You need a Bible and not just any Bible, but one that actually works for you. The best Bible isn’t always easy to come by and the best journaling Bible may be even harder.
Thankful this guide is here to give you a clear direction of what a journaling Bible is, the different kinds of journaling Bibles, what to look for when choosing a journaling Bible, and what my top recommendation is for the best journaling Bible on the market today.
I have had the same Bible almost my entire life. When I lost my first “grown-up” Bible as a child, probably around the age of eight, my dad gave me an extra one that sitting on the shelf.
Since that day, I have had that same Bible my dad handed me. It has seen a great deal of love and the pages were literally falling out one by one. I knew I needed a new Bible, but it was so hard to give up the one that has been with me for so long.
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Even though that Bible meant so much to me and literally has lesson after lesson of what I have learned so far in life, I knew it was time to move on to a new one. If you’re like me, it feels like you’re betraying an old friend in a way, but don’t worry, you can still keep that old friend close by!
When I was debating which new Bible to get I knew I wanted a journaling Bible.
You see, my old Bible was great, and I was able to use it as a tool to grow in my spiritual journey. However, I knew that this tool could get even better. A journaling Bible was going to allow me to express myself more, take better notes, and help me engage with the word of God in huge ways.
But what was the best journaling Bible out there? And how do I know what to look for in a journaling Bible?
I did a bunch of research and decided to get it all in this post for you to make your journey to the best journaling Bible easier than it was for me!
WHAT IS A JOURNALING BIBLE AND WHY DO YOU NEED ONE
The Holy Bible is the word of God. It is the most important book on this earth and the most popular as well. Because the Holy Bible is the inspired word of God, it is the most important book purchase you will make.
My Bible, along with prayer and meditation, is how God communicates with me, gives me direction, and teaches me valuable lessons.
Because my Bible is such an important tool in my life, it is extremely important for me to locate the best one so that I can grow the most through it. I love to choose a journaling Bible because it allows me to be more expressive, take notes, and be creative when I interact with it.
A journaling Bible is different than a regular Bible in that it was designed with note-takers and creatives in mind. The Bible may have stronger pages, more note-taking room, or is less likely to bleed when written.
Each journaling Bible is so different and with so many options it can be very hard to find the best journaling Bible on the market. Thankfully, this guide will help you locate your perfect fit.
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THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF JOURNALING BIBLES
When thinking about purchasing a journaling Bible and finding the best journaling Bible for you, one of the biggest things you want to consider is your intended use.
You need a journaling Bible because it allows the word of God to come to life before your eyes. When you interact with your Bible, it will allow you to dig deeper into its message. You can learn so much more by studying it when you use pens and paint or any other medium to express yourself.
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God made each of us creative and wants us to use our creative juices in the way we interact with His scripture. Just like being in nature can allow you to feel a sense of closeness to God, as you marvel at His creation, so can interacting with His word through note-taking and drawing or designing.
Are you an artist and your intended use is to use the Bible for beautiful drawings and paintings or watercolor? Or are you mostly looking for a journaling Bible for lots of note-taking and annotating?
When you consider note-taking versus a creative outlet, that could greatly affect your decision. We’ll take about what to look for in a journaling Bible when you consider both of these intended uses in the next couple of sections.
10 BENEFITS OF USING A JOURNALING BIBLE
Part of the solution to finding the best journaling Bible is to know the benefits of using one. Here are some quick areas that show how I have benefited from a journaling Bible from personal experience.
- It has allowed me to dive into Scripture more often
- It has given me a creative outlet
- It has allowed me to take better notes
- It has given me the ability to study the word for myself, not just what others say about it
- It has shown me the overall theme of the Bible, from beginning to end
- It has helped me stay focused better when reading the Bible
- It has helped me understand each book of the Bible as a whole better
- It has prompted me to read the whole Bible from cover to cover
- It has become more personal to me
- It has strengthened my relationship with my Savior, no doubt about it
If those aren’t enough perfectly amazing reasons to grab a journaling Bible today, then I don’t know what is. The best journaling Bible is the one that does these ten things for you.
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7 THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A JOURNALING BIBLE
Now that you know you want the best journaling Bible, and you’re ready to get the perfect one, you will want to take these few things into consideration.
- What version is the journaling Bible?
The best journaling Bible will be the one that is a version you like the best. Seriously, even if you love the style and the way the Bible looks if you don’t like the version it is, it won’t be a good fit.
There are several different versions of the Holy Bible, from New King James to New International, to English Standard, and many more.
It is my prayer that you won’t only be drawing, taking notes, and designing inside this Bible, but that you will also be pouring over the words it has to say.
You will be reading the Bible as well, so first make sure it is the version you would like.
- How big are the margins?
Will you be using the margins for most of your journaling or artwork or will you be going over the whole page?
Margins are something that can be easily overlooked on your quest for the best journaling Bible but is extremely important to a lot of people.
I personally love large margins because my Bible is also my journal, and I love to write all over it. I always aim for a two-inch margin or higher but if you would rather avoid empty white space then look for one inch or smaller margin.
- What color is the paper?
Some Bibles will have cream-colored paper and others will be very white. This is especially important for you artists that are looking to find the best paper to draw, paint, and color over.
Consider the best background color for your personality and what you tend to favor and keep that in mind when searching for the best journaling Bible.
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- What kind of paper is it and how thick?
If the journaling Bible you are purchasing does not say “high-quality paper” anywhere on it or in the description then I would steer clear.
Sure, a lot of companies are going to call their paper high quality and it can be hard to tell when just looking at these Bibles online, but if it doesn’t say “high-quality” at all, then I would avoid it.
Do you want a pen and highlighter to show through the other side of the paper (also called ghosting)?
If you are looking for a paper that doesn’t bleed when written on, look for information on that as well when reading reviews and the item description.
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- Do you want it to be a coloring book?
Some journaling Bibles are designed to already have lines and different images on the pages so that you can just color them in. I know some people would really enjoy this option because it will help them express themselves creatively better.
Others will struggle with this as it will restrict them from designing their own images. If you truly want to be creative and make each page unique, then a coloring book-styled journaling Bible is not the best option for you.
- What size do you want it to be?
Are you going to be throwing this Bible into a purse and taking it to church with you or are you going to be keeping it at home mostly?
The size of the Bible could be a big factor. I like smaller Bibles, and even though they will tend to have a smaller font, they allow me to take them anywhere and make it super easy to dig into them.
Something I have noticed, if a Bible feels too cumbersome to me, I am less likely to open it as often. What size would be a good fit for you and your needs?
- What font do you like?
The font and color of the font is the last thing you should consider when looking for the best journaling Bible. If the font is simple and readable, then it will be easier to enjoy what it says.
The easy font would be especially important to the note-takers out there. However, if you are painting over the page or designing an image, the font is probably not as important to you.
What is the best option for you and your needs?
THE TOP 5 BEST JOURNALING BIBLES
Now let’s look at the five best journaling Bibles that I have rounded up. I will examine each of them in light of the seven things to look for when buying a journaling Bible.
I pray that one of these would be an amazing fit for you and that it would be just the tool you need to dive into scripture in a very deep way over and over again.
Let’s get started.
Version: New International Version from Zondervan
Margins: Extra wide lined (lines are slightly faint)
Color of Paper: Cream
Kind of Paper: Thick
Coloring: No, this is more aimed for note-takers
Size: 7 inches by 2 inches by 8.5 inches
Font: 9.9 point and exclusive Zondervan Comfort Print typeface
Miscellaneous: Words of Jesus in red
This is a great Bible for note-takers as the margins are very wide compared to other Bibles, but the size of it overall may be a negative for some people. The print is very easy to read and a favorite by Zondervan fans.
Version: English Standard Version from Crossway
Margins: 2 inches ruled (lines are faint)
Color of Paper: Cream
Kind of Paper: High quality
Coloring: No
Size: 8.4 inches by 6.5 inches by 1.6 inches
Font: 7.5 point Lexicon type
Miscellaneous: This is only a single column, not double
This is a favorite Bible for many as it is very sleek in simple; however, it lacks in creative elements and may bleed when using certain markers are pens.
Version: The Message by Eugene H. Peterson from NavPress
Margins: 2 inch on some pages; ruled (very noticeable)
Color of Paper: Cream
Kind of Paper: High quality
Coloring: Yes, over 300 illustrations and 150 hand-lettered verses
Size: 6.6 inches by 2.2 inches by 8.9 inches
Font: 8 point
Miscellaneous: No verse markings due to the Bible version
A gorgeous edition of this newer translation, which provides lots of designs to color in popular verses from scripture. The reviews on this one just show how many people truly enjoy it!
Version: New Living Translation from Tyndale
Margins: 2 inches ruled (lines are faint)
Color of Paper: Cream
Kind of Paper: High quality (40gsm paper)
Coloring: Yes, over 400 illustrations
Size: 6.7 inches by 1.9 inches by 8.5 inches
Font: 8.65 point
Miscellaneous: Durable Smyth-sewn and lay-flat binding
This is a beautiful Bible with wonderful images to color in and lots of verses to make the whole book beautiful through and through. Just watch the videos shared in the review section!
Version: English Standard Version from Crossway
Margins: 2 inch ruled (lines are faint)
Color of Paper: Cream, Opaque
Kind of Paper: High Quality
Coloring: No lines for coloring
Size: 6.25 inches by 7.25 inches by 1.5 inches
Font: 7 point Lexicon type, Black
Miscellaneous: Double column words on both sides
This is my number one recommendation because it combines, from my note-taking perspective, I love that it gives me margins to write notes in. It also feels more feminine than most Bibles on the market. (And goes with my grandma style (; I must say!)
I have used this Bible for a little bit now and even though I can slightly see my writing through the other side and it is not completely “ghosting” I still love it.
Overall, this Bible will give you exactly what you need in a Bible. It is the best journaling Bible currently on the market today, in my opinion, and at a very fair price.
Whatever your journaling needs are, I hope one of these journaling Bibles is exactly what you are looking for!
P.S. Here are some great pens to consider purchasing with your journaling Bible!
Have recommendations yourself that I didn’t mention here? Be sure to drop them in the comments to help each other out!
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