Word on Fire Bible, The Gospels - 9/25/2026

Good morning, dear friends. I've been absent from this space for a little while. I'm fully invested in my study of the Gospel According to St. John. My little study group has been superb to share our thoughts about John and our mutual, deep faith in Jesus Christ. I'm trying my best to really understand the Gospel, and doing so has kept me from this space, "busy". A blessed and worthwhile busy, but busy indeed.

As a side aspect of this journey, I confess I've gone a little "Bible crazy." I'm almost collecting them. Not quite, but almost. This morning, I'll share my thoughts on a beautiful premium product from Word on Fire, their volume on The Gospels:

The Gospels in Italian Leather

The cover art is interesting. Before visiting Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I didn't know the evangelists were, in Catholic tradition, symbolized as: Man (Matthew), Lion (Mark), Ox (Luke), and Eagle (John). I can't say enough about the quality of the leather, binding, paper, and gold gilding. This is a gorgeous Bible. I appreciate the craftsmanship and effort that went into making this something special that I'm proud to have on my shelf, and something worth opening regularly to drink in God's Word and the beauty that is my Catholic, Christian faith.

The set will, when all is said and done, encompass seven volumes, as follows:

• Vol. I: The Gospels (the one I have, shown above)
• Vol. II: Acts, Letters and Revelation, completes the New Testament
• Vol. III: The Pentateuch (Genesis to Deuteronomy)
• Vol. IV: The Promised Land (Joshua to 2 Kings)
• Vol. V: Exile and Return (Chronicles to 2 Maccabees, including Tobit, Judith and Esther)

Not yet available:

• Vol. VI: The Wisdom Literature (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, Sirach), expected in 2027
• Vol. VII: The Prophets (Isaiah to Malachi), expected in 2028, which completes the set

Premium Bibles aren't cheap, and Word on Fire is no exception.

• Leather: $99.95 (about $80 on sale)
• Hardcover: $69.95 (about $56 on sale)
• Paperback: $49.95 (about $40 on sale)

Yeah, cha-ching! That's a lot of scratch. But one volume, it's doable. And if you're going to get just one, the Gospels is the way to go.

Before I get into content, I want to offer up a spoiler: We Catholics get a sometimes valid, sometimes bum rap on placement of the Bible in our spiritual universe. The Mass, Sacraments, and Catholic life are Bible-infused, kind of like that garlic-infused olive oil at the store. There's garlic there, you can taste it, no doubt. You can't see it, but you know it's there. I'm not advocating everyone go Bible crazy like I am right now, but I do advocate you find a Bible that meets your or your family's spiritual needs. Buy it, and now and then, find time to crack it open. Reading Scripture and scriptural reflections can become a beautiful part of your prayer life. Word on Fire, the Gospels, is a really good choice for some of you. There are cheaper options out there. Don't let this price tag be the reason there's no Bible around!

Word on Fire's Table of Contents

Word on Fire is a mix of the Sacred Scripture, Art, and Commentary: Scripture in the NRSV-CE translation, very readable. Christian art and reflections on each piece. Commentary from Bishop Barron (the man behind Word on Fire) and from saints, theologians, mystics and writers across the whole Christian tradition, from the Church Fathers to Sheen and Chesterton, along with book introductions and Hebrew and Greek word studies.

Here's a painting by Italian painter Duccio, completed in 1311, which depicts Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, inserted appropriately into Matthew Chapter 21.

This page is representative: Scripture (Matthew from Chapters 16 and 17), a related essay from G. K. Chesterton, and a homily from St. Ciprian of Carthage from the 3rd century.

What I've shown here is representative of the entirety of this volume. The essays stand alone as inspiration, education, and an opportunity for spiritual reflection and inspiration. The art, similarly, is at once interesting and inspiring, bringing God's Word to life.

I give this Bible 5 stars. At the end of the day, a Bible is a Bible. If you don't have one, get one. If you're not going to read the entire Bible, but want to feel closer to Jesus, this volume containing the Gospels, along with all the other content, may be for you, or maybe a gift for someone special in your life who you know loves Jesus, the Christ, our beloved Savior. Here's a link:

Word on Fire Bible from Word on Fire

Have a great day, friends. God bless.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.