1. New American Standard (1973)

New American Standard Reference Edition. 1973. God. 1899 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 

I bought the 1973 New American Standard Bible at a friends of the library book sale in either late February 2020 or early March 2020. (In other words, my last purchase--Bible or not--before the world turned upside down.) I only paid a few dollars--$2 at most. It was not in the best of shape. (I know of one previous owner, who wrote notes in large bubbly print as only the young and girlish can.) After a glue job, this one was ready to be read. Still, I don't know if it would hold up to a second, third, or fourth reading.

I started reading it in December 2020 for a Bible in 90 Days project. I failed the 90 days. It was more like Bible in 80 days. 

It is the first Bible I finished in 2021. 

PSALM 23

The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil: for Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

Thou hast anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

What do you need to know about it?

1) It's out of print and long out of print. Lockman is unlikely to reprint the 1971 or the 1973 editions of the New American Standard Bible. Though the 1977 can be found now and then newly published. IF you want to find the 1973, used is the only way to get it I'd imagine.
2) It is a REFERENCE edition. Cross references are found on the side--the outside side as opposed to the center column. Those that love side column references, this one is great!
3) It features at least 25 completely blank pages. I don't know what note-takers would consider generous (versus stingy) in terms of blank pages and space to write...but I thought it was generous all things considered. I don't know of any (non-note-taker, non-journaling) modern Bibles that offer so much room for writing.
4) It is verse by verse. I know some Bible readers would rejoice over this verse by verse format. New paragraphs are noted by a bold verse number.
5) It is black letter. It does NOT present the Words of Christ in red. (Again there was much rejoicing...at least by some).
6) I don't have a font size; but if I had to guess I'd say somewhere between 8 and 9. That's a complete guess on my part. It's not overly large font but it wasn't hard to read. The paper wasn't amazing, but it wasn't horrible for bleed-through either. Nice in-between neither great nor horrible.
7) The 'bells and whistles' of this one: 

*foreword
*Fourfold Aim of the Lockman Foundation
*Preface to the New American Standard Bible
*Explanation of General Format
*Old Testament Table of Contents
*New Testament Table of Contents
*Concordance (115 pages)
*16 color maps

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible