ESV Heirloom Bible, Veritas: Single Column Edition, Mahogany Calfskin
Crossway’s ESV Heirloom Bible Heritage Edition has been updated with the 2025 ESV text and renamed Veritas (Latin for “truth”). The ESV Heirloom Bible, Veritas: Single Column Edition is now available in two calfskin colors plus black goatskin. The mahogany (brown) calfskin version is printed in the Netherlands by Jongbloed, formerly known as Royal Jongbloed.
Design and Binding
This Bible features a sophisticated exterior crafted from brown, full-grain Grenada calfskin, known for its pebbly texture and soft, flexible feel. The design is elegantly finished with perimeter stitching and a minimalist spine detailed with gold text and four raised hubs, offering a “floppy” yet sufficiently structured handling experience.
On the inside, the brown leather edge-lined liner is elevated by a gold gilt line and a notably supple tab that ensures the book lays flat from the very first page. Complementing its functional design are three dark brown ribbons and a portable 5.5 x 8.5 x 1.6 (inches). Weighing in at approximately 2 lbs, 5.4 oz, it strikes an ideal balance between portability and comfort for long-term reading.
Paper and Layout
The textblock showcases premium 28 gsm Indopaque paper, a French-milled, Jongbloed exclusive, renowned for being among the finest thin papers available. It features a subtle cream tint and impressive opacity for its weight, with a smooth texture that retains enough grip for effortless page-turning. The aesthetic is further enhanced by elegant red-over-gold art gilt edges and the inclusion of eight blank pages at the back for personal notes.
The 2025 ESV text is organized in a clean, single-column paragraph layout, with poetic passages thoughtfully set in stanzas. The typography utilizes a sophisticated color palette; headers are printed in dark red, placing the book names and verses in the outer margins while page numbers sit in the inner margins. This dark red accent continues through the chapter numbers, while section headings are clearly distinguished in bold italics for easy navigation.
Typography and Readability
The font is a 9.25-point black-letter Lexicon with a dark, consistent print that utilizes line-matching to reduce “ghosting” (show-through). While show-through is most noticeable in the poetic sections, it remains impressively minimal for paper this thin. The layout averages about twelve words per line with generous leading (white space between lines), which I find perfect for reading poetry, and the text itself is highly legible: footnote keys are kept small and italicized to avoid distraction, while verse numbers are slightly larger and darker so they are easier to locate.
Footnotes and References
The footnotes include references to parallel passages and are placed in the footer for easy access. I appreciate having these references integrated directly into the translation footnotes. The notes provide:
- Hebrew and Greek explanations
- Manuscript variations (without identifying specific manuscripts)
- Contextual info on objects, places, names, and currency
- Cross-references for cited quotations
Extras and Maps
The front of the Bible includes a presentation page and family records (marriages, births/adoptions, and deaths) printed on thick, durable paper. The back features a comprehensive table of weights and measures with American and metric equivalents.
There are eight maps printed on thick, semi-glossy paper in muted earth tones. While there is no map index, the clear labeling makes them easy to navigate. The included maps are the following:
- The World of the Patriarchs
- The Exodus from Egypt
- The Twelve Tribes of Israel
- Israel Under Saul, David, and Solomon
- Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus
- Palestine in the Time of Jesus
- Paul’s First and Second Missionary Journeys
- Paul’s Third Missionary Journey and His Voyage to Rome
Final Thoughts
Crossway’s ESV Heirloom Bible, Veritas: Single Column Edition stands out as an exceptional successor to the Heritage Edition, refining an already beloved design. Its superior build quality and well-proportioned dimensions make it perfectly suited for daily use, while the layout’s generous use of white space elevates it to a premier “reader’s Bible” experience. Combining functionality with aesthetic clarity, it firmly maintains its position as a top-tier choice and a personal favorite within the ESV market.
Technical Details and Features:
Title : ESV Heirloom Bible, Veritas: Single Column Edition, Mahogany Calfskin
- Publisher : Good News Publisher’s, Crossway (Publishing Ministry)
- Publication Date : October 30, 2025
- Print Length : 2036 pages
- ISBN : 979-8-8749-0439-5
- Cover : Mahogany Calfskin
Source: Vitelco Leather, Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands
Full-grain, aniline-dyed calfskin - Text Block Format : Single Column
Paragraph format
Poetry formatted in Stanzas - Concordance : No
- References : Translation Notes: Bottom of Page
No Cross references - Text Size : 9.5-pt Lexicon serif font, line matched
12.457-pt including leading (space between the lines)
Typeface by : Bram de Does, Amsterdam
Originally created for the TEFF (Typeface & Font Foundry) project
Words of Christ in black - Thumb Index : No
- Ribbon Markers : (3) Bronze color – 10mm (3/8 inch) double-sided satin
Source: Berisford; Congleton, Cheshire, UK
John Berisford since 1799
28mm in length - Spine : Smyth Sewn – lays flat out of the box
Source: Jongbloed Printing and Binding; Heerenveen, Netherlands - Paper: 28 gsm Indopaque paper, slightly cream color
Source: Leman Paper Mill; Publier, France - Maps : 8 Full-color maps, 4 pages / Map Index : No
Source: Crossway in collaboration with Royal Jongbloed
printed on thick, semi-glossy paper
earth-tone colored, featuring muted, natural hues
emphasize topography, routes, borders, rivers, and kingdoms - Gilded page edges: Yes, Art Gilding: Yes – Salmon/Pink color
- Spine: 4 Raised spine hubs
- Dimensions : 8 7/8 x 6 x 1 3/4 (inches)
Textblock: 8.25 x 5.5 x 1.5 (inches) - Weight : 2.32 lbs / 1055 gr / 37.2 oz / 2 lbs 5.2oz
Compare with Crossway 2021 Heirloom Heritage
Compare with Thomas Nelson 2024 Personal Size RSV Sovereign Edition
