10 Best Journaling Bibles for Writing and Coloring

Some of the most faithful Bible readers I’ve known in 25 years of church leadership, serving in youth, couples and men’s ministry, were people who wrote in their Bibles. Their margins were full of dates, prayers, sermon notes and the names of people they were praying for. A journaling Bible gives you room to do exactly that.

Journaling Bibles come in two families: ones with lined margins for writing, and ones with line art for coloring and drawing. This guide covers both, so you can pick the one that fits how you (or the person you’re shopping for) like to respond to God’s Word. If you only have a minute, start with my top three.

Journaling Bibles compared

How I chose: I compared margin space, paper, type size and binding, because those are what make a journaling Bible pleasant to write in for years.

Best journaling Bibles for writing

1. Best Overall: ESV Single Column Journaling Bible

Crossway’s Single Column Journaling Bible is the one I’d hand most people. The text reads like a book, and the wide ruled margin on every page is ready for whatever God is teaching you. Over a few years, those margins fill with sermon notes, prayers, dates and answered prayers, and the Bible becomes a record of your walk with God. The Smyth-sewn binding holds up to daily use and opens more easily for writing than a glued Bible. A newer typesetting came out in 2025 with a larger trim size, so you’ll see both editions listed.

2. Best for Larger Type: ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Large Print

Same layout as my top pick, with bigger type. If you’re shopping for a parent or grandparent who loves to write in their Bible, this is a thoughtful upgrade. The 9.5-point type is noticeably easier to read, especially early in the morning or in a dim room, and the ruled margins are still generous enough for real notes. It’s larger and heavier than the standard edition, so it’s more of a home Bible, but for many readers being able to see the words clearly is worth it.

3. Best Gift Edition: ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Artist Series

The Artist Series wraps the same journaling layout in a cover designed by a Christian artist. It makes a lovely Christmas or graduation gift. Lulie Wallace’s bright, painterly florals make this Bible feel personal from the moment it’s unwrapped, and the cloth-over-board cover holds up well to being carried around. Inside, it’s the same Bible as my top pick, with single-column text and two-inch ruled margins, so it’s as practical as it is beautiful.

4. Best Lay-Flat Binding: CSB Notetaking Bible, Large Print

A Bible that lies flat is a gift when you’re writing. The CSB Notetaking Bible pairs that binding with large type and generous margins, and the CSB’s balance of accuracy and readability makes it easy to read aloud. The Smyth-sewn binding means you’re not holding the pages down with one hand while you write with the other. Two ribbon markers let you keep your place in both the Old and New Testament. It’s a great choice for someone who journals at a desk or kitchen table every morning.

5. Best of Both: CSB Illustrator’s Notetaking Bible

If you can’t decide between a writing Bible and a coloring Bible, this one has both: lined margins on most pages and line art to color on others. More than 600 illustrations give creative journalers plenty to work with, while the wide lined margins leave room for notes and prayers. The large-print, single-column text is easy on the eyes. It’s a great fit for someone who likes to doodle while they listen to a sermon or process a verse visually.

Best journaling Bibles for coloring and art

6. Best for Coloring: Inspire Bible NLT

The Inspire Bible is one of the best-known coloring Bibles. Beautiful line art fills the margins beside key verses, and the New Living Translation reads warmly and clearly. With more than 400 illustrations, there’s always a fresh page to color, and the margins that don’t have art have ruled lines for notes. Many women use it as a way to slow down and meditate on a verse while their hands are busy. The cream paper is thin, so test any pen on a back page first. A large print edition is also available.

7. Best for Prayer: Inspire PRAYER Bible NLT

The PRAYER edition adds prompts that turn your journaling into conversation with God. It’s a good second Inspire Bible for someone who has filled their first. The 142 prompts are placed beside the passages they draw from, so you’re praying Scripture back to God instead of starting from a blank page. The line art gives you something to color while you pray, which helps a lot of people stay focused. The LeatherLike hardcover stands up to daily use.

8. Best for Coloring on Thicker Paper: NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible

Zondervan used heavier paper in this Bible so colored pencils and fine pens show up well. That’s a big deal for creative journalers, because thin Bible paper can ghost or bleed. Hundreds of key verses are surrounded by line art, and the lined, wide margins leave room to write as well as color. It’s a great first coloring Bible for someone who is nervous about ruining the pages. There’s also a gift set that includes eight colored pencils:

9. Best Full-Color Art: NIV Beautiful Word Bible

Instead of line art to color, the Beautiful Word Bible prints 500 key verses in finished, full-color designs. It’s lovely to read and still leaves space to write. Turning the pages feels like flipping through an art book, with favorite verses that jump off the page and invite you to stop and think about them. It’s ideal for someone who loves beauty and design but doesn’t want the pressure of coloring, and it makes a striking gift.

10. Best KJV: KJV Journal the Word Bible, Large Print

For readers who love the King James Version, Thomas Nelson’s Journal the Word Bible pairs that familiar text with generous margins and a large, comfortable type. The thick cream paper handles pens better than typical Bible paper, and the lay-flat sewn binding makes writing easy. The red-letter text and lightly ruled margins keep it both readable and practical. It’s a wonderful choice for a longtime KJV reader who has always wished for more room to write.

Journaling supplies to go with it

A journaling Bible pairs well with a few good tools. See my full guide to Bible highlighters, Majestic Bible tabs, and my introduction to Bible journaling. These kits make a complete gift:

How to choose a journaling Bible

• Write or color? Ruled margins suit note-takers. Line art suits colorists.
• Type size: if you need reading glasses, look at large print editions.
• Paper: thicker paper handles color better. On thin paper, use gel highlighters or colored pencils.
• Translation: pick the one you’ll read daily. My overview of Bible versions explains what each is best for.

My final picks

Shopping for her? See Christian gifts for women or my full Christian gift guide.