My eyesight is very poor. I have Gluecoma in both eyes and am almost blind in my right eye. When I got my Concord 9 point print bible I was troubled. It seemed like such small print. I'd never be abled to read it. I wondered why such an expensive bible was so poorly made. It wasn't the bible that was the issue nor the seemingly small print. It was me. Cambridge in all their genius meticulously designed this bible.

First the 9 point print is bold making this small print very pleasurable and readable for people like me with very poor eyesight. Second the bible had margins with just the right placement making the print visible without even adjusting the gutter to read the print to the end of a line. lastly and most helpful is the size. It couldn't be designed better. It's not heavy. It's just the right size to hold in your hands.

I think Cambridge designed the perfect size so it would be convenient to read for space and content. I was leary when I first got this bible. After I gave it a chance it's the best designed bible with the best content one could have. The Kings James Version of God's Word.

Before I get into the vital features of this Bible I want to expound on its subjective qualities that have endeared it to me. At first glance most people wont notice the exceptional quality of this Bible until they pick it up and give it a closer look. Some folks wont even notice even after picking it up. That is not to say the Cambridge Concord Reference Bible is average or plain. It is because the Concord is how a Bible is supposed to be. It is the quintessential archetype of reference Bibles. It smells like a Bible, it looks like a Bible, and it feels like a Bible. When I pick it up to read from, I dont have to struggle with it. It does exactly what it should do. It stays out of the way and allows me to focus on reading Gods word. Everything about it is conducive to that end.

For me, it is the perfect size and weight to hold in one hand. I can comfortably read it while sitting in my favorite chair. It isnt heavy or unwieldy enough to require being laid on a table or desk. It isnt so small as to necessitate being held close. It is not a thick Bible, yet contains many references and some helps. It is not printed on such light paper that the pages curl up and blow around while you are trying to read. The pages are not a bright white. They are off white. Bright white pages tend to make my eyes strain during long durations of reading the word. The India paper is strong and opaque. There is approximately 7/16ths of an inch in the margins for note taking. The text is a nine point font that is printed appears pretty bold. The Concord is a double column verse format with pronunciations. It has the references in the center column. Even with the references, 128 page Bible Dictionary, Concordance, Glossary, and 15 color maps, the Concord maintains a thin profile without sacrificing paper quality. The pages are art gilded. An art gilded page edge compared to a gilded page edge looks a bit more attractive. It gives the page edges a red tint behind the gold color. Before they put the gold colored aluminum foil on the page edges they first coat them with a red ink. Then they apply the gold color gilding. When the Bible is closed the edges show gold, when the Bible is open you can see the red show through the gold. The binding, outside cover, and inside liner, make it supple and comfortable to hold. It is rigid enough to not flop around like some unlined Bibles do, while it maintains flexibility with its leather liner that is stitched to the outside cover edges with black thread. The Binding is a smyth-sewn binding done by Jongbloed in the Netherlands. They are famous for their quality work and history of Binding Bibles. Currently, most luxury Bibles are bound by Jongbloed. A sewn binding is a must in my opinion. If you hope to hand a Bible down to your children and for them to use it a sewn binding is the only option. With a sewn binding all of the pages are stacked in separate pamphlets called journals. These are then stacked and sewn to journal tapes or strings in the spine of the Bible as well as being sewn to each other. This is why you dont have the front and back pages falling out of a sewn binding like you would with a glued binding where the pages are cut, then stacked, then rubber cemented together. Those pages are not connected to each other in any way. If you bend the spine in a glued Bible, eventually pages will start falling out. Not so with a sewn binding. If you take care of it and treat it with respect it will last and last. The other benefit of this binding is the functionality of it. The Concord lays flat right out of the box. The cover doesnt flop up and get in the way. The covers can be rolled backwards and out of the way even. I wouldnt do this as a practice, but that is how flexible this Bible is. This particular Bible is a red letter edition. That simply means that the words of Jesus are printed in red text, including places where He is quoted by the apostles. Some people find this to be a very helpful feature. The Concord has two black ribbon markers. They are good quality without being too thick. I have had some Bibles with thicker markers that actually imprint on the pages they are between. I have had other Bibles with markers that were so thin that they crinkled up and are almost useless. It is very unattractive to open the Bible up to crinkled pages or markers. The Concord has neither problem. The Bible ships in a clamshell type retail box. I would keep the Box for storage. This Bible is to supple to stand on its edge. It should be laid flat on a flat surface when not in use. There was a slight problem with the shipping. You can read about that here. Cambridge has assured me they are looking into this and it shouldnt happen again. This Bible is as pretty close to being perfect for me as I have seen in a while. If Cambridge would produce this in an NASB I would be a bit closer to being fully satisfied. One of the other minor issues I have with this Bible is the font face itself. It needs to be updated. I noticed spots where some letters are not fully printed. I dont know what causes this for certain and it isnt a prevalent problem throughout the Bible. It is only really noticeable if you are scrutinizing it closely for review purposes. I do know that my NASB Cambridge Clarion does not have this problem. That being said, the Clarion is a bit too thick and a little too narrow. The dimensions are just off enough to make the Concord fit my hand better. The Clarion is excellent, dont get me wrong. This is purely a personal size preference and completely subjective.

Over all, I found the Concord to be a superlative Bible. It stands out from the mass produced Chinese and Korean Bibles as an example of what they should be aiming for.

KJV Concord Reference Bible, Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Text KJ566:XRE

Black Goatskin Leather RCD266

isbn: 9780521512978

This was the "ultimate" bible that I had decided to get for myself after many years of reading bibles made with cheaper binding and materials. I was not dissapointed. The goatskin and fine paper make it "floppy" which I find pleasing. It is the perfect size - not too small and not too big, isn't very heavy, and the 9 point font to me is just right. Like many bible students I started with study bibles - such as Ryrie and Scofield, but after years of study I now like a clean bible with references and study tools but no notes. I do not have the financial means to buy this kind of bible easily - so it was a big decision but I am happy with it.

This is my second Cambridge Personal Concord Reference KJV Bible. My first one I bought in the imitation leather and seven years later the cover was falling apart. So, I bought this one in hopes of not having to buy any more. I love it. It is very good quality and I love the fact that all the pages, verses, etc.. are exactly like my previous one making it so easy and special seeing the same verses in the same spot. I love the font used, giving the words the special feel that they truly are. I am very excited to embark on yet another journey of underlining my favorite verses and enjoying God's Word.

I purchased this Bible as a regular carry Bible. I knew it was a good version, but did not expect what I received.

First of all, the font is so much larger than i thought. It is ever so easy to read!!!

Secondly, the helps are simply AWESOME!!! They are well constructed and ever so useful.

Lastly, the French Morocco is stiff out of the box. But truth be told, I absolutely love it!!! Solid, and yet flexable.

This Bible is an awesome addition to my Bible collection and I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

RL Allan, LCBP and Cambridge are truly in a class of thier own!!!