The ESV Alpha

English Standard Version Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition. Wheaton: Crossway, 2023. 1344 Pages. Goatskin, black. $299.99. Also available in Wellington Leather, brown. Discounts available to Crossway+ members (free registration) https://www.crossway.org/bibles/esv-heirloom-bible-compact-edition-gskn/

I've read the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible since it first came out. Unfortunately, my very first copy, read, carried, highlighted, and loved, fell apart. Crossway was gracious to replace it. 

Since then, Crossway quality control has gone way up. 

And nobody in publishing packages product for shipping better than Crossway, except one of their partners, Evangelical Bible.  

Crossway graciously sent us one of their new high-end Bibles, the Alpha Edition, for our review. From box to book, here are some photos. 

Side one

Side two

An open box with packing slip. Note the list price.
I didn't pay that as a reviewer.
You won't either if you register for a free Crossway+ account, log in, and place your order. 

The two-piece Bible box

Detail of the lower front of the box.
I love that this Bible, like a similar, but not identical text block, uses one of the titles of Christ, Alpha.

My copy is Black Goatskin. The Alpha also comes in a brown Wellington Leather, a durable boot leather not dissimilar to 2022 ESV releases with brown Horween leather.

The Crossway Pledge card inside the box.
Genuine leather is very different from bonded leather. This is a natural product that will last generations. (Bonded leather is leather-scrap plywood.) 
Note the velvety fabric protecting the ESV inside the box.

Unwrapped and ready for inspection!

Note the four raised hubs on the spine.
Gilding has HOLY BIBLE, the ESV logo, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION, and the Crossway logo. Page edges are gold over a pleasant salmon color art gilding.

The ESV Alpha next to a 3" x 5" notecard for size comparison shows its portability.

Detail of the inside back cover, lower right corner. 
Gold edge-line parallels a stitched edge.

The Alpha comes with two thin black ribbons.
If I'm being really picky, they're functional but not up to the elegance of the rest of this Bible.

Publishing information

The text block looks most similar to another ESV edition, my copy of the 2022 Omega,
a name that is another title of Christ. Note that both editions have two columns.
Omega has over 80,000 cross-references. Alpha omits the cross-references for portability,
yet retains the ESV translation footnotes.
Omega has 10-point Lexicon type. The Alpha is very readable with 8-point Lexicon type.

Note the gold edge line of the Alpha. Both Alpha and Omega have the same gold over art gilding.

Another size comparison between the review copy, a black Goatskin Alpha,
and my purchased 2022 brown Horween Omega.

I often travel with the Omega in an iPad sleeve for protection.

The alpha is even more portable!

The back of the box with more detail. 

The ESV Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition combines high-quality elegance with readability and portability. It utilizes a generous font size and a spacious, double-column layout while maintaining a portable trim size. Manufactured with the finest materials, this Bible is printed and bound with unparalleled craftsmanship by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands and features a premium leather cover, high-quality European Bible paper, art gilding, and a ribbon marker. Guaranteed to last a lifetime, the ESV Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition is a treasure for anyone who values God’s Word.

High Quality: Top-of-the-line leather covers with a lifetime guarantee

Specialty Features: Includes 2 ribbon markers, art gilding, European Bible paper, and an extra-smooth sewn binding

Easy-to-Read Format: Spacious layout with 8-point type

Convenient: Portable trim size

(Publisher's website) 

This is a very high-quality Bible that will serve you for a lifetime if you care for it well. 

I purchased another iPad cover to protect this copy. It was a perfect fit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QGC1L93/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

The ESV Heirloom Bible, Alpha Edition, lived up to and exceeded my expectations. This would be a wonderful gift for Christmas, a birthday, or a baptismal birthday. We highly recommend it! The Alpha will be a blessing to you as you read of He Who is the Alpha and Omega!

Rev. Paul J Cain is Senior Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster Emeritus and Instructor of Liberal Arts at Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education, First Vice-President of the Wyoming District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Chairman of its Board of Directors, Rhetoric Teacher for Wittenberg Academy, a regent for Luther Classical College, a Director for Steadfast Lutherans and Associate Editor of Curriculum for Steadfast Press, and Editor of Lutheran Book Review.   He has served as an LCMS Circuit Visitor, District Worship Chairman, District Evangelism Chairman, District Education Chairman/NLSA Commissioner, and District Secretary. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Rev. Cain is a contributor to Lutheran Service Book, Lutheranism 101, the LSB Hymnal Companion hymn and liturgy volumes, and is the author of 5 Things You Can Do to Make Our Congregation a Caring Church. He is an occasional guest on KFUO radio. He has previously served Emmanuel, Green River, WY and Trinity, Morrill, NE. Rev. Cain is married to Ann and loves reading and listening to, composing, teaching, and making music.