Berean Study Bible
A closer look at the first edition of a new translation from Bible Hub.
There’s a vibrant community of Bible lovers on Facebook that gather in various groups (i.e. Christian Standard Bible Enthusiasts!, Allan Bible Addicts, and Everything Bibles!!!), each of which are filled with daily posts from members about… you guessed it… the Bible. In an age where online interactions are often filled with tension and endless opinions, I find these groups to be (for the most part) a safe space to find community with other people who love the Bible and don’t take themselves too seriously.
In recent months, there have been quite a lot of enthusiastic posts about the Berean Study Bible, a new translation from the folks at Bible Hub. Some of the most ardent fans even created a new group for it.
I had no plans to do a review of the BSB, but the sheer volume of love that it received on Facebook convinced me that it was something I needed to do. Last week I released and unboxing video so you could see my first impressions, and now I’m back with a more formal review.
Berean Study Bible – Overview
The initial release of the BSB comes in four different bindings, two hardcover options for $24.99, and two softcover options for $39.99 (the Bible you see in this review is the Tan softcover edition). Each edition features a 7” x 9” text block that is 1.5” thick. The softcover option is quite soft and flexible with an overall look and feel that, to me, is nicer than what I expected from a Bible this inexpensive. It’s simple and clean without many aesthetic flourishes other than the massive “Holy Bible” imprinted on the cover, but it looks nice, and I particularly like the contrasting perimeter stitching against the tan softcover.
As far as construction goes, the BSB has a paste-down liner that looks solid, and the signatures of the Smyth-sewn text block are then glued for added stability. It’s a pretty floppy Bible that opens wide and lays very flat.
Inside, the main text of scripture features a 10.5 pt. Cambria font in a traditional two-column format that has lots of room to breath on the page thanks to generous line spacing. The paper is a crisp white 30.5# Thincoat Plus Bible paper, which translates to about 45 GSM. Textual footnotes can be found across the bottom of each page. There is a table of weights and measures after Revelation, but the BSB does not include maps, a concordance, or any other study material (more on that below), although they do have resources available online.
FEATURES
• 10.5 pt. Cambria font
• 7” x 9” trim size
• 1.5” thick
• 30.5# Thincoat Plus Bible paper (about 45 GSM)
• Glued and sewn binding
• Single ribbon marker
• Textual footnotes
• Table of Weights & Measures
What’s in a Name?
Despite its name, the Berean Study Bible might not be what you’d expect. When I think of a “study Bible,” I picture things like the ESV Study Bible or NIV Study Bible that feature extensive sets of notes, articles, maps, and other supplemental study material.
That’s not what this Bible is.
Instead, the BSB’s name is a nod to the fact that the translation is designed to be a “modern English study translation, effective for public reading, memorization, and evangelism.”
Is this a bit confusing?
Yes… at least it was for me at first. But it made more sense when I learned that the BSB is actually one piece of a four-tiered translation project. In addition to the BSB, Bible Hub has three other translations under the “Berean Bible” umbrella.
Berean Interlinear Bible (Tier 1): an interlinear Bible to directly follow the Greek and Hebrew texts
Berean Literal Bible (Tier 2): a literal translation to take the reader to the core of the Greek and Hebrew meanings
Berean Study Bible (Tier 3): a modern English study translation, effective for public reading, memorization, and evangelism
Berean Emphasized Bible (Tier 4): an emphasized translation to bring out the full meaning and intensity of the original texts
It’s an interesting project for sure… almost like having the ESV, CSB, and NLT all under one roof.
The name of the BSB makes a lot more sense in this context, because it’s the piece of the project that’s intended to be widely used by everyday Bible readers for personal study. In that sense, I think it works pretty well as a translation. As I’ve compared it to other English translations, it seems to land somewhere in that middle portion of the translation spectrum, but definitely leaning more traditional in certain areas. If you’re a fan of the ESV of CSB, you’ll find a lot to like in the BSB.
Right For You?
The big question for any new translation is what kind of staying power it has, and if the strong early support of the Bible community on Facebook is any indication, I have a feeling the Berean Study Bible might be a translation that’s here to stay. This first edition is simple, clean, and a good value for the price, so if what you’ve seen in this review piques your interest, you should definitely consider picking up a copy of the BSB at one of the links below.
BUY THIS BIBLE*
• Order direct starting at $24.99
• Christianbook.com – Softcover / Hardcover
*Pricing and Availability subject to change, and some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you purchase something after clicking the link. Many of the Bibles I review have been provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
