Bibles come in all shapes and sizes. There are small-sized Bibles, many types of reference Bibles and a multitude of formats from single columns to center columns to those with a line in between the columns.
For those with a visual impairment or aging eyes, there is often a need for a larger-print Bible — something bigger than the 6–8-point fonts most Bibles have. It could be assumed that there is a standard for how big the print should be for these larger-print Bibles, but there isn’t.
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Some notes about the following information:
– Each entry is the actual font size mentioned.
– These are just some of the many larger-print Bibles out there. This list contains a representation from three major Bible publishers: Crossway, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson.
– Some translations only come in certain formats. For example, this research showed only 12-point and 13.5-point fonts in the center-column reference Bibles.
– Don’t assume that all giant-print Bibles have bigger fonts than large print. (See the 12.5-point font large print in between the giant prints.)
– There are 18-point font Bibles, but they are made by specialized publishers such as the American Bible Society, Cambridge University Press, Dake Publishing and Holman Bible Publishers. Thomas Nelson published a 24-point font Bible but it’s out of print.
– The actual fonts, not just the size, can make a difference in readability.
– There is a trade-off for size and the weight of the Bible. The super-giant print Bibles can be very heavy.
– The paper can be extremely thin and can still be difficult to read because of seeing through it.
Finding a larger-print Bible that is both readable and has the features desired can be daunting, especially if buying one online.
Research the Bible you are interested in. Try to find an actual example of the font size and pay attention to the weight and how thin the paper is and, whenever possible, go to a store so it can be seen and handled.
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