ESV Journaling Bible, Interleaved Edition - Brown Leather Cover with Flap & Strap | Wide Margins for Note Taking | Perfect for Bible Study, Sermon Notes & Personal Reflection

I debated whether or not to invest in this version or the leather version without the flap and tie for well over a month, and almost went with the other version. Ultimately I decided on this one and I am SO very happy I did!One of my reasons for hesitation was some of the reviews that mentioned missing verses (more on that in a sec), upside down pages, missing tie strap, binding issues, etc. if I’m paying over $100 for a Bible, I want it to be free of major flaws! I’m happy to say the Bible I received appears to be in excellent condition and looks new. The shipping box was in good condition and the clamshell box the Bible came in had minor scuffs, but no major damage. I spent about an hour flipping through it page by page to look for major flaws (stopping to skim and bookmark passages that jumped out at me along the way) and found NONE.As for reviews that mention missing verses: I’ve noticed reviews mentioning missing verses on almost every Bible Amazon offers. While reading a commentary (I don’t remember which one) I came across a passage that explains that some translations (such as those that strive to be word for word translations) exclude or skip verses that appear in other translations (such as those that are more thought for thought). This is also common when comparing KJV to non-KJV Bibles. If the publisher were to change the verse numbers to remain consecutive with no missed numbers, we would end up with Bibles that have verses that don’t match. For example, IF a verse in early John chapter 3 were omitted and the numbers remained consecutive, then John 3:16, the cornerstone of our faith, might not BE John 3:16 in every Bible. It might be John 3:11 in one translation, 3:13 in another, and so on. So basically if you see “missing” verses, they aren’t a misprint. It’s an intentional choice by the publisher/editing staff.Back to THIS Bible…It is beautiful. I plan to use it to record my personal spiritual journey and include selected notes from my Bible studies. I’ve also purchased the spiral bound ESV set for my inductive Bible studies. The paper is typical thin Bible paper in an ivory hue that’s easy on the eyes.The cover is natural leather, and as such it will patina over time. It’s GOING to get scuffed and scratched and the color will deepen as it picks up the oils from your hands as you use it. That’s what leather is supposed to do! The only way to keep it as pristine as possible is to a) never use it, b) keep it in the original box, c) only handle it while wearing gloves. Keeping it in a Bible case/purse may help avoid marks, or even a cloth bag that leather purses often come with. I encourage you to not get hung up on every little mark it gets. The patina it will develop is a sign of a well loved treasure, not a defect in craftsmanship!This Bible does not have a dictionary, concordance, maps, book intros, or commentary notes. There are linguistic notes where necessary, but if you want these extras you will need to either have a study bible handy OR other resources like a stand-alone dictionary, concordance, commentary, or other references. I’m very fortunate to have several public libraries that have these types of reference books available and my church has its own library that is well stocked with even more reference materials than our public libraries. (I’m writing this review while sitting in my church’s library while my tween is in youth group!). There IS a table of weights and measures in the back as well as a reading plan to work your way through the Bible in a year, both of which are essential (not to mention handy!).I have yet to write in THIS Bible, and I plan to come back and update this review when I do. I was testing pens in my Inductive Study Bible and I expect that this Bible will have similar results. From that pen test I’ve decided my go-to pens will likely be my Pilot Frixion pens and fine liners, my Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, my Pilot Juice Up 0.3 click pens, my Zebra Sarasa gel pens (also 0.3 as well as 0.5), and my Zebra Sarasa timelines. Oh, and of course my Zebra Mildliner highlighters (pastels only). All of these will have SOME shadowing but ZERO bleeding!God Bless!