Introduction
I was excited to receive the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print Edition from Crossway in the beautiful Natural Leather Brown design with a wraparound flap and strap. This is such a beautiful Bible, and I was excited to spend some time looking through it, getting familiar with its features, and seeing how it would work for my own Bible study and journaling.
The natural leather cover immediately caught my attention. I love the simplicity and timelessness of the design, and the wraparound flap and strap add such a beautiful character to the Bible. It feels like the kind of Bible you want to carry with you, study from, write in, pray through, and truly make your own.
I received this Bible from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. As always, the thoughts and opinions shared here are my own.
My Thoughts
The first thing I noticed about this Bible is the beautiful Natural Leather Brown cover. I love the classic look of natural leather, and I especially appreciate that the leather will develop its own character over time.
The wraparound flap and strap are another detail I really love. The strap keeps the Bible securely closed while also giving it a beautiful, timeless appearance. It’s a practical feature, but it also adds personality to the Bible.
Inside, the Bible begins with a space for “This Bible Belongs To,” which gives you a place to add your name or even personalize it with a date, Scripture, or something meaningful to you.
You then have the title page, copyright information, table of contents, and preface before entering the text of Scripture.
I particularly like that the books of the Bible are listed alphabetically in the table of contents. While many of us know where to find the books of the Bible, having this list makes it easy to quickly locate what you’re looking for.
The preface also provides background information about the English Standard Version and its translation philosophy.
Once you reach the text of Scripture, one of the first things you notice is the 9.5-point type. Since this is a large-print edition, I appreciate having a comfortable-to-read font while still having plenty of room for journaling.
The Bible uses a single-column format, which is one of my favorite features. Instead of Scripture being divided into two columns, the text flows down the page in one column, which I find clean and easy to follow.
The pages are a beautiful cream color rather than bright white, which I personally find comfortable to read. Combined with the black-letter text and generous journaling margins, the overall layout has a clean and peaceful feel.
Bible Journaling & Personalization
One of the things I love most about a journaling Bible is that it gives you permission to slow down.
You’re not simply reading a passage and moving on. You can stop and underline something that speaks to you. You can write a prayer in the margin. You can record a question, something you learned, a personal takeaway, or even the date and what God was doing in your life during that particular season.
Over time, those notes can become a record of your walk with the Lord.
That’s what makes a journaling Bible especially meaningful to me. I want the things I write in my Bible to be something I can look back on years from now and remember what God was teaching me, what I was praying about, and how He was working in my life.
The generous two-inch margins in this Bible give you plenty of room to make it personal, whether you enjoy filling your margins with notes and prayers or simply adding a few meaningful thoughts here and there.
There are also additional blank pages toward the back of the Bible, which I really love. These pages can be used for notes, prayers, stickers, embellishments, Bible study notes, or other creative touches.
For anyone who enjoys Bible journaling, I think having that additional space is a wonderful feature.
Bible Journaling Supplies & Paper
Because this is a journaling Bible, one of the questions many people will have is what they can write in it with.
My biggest recommendation is to test your pens before you begin marking throughout the Bible. Different pens, highlighters, pencils, and inks can behave differently on different types of Bible paper.
Some people prefer colored pencils, some use fine-tip pens, gel pens, or Bible journaling pens. Whatever you choose, I recommend testing first to see how the ink behaves and whether there is any shadowing or bleed-through.
The additional blank pages in the back can provide a convenient place to keep notes or test supplies, and you can also use other appropriate pages as you personalize your Bible.
I love being able to approach Bible journaling in a way that is personal and creative while still keeping the focus on God’s Word.
Features I Love
There are several additional features that make this Bible practical for everyday use.
It includes one ribbon marker, which is helpful for keeping your place while reading and studying. You can also add additional ribbons if you prefer to keep track of multiple passages.
Another feature I really appreciate is the pen loop. As someone who enjoys writing in my Bible, having a designated place for a favorite pen is such a practical touch. There’s nothing worse than sitting down to study and realizing your pen is somewhere else!
This Bible also features Smyth-sewn binding, a traditional binding method designed for durability and long-term use. I appreciate that this is a Bible intended to be used regularly and kept for many years.
And, of course, there is the beautiful wraparound flap and strap, which gives the Bible both function and character.
The Bible also comes with a lifetime guarantee, which I appreciate because a Bible is something many of us hope to use for a very long time.
The ESV Translation
The ESV stands for the English Standard Version and is an essentially literal translation of the Bible.
The ESV is designed to emphasize word-for-word accuracy while maintaining readability, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. More than 100 Bible scholars and teachers were involved in creating the ESV, and it has become a trusted Bible translation for people around the world.
I personally appreciate the ESV and have several ESV Bibles in my collection. I find it to be a translation I enjoy returning to for personal Bible study, devotion, prayer, teaching, and simply spending time in God’s Word.
What’s in the Back?
When you reach the back of the Bible, there are several additional resources worth mentioning.
There is a Weights and Measures section, which can be a helpful reference when you’re studying Scripture and come across biblical measurements, distances, weights, or other units of measurement.
There is also a Through the Bible in a Year reading plan, and I especially like the way it is organized. The readings are arranged month by month, from January through December, making it easy to look at the readings for a particular month.
Even if you aren’t beginning in January, you can still use the plan as a guide whenever you want to work through the Bible in a year.
The additional blank pages toward the back are another feature I really appreciate. They give you room for Bible study notes, prayers, pen testing, stickers, embellishments, or anything else you’d like to add.
Who I Would Recommend This Bible To
I think the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print Edition, would be a beautiful choice for someone who enjoys reading and studying Scripture while also having room to write and personalize the pages.
I would especially recommend it to someone who enjoys Bible journaling, private devotions, prayer, family Bible time, teaching, preaching, or worship.
The 9.5-point large-print type makes it a particularly nice option for those who prefer a larger, more comfortable-to-read Bible font, while the single-column layout and two-inch ruled margins provide plenty of room to interact with the text.
And if you’re someone who loves making your Bible personal through notes, prayers, stickers, and other creative touches, this Bible gives you plenty of space to do that.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print Edition, is a beautiful combination of readability, functionality, and quality.
You have the comfortable 9.5-point large-print type, the clean single-column layout, beautiful cream-colored paper, generous two-inch ruled journaling margins, a ribbon marker, a pen loop, Smyth-sewn binding, and the beautiful natural leather wraparound flap and strap.
You also have the Through the Bible in a Year reading plan, Weights and Measures, additional blank pages, and the ESV translation itself.
I think all of these features come together to make this Bible not only beautiful to look at, but genuinely practical to use.
And I think that’s what I love most about it.
It’s not just a Bible you can look at. It’s a Bible you can live in.
You can read it. You can study it. You can pray through it. You can write in it. You can make it personal. And over time, it can become a record of your walk with the Lord.
If you’re considering a large-print journaling Bible, especially one with a beautiful natural leather cover, generous space for notes, and features designed for everyday Bible study, I hope this review has given you a closer look at the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print Edition.
Thank you so much for spending some time with me today.
Bible Details
Bible: ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print Edition
Cover: Natural Leather Brown with Flap and Strap
Format: Single Column
Type: 9.5-point large print
Margins: Two-inch ruled journaling margins
Binding: Smyth-sewn
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 978-1-4335-5316-5
Where to Find It
You can find the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print, Natural Leather Brown with Flap and Strap on Crossway’s website here:
Shop the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible at Crossway
🎥 Watch the Bible Review
Want to take a closer look? Watch my full video review of the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print Edition, from Crossway on YouTube.
▶️ Watch my ESV Single Column Journaling Bible Review on YouTube
Disclosure
I received this Bible from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. As always, the thoughts and opinions shared in this review are my own.
