only see anything on the other side of the page when I hold the page up to a light. Even then, it’s hard to see anything on the other side of the page. It has around 20 words per line. This is normally too many words for my tastes, but it includes enough white space to make it work. Poetry is beautiful in this word count.

The text includes small verse numbers that are easy to ignore. A small diamond marks a new chapter, and also shows the chapter and verse number. I didn’t even notice they were in the text at first. The only footnotes included are those that discuss when some manuscripts have more to a verse or have an extra verse. For example Acts 8:36, 24:6, 28:28, Romans 16:23, etc. The footnote is printed in a small font under the text. The text shows an asterisk. I like this because it provides the extra verses without getting in the way of reading.

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Daily Readings

The New Testament is divided into 365 daily readings with one reading usually taking one page. Some readings are longer than others, and a few take a small portion of the next page. They take around 5 minutes to read. They range between 20-35 verses. Above the reading is the date for that reading in large type followed by the book name, chapter, and verses that appear on that page. Even though some readings take more space than others, it still feels balanced because the longer readings include poetry or lists that use more whitespace.

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Illustrations

There are full-color illustrations on every page. They range in color, so the color behind the text varies from one page to another. This includes solid colors and gradients. I find them relaxing, which I’m sure is the point. Here’s a look at the illustrations in each edition.

Lakeside Haven

The bottom of each page shows a photograph of nature. They include daytime shots with mountain views, the beach, a lake, a field, flowers, trees, etc. Many have the sun shining over the trees. They include all seasons, with the season matching the date. Some also include birds. Many are printed in mirror, so you’ll see the same photo multiple times. They don’t stand out, though. The color of the page behind the text is from the sky in the photo and includes shades of white, blue, yellow, green, and pink. They have enough contrast to still be easy to read. These illustrations are beautiful and draw me in.

Floral Paradise

The bottoms and sides of each page include floral watercolor paintings. They include lots of brown and light green. They’re the same types of flowers throughout the Bible, so they don’t match the season. Some are reprinted in mirror, but like the Lakeside Haven edition, they don’t stand out as something you’ve seen before. Some are more detailed than others, but they all look elegant. All but the first page of each month leaves the background white, so the text is easy to read. I find this one easier to read than Lakeside Haven because of the white background.

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Conclusion on the NLT One Year Bible NT Illustrated Edition

The NLT One Year Bible NT Illustrated Edition Bible from Tyndale is an excellent reading edition of the New Testament. I like the clean daily reading layout. The photos and artwork are relaxing, and I’m sure they have a positive impact on the reader’s mood. I don’t recommend it as your only Bible, or as the only Bible you read (I recommend reading the Old Testament as well as the New Testament), but this is the perfect edition for anyone wanting to read the NLT New Testament through in one year.

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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon – Lakeside Haven | Floral Paradise

Christianbook – Lakeside Haven | Floral Paradise

and many local Bible bookstores

_________________________________________________________

 

Tyndale 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.