The Thomas Nelson KJV Sovereign Collection Large Print Reference Bible is a larger version of the original personal size Sovereign Collection. There are some quality differences between the two, which you’ll see in this article. It’s available in Leathersoft, with or without a thumb index. I’m reviewing the black Leathersoft without thumb-index. This is ISBN 9781400344116, printed in India.

Thomas Nelson provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. 

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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

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. Comparisons
  10. Video Review
  11. Conclusion

Binding

The black Leathersoft is an imitation leather that looks like real leather. It includes perimeter stitching, gold printing, and a decoration debossed into the front. The spine has four raised hubs with fancy designs printed in gold.

The liner is a dark gray paste-down paper that doubles as the presentation page. The back end sheet has a floral decoration down the outer edge. The cover breaks in and opens well at the end of Genesis. After some use, it should stay open in Genesis 1. The block is sewn. It includes two 10mm double-sided ribbons: 1 gold and 1 black. My black ribbon has a few marks and will need to be replaced. The overall size is 6.75 x 9.5 x 1.375″ and it weighs 2 lbs, 5.8 oz. I love this size. It’s large enough without feeling like a large Bible. It’s easy to carry and hold.

Paper

The paper is different from the personal size. This is 30GSM. It has a rough texture that’s easy to grab and turn. I prefer thinner paper to keep the size down—however, the opacity sufferers in this case. The opacity isn’t as high as I’d like. The dark print shows through more than in other Bibles that use this paper. This makes the text more difficult to read, and it looks even worse in certain lighting conditions. It’s still usable, but I’d like to see more opacity. It’s bright white with gold-gilded edges.

There are some pages with random crinkles. My gilded edges have some flaws. I have a splotch of glue and a line that looks like pencil across the gilt. Unfortunately, the printing process from India seems to be of lower quality than from China. It’s an unfortunate trade-off.

Typography and Layout

The KJV text is presented in a double-column, verse-by-verse format with Psalms and Provides set in a single column in stanzas. Cross-references, translation footnotes, and a glossary are placed in a single column in the footer. The header shows the book name, chapter, and verse number in the outer margin, the page number in the center, and a page summary in the inner margin. Chapter and verse numbers, section headings, drop caps, and the line dividing the text from the references are in red. Each verse is intended, making them seem like small paragraphs. Fortunately, the paragraphs are marked with bold verse numbers.

The font is 10.5-point Comfort Print designed for the Thomas Nelson KJV by 2K/Denmark. This is a red-letter edition. Both the black and red letter text are dark and consistent. It has between 6-8 words per line on average with extra white space between the lines, making it easier to read. It is printed with line-matching. This does help readability, but the show-through makes the page dark behind the text, which reduces readability. It has 7/8″ wide inner margins and 1/2″ wide outer margins. This brings the text out onto the flat part of the page.

Psalms and Proverbs

Psalms and Proverbs are in a single column set to stanzas. The drop-caps are placed to the left of the text so the text doesn’t indent too far. The second line indents. The poetic lines are mostly divided into good places. There are a few where the first word should be moved to the second line. That would make the second line longer than the first, so they might be trying to avoid that. It still looks great. This is beautiful on the page and I consider this the stand-out feature of this Bible. I’d like to see all poetry in this format rather than just these two books, but I’ll take what I can get.

References and Footnotes

Cross-references and footnotes are placed together in the footer in a single column. The Sovereign Collection has fewer references than most of the other reference editions from Thomas Nelson. It has enough for simple study, but you’ll need other resources for deeper study. Like all Thomas Nelson reference editions, it has their full glossary with the words printed on the page where you need them. The words are easier to find than the Maclaren since there are fewer references to get in the way.

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

Book introductions are another area that sets the Sovereign Reference edition apart from editions such as the Maclaren. Each book has a 2-3 paragraph introduction with a short overview of the book, the main characters, insights into the book’s name, and a simple outline with references to the major portions of the book. Some include a sentence about the author or other features of the book. They’re simple, but provide good insights into each book.

Extras

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

Miracles of Jesus – A one-page table with 37 miracles with lists of references for each of the Gospels.

Parables of Jesus – A table with 39 parables that lists the verses where they appear in the Gospels.

One-Year Reading Plan – A 2-page reading plan with the month, date, and reading for each day. It includes 2 readings per day to take you through the Old and New Testaments every day. It includes February 29th, which I’d like to see removed. It’s easier to have the 29th as a free day than to catch up for three out of four years that don’t have that day.

Concordance

The concordance is 120 pages with 2 columns per page. It includes the decorative drop-caps and the entries are in red. It doesn’t include names (except Jesus, which has 3 entries), but it does have a decent amount of references for study. It’s large print, which I find easy to read and use.

Here are a few example entries 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

It includes the standard Zondervan maps found in all Thomas Nelson Bibles. They include 7 full-color maps on 8 thick, non-glossy pages. The maps do not include an index, but they are annotated well and easy to use. They’re bright and colorful. I love the look of these maps. They include distance, elevation, topography, ancient cities, journeys, battles, events, dates, and Scripture references.

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

Comparisons

Here’s how the Sovereign Collection compares with the personal size and wide-margin editions. The include the same pagination and tools, making them excellent combos.

Personal Size Sovereign Collection

The personal size is smaller, but I prefer reading it. The paper’s opacity makes the smaller font easier on my eyes. Of course, it’s a thicker Bible because of the 36GSM paper.

Wide Margin Sovereign Collection

The footprint of the wide margin is the same as the large print. It’s thicker and has a smaller font, but I find it easier to read.

Video Review

Conclusion

The Thomas Nelson KJV Sovereign Collection Large Print Reference Bible is an excellent design. It’s similar to the Schuyler Canterbury but adds Thomas Nelson design elements. Unfortunately, it suffers from too much show-through, making it less desirable than the personal-size or wide-margin editions. I’d like to see more opacity for the paper, but I see this as a good option if you prefer a larger print. I can recommend this if you’re interested in a large print Sovereign Collection and don’t mind the show-through. The three editions make a great combo.

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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

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.