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Layman’s Bible Review: NRSV Text Bible by Oxford

The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version (Text Edition)

Oxford University Press

Time for another review of a Bible that has blessed me.  This is the NRSV text Bible published by Oxford University Press.

If you don't want a Bible with a bunch of bells, whistles, or extemporaneous material this is a great choice.  It is the perfect medium size for carrying, first of all.  Not too heavy, but not so small either.

The font is the wonderful Oxford font found in the 2nd edition of the New Oxford Annotated Bible reviewed earlier.  The text itself is 9-point so still very essay to see, but reads big.   The ghosting is minimal in the older printings and it is really a joy to read.

There are two editions - 
  • Protestant canon w/ standard 66 books
  • Edition with Old Testament apocryphal books, including books used by the Roman Catholic and Greek & Russian Orthodox churches
There are no in-text subject headings (only at the top of the page), no book introductions, no essays or material in the back.  This is strictly a reading or church Bible.  The editions published since the early 2000's have a nice concordance.


 
1990s / Early 2000's editions (no concordance)


 
Current editions with Apocrypha
(Paperback and hardcover only now; formerly available in leather)


Current editions without Apocrypha
(Leather only now; formerly available in hardcover)

Pew Bible (sewn)
Above hardcovers w/o dust jacket (glued)

The paperback and hardcover editions have glued bindings.  There is a "pew edition" with a smyth-sewn binding but when shopping for a used copy it is difficult to distinguish from the hardcover without its dust jacket as they look exactly alike.  (However, even the glued editions are good and are much better made than the average glued Bible.) The leather-bound editions are smyth-sewn and should last a long time.

NOTE: if you look into these be sure to get one printed in the USA.  (This can be found around the title and copyright page.)  The later Korean printings appear to have thinner paper.  Ghosting and bleedthrough is terrible, and the paper sometimes has a bluish hue.  USA printings ran up until the mid-2000s or thereabouts.

To illustrate I’ll go into the eBay time machine to show you some recent listing photos showing the difference:

Korean Printing


USA Printing



Pros/Features:
  • Great print size and font
  • Size is great for everyday carry
  • Best collection of deuterocanonical books (Apocrypha) in English
  • Earlier, USA printings are incredibly well-made
  • Maps in the back are wonderful
  • Excellent concordance (in later printings)
  • Sturdy sewn binding (leather & pew editions)
  • Two ribbon markers (leather editions only)
Cons:
  • Glued binding on hardcover & paperback editions 
  • More recent printings from Korea have thinner paper & bad ghosting
  • No chapter or section headings can cause confusion for some

Stats:
8.3" x 5.8" x 1.5" (edition w/ Apocrypha)
1600 pages (edition w/ Apocrypha)

If you like the NRSV or want to learn more, check out the Fans of the NRSV Facebook group!
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