NIV Side-Column Reference Bible (Wide Margin)
A closer look at the latest premium NIV Bible from Zondervan.
The latest edition of Zondervan’s Premier Collection is here, and it’s called the NIV Side-Column Reference Bible, Wide Margin. I have yet to be disappointed in a Bible from the Premier Collection. These are all-around great Bibles that are made with lovely goatskin covers, awesome paper, and custom typefaces from 2K/Denmark. They look and feel fantastic, and you can usually get your hands on one for a great price.
This new NIV edition has a lot in common with the NRSV and NASB single-column references Bibles from Zondervan, but it also has a handful of unique features that set it apart.
Check out the video below to watch a full walkthrough of this Bible, and keep scrolling for a written review and more photos.
NIV Side-Column Reference Bible (Wide Margin) – Overview
The NIV Side-Column Reference Bible (release date: April 6, 2021) is initially being offered in a choice of two bindings: black leathersoft or premium brown goatskin (I’ve heard rumors that a black goatskin edition is in the works). The Bible you see here is the goatskin edition under the banner of the “Premier Collection,” a line of premium Bibles from Zondervan and Thomas Nelson (both part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing) that debuted in 2018.
In terms of specs, the NIV Side-Column Reference Bible has a 6.25” x 9.25” trim size, and it is 1.875” thick. Like all Premier Collection Bibles, it is edge-lined and Smyth-sewn, and it features raised spine hubs, perimeter stitching, and three double-sided satin ribbon markers. Inside you’ll find a 10.5pt NIV Comfort Print typeface on 36 GSM paper. Needless to say, this is a fully loaded Bible that has everything you want in a premium edition.
FEATURES
• 10.5pt NIV Comfort Print typeface
• 6.25” x 9.25” trim size
• 1.875” thick
• Edge-lined goatskin
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Blue-under-gold art gilding
• Interior gilt line and perimeter stitching
• Three double-sided satin ribbon markers (3/8”)
• 36 GSM European Bible paper
• Single-column format with wide margins
• Cross-references
• NIV Dictionary–Concordance
• Full-Color Maps
Something New
Don’t worry if you’re sitting there thinking to yourself, “But wait… doesn’t Zondervan already make one of these?”
You’re not crazy. I thought the exact same thing.
In fact, last year I reviewed the NIV Single-Column Reference Bible, but this is the SIDE-Column Reference Bible.
So what’s the difference?
Well, this new edition feels much more in line with Zondervan’s NASB and NRSV Single-Column Reference Bibles, including a 10.5pt font size and cross-references that run the full height of the page (unlike the previous NIV SCR that had a 9.5pt font and placed references inside a blue box at the top of each page). I get the impression that this new Bible was designed to complement the NASB and NRSV editions, but I’m not sure if it is going to fully replace the other NIV edition.
Regardless, the NIV Side-Column Reference Bible seems like a better overall fit with those Bibles in the other two translations, but I really love that each translations gets its own distinctive features. This new NIV edition, for example, uses blue as its primary accent color throughout the Bible (blue-under-gold art gilding, blue page accents, etc.) compared to red on the NASB edition and purple on the NRSV edition. They also all have different ribbon colors and other slight differences in their page layouts. So they’re similar enough to feel like a family, but you will still be able to quickly tell them apart if you own all three,
Right For You?
Whether you’re a fan of the New International Version or you just like premium single-column Bibles, the NIV Side-Column Reference Bible is a solid edition that feels like a Bible designed to help you study God’s word in a robust way. With over 53,000 cross-references and textual notes, you’ve got a lot to work with if you want to explore how specific passages connect to others. Add in the combination Dictionary-Concordance, and this is a Bible that can keep up with you when you really want to dig deep.
As I said above, I’ve yet to be disappointed in a Bible from the Premier Collection, and this one is no exception.
Bottom Line:
The NIV Side-Column Reference Bible is an impressive addition to the Premier Collection family.
BUY THIS BIBLE*
• Amazon – $199 (Goatskin) or $79.99 for the Leathersoft edition.
• ChristianBook.com – $139.99 (Goatskin) or $51.99 for the Leathersoft edition.
*Pricing and Availability subject to change.
