I agree with Louis Klospch. I think it enhances the scripture and does not take away from the importance of anything. I have several that are not red letter, but I really prefer the red letter text.
As you read from Klopsch's preface I was struck by his obvious view of the wholeness of Scripture. Seems so many today want to break it apart into fragments.
@@BeardedCavemanI've never been a fan of red-letter Bibles, but I could see myself perhaps enjoying a blue-letter Bible. I hope they gain more popularity.
@@MM-jf1me for me if it is done good then I can be fine with it. I believe I have 3 red letter Bibles and only one is done really good. It’s a Zondervan KJV reference from 1994. The Maclaren blue letter would be really nice if it was in a personal/compact size.
@@MM-jf1me red is my favorite color... so if they ever get the shading and consistency correct.. I would have to pick red.. I like the color blue.. about the same as I like the color yellow.. green or orange...
I’m in my sixties and was, of course, brought up on red letter Bibles. I don’t see the words of Christ being any more meaningful than the words in black, but the red letters brings the context out. It has become harder to find quality Bibles in all versions having red letters.
You’re in your sixties. Please research islam and the Quran. There’s a reason why you’re finding it hard to find quality Bibles, this is because the bible isn’t the word of god anymore, it’s been corrupted by men countless times whereas the Quran hasn’t and it’s 100% the word of god. Please research, May Allah guide you👆❤️
@@PaulyTater Jesus Christ peace be upon him is a prophet of god and not god. The verses in the bible contradict each other in that regard multiple times. God doesn’t make mistakes therefore the bible is corrupted and not the word of god. The bible has been changed and not the Quran we can see that because of the mistakes and absurd rulings that god would never give. The prophets of the bible commit the vilest major sins, in the Quran it’s the complete opposite, they’re pious men who lead by example because their character is impeccable. I read the Quran in English which of course isn’t 100% translated with perfection but it is to a 99% degree. This is because there are words in Arabic that English can’t translate to the fullest degree. Reading the Quran in Arabic is of course mesmerising. The Quran is recited the all around the world with the same meaning. There’s only one Quran. It has been memorised by kids, teenagers and adults. Allah says in the Quran he made it easy to memorise and we can see the result of that. If I ask someone to recite a chapter of the Quran and they make a mistake, they’ll be corrected immediately, this has happened when praying in congregation. Also the Quran is recited by millions every day. See the Quran is preserved orally and physically. There is a copy of the oldest Quran which is in Birmingham museum and it dates back to the prophet and scholars have analysed it and can confirm that it’s the same Quran we read and recite to this very day.
@@keremaysan5841if you think they contradict each other then you haven’t been reading the Bible. You probably compared one verse out of context to another verse out of context. My God is the only God.
@@williamburns3823 They definitely do contradict each other and they have no sense or logic behind them at all. Clearly you haven’t read the bible. Have you read the Quran? I suggest you start and May Allah SWT the only one true god guide you.
Hi Tim, black letter is my preference, however Schuyler, in my opinion, have the most legible of red letters because they use a darker red tone than most bibles. Due to my visual impairment in one eye, the ability to see the words clearly and easily is very important to me.
That is so interesting. Thank you for the history lesson I never new that that is were red letter came from and it was surprisingly more recently introduced than I was thinking. Another thing I don’t know why but I really enjoyed the way you read aloud lol. Keep up the good work I enjoy all your videos
Thanks for your informative video. For many years I’ve been using red letter bibles but as I get older, my preference is shifting to black letter for ease of reading. Another downside of red letter bibles is that at times, it has created a phenomenon where people would elevate the words of Christ above the rest of scripture, in what we know today as “Red Letter Christians”. Don’t get me wrong, I still like and use my red letter bibles but I am preferring black more and more as I get up there in my age.
I love This video….thank you Tim, It is very informative…things I did not know, I love learning about God’s and the how and why behind it. I have black letter, red letter, and blue letter, as long as the words of Jesus are in there, and I know when He is speaking to me I really don’t care what color the words are. I just want His Word and His presence in my life✝️✝️✝️✝️every day🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 and can I also say that I love your channel!!!!
Klopsch's preface is pretty much the 1900 version of a mic drop, and it neatly addresses the very issues people have with red letters today... Despite it being written over 120 years ago.
So interesting! Thank you for sharing! Previously as a child and Bible college student, you could not have sold me a Bible that didn't have red letters. Now that I have a deeper understanding of how every book for the Bible points to Jesus, I couldn't care less if mine is red letter or not.
I've been curious about this topic for awhile so I'm glad to have come across your video on the history of red-letter Bibles. I'm a bit surprised that they're such a recent phenomenon!
Thank you for this. Before purchasing my ESV Quentel and PSQ, I looked for red-letter versions of same, but they did not exist. If Allan or Schuyler were to publish a good red-letter edition, I would be compelled to make a purchase. Think a single-column reference bible by R.L. Allan with the words of Christ in red - with a black goatskin cover with a semi-full yap, line matched, etc. All I can say is "take my money, please!"
I love Red Letter Bibles, and concur with Louis Klopsch. Having the Red Letters truly does weave the thread of the presence of Jesus Christ throughout the Bible, from beginning to end.
Red letter Bibles are just what I have had since I was 9 years old in my first Bible. I have since had black letter text but I think the Red letters don't just make the words of Christ pop but they make the other words in black pop as well small words like "all"and "imediately"...to me it just helps me pay closer attention to the dialog. However I totally agree that all "red" is not created equal in bibles and so I see how having bad red lettering can turn someone off.
I really enjoy red letter Bibles (and now the Thomas Nelson Thinline blue letter version - Thanks Tim for that review, I bought that Bible based on your review and love it!). I have various versions and translations of the Bible with both black, red and blue text. I prefer the contrasting colors for Christ's words. NLT, ESV, and NKJV are my go-to translations, but I also enjoy NASB, and HCSB/CSB. Thanks for all your Bible review videos Tim!
Excellent video, and so lovely to see the godly desire to glorify the Living Word throughout Scripture! Personally, although I used to lean toward red letter versions, I'm like Tim and now generally find them a bit distracting - however, it's a preference and not a deal breaker either way. Now, I WILL confess a STRONG preference to Bibles that capitalize references to Diety ;-)
The issue with “red letter” is that we can’t always be sure if Jesus is the actual speaker, or if it is the writer of the book. e.g. John 3 v 16, could be Jesus’ words or it could be John expounding the words that Jesus spoke in the preceding verses. So depending on the bible/translation you use, you can get a different amount of “red letter” verses. It is better to be all black and allow the reader to make up their own mind. A.
This is the reason I stick to black. I try to read my Bible without translational bias, so in some places the red letter adds to what I’m trying to get away from.
I love red letter Bibles but agree some of them are to red and can take away your concentration from the rest of the text. The best RLB for me are Schuyler. The red is very pale just red enough to indicate they are the words of Christ. Bottom line is you have a choice.
Thanks for the information. I never knew the history of red letters in the Bible. I’m indifferent on red letters. If it’s done well I like it. If the red is too light or pinkish in color it’s annoying.
Wow! What a great story behind the history it just proves to me that the Lords wisdom through his people is truly amazing, just a simple idea changed the way we read the bible and it also true all the bible is the spoken word of God,
Hey Tim. I love this kind of content. I had never thought about the history behind this common Bible feature. Very interesting, and as always, your presentation is excellent. Thanks!
I grew up with Red Letter Bibles - didn't know until quite recently that only black letter Bibles were printed today! I never had the thought that the red words were more important than the surrounding black words - EVERY Word in the sacred Book is important! But I do enjoy being able to pick out the Words of Jesus more easily and quickly when I am looking for something that I know was said by Him. The text you read was interesting and informative. I enjoy knowing "the story behind the story." Thank you for this.
When I first started reading the Bible I didn’t know there were black text only versions! Then a few years ago I stumbled upon these Bible FB sites and learned there were. I’m going through my Bible collection I actually have black text versions (mostly in study Bible format). I agree with your assessment that the red lettering is done poorly in most cases. But when it’s done right it can be very nice. But I’m still a black letter girl all the way for now!
I actually love both red and black letter text. I love black letter text for when I am journaling or preaching. I love red letter text for when I am reading or teaching on a Wednesday night. I use the CSB as the main translation for the church, and Holman does not do many CSBs in red letter. Hopefully, they may even do one in blue letter.
Very interesting. I prefer black letter for continuity of the text but I can see wanting to highlight the recorded words that came from our Lord’s human mouth. We believe all of scripture is God-breathed, but the red ones are God-man-breathed, and that’s amazing. And that quote from Klopsch, wow, people don’t talk like that anymore, unfortunately.
Great video Tim! My main bible (Schuyler Westminster) is black letter but I actually prefer red. The Cambridge Turquoise does it very well and even Thomas Nelson in some of their premier collection (KJV thinline, it’s a darker red) as opposed to the lighter reds which can become pinkish (like my Kirkbride TCR’s). It’s also interesting whether publishers choose to use red letter in Acts (1, 9, 10, 11, 18, 20, 22, 23, 26) 1 Cor 11, 2 Cor 12, and Revelation because some of these can become interpretive. For instance Cambridge sticks to red letter for his words “while on earth” but interpret the parenthetical statement in Matthew 24:15 as Jesus’ words rather than the writer, whereas Thomas Nelson and other publishers interpret it as the writers words. Thanks for covering this interesting bit of history! The only video I found when I was researching this a while ago was Steve Waldron (I think his channel is new life Albany church).
The preface by Klopsch about the visual clarity of tracing the connection between the Old and the New makes sense when it's disclosed that the red lettering and coloring isn't confined to the NT only: In the first red-letter Bible, the words "universally accepted as the utterances of our Lord and Saviour" were printed in red. So were Old Testament passages that Jesus quoted or that were directly related to incidents to which he referred (with the relevant cross reference also printed in red). Old Testament verses containing prophetic references to Christ were identified with red stars.
Such in interesting video Tim. Thanks for this. I prefer black letter and my Allan Longprimer is excellent. If red letter is done right, a nice deep red then that is ok
It's interesting. I grew up with most bibles in red letter, but it seems in the last couple of decades it has become more out of vogue. I see value in both red letter editions and other editions. Great video.
I really enjoy red letter bibles like my Cambridge Topaz or my Schuyler but here lately I have found myself grabbing my Humble Lamb shepherd more often for my daily reading and it’s Blue Letter.
I love red letter Bibles if the red letter are done in a nice way without too much contrast next to the darker type. I also love seeing the words of Jesus appear in the old testament. Show us some red letter Bible samples!... good and bad. Never liked the blue letter Bibles as much but maybe I just haven't seen a design solution I want to read... anyone ever design a red highlight version of the words of Jesus?... that could be cool if done right.
That’s all I ever knew. Been in Calvary Chapel since 1985, and they use the NKJV. It kind of seems weird to me, not to see Jesus’ in red. I find it super helpful. Next video… who started Deity pronouns being capitalized? …. Hmmm….. I definitely prefer that! I think that’s only done in NKJV and NASB? Super helpful. Thx Tim!
I can’t really see how anyone can object in principle, rather than simply preference. When I was a new believer, I was taught a highlighting scheme, to help learn while reading through the Bible. I used coloured pencils… highlighting prayers or teaching about prayer in green, prophecies in purple, verses about Christ in blue, God the Father in… etc. And at times, I’ve underlined texts on a particular subject (in a cheap-ish Bible, of course!). So, in a way, the red lettering is just one such system. The main thing is to read and study the Bible!
I must have red letters in my bibles. Thanks for the video. I thought you were going to show us examples of red letter bibles that do the red lettering well. Your stack of red letter bibles next to you was most tantalizing, but alas, did not come to fruition. Your red shirt is a nice touch as well.
Red letter really doesn’t make a difference to me as it doesn’t affect my purchase in most cases. However, in the 90’s I bought a Bible because the words of Christ were in a super dark burgundy that didn’t contrast much with the black text but just enough to set it apart. It looked really good. Cannot remember which Bible it was though.
The Spanish Bible speaks to me, I’m actually looking for a spanish Bible for my grandma. I got everyone the Macleron NKJV with some markers for my wife sister and mother in law and she felt left out (It’s hard to get everyone a matching Bible when one member doesn’t read English) We read her the word in Spanish but she wants her own Bible.
My problem with red letter bibles is they are not Red. They’re pink, faded, and obscuring the very words of Christ. So frustrating, my own red letter Bibles have faded over time, and it would be so much better if a publisher could print the words of Christ red.
For me it just helps to understand which words are explicitly the ones from Jesus/God because I often struggle understanding the context and this helps me giving a more clear picture of who says what while knowing that all words are as equally important no matter if red or black. But that's just my opinion.
I prefer a red letter because as I look at it red reminds me of the blood He shed for the whole world …& yes I tend to pay closer attention when God/ Jesus is talking
I love and prefer red letter bibles. Just because the words that Christ spoke are in red doesn't mean they're more important. All words are inspired by God. It distinguishes. It lets us know that Christ spoke these words. That what I got from it.
Very good video! The issue remains though of verses that may or may not be actual quotes of Christ. John 3:16 being chief of these. Many translators today believe it is a comment by John and he is not actually quoting Christ. But either way it's inspired.
I love red letter bibles because of their beautiful aesthetic. But black letter bibles are just as good when the headers and chapter numbers are in red. But I’ll say it again, I think it would be awesome to have a green letter Bible because Jesus has the words of life, just as the apostle said. Maybe I’ll just have to start my own green letter Bible publishing company.
I did have a green letter bible about 15 years ago. It was one of those “gimmick” bible and was made from recycled paper, had articles about keeping the planet green, and the words of Christ in green. I’ll look to see if I can find any out there; although, it’s probably no longer in print. It was cool and I bought it for the green lettering.
I finally got someone that tried to scam me yesterday on Christmas morning!!!!!!!! I almost fell for it and tagged my sister but then it sounded weird. It said it was a surprise Christmas morning giveaway. 🤣😂🤪I’m so glad I finally figured it out it was fake………… wasn’t it😂? H so happy for your wife, you deserve it! Beautiful Christmas gift for her❤🎉
For years I used red letter editions. But when I switched to the LSB, the edition I wound up using was all black type. And after a couple of years I'm used to it.
I prefer black text myself, because when I read his spoken words in black, I have a tendency to read it two or three times whereas with the red letters I have a tendency to slide quickly through them. That being said, my new CSB Everyday Study Bible is in red letters, so I'll just have to remind myself to slow down.
I have been shocked by the absence of Red Letter Bibles available. I prefer them for preaching. It's easier to refer to them while "on the spot". My red letter has fallen apart and I thought I would get a new bible of higher quality but even the high priced bibles are almost non-existent (NASB 95). I have heard that Cambridge is planning on putting one out in Nov. '23. I hope that's accurate. If anyone here is aware of a good quality red letter bible that is not too large please let me know. I hope I don't have to wait until Nov. My 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" is the perfect size, unfortunately it's the second one I've gone through and I consider myself to be pretty easy on Bibles.
Interesting video and good job tracking down this history. While I agree the the section you read about the scarlet thread sounds beautiful, I don't see how printing the words of Christ in red does anything to accomplish this. Surely if this was something he wanted to achieve, would he not have been better putting all the Messianic prophecies from Gen 3:15 through to Jesus in red? I could get on board with that, helping everyone see God's one plan of redemption accomplished in Christ. As it is, there is nothing between Genesis and Malachi that points us to or prepares us for this change to red letter.
Tim, the example of a well done red letter bible you showed was gorgeous, which one was that?! Do you have a reccomendation for a red letter ESV verse by verse? That is what im hoping to find!
Nice touch with the red shirt, Tim. That detail wasn’t lost on me. Quite dapper, my man. Touché. Thanks for this video. Very interesting topic. Is this the beginning of a new “Bible history” series?
Would you say that you like blue letter (ie Humble Lamb) better than red? I love my HL Lion and the blue is just enough to distinguish without being distracting. I really enjoy it. What say you?
That was a great video, great teaching. I prefer red letter versions, I think it makes Christ's words stand out and jump off the page. I agree, of course, all of scripture is equally important. But there was and is a reason Jesus' teaching, his words ,were recorded as he said them, so I believe there's nothing wrong with highlighting them. Either way, great information and video. Thanks.
Thanks for the history lesson! I didn’t realise it was that recent. I’m not a fan of red letter bibles simply because it sometimes distorts the author’s original meaning like in the case of John 3:16 which some bibles put in red letters but is quite clearly the words of John and not Jesus. These innovations affect the way we read and sometimes interpret the text especially in John 3 where the decisions of which letters to render in red involve an interpretive step.
From a practical perspective, I'm of two minds on red letters. On the one hand, a black-letter edition is better for the colored underlining system I use (orange and pink don't stand out as well in my Bible when highlighting the words of Christ). On the other hand, there are times when the red letters prove to be valuable. Take, for example, 1 Timothy 5:18. If "The laborer deserves his wages" weren't in red, I might well have missed that this quotation from the law was also spoken by Jesus. Yes, the references to both the gospels and the law are in the cross references, but I appreciate the extra cue that Jesus spoke these specific words. If I ever replace my primary Bible, I won't worry about whether it's a red- or black-letter edition. While I have this Bible (an ESV wide-margin reference), I'll try to benefit from the red letters as much as I can.
How about the person who is color blind like me. I don’t see the color red very well. I would like to see more bibles with Blue letter text. Most color blind people are difficulties with red and green. Blue letter would solve this.
Hi Tim. Thanks for this video. Very interesting. I guess being a lay person my theology might not be right but I do give the words of Christ more weight. I know the whole scripture is inspired and true and important but if Jesus said it I just feel more compelled to internalize it. Yes the whole foundation is awesome and necessary but the keystone is just, well," key". Just my humble opinion.
This raised another issue - it sounded like the original way red letter Bibles were done involved highlighting passages related to Christ in the Old Testament, including prophecies. The way modern Bibles do it, with just the NT words of Christ in red, does not show a scarlet thread throughout the whole Bible. I hope to try out a blue letter Bible soon, as sometimes red seems too stark, especially if it's bright red.
@@richardvoogd705 Interesting, I shall try to check that out. I’d like to see how they decide what to highlight. I recently learnt that the book of the Bible with the most words spoken directly by God is… Leviticus! I was shocked, but in fact it seems true. Similarly, books like Isaiah might need most of it highlighted.
Personally, my only issue with red letter bibles is that it only has the words of Jesus in red after His incarnation. There are some events prophesied to take place after the New Testament in the Old Testament, such as the Second Coming. I think it would be interesting to have a red letter edition that has all of the direct dialogue of Jesus (YHWH) in red in both the Old and New Testaments. After all, the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
I don’t dislike red letter bibles, as it’s sometimes helpful in tracking what Jesus generally said. However, as often as I find occasion for this, I remind people that the red lettering is not infallible, and that it’s possible that there are some verses that Jesus did not utter himself. John 3:16-21 being the most notable. I feel that starting from 3:16 is John’s commentary on what Jesus just said about life in the Son of man. For the following reasons: 1. the narrative between Jesus and Nicodemus appears to cut off pretty abruptly at this point 2. there is an immediate shift from Son of man to Son of God. 3. Jesus never refers to himself as the only begotten son except for this possible instance, so it’s more likely that this is John speaking. 4. Jesus never speaks of God‘s love for the world, except for this possible instance, but this is littered all over John’s words. 5. Though Jesus has spoken of himself in the third person before, in this context, it is unlikely that he switches from first person “I” to third person “him/his” especially if he’s attempting to speak more plainly rather than parabolic. There’s more to be said about the Greek here, but these are just some simple examples that anyone can see when looking at this text. Either way, great video and I thought I would add this little nugget here since it’s related to the topic.
My two favorate Bibles are the Cambridge Turquoise KJV and the Cambridge 1977 NASB, both are RED Letter editions and verse formatted. I have written to so many publishers and begged them to produce RED Letter Bibles, but none have complied. Only Allen is making a Premium 1995 NASB, but will not make it in RED Letter. Cambridge makes a RED Letter NASB, but it is paragragh format and a very small 8 point font. I asked them to make the 1995 NASB in the Topaz Edition, but they will not. Sadly, many publishers are skipping ovr the 1995 and printing only the 2020 NASB edition. Schuyler will not make any RED Letter Bibles at all. 316 Publishers have made a wide margin LSB RED Letter but they won't produce it in their latested ICR edition, which is a huge mistake, because if they did make it, it would be their biggest seller. I use the RED Letter format for TWO REASONS, quick referenceing and for witnessing...! I DON'T beleive that the RED text is more important that the black text...! There are a lot of Christians who think like this, so please start writing to Allen, Cambridge and 316 and request that they make the RED Letter editions in verse format. Blessings...!
Didn’t know the story. Helpful and concise!
Thanks, Mark!
I agree with Louis Klospch. I think it enhances the scripture and does not take away from the importance of anything. I have several that are not red letter, but I really prefer the red letter text.
As you read from Klopsch's preface I was struck by his obvious view of the wholeness of Scripture. Seems so many today want to break it apart into fragments.
I love red letter bibles. There are very few if any premium editions or study Bibles available in red letter, especially more modern translations.
Even less blue letter. But I do love how the blue letter ones look
@@BeardedCavemanI've never been a fan of red-letter Bibles, but I could see myself perhaps enjoying a blue-letter Bible. I hope they gain more popularity.
@@MM-jf1me for me if it is done good then I can be fine with it. I believe I have 3 red letter Bibles and only one is done really good. It’s a Zondervan KJV reference from 1994. The Maclaren blue letter would be really nice if it was in a personal/compact size.
@@MM-jf1me red is my favorite color... so if they ever get the shading and consistency correct.. I would have to pick red..
I like the color blue.. about the same as I like the color yellow.. green or orange...
A great insight in to the history of Red Letter Bibles. Thanks Tim
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’m in my sixties and was, of course, brought up on red letter Bibles. I don’t see the words of Christ being any more meaningful than the words in black, but the red letters brings the context out. It has become harder to find quality Bibles in all versions having red letters.
Cambridge does a good Job. I have a Cambridge wide margin bible and it's red letter.
You’re in your sixties. Please research islam and the Quran. There’s a reason why you’re finding it hard to find quality Bibles, this is because the bible isn’t the word of god anymore, it’s been corrupted by men countless times whereas the Quran hasn’t and it’s 100% the word of god.
Please research, May Allah guide you👆❤️
@@PaulyTater Jesus Christ peace be upon him is a prophet of god and not god. The verses in the bible contradict each other in that regard multiple times. God doesn’t make mistakes therefore the bible is corrupted and not the word of god. The bible has been changed and not the Quran we can see that because of the mistakes and absurd rulings that god would never give. The prophets of the bible commit the vilest major sins, in the Quran it’s the complete opposite, they’re pious men who lead by example because their character is impeccable.
I read the Quran in English which of course isn’t 100% translated with perfection but it is to a 99% degree. This is because there are words in Arabic that English can’t translate to the fullest degree. Reading the Quran in Arabic is of course mesmerising.
The Quran is recited the all around the world with the same meaning. There’s only one Quran. It has been memorised by kids, teenagers and adults. Allah says in the Quran he made it easy to memorise and we can see the result of that. If I ask someone to recite a chapter of the Quran and they make a mistake, they’ll be corrected immediately, this has happened when praying in congregation. Also the Quran is recited by millions every day. See the Quran is preserved orally and physically.
There is a copy of the oldest Quran which is in Birmingham museum and it dates back to the prophet and scholars have analysed it and can confirm that it’s the same Quran we read and recite to this very day.
@@keremaysan5841if you think they contradict each other then you haven’t been reading the Bible. You probably compared one verse out of context to another verse out of context. My God is the only God.
@@williamburns3823 They definitely do contradict each other and they have no sense or logic behind them at all. Clearly you haven’t read the bible. Have you read the Quran? I suggest you start and May Allah SWT the only one true god guide you.
Hi Tim, black letter is my preference, however Schuyler, in my opinion, have the most legible of red letters because they use a darker red tone than most bibles. Due to my visual impairment in one eye, the ability to see the words clearly and easily is very important to me.
Thanks for sharing!
Personally, I like the letters of Christ in blue! Easier on the eyes than red if you're going to add color to them.
Very interesting Tim. I gained some new knowledge!
Glad to hear it!
That is so interesting. Thank you for the history lesson I never new that that is were red letter came from and it was surprisingly more recently introduced than I was thinking. Another thing I don’t know why but I really enjoyed the way you read aloud lol. Keep up the good work I enjoy all your videos
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the kind words.
Thanks for your informative video. For many years I’ve been using red letter bibles but as I get older, my preference is shifting to black letter for ease of reading. Another downside of red letter bibles is that at times, it has created a phenomenon where people would elevate the words of Christ above the rest of scripture, in what we know today as “Red Letter Christians”. Don’t get me wrong, I still like and use my red letter bibles but I am preferring black more and more as I get up there in my age.
Thanks for the video! I'm a "red letter guy" myself but I understand the other view. Klopsch's preface is exceptional writing.
Outstanding and very informative video Tim. Thank you so much for making this short but much needed video. God Bless You!!!
You're very welcome!
I love This video….thank you Tim, It is very informative…things I did not know, I love learning about God’s and the how and why behind it. I have black letter, red letter, and blue letter, as long as the words of Jesus are in there, and I know when He is speaking to me I really don’t care what color the words are. I just want His Word and His presence in my life✝️✝️✝️✝️every day🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 and can I also say that I love your channel!!!!
Wow... thank you, Sharon!
The history videos are very interesting, insightful, and great. I appreciate your ministry mine brother. Shalom.
More to come!
Klopsch's preface is pretty much the 1900 version of a mic drop, and it neatly addresses the very issues people have with red letters today... Despite it being written over 120 years ago.
Never knew this! Thank you for aharing
You are so welcome!
So interesting! Thank you for sharing! Previously as a child and Bible college student, you could not have sold me a Bible that didn't have red letters. Now that I have a deeper understanding of how every book for the Bible points to Jesus, I couldn't care less if mine is red letter or not.
I've been curious about this topic for awhile so I'm glad to have come across your video on the history of red-letter Bibles. I'm a bit surprised that they're such a recent phenomenon!
Thank you for this. Before purchasing my ESV Quentel and PSQ, I looked for red-letter versions of same, but they did not exist. If Allan or Schuyler were to publish a good red-letter edition, I would be compelled to make a purchase. Think a single-column reference bible by R.L. Allan with the words of Christ in red - with a black goatskin cover with a semi-full yap, line matched, etc. All I can say is "take my money, please!"
I agree!!
Great history, Tim, thanks. My personal preference is red letters Bible.
You’re welcome!
I’ve always loved Red Letter , hadn’t really seen all the “hate” until becoming a Bible nerdy … I get all the issues, but I do still like/prefer
This is so interesting! Thank you for sharing. It's fascinating to know the origins of something so common to us now.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you. I litterally had no idea where this idea came from. Very interesting and it was really cool to hear the heart behind the idea.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you, Tim! I did not know this about Red Letter Bibles! I love to learn things like this!
My pleasure!
I love Red Letter Bibles, and concur with Louis Klopsch. Having the Red Letters truly does weave the thread of the presence of Jesus Christ throughout the Bible, from beginning to end.
Red letter Bibles are just what I have had since I was 9 years old in my first Bible. I have since had black letter text but I think the Red letters don't just make the words of Christ pop but they make the other words in black pop as well small words like "all"and "imediately"...to me it just helps me pay closer attention to the dialog. However I totally agree that all "red" is not created equal in bibles and so I see how having bad red lettering can turn someone off.
This was awesome please do more of these
Great... will do!
I really enjoy red letter Bibles (and now the Thomas Nelson Thinline blue letter version - Thanks Tim for that review, I bought that Bible based on your review and love it!). I have various versions and translations of the Bible with both black, red and blue text. I prefer the contrasting colors for Christ's words. NLT, ESV, and NKJV are my go-to translations, but I also enjoy NASB, and HCSB/CSB. Thanks for all your Bible review videos Tim!
You're welcome!
Thanks for sharing this information Tim.
Excellent video, and so lovely to see the godly desire to glorify the Living Word throughout Scripture! Personally, although I used to lean toward red letter versions, I'm like Tim and now generally find them a bit distracting - however, it's a preference and not a deal breaker either way.
Now, I WILL confess a STRONG preference to Bibles that capitalize references to Diety ;-)
Also, the KJV Sword Bible has the words of God in red letter in the OT as well as the words of Christ in the NT.
The issue with “red letter” is that we can’t always be sure if Jesus is the actual speaker, or if it is the writer of the book. e.g. John 3 v 16, could be Jesus’ words or it could be John expounding the words that Jesus spoke in the preceding verses. So depending on the bible/translation you use, you can get a different amount of “red letter” verses. It is better to be all black and allow the reader to make up their own mind. A.
This is the reason I stick to black.
I try to read my Bible without translational bias, so in some places the red letter adds to what I’m trying to get away from.
True, but even Bibles with quotation marks have to make that interpretation.
Very true, but I find it (black/quotation marks) less intrusive. I think many people would just accept the “red letter” as always being right. A.
Really cool video! I’m like you and lean away from red letter, but I’ll read more about it and might change my mind.
I love red letter Bibles but agree some of them are to red and can take away your concentration from the rest of the text. The best RLB for me are Schuyler. The red is very pale just red enough to indicate they are the words of Christ. Bottom line is you have a choice.
I love my little red letter Bible! I had no idea about the story behind it though.
Thanks for the information. I never knew the history of red letters in the Bible. I’m indifferent on red letters. If it’s done well I like it. If the red is too light or pinkish in color it’s annoying.
Agreed.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Red Letter Bibles, Tim. I find the explanation for developing them insightful.
My pleasure!
Thanks for bringing this history to our attention.
You bet!
I have no preference of red or black letter but recent blue letter bibles are pretty nice.
I agree. Give me the blue lettering over the red if color is to be added. Easier on the eyes than red!
Wow! What a great story behind the history it just proves to me that the Lords wisdom through his people is truly amazing, just a simple idea changed the way we read the bible and it also true all the bible is the spoken word of God,
Thank you Tim for this informative video.
You’re welcome, Mike!
Excellent Video Brother!
Thanks for watching!
I love what Klopsch said!
Great video Tim! I did not know this!
Thanks, Dwayne!
Hey Tim. I love this kind of content. I had never thought about the history behind this common Bible feature. Very interesting, and as always, your presentation is excellent. Thanks!
Awesome, thank you!
That was awesome. Thanks for sharing the info. 👍🏾👍🏾
You're very welcome!
I grew up with Red Letter Bibles - didn't know until quite recently that only black letter Bibles were printed today! I never had the thought that the red words were more important than the surrounding black words - EVERY Word in the sacred Book is important! But I do enjoy being able to pick out the Words of Jesus more easily and quickly when I am looking for something that I know was said by Him. The text you read was interesting and informative. I enjoy knowing "the story behind the story." Thank you for this.
You're welcome!
I appreciate the history and the theology of red letter Bibles. Dut I have difficulty with red letter Bibles due to red-green color blandness.
I have a 1905 Red Letter Bible that I just bought as a new Reborn Christian. I love it. ✝️
When I first started reading the Bible I didn’t know there were black text only versions! Then a few years ago I stumbled upon these Bible FB sites and learned there were. I’m going through my Bible collection I actually have black text versions (mostly in study Bible format). I agree with your assessment that the red lettering is done poorly in most cases. But when it’s done right it can be very nice. But I’m still a black letter girl all the way for now!
Exactly... when it's done right.
I, too, have noticed a variation in how well it has been done.
I actually love both red and black letter text. I love black letter text for when I am journaling or preaching. I love red letter text for when I am reading or teaching on a Wednesday night. I use the CSB as the main translation for the church, and Holman does not do many CSBs in red letter. Hopefully, they may even do one in blue letter.
Love that... thanks for sharing!
Thank you for doing this it was good 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love learning everything about the Bible, so you are welcome to share more interesting subjects about the Holy Bible.
Awesome giveaway! Congrats to all the winners!
I have a blue letter Bible that has passages in the Old Testament that point forward to THE MESSIAH. It’s a pretty interesting read.
Very interesting. I prefer black letter for continuity of the text but I can see wanting to highlight the recorded words that came from our Lord’s human mouth. We believe all of scripture is God-breathed, but the red ones are God-man-breathed, and that’s amazing. And that quote from Klopsch, wow, people don’t talk like that anymore, unfortunately.
Great video Tim! My main bible (Schuyler Westminster) is black letter but I actually prefer red. The Cambridge Turquoise does it very well and even Thomas Nelson in some of their premier collection (KJV thinline, it’s a darker red) as opposed to the lighter reds which can become pinkish (like my Kirkbride TCR’s). It’s also interesting whether publishers choose to use red letter in Acts (1, 9, 10, 11, 18, 20, 22, 23, 26) 1 Cor 11, 2 Cor 12, and Revelation because some of these can become interpretive. For instance Cambridge sticks to red letter for his words “while on earth” but interpret the parenthetical statement in Matthew 24:15 as Jesus’ words rather than the writer, whereas Thomas Nelson and other publishers interpret it as the writers words. Thanks for covering this interesting bit of history! The only video I found when I was researching this a while ago was Steve Waldron (I think his channel is new life Albany church).
The preface by Klopsch about the visual clarity of tracing the connection between the Old and the New makes sense when it's disclosed that the red lettering and coloring isn't confined to the NT only:
In the first red-letter Bible, the words "universally accepted as the utterances of our Lord and Saviour" were printed in red. So were Old Testament passages that Jesus quoted or that were directly related to incidents to which he referred (with the relevant cross reference also printed in red). Old Testament verses containing prophetic references to Christ were identified with red stars.
It's brilliant to see the words in red.
It almost sets The example of how to see God in the rest of the scriptures. ❤
Fantastic video
Thanks! 😃
Such in interesting video Tim. Thanks for this. I prefer black letter and my Allan Longprimer is excellent. If red letter is done right, a nice deep red then that is ok
You're welcome!
I definitely prefer red letter Bibles. That's my only complaint about my Schuyler NASB PSQ
It's interesting. I grew up with most bibles in red letter, but it seems in the last couple of decades it has become more out of vogue. I see value in both red letter editions and other editions. Great video.
Thanks for sharing!
I really enjoy red letter bibles like my Cambridge Topaz or my Schuyler but here lately I have found myself grabbing my Humble Lamb shepherd more often for my daily reading and it’s Blue Letter.
What translation is your Cambridge Topaz? I've been told that they are coming out with an updated '95 NASB in Nov. 2023.
@@47preacher48 NKJV, but a 95 NASB topaz in green goatskin will be on my Christmas list.
I love red letter Bibles if the red letter are done in a nice way without too much contrast next to the darker type. I also love seeing the words of Jesus appear in the old testament. Show us some red letter Bible samples!... good and bad. Never liked the blue letter Bibles as much but maybe I just haven't seen a design solution I want to read... anyone ever design a red highlight version of the words of Jesus?... that could be cool if done right.
That’s all I ever knew. Been in Calvary Chapel since 1985, and they use the NKJV. It kind of seems weird to me, not to see Jesus’ in red. I find it super helpful. Next video… who started Deity pronouns being capitalized? …. Hmmm….. I definitely prefer that! I think that’s only done in NKJV and NASB? Super helpful. Thx Tim!
I can’t really see how anyone can object in principle, rather than simply preference. When I was a new believer, I was taught a highlighting scheme, to help learn while reading through the Bible. I used coloured pencils… highlighting prayers or teaching about prayer in green, prophecies in purple, verses about Christ in blue, God the Father in… etc. And at times, I’ve underlined texts on a particular subject (in a cheap-ish Bible, of course!). So, in a way, the red lettering is just one such system. The main thing is to read and study the Bible!
I must have red letters in my bibles. Thanks for the video. I thought you were going to show us examples of red letter bibles that do the red lettering well. Your stack of red letter bibles next to you was most tantalizing, but alas, did not come to fruition. Your red shirt is a nice touch as well.
Red letter really doesn’t make a difference to me as it doesn’t affect my purchase in most cases. However, in the 90’s I bought a Bible because the words of Christ were in a super dark burgundy that didn’t contrast much with the black text but just enough to set it apart. It looked really good. Cannot remember which Bible it was though.
The Spanish Bible speaks to me, I’m actually looking for a spanish Bible for my grandma. I got everyone the Macleron NKJV with some markers for my wife sister and mother in law and she felt left out (It’s hard to get everyone a matching Bible when one member doesn’t read English) We read her the word in Spanish but she wants her own Bible.
My problem with red letter bibles is they are not Red. They’re pink, faded, and obscuring the very words of Christ. So frustrating, my own red letter Bibles have faded over time, and it would be so much better if a publisher could print the words of Christ red.
They also have a red letter Bible called the sword or easy read kjv where God OT & NT Jesus are both in red…love mine
I have a blue letter Bible. This I like.
Just love this so much! ❤️
Thanks, Mom! ❤️
For me it just helps to understand which words are explicitly the ones from Jesus/God because I often struggle understanding the context and this helps me giving a more clear picture of who says what while knowing that all words are as equally important no matter if red or black.
But that's just my opinion.
I prefer a red letter because as I look at it red reminds me of the blood He shed for the whole world …& yes I tend to pay closer attention when God/ Jesus is talking
A New Testament in my Blood… beautiful
I love and prefer red letter bibles. Just because the words that Christ spoke are in red doesn't mean they're more important. All words are inspired by God. It distinguishes. It lets us know that Christ spoke these words. That what I got from it.
Very good video! The issue remains though of verses that may or may not be actual quotes of Christ. John 3:16 being chief of these. Many translators today believe it is a comment by John and he is not actually quoting Christ. But either way it's inspired.
I love red letter bibles because of their beautiful aesthetic. But black letter bibles are just as good when the headers and chapter numbers are in red. But I’ll say it again, I think it would be awesome to have a green letter Bible because Jesus has the words of life, just as the apostle said. Maybe I’ll just have to start my own green letter Bible publishing company.
Yes! Totally agree. I'm waiting for a green letter version too.
I did have a green letter bible about 15 years ago. It was one of those “gimmick” bible and was made from recycled paper, had articles about keeping the planet green, and the words of Christ in green. I’ll look to see if I can find any out there; although, it’s probably no longer in print. It was cool and I bought it for the green lettering.
I finally got someone that tried to scam me yesterday on Christmas morning!!!!!!!! I almost fell for it and tagged my sister but then it sounded weird. It said it was a surprise Christmas morning giveaway. 🤣😂🤪I’m so glad I finally figured it out it was fake………… wasn’t it😂? H so happy for your wife, you deserve it! Beautiful Christmas gift for her❤🎉
I like the red letters better, but here in Brazil, publishers don't adopt this practice, only Thomas Nelson, but they don't use all biblical versions
For years I used red letter editions. But when I switched to the LSB, the edition I wound up using was all black type. And after a couple of years I'm used to it.
I prefer black text myself, because when I read his spoken words in black, I have a tendency to read it two or three times whereas with the red letters I have a tendency to slide quickly through them. That being said, my new CSB Everyday Study Bible is in red letters, so I'll just have to remind myself to slow down.
I have been shocked by the absence of Red Letter Bibles available. I prefer them for preaching. It's easier to refer to them while "on the spot". My red letter has fallen apart and I thought I would get a new bible of higher quality but even the high priced bibles are almost non-existent (NASB 95). I have heard that Cambridge is planning on putting one out in Nov. '23. I hope that's accurate. If anyone here is aware of a good quality red letter bible that is not too large please let me know. I hope I don't have to wait until Nov. My 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" is the perfect size, unfortunately it's the second one I've gone through and I consider myself to be pretty easy on Bibles.
I LOVE TO READ THE RED-LETTER VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE. IT REALLY HELPS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING UP SOMETHING THAT JESUS HIMSELF SAID.
Seems like it will be interesting and I’ve got a 3 hr drive from 7:45 to 10:45 tomorrow morning!
Interesting video and good job tracking down this history. While I agree the the section you read about the scarlet thread sounds beautiful, I don't see how printing the words of Christ in red does anything to accomplish this. Surely if this was something he wanted to achieve, would he not have been better putting all the Messianic prophecies from Gen 3:15 through to Jesus in red? I could get on board with that, helping everyone see God's one plan of redemption accomplished in Christ. As it is, there is nothing between Genesis and Malachi that points us to or prepares us for this change to red letter.
I actually use the red letter text as a more of a navigation tool to get to a certain spot faster.
Tim, the example of a well done red letter bible you showed was gorgeous, which one was that?! Do you have a reccomendation for a red letter ESV verse by verse? That is what im hoping to find!
That's the NKJV Single-Column Wide Margin! ua-cam.com/video/ow4MCGtZpOs/v-deo.htmlsi=Cr-6t9_KKo3tw2be
Nice touch with the red shirt, Tim. That detail wasn’t lost on me. Quite dapper, my man. Touché.
Thanks for this video. Very interesting topic. Is this the beginning of a new “Bible history” series?
😉 if this video does well... I definitely have ideas for more!
Would you say that you like blue letter (ie Humble Lamb) better than red? I love my HL Lion and the blue is just enough to distinguish without being distracting. I really enjoy it. What say you?
That was a great video, great teaching. I prefer red letter versions, I think it makes Christ's words stand out and jump off the page. I agree, of course, all of scripture is equally important. But there was and is a reason Jesus' teaching, his words ,were recorded as he said them, so I believe there's nothing wrong with highlighting them. Either way, great information and video. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the history lesson! I didn’t realise it was that recent. I’m not a fan of red letter bibles simply because it sometimes distorts the author’s original meaning like in the case of John 3:16 which some bibles put in red letters but is quite clearly the words of John and not Jesus. These innovations affect the way we read and sometimes interpret the text especially in John 3 where the decisions of which letters to render in red involve an interpretive step.
From a practical perspective, I'm of two minds on red letters. On the one hand, a black-letter edition is better for the colored underlining system I use (orange and pink don't stand out as well in my Bible when highlighting the words of Christ). On the other hand, there are times when the red letters prove to be valuable. Take, for example, 1 Timothy 5:18. If "The laborer deserves his wages" weren't in red, I might well have missed that this quotation from the law was also spoken by Jesus. Yes, the references to both the gospels and the law are in the cross references, but I appreciate the extra cue that Jesus spoke these specific words. If I ever replace my primary Bible, I won't worry about whether it's a red- or black-letter edition. While I have this Bible (an ESV wide-margin reference), I'll try to benefit from the red letters as much as I can.
How about the person who is color blind like me. I don’t see the color red very well. I would like to see more bibles with Blue letter text. Most color blind people are difficulties with red and green. Blue letter would solve this.
Hi Tim. Thanks for this video. Very interesting. I guess being a lay person my theology might not be right but I do give the words of Christ more weight. I know the whole scripture is inspired and true and important but if Jesus said it I just feel more compelled to internalize it. Yes the whole foundation is awesome and necessary but the keystone is just, well," key". Just my humble opinion.
This raised another issue - it sounded like the original way red letter Bibles were done involved highlighting passages related to Christ in the Old Testament, including prophecies. The way modern Bibles do it, with just the NT words of Christ in red, does not show a scarlet thread throughout the whole Bible. I hope to try out a blue letter Bible soon, as sometimes red seems too stark, especially if it's bright red.
I recently purchased a copy of the KJVER which approaches it from the angle of having the words of God in red in the OT.
@@richardvoogd705 Interesting, I shall try to check that out. I’d like to see how they decide what to highlight. I recently learnt that the book of the Bible with the most words spoken directly by God is… Leviticus! I was shocked, but in fact it seems true. Similarly, books like Isaiah might need most of it highlighted.
Personally, my only issue with red letter bibles is that it only has the words of Jesus in red after His incarnation. There are some events prophesied to take place after the New Testament in the Old Testament, such as the Second Coming. I think it would be interesting to have a red letter edition that has all of the direct dialogue of Jesus (YHWH) in red in both the Old and New Testaments. After all, the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
I don’t dislike red letter bibles, as it’s sometimes helpful in tracking what Jesus generally said. However, as often as I find occasion for this, I remind people that the red lettering is not infallible, and that it’s possible that there are some verses that Jesus did not utter himself. John 3:16-21 being the most notable. I feel that starting from 3:16 is John’s commentary on what Jesus just said about life in the Son of man. For the following reasons:
1. the narrative between Jesus and Nicodemus appears to cut off pretty abruptly at this point
2. there is an immediate shift from Son of man to Son of God.
3. Jesus never refers to himself as the only begotten son except for this possible instance, so it’s more likely that this is John speaking.
4. Jesus never speaks of God‘s love for the world, except for this possible instance, but this is littered all over John’s words.
5. Though Jesus has spoken of himself in the third person before, in this context, it is unlikely that he switches from first person “I” to third person “him/his” especially if he’s attempting to speak more plainly rather than parabolic.
There’s more to be said about the Greek here, but these are just some simple examples that anyone can see when looking at this text.
Either way, great video and I thought I would add this little nugget here since it’s related to the topic.
Thanks for sharing!
My two favorate Bibles are the Cambridge Turquoise KJV and the Cambridge 1977 NASB, both are RED Letter editions and verse formatted. I have written to so many publishers and begged them to produce RED Letter Bibles, but none have complied. Only Allen is making a Premium 1995 NASB, but will not make it in RED Letter. Cambridge makes a RED Letter NASB, but it is paragragh format and a very small 8 point font. I asked them to make the 1995 NASB in the Topaz Edition, but they will not. Sadly, many publishers are skipping ovr the 1995 and printing only the 2020 NASB edition. Schuyler will not make any RED Letter Bibles at all. 316 Publishers have made a wide margin LSB RED Letter but they won't produce it in their latested ICR edition, which is a huge mistake, because if they did make it, it would be their biggest seller.
I use the RED Letter format for TWO REASONS, quick referenceing and for witnessing...! I DON'T beleive that the RED text is more important that the black text...!
There are a lot of Christians who think like this, so please start writing to Allen, Cambridge and 316 and request that they make the RED Letter editions in verse format.
Blessings...!