Adam Lewis Greene wanted to provide the ultimate Bible reading experience.  He wanted to produce a Bible that felt more like a novel and less like … well … a Bible. He wanted to remove chapter headings and verse numbers.  He wanted high quality paper and binding, along with a beautiful typeface and layout.

So he did what we all would do … he started a Kickstarter campaign.  He was looking for $37,000 to print a few Bibles.  His video for the campaign went viral and ended up bringing in $1.4 million. Yes.  $1.4 million.

Here’s the original video:

With thousands of backers and a million dollars Greene was presented with new options.  He was now in a power position to hunt down the best printing and manufacturing the world has to offer.  He also had the ability to commission his own update of the ASV, the translation he intended to use for the project.  Yes, you read that correctly.  He commissioned a translation update of the ASV with the help of world class scholars.  In the end the translation update is called the American Literary Version.  The project expanded in other ways as well – to include a volume of the Apocrypha and a beautiful walnut slipcase for the 5 volumes.

I eagerly anticipated every update that Greene provide backers via emails and the website.  I loved hearing updates on the process and watching videos of the work being done.  It was also humorous to read the comments made by other backers.  Some loved the care and passion Greene was giving to the project.  Others spewed anger towards him feeling that he turned the project into something it was never meant to be.  They wanted the product NOW or better yet, yesterday.

You can find all the info you need on the project here.  Ultimately, the project took much longer than expected.  Two years after the campaign … the Bibles have shipped.

How I got involved in the project:

In the fall of 2014 I provided premarital counseling and officiated the wedding for Logan and Sarah.  As a gift they decide to back Greene’s Kickstarter campaign and provide me with an amazing sign of appreciation.  Truth be told … the wait actually made the whole experience a tons more fun.

The finished project:

No complaints.  I love it.  Seriously.

Quick thoughts: The quality is great.  I love some decisions made on the translation.  Once I had a few minutes alone with them I picked up the New Testament volume and read Philippians from start to finish.  Greene has produced something quite remarkable.  It’s a tremendous accomplishment.

OK. OK. OK. Here’s my one, tiny, tiny, tiny, complaint: I love the absence of chapter headings and verse numbers … except when it comes to the Psalms.  I want to flip to Psalm 100 and read it.  Yet, its much tougher to navigate the sea of 150 Psalms without a little help from a numbering system.

I’m off to spend more time with the Bibliotheca set.  Here are a few pictures to give you a feel for the project:

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