Holy Bible: New Living Translation

Love this translation. Very small print though. Actual hard to read it’s so small.

If you're looking for a book that's part epic adventure, part ancient wisdom, and part motivational self-help, then the Bible is your go-to read. This isn't just any old dusty tome; it's the original best-seller with more plot twists than a soap opera and more character development than a Hollywood blockbuster.First, let's talk about the cast. You've got heroes like David taking down giants with a slingshot—move over, Marvel. Then there's Jonah, who gets swallowed by a whale and lives to tell the tale. And don't even get me started on Moses, who parted the Red Sea. Harry Potter could never.The dialogue is pure gold, too. Jesus’ parables are like the ultimate brain teasers, and Paul’s letters? They’re basically the first-ever motivational Instagram posts. Need a pep talk? Flip to Philippians. Feeling lost? Try Proverbs—it’s like having Yoda give you life advice.The plotlines are so gripping that it makes Netflix look tame. From Genesis to Revelation, it’s a rollercoaster of creation, betrayal, miracles, and epic showdowns. And the best part? The ending is literally out of this world.But the real kicker? This book doubles as a guide for how to live your best lifeThe only thing this Bible is missing is red text!

I bought this Bible a while back because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about this 'New Living Translation' that so many people loved. Well, I'm no linguistic scholar, so I can't speak for how literal or dynamic it is, but comparing it with other versions I own (Like KJV, NASB, NIV, GW,) I can say it is in the top two or three translations I've seen as far as pure readability/style (next to maybe only God's Word or The Message Paraphrase) and for new Christians wanting a Bible that they can get familiar with easily without spending a lot on Commentaries or Study Bibles, this Gifts and Awards edition is probably just about right.To start with it has a short paragraph at the beginning of every book giving the general theme and outline along with other helpful info to get you asking the right questions while you're reading. I'm not saying it's a suitable replacement for a more thorough Study Bible such as the NLT Life Application Bible, which you might want to get later on down the line, but as I said, for someone just getting into the Bible who doesn't have a lot of dough to blow just yet, this is what I'd recommend personally without any reservations whatsoever.Some more good features at the beginning of the book are the 'Welcome To The Bible' page, along with the 'How To Know Jesus Personally' section shortly following it, as well as a very concise summary of where to find the important sections of the Bible. In just a very short matter of time one could quickly read over this and have a good overview of the Bible's main storyline of God's justice, grace, love, and His ultimate plan of redeeming the human race to Himself.At the back of the book there is a good little concordance too, which for people new to the Bible should prove invaluable until they want to get into something deeper. All in all, at the five dollar asking price, there isn't a single thing in this Bible worthy of complaint, inside or out. Besides maybe, that the cover pages are rather flimsy and are apt to deform after one or two prolonged uses, but then again, this isn't a Bible meant to be displayed proudly on a bookcase, or coffee table, it's one meant to be read, and lived. And for that it serves its purpose very well.

I grew up using a KJV Bible with the cheap bonded leather and that lasted me a good 20+ years until the binding started falling apart. At that time I replaced it with a NIV Life Application Bible, which is a combo of a NIV Bible that I use in Bible Study, along with a life lessons/applications. I rarely open the Life Application Bible and the reason is because it is a hardback book. I enjoy reading and what I love about this paperback version of the Bible is that it is paperback, so I can sit in my awkward position and comfortably contort this paperback book to my needs. I enjoy reading my Bible and hope I never lose that passion, but having a version that I can hold like a book means that I have a version (and translation) that I may read like a book.I'm not going to mark the Holy Bible anything less than 5-stars unless it were a poor translation but I do wish that this, or a similar styled Bible, contained red-letter. On a plus side, I found out today that using a Pilot G-2 pen to underline will not fully leak into the other side of the page. I haven't used a highlighter yet but think I'll be okay since the G-2 didn't leak through. Yes, the font is small and fine but I have good eyesight so it's not an issue for me but can see how it may be an issue for others. I hope this review/rant helps you to choose, or not choose, the right Bible for you.

I enjoy the easier to read version which makes the scripture clearer. However, the print is smaller than I had hoped it would be. However, because the price is right and it fits the application (it was ordered to be left at a place we visit frequently so that I don't have to haul my Bible back and forth on the airplane!) I will be keeping it.