I’m expecting delivery of the new Scepter Daily Bible soon, but in the meantime, I just saw a copy with the black imitation leather cover at a local Catholic gift shop. I can confirm that it features a sewn binding. The imitation leather feels rubbery — no one would confuse it with real leather or even bonded leather. It feels similar to the leatherette cover on Dynamic Catholic’s RSV-CE (which I reviewed last year here). The page edges are plain, with no gilding or paint.
I was struck by how small the font looked. The page layout offered a decent amount of margin space, which could have been used to enlarge the font. In a small bible like this, it would be difficult to take notes without very small handwriting, so I’m surprised at the page layout choice. Also, it appears that some of the text is line-matched, but since the section headings are in a larger font size than the biblical text, the lines do not always match up.
When I receive my copy in the mail, I’ll be sure to post photos and additional observations.
I have an imitation leather edition. It does have more of a rubbery feel than imitation leather, but I’m fine with it because the material is thick and sturdy which is what I need for everyday carry. For the most part the text is line matched, but I can also confirm that there are a few pages with no line matching. The text is very dark so on pages where the text does not line up ghosting is a problem. The main text is serif but the section headings are sans serif. I found this really distracting for the first few days then I stopped noticing. I have found a few type-setting errors that I let Scepter know about and they have been very receptive about feedback. I also noticed that Chapter 5 of Job is mislabeled as “Job Is Corrected By God” when it a continuation of Eliphaz’s speech.
When I first received my copy I didn’t think I would like this Bible, but I have to say despite its problems I love it. It is nice and floppy and the lines and words have enough space between them to make marking in the Bible easier. Even though the font appears to be the same size as my Oxford compact RSV_CE the text of Scepter Bible is easier for me to read. After I had my Bible for a week I noticed that it had a torn page that I failed to notice when it arrived. When I wrote to Scepter about it they were incredibly helpful.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Laura! I think this will be helpful for anyone who is thinking of purchasing this bible. I’m glad to hear that you’re liking it.
I have the bonded leather edition. I love the size and feel of it but I find the font very uncomfortable to read.