Taking design cues from the Schuyler Canterbury, the Sovereign Collection provides a modern take on the classic King James Version design with an interesting and elegant format that’s easy to carry and use. This popular edition is now available in the Premier Collection with 36gsm European paper and a black goatskin cover. This is the KJV Personal-Size Sovereign Collection Bible, ISBN 9781400350865, printed in China.

Thomas Nelson provided these Bibles in exchange for an honest review. 

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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

Christianbook

and many local Bible bookstores

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Table of Contents

  1. Binding
  2. Paper
  3. Typography and Layout
  4. References
  5. Book Introductions
  6. Extras
  7. Concordance
  8. Maps
  9. Video Review
  10. Conclusion

Binding

The cover is black goatskin leather. It is thick, has a pronounced grain, and it feels soft, but it’s not oeverly flexible. It has perimeter stitching. The spine has HOLY BIBLE, KING JAMES VERSION, and THOMAS NELSON printed in gold. It has 5 raised spine hubs. The spine is slightly rounded, which is my favorite design.

The liner is black edge-lined leather with a gold gilt line around the perimeter. The tab is slightly stiff, so it will need to be broken in before it will stay open at the beginning of Genesis. This text block is Smyth sewn, and it has overcast stitching to give it more support for the first signature. It has 3 3/8″ ribbons: two black and one red. They’re extra long and are cut at an angle. The overall size is 5.5 x 8.75 x 1.75 inches, and it weighs 2 lbs, 10 oz. This is a good size for carrying, studying, reading, preaching, and teaching.

Paper

The paper is 36gsm premium European paper. This is the same paper that’s used in all the other Premier Collection Bibles. It’s slightly off-white and it’s highly opaque and has a smooth texture. This edition has slightly more show-through than the regular edition, but the print is darker, so that makes sense. I find it easy to separate and turn. The page edges are art-gilt with red under gold. For this one, I’m seeing a touch of glare under direct light.

Typography and Layout

The KJV text is presented in a double-column, verse-by-verse format with Psalms and Proverbs set in a single column. Cross-references, translation footnotes, and definitions of outdated words are placed in a single column in the footer. The header content is printed in black and includes the reference in the outer margin, the page number in the center, and a page summary in the inner margin. Verse numbers, section headings, chapter numbers, and drop-caps are in red. Paragraphs are marked with bold verse numbers.

The typeface is 9.5-point Comfort Print designed for the Thomas Nelson KJV by 2K/Denmark. This is a black-letter edition, and it’s highly consistent. This is probably the darkest print I’ve seen from Thomas Nelson. I would prefer if it wasn’t this bold to reduce the show-through, and it would be a little easier on the eyes. This is great, though, if you need a bolder text or when reading in lower light levels. It’s printed with line-matching, so the lines of text are printed in the same location on both sides of the page to improve readability.

There are between 6-8 words per line on average. There is enough white space to make this edition great for reading and underlining. It has a wide enough inner margin to bring the text out of the bend. It does bend into the gutter a little, but it isn’t bad.

Psalms and Proverbs

Psalms and Proverbs are in a single column. This is highly readable and looks much better than standard verse-by-verse that blends with prose. Drop-caps sit to the left of the text, keeping the text uniform and from indenting too far. I like seeing poetry in a different setting from the rest of the text. It would be nice to see all poetry in this format.

References and Footnotes

Cross-references are placed in a single column across the footer, with references first, followed by the translation footnotes and definitions of outdated words. The Thomas Nelson definitions include more words than most KJVs with a glossary. It has fewer references than most Thomas Nelson reference editions. It has enough for simple study, but you’ll need other resources for deeper study.

Here are a few example references to help you compare:

  • Genesis 1:1 – Jn 1:1-3, Ac 17:24
  • Deuteronomy 6:4 – 1 Cor 8:4, 6
  • Isaiah 9:6 – Lk 2:11, Jn 3:16, Mt 28:18, Jd 13:18, Titus 2:13, Eph 2:14
  • Matthew 28:19 – Mk 16:15; Lk 24:47
  • Mark 12:29 – Dt 6:4, 5
  • John 1:1 – 1 Jn 1:1, Rev 19:13, Jn 17:5, 1 Jn 5:20
  • John 3:16 – Rom 5:8; Is 9:6
  • Acts 2:38 – Lk 24:47
  • Romans 10:9 – Lk 12:8
  • 1 John 1:1 – Jn 1:1, 14, 2 Pet 1:16, Lk 24:39, Jn 1:1, 4, 14

Book Introductions

Each book has a short introduction with 2-3 paragraphs. They cover a brief overview of the book, the main characters, insights into the book’s title, and a simple outline with references to the major sections of the book. Some include information about the author or other features of the book. I find them useful without getting in the way.

Extras

In the back are a few extras for reading and study.

Miracles of Jesus – this table includes 37 miracles with references.

Parables of Jesus – this table has 39 parables with references.

One Year Reading Plan – this is a 2-page reading plan with the reading for each day. Each day includes 2 readings, taking you through the Old and New Testaments every day. Unfortunately, it includes February 29th, so you’ll have to read an extra day for three years out of every four.

Concordance

The concordance is 120 pages, and includes 2 columns per page, decorative drop-caps, and entries in red. It doesn’t include names (except for Jesus, which has 3 entries), but it does have a good amount of entries for study. Here are a few examples with their number of references to help you compare:

  • Christ – 18
  • Christian – 3
  • Faith – 96
  • Faithful – 41
  • Faithfully – 1
  • Faithfulness – 4
  • Faithless – 3
  • God – 56
  • Godhead – 3
  • Godliness – 8
  • Godly – 11
  • Praise(n) – 32
  • Praise(v) – 15
  • Pray – 38
  • Prayer – 36

Maps

In the back are the standard Zondervan maps. They include 7 full-color maps on 8 thick, semi-glossy pages. The maps do not include an index, but they are annotated well, and I find them easy to use. They include distance, elevation, topography, ancient cities, journeys, battles, events, dates, and Scripture references. They’re bright and colorful.

Maps include:

  1. World of the Patriarchs
  2. Exodus and Conquest of Canaan
  3. Land of the Twelve Tribes
  4. Kingdom of David and Solomon
  5. Jesus’ Ministry
  6. Paul’s Missionary Journeys
  7. Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus

Video Review

Conclusion

The Thomas Nelson KJV Personal-Size Sovereign Collection Bible is an excellent KJV. The build quality, materials, and design look and feel premium. I especially like the single column for Psalms and Proverbs. The font is bolder than the other Sovereign Collection editions that I’ve seen. If you’re looking for a premium quality, personal-size KJV, the Thomas Nelson KJV Personal-Size Sovereign Collection Bible is a great choice.

_________________________________________________________

This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

Christianbook

and many local Bible bookstores

_________________________________________________________

 

Thomas Nelson provided these Bibles in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.