Do we need a $300 limited edition “art-inspired Good Publishing NIV Bible”?

“But so-called ‘premium’ Bibles aren’t new. And while they may not carry the same steep price tag, a number of new and traditional Bible publishers are stressing the beauty of an old-fashioned book and the experience of slowing down to read at a time when so much of life is lived online.” - C.Today

Related (RNS): Marketing ploy or sacred art? Bible publishers appeal to millennials with focus on design

Discussion

I personally own a couple of Bible portions worth $135 thirty years back when I bought them, presumably worth much more now, but …an NIV for that much? If you’re going to put in the effort to make it beautiful, maybe make the content beautiful, too. I can see ESV, NKJV, Geneva, KJV, Luther-translation, Vulgate, original languages….but something in me draws the line at the 2011 NIV.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

I’ve been preaching more at my church and recently bought a “preachers Bible.” I think it was close to 200. I preach from my iPad but I thought it would be better to bring a Bible up. As much as I like it, I probably wouldn’t do it again. Bibles are getting very expensive.

Since Bibles are much used, it is worth paying for a good one. My only gripe is that I can’t find a good quality NASB in verse-by-verse format, which I prefer for preaching (also black letter editions… ) I do love my Cambridge Pitt Minion NASB for daily use though. A well constructed extremely useful Bible.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

I preach from my laptop, my notes are 14-pt font, with Word zoomed to 150%. I’ve never been happier preaching. All I bring to the pulpit is the laptop.

I would never buy such an expensive NIV. I own a very nice, goatskin ESV that I purchased that I intended to be my “forever” bible once I decided I needed to pick an eternal translation for devotions and preaching.

Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.

I have the Crossway ESV Omega 80th Anniversary Thinline Reference Bible that I purchased for somewhere north of $250, I believe. It has binding from Royal Jongbloed. I love this Bible and it was worth it in my opinion.

I don’t know what an “Art Inspired Good Publishing NIV” is, but I’d love to have a premium NIV as it is the version I use the most. I’ll probably buy a Schuyler eventually. I usually use my phone when I just want to look something up, but for reading I prefer an actual book. For a Bible, I like to be able to use the same one for many years, so a premium Bible is worth the cost.

If somebody is willing to pay for it, someone “needs” it. Who has the right to decide who needs what? Have we joined the ranks of those who make it their business to determine what is or is not needed? (Socialism, thou art alive and well among Evangelical Christians.)

G. N. Barkman

Very true Greg.

Don, check out the preachers Bible. It was designed by JMac and is NASB. It’s well organized and very easy to read from without a bunch of useless stuff.