R.L. Allan ESV SCT (Single Column Text)
This Bible was not what I was expecting, but it’s VERY cool.
R.L. Allan is a bit notorious for their use of a sometimes-complex system of letters and numbers for identifying their Bibles (I’m a big fan of my KJV 53C NB SPC, for example). I’ve gotten used to that system, but not without a couple of hiccups.
One of the very first Bibles I purchased from R.L. Allan was the ESV SCT, and when I ordered it, I thought I was buying a copy of the ESV Personal Reference Bible (that’s the ESV PR). In their defense, Allan has the following note in the description of the ESV SCT on their website: “Please note that this is a single column text-only Bible laid out in paragraph style and without verse numbers.” I clearly missed that bit of info, and it was not until the Bible arrived at my doorstep all the way from England that I realized what I had purchased.
And I loved it.
The ESV SCT is a great little Bible, and Allan recently released a new batch of them in several lovely colorways.
Check out the video below to see my full review of the ESV SCT, and keep scrolling for a written overview and more photos.
Allan ESV SCT – Overview
The Allan ESV SCT begins its journey as a text block from Crossway (primary publisher and copyright holder of the English Standard Version) called the ESV Reader’s Bible, a unique design that removes all verse numbers, section headings, and footnotes in favor of a clean format that invites readers to engage with the text of Scripture in a much different way than typical Bibles. “The result,” says Crossway, “is a new kind of Bible-reading experience in a volume that presents Scripture as one extended storyline.”
Allan takes this text block from Crossway, printed in China on 30 GSM paper, and sends it to Ludlow Bookbinders in Shropshire, England, where it is carefully sewn together (with the addition of Allan’s lined note paper) and bound in a lovely natural grain goatskin with all of the beautiful aesthetic touches synonymous with the Allan name: semi-yapp, leather liners, art gilding, tooled spine hubs, and three long ribbons.
FEATURES
• 9.5pt font
• 5.5” x 7.75” trim size
• 1.75” thick
• Edge-lined natural grain goatskin cover
• Semi-yapp
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Red-under-Gold art gilding
• Three ribbon markers
• 30 GSM paper
• 32 pages of lined writing paper
• Bound by Ludlow Bookbinders in Shropshire, England
The Allan Method
R.L. Allan & Son Publishers began printing Bibles in 1863 in Glasgow, Scotland. This small, family-owned business is now headquartered in London, and they are known for their high quality bindings that are handcrafted in small batches using premium materials and traditional construction techniques. Allan is perhaps best known for their Authorized King James Version Bibles, which are based on vintage typesettings from Oxford University Press. In recent years, Allan has had quite a bit of success with limited runs of Bibles in other translations, and the English Standard Version has been one of their most popular.
Unlike Schuyler and Cambridge, who primarily print Bibles with typesettings of their own design (Schuyler’s Quentel, Canterbury, Treveris; Cambridge’s Pitt Minion, Clarion, Topaz), Allan’s standard method for printing non-KJV Bibles is to take preexisting text blocks from other publishers and bind them using Allan’s own premium materials and techniques. This means that the majority of Allan’s ESV offerings are text blocks designed and printed by Crossway.
Reader’s Delight
The ESV SCT was not what I was expecting, but I really like it. It takes a little time to get used to reading a Bible like this, but I find it quite enjoyable once my brain catches on that we’re trying something different. It really is an immersive experience, and I love a Bible like this for those days when I want to sit down for an extended reading session.
One of the common hesitations I hear from people about Bibles without verse numbers is that they don’t want to feel lost, and this edition alleviates that by including a verse range at the top of each page (see photo below). If I read something and think, “Oh, I want to come back to this later,” I just glance up and make a note to look up that passage later in my study Bible or favorite commentary.
I’ve raved about the ESV Six-Volume Reader’s Set a lot over the past year, and this Bible is certainly created in that same spirit (just one volume instead of six!) And as a fan of the look and feel of Allan bindings, I can’t think of a better package for this Bible to come in.
Right For You?
I think everyone should own at least one reader’s bible like this without verse numbers. It’s just such a unique reading experience, and I really value the opportunity to engage with the text in a fresh way. If this intrigues you at all, the ESV SCT is definitely a Bible worth considering.
Bottom Line:
Cool Concept + Lovely Allan Binding = One Great Bible
BUYING THIS BIBLE*
• The ESV SCT is available directly from Allan for £140.00.
• You can also find used Allan Bibles on Facebook Marketplace and eBay.
• The hardcover edition of this Bible from Crossway is currently on Amazon for $33.
• The six-volume set I mentioned is available from ChristianBook.com for $85 and Amazon for $115.
*Pricing and Availability subject to change.
