New Cambridge Paragraph Bible, KJ590:T: Personal size

I've always had an appreciation for a good bible and not until lately has format been at the top of my list in priority. Since I was little I've had a fascination about the word of God, but knew very little about it or how to read it. After coming from little to no reading of the bible to reading just the King James Bible to expanding that to ESV, NIV and NASB; I've realized one thing in the process - the formatting is key to understanding context clearly. I always felt when I read a KJV that the text seemed so interrupted and choppy. Then I decided to pick up another version (my favorite is the ESV) and see how they read. I was amazed at the way they read and how the text flowed. The paragraph setting made it much easier to comprehend. I was frustrated because every KJV had verse by verse formatting and given the somewhat archaic words in the KJV the text was made that much harder to understand. I love the King James Bible and the rich heritage that comes with it. I know that it doesn't use the most up to date manuscripts and some passages can be a little bit confusing, but the language at which the text is presented has a wonderful ring to it. Not to mention that our former brothers gave their lives so that we could read the bible in English. If you ever get a chance to do a little digging into how the KJV was made please do so. It'll give you a new appreciation for the King James Bible.As for the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible, I think it is executed very well. Like I said above, the perfect size and formatting is something I've been waiting for. I was ecstatic to receive my ESV clarion a few weeks ago and was planning to get the KJV clarion as well, but saw this rendition by David Norton and that they were coming out with a personal size (perfect for me!). I cannot tell you how great this bible is. I think I may like it as much as my ESV clarion (if you own a clarion you know that's a big statement). I never thought I would like a hardcover this much. You really do feel like you are reading a book and the size feels right in your hands. Exactly the way I want to experience the King James Bible. The size is actually perfect, not too big or too small. I would say the text block is very similar to the clarion, yet, the print experiences slightly less ghosting than the clarion (to be honest - pretty close to the same). If you want to save money and experience the KJV like never before, I would get one of these today! For me I couldn't justify spending another $120 on a bible so I thought I was settling for a KJ version format that was similar to the clarion. I can tell you that this is not settling ... this may end of being one of my go to bibles for daily reading! Seriously, pick one of these bibles up ... you will experience the beauty of the KJV like never before!

Love it! Great hardcover to stand-up on your book shelf. The pages feel great, not thin, not too thick. It's a great font. I'm in-love with single column settings now, and this one is perfect.I really like how the footnotes are set to the side of the text, and to the inside (and there are no section headings) so that the body of the text is nicely placed away from the"gutter" or seam/middle of the book. Of course, if this is a Bible you want to take notes in, that's a problem because it would be impossible to write much of anything right there in the gutter. But for me, the KJV is a cross-reference reader for me with an ESV as my main reader and note-taking Bible.There are no cross-references, and I prefer that. I don't like a bunch of references distracting my reading and taking-up space on the page.I like a soft cover Bible as my main reader, to hold in my hand, but for an alternate translation Bible that will sit on my shelf, I wanted a hardback. So this Bible checks all the boxes of what I was looking for; KJV, single column, no cross references, hard cover, sewn binding. It's a very nice Bible and I just might get it custom rebound with a nice leather covered hard cover. Lord willing, this will be the KJV I go to on my shelf for the rest of my life.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4What do I like? we• High quality product• As far as the content of the text is concerned, it's the most readable KJV edition I've seen.• It's free of study Bible footnotes, cross-references, concordance, and the publisher's life application opinions. When I want that, I'll use the study Bible editions of modern translations.• It's free of running heads, subheads, and interpretive capitalization which, however handy, aren't part of the text and can be misleading.What don't I like?• The type in the personal edition is shrunk from 10 point to 8.5 point. The 1-column format probably makes the full size edition more readable, but in 8.5 point type, it makes the New Testament and much of the Old Testament hard to read without a straight-edge.• This drawback is partially offset by the fact that much of the wisdom and prophetic books is set in short lines or paragraphs. This is a striking advantage over the Knox Version, where even the Psalms are set long paragraphs, perhaps to serve as a warning to future translators.• I'd return my copy and buy a hardback, paperback, or imitation leather copy of the full-sized edition, but apparently there isn't one, even direct from the publisher. The leatherbound edition costs $950 new, over $500 used.• I didn't realize when I ordered that the Apocrypha (deuterocanonical books plus 1-2 Esdras and Prayer of Manasseh) were missing. If you want them, order the edition that says "with Apocrypha." Then again, I'll probably never read the KJV translation of those books. My Catholic translations include most of them. My NRSV study bibles include all of them, plus a few more books that are in the Eastern Orthodox canon. The best passages in Wisdom, the Prayer of Manassah, and the additions to Daniel are in Common Worship: Daily Prayer. If I'm struck by overpowering urge to read them in Jacobean English, I can find them on line.What will I use it for?• Reading the long sections that are set in short lines or paragraphs. They're more textually accurate and readable than my 60 year old 1-verse-per-line spaghetti edition of the KJV.• Occasional comparisons to modern translations to clarify whether "you" is singular or plural, where it might make a difference.In short, this edition is very good for what it's good for. Though I'm not a fan of the KJV for study or devotional use, I highly recommend the personal edition as a reading copy. I'd order the full-sized edition and give it 5 stars if I could get it without selling furniture to buy a copy bound in the remains of a dead cow.