This blog post will walk you through my top 7 tips you need to think about before buying a new Bible! I recently got a new Bible, and I ordered and returned at least three before finding one that I love. Now that I’ve found a Bible that’s a great fit for me, I’m sharing my tips to help you find your next Bible!
Top 7 Tips for Buying a New Bible
- Make sure you love the Translation!
- Everyone has a different preference, but I personally love the NLT because it’s so easy to understand, without being as “out there” as some of the other new translations.
- A few other great translations are NIV, ESV, GNT, NKJV, and CSB. I also love The Message Paraphrase, because it really brings the stories to life!
- Think about what Material you want.
- I know people who prefer leather-bound, and some who only like hardback or paperback. It’s super important that you like how your Bible feels and that it’s comfortable for you to hold. You also want to like how it looks, so make sure to consider that too!
- Another thing to think about is the pages. I can be particular about how the pages feel, because sometimes they stick together, or they’re too thin to highlight and take notes.
- Do you want Red Letters?
- This one doesn’t make a lot of difference for me, but some people really like the words of Jesus in red, and some people don’t. My first few Bibles didn’t have Red Letters, and my new one does, which didn’t affect me very much either way, but it’s definitely something to think about when you’re buying a new Bible.
- How many Study Notes you’re looking for.
- Because I love learning about the context and meaning of different Bible passages (I’m a self-proclaimed Bible nerd, haha!), I wanted my new Bible to have some insights and study sections, but I didn’t want a full Study Bible.
- Everyone’s preference is different, and some people have multiple Bibles, so they can have a larger Study Bible and a smaller one to carry with them. Either way, it’s helpful to know what you’re looking for!
- Does it have Note-taking Space?
- I personally love taking notes in my Bible, so I wanted one with lined margins for note-taking. There are lots of options for the width of margins and whether you want them to be lined or not. Just make sure your pens won’t bleed through, or else use a pencil!
- Know if you want Indexed pages or not.
- This is something I didn’t even think about until I ordered a Bible with indexed pages and discovered that I didn’t like it! I can see how it makes the sections easier to navigate, I just didn’t like how it felt and looked. If that’s something you want, searching for an indexed Bible can help narrow your options down.
- What Size are you looking for?
- This is a huge one (pun intended ;))! When I was looking at Bibles, I noticed a big difference in sizes. Some were thin compact Bibles, while others were thick Study Bibles, and there are options for everything in between!
- Some important questions to ask yourself are: will I be carrying this Bible with me, or will it stay mostly in one place? How many study notes do I want? How heavy is it? Does it fit in the space I want to put it? Is the text big enough to read?
Now that I’ve given you my top tips for buying a new Bible, I’ll share the one I chose!
One Step Closer Bible
This is the One Step Closer Bible! I have the Pink Watercolor Leather Bound, but you can also buy it in Navy Leather Bound, Gold Leather Bound, or Warm Gray Hardcover.
I love this Bible because it has lined margins for taking notes, and short study sections and encouragement throughout. Candace Cameron Bure helped design this Bible, and included an introduction in the beginning, which is another neat feature!
The leather cover is super nice, and while the pages are thin, they don’t stick together. The three ribbon bookmarks are really nice, and my Bible Pen doesn’t bleed through (These Micro-Line Bible Pens are similar to the one I use)! At 9″ x 6.75 x 1.5″ it’s not too bulky to carry with me.
This Bible is the NLT translation, which is my personal favorite, and I love the HelpFinder section in the back with notes and Bible verses for so many different situations!
I would recommend this to anyone who is buying a new Bible and wants one that’s both beautiful and useful for studying God’s Word!
If you want to organize your notes or Bible Journal, check out my post on Top 9 Beautiful and Useful Rifle Paper Co Products! There are some super cute notebooks and pens there!