One of the Bible translations Iโve been using a lot over the past year is the relatively new Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version. Praised by many for accuracy, nuance and clarity, the CSB has quickly gained a solid reputation, especially among evangelical Christians. In this post I wonโt go into the stylistic features or the translation philosophy behind the CSB (visit some of the links below to find out more about those), but will rather present one of several dozen available editions that Iโve been using – pros and cons included.
If you visit the official CSB website, you’ll be probably overwhelmed by the wide variety of editions which come in many different formats, designs and layouts. The edition reviewed here is marketed as the โCSB Single-Column Wide-Margin Bibleโ, which is pretty much self-explanatory.
Bible readers typically have a strong preference for either single-column or double-column layout. While Iโve strongly preferred the double-column over the years, this time I wanted something different, so I deliberately chose this one. As I intended to use it as my go-to personal study Bible, I wanted it to have wider margins for any notes and comments. So, on paper at least, this seemed like the perfect option.
Here are some of its other features:
- 10-point type, so you donโt have to strain your eyes
- quality smyth-sewn binding
- gilded page edges
- elegant design; beautiful Bible Serif / 2KDENMARK typeset
- very little ghosting
- two ribbon markers (brown and red)
- a set of full-colour maps
- concordance (presented in a much smaller font!)
- lovely brown โleathertouchโ covers that feel like genuine, soft leather
While I have used it as a study Bible for close to a year, here are two cons that eventually made me give up on this particular format (again, itโs solely about the format not the translation itself):
- size and weight
Realistically, itโs a bulky Bible. The size itself is not such a big deal (24 x 18 cm; 5 cm thick), but I didnโt expect it to weigh 1,5 kg. With all the other stuff Iโm regularly carrying in my backpack, this one could never serve as an everyday-carry Bible, or the one to take to church.
- margins
I should have done a better homework: while it does have margins wider than usual, they are not as wide as I wouldโve preferred. So in the end, I havenโt used it all that much for any actual note-taking.
I still think it’s a wonderful edition, but it just wasn’t right for me. Soon Iโll be unpacking another edition of the CSB, namely one of their โthinlineโ Bibles which I hope will prove to be a suitable replacement. Stay tuned!
And for my previous Bible unboxing posts, click here (the Knox Version) and here (Biblia Sacra Vulgatae Editionis).
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Why I Switched from the NIV to the CSB
What Is the CSB Bible and Why Do We Need It?
Looking for a new Bible? I recommend the CSB
NOTES
Iโm a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.
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