I collect english translations of the bible in full-size hardcovers with the apocrypha if available. The NKJV and NEB are recent additions to my collection.
Do you read them as well? I think there must be many bibles on many shelves in many homes, which just gather dust.
Yes! The thick KJV you see in that photo is a deluxe Barnes & Noble classic edition with the Dore artworks! I said to myself, since the KJV is so common, I wanted to get a version for my collection that was more 'special'. So, I went with that edition!
Not my photo, but found this sample on GoodReads: This bible is still in print and can be bought on Amazon or Barnes & Noble for $18-20.
Quite possibly, yes. Although, the copy you see of the Douay-Rheims by Loretto Press comes in a close second. It has it's share of illustrations, though perhaps not as many, and a nice binding and print to boot.
Do you buy into the idea of commentary bibles? Like the old Geneva Bible (which by the way do you own)?
The 1599 reprint of the Geneva Bible you see in my collection has all the same commentaries and notes as the original, sans the deuterocanon and archaic spelling. So, lyfe is now life, but the old-fashioned language is the same otherwise. I generally don't mind footnotes and commentaries. The New American Bible has some very useful ones, but otherwise I tend to ignore them, as I prefer to have them free of other people's opinions whenever possible.
I have the sense that the "Commentary Bible" idea has been less received by Christendom than it seemed at first
There are probably some good ones out there, but aside from the most basic footnotes in your standard non-commentary bibles (translation notes and all that) I don't really collect them. The Geneva bible really is the only commentary bible I own since that's how it was originally presented. Since many of the reformers involved with Geneva respected church tradition on a certain level, the footnotes are still relevant for most of the essential matters. However, they are certainly not perfect. The attempts to deal with the alleged 'error' of how Zechariah is quoted in relation to the betrayal of Jesus is rather poor, IMHO. Then there's the famous 'repent, and be baptised for the fruitful amendment of life', which is kind of a stretch from what the actual word means, but in a larger context can be argued to be correct.
BibleHoarder, What is your opinion of Rev. J.B. Phillip's translation of the New Testament? I know that he was an Anglican clergyman.
I haven't had the honor of reading it yet, I don't think! But I can tell you that, as far as Anglican translations go, the New English Bible is that only translation I can think of that nearly succeeds at rendering the puns into english which are found in the apocryphal book of Daniel and Susanna!
That is wonderful! When I started getting more serious about studying the bible, I was using a softcover copy of the NEB with the apocrypha that my dad found. Also introduced me to the apocryphal books for the first time. Then, I heard there was a revision called the Revised English Bible, and wanted to get it, but accidentally ordered the Revised Standard Version which wasn't quite the same, but still good! And, I am watching out on eBay for a copy of the REB, so I can see which parts have been updated from the NEB. I know they correct the mistakes with Psalm 22:16 in the REB. The NEB uses "They hacked off my hands and feet" whereas the REB goes for the more traditional "They pierced my hands and feet". NEB isn't a bad translation overall, however!
Here's one that may interest you; the New Mathew Bible (also called the October Testament): https://baruchhousepublishing.com/ It's a one person edit of the Mathew Bible NT. The lady who did it is no great scholar and rather slavishly adheres to continental magisterial Protestantism. Still, it's an interesting project. She released the finished document to BibleGateway so you can read it some before you decide if you want to spend money on it. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+1&version=NMB
Just came across this thread. I've just picked up this Authorized version. Other than a change (in most parts) from Black letter (Gothic) to a Roman font, it's an exact copy, prefaces, artwork, spelling and printing mistakes, &c all included. It's fascinating to read the prefaces, and is just a beautiful book and an even better translation. Some pics are upside down.