With over 2 million copies sold, the MacArthur Study Bible is one of the most popular study Bibles available. The updated version was recently released in the NKJV. Now, the NASB edition has been updated to the 2nd edition. It’s available in the Premier Collection, which includes a goatskin cover with, an edge-lined leather liner, premium European paper, three satin ribbons, and the NASB Comfort Print typeface designed by 2K/Denmark. ISBN: 9780785230892, made in China.

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

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This book is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Christianbook

Amazon

and many local Bible bookstores

_________________________________________________________

Table of Contents

  1. Video Review
  2. Cover and Binding
  3. Paper
  4. Typography
  5. Footnotes and References
  6. Book Introductions
  7. Study Material
  8. Concordance
  9. Maps
  10. Conclusion

Video Review

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Cover and Binding

The cover is brown goatskin. It’s soft to the touch. It has a deep grain that stands out. The cover feels thick. It has perimeter-stitching. Nothing is printed on the front. The spine has 4 large hubs. The text is printed in gold. The title is printed so that it’s horizontal when the Bible is laying down.

It has an edge-lined leather liner in a darker brown and a gold gilt-line. The edge-lined tab is large but it doesn’t seem to be too stiff. The text-block is Smyth sewn. I had no trouble getting it to open to any page. The first and last sections have overcast stitching to give it structure.

It has three 3/8″ wide satin ribbons: brown, red, and blue. The overall size is 9.75 x 7 x 2″ and it weighs over 3 lbs 12.7 oz. It is a large and heavy Bible. The flexibility of the cover can make holding it a little awkward. It’s great for use at a desk or table.

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Paper

The paper is 39 gsm premium Bible paper from Europe. It’s slightly thicker and has a texture and color that’s similar to the paper used in other editions of the Premier Collection. It’s off-white in color, highly opaque, and has no glare under direct light. It feels coated. The texture makes it easy to turn. This is excellent paper for reading and highlighting. The edges are red under gold art-gilt.

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Typography

The text is presented in double-column, paragraph format with poetry set to stanzas. Cross-references and footnotes are placed below the text in a single column. Commentary is placed at the bottom of the page in three columns. The header includes the page number, book name, and chapter and verse in the outer margin. It contains blue highlights for the header, section headings, chapter numbers, verse numbers, commentary, etc.

The typeface is 9.5-point Comfort Print that 2k/Denmark designed for the NASB. It reads slightly smaller than the NKJV edition which is a 9-point. It’s a black-letter text. It’s dark and consistent throughout. It’s printed with line-matching for both the text and the commentary.

It has around 10 words per line. It has a good amount of space between the lines. It’s comfortable to read. Poetry looks great with this word-count and prose doesn’t seem too wide. Old Testament quotes in the New Testament are in all-caps, making them easy to identify at a glance. A few of the letters (like in Acts 15) are indented, but not all.

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Footnotes and References

It has the complete set for translation footnotes. They’re placed first, just after the reference keys. They include insights into words, alternate renderings, weights and measures, manuscript notifications, etc.

It has 72,000 cross-references placed under the text. They’re printed small. They have lots of extra space between the last reference of one verse and the first reference of the next. I love this feature. I usually find references that take the full width of the page to be difficult to use, but this makes finding them much easier. They’re helpful for study and sermon prep.

Here are some example references to help you compare:

  • Genesis 1:1 – Ps 102:25; Isa 40:21; Jn 1:1, 2; Heb 1:10; Ps 89:11; 90:2; Acts 17:24; Rom 1:20; Heb 11:3; Job 38:4; Is 42:5; 45:18; Rev 4:11
  • Deuteronomy 6:4 – Matt 22:37; Mk 12:29, 30; Luke 10:27; Deut 4:35, 39; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4; Eph 4:6
  • Isaiah 9:6 – Is 7:14; 11:1, 2; 53:2; Luke 2:11; Jn 3:16; Matt 28:18; 1 Cor 15:25; Is 22:22; Is 28:29; Deut 10:17; Neh 9:32; Is 10:21; Is 63:16; 64:8; Is 26:3, 12; 54:10; 66:12
  • Matthew 28:19 – Mk 16:15; Mt 13:52; Ac 1:8; 14:21; Mt 25:32; Lk 24:47; Ac 2:38; 8:16; Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 1:13, 15; Gal 3:27
  • Mark 12:29 –  Deut 6:4
  • John 1:1 – Gen 1:1; Col 1:17; 1 John 1:1; 1 John 1:14; Rev 19:13; John 17:5; 1 John 1:2; Phil 2:6
  • John 3:16 – Rom 5:8, Eph 2:4; 2 Thess 2:16; 1 Jn 4:10; Rev 1:5; Rom 8:32; 1 Jn 4:9; Jn 1:18; 3:18; 1 Jn 4:9; Jn 3:36; 6:40; 11:25
  • Acts 2:38 – Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; 5:31; 20:21; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 16; 22:16
  • 1 John 1:1 – John 1:1f; I John 2:13, 14; Acts 4:20; I John 1:3; John 19:35; 2 Peter 1:16; I John 1:2; John 1:14; I John 4:14; Luke 24:39;  John 20:27; John 1, 4

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Introductions

It includes detailed introductions to sections and books. They’re well-written and provide a lot of information and Scripture references.

Section introductions – these are a few pages long. They cover the genres of the books that are in that section. They include the overall themes and how they fit together and within the Bible. An outline harmonizes the books. Charts cover events, such as a harmony of the Gospels, Passion Week, prophecies fulfilled, Christ’s life, ministry, and Passion Week. etc. A chronological timeline shows the major biblical times.

Book introductions – these take about 3 pages and include information about the title, author and date, background and setting, historical and theological themes, interpretive challenges, and an outline.

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Study Material

This edition has been redesigned and includes updated notes, more maps, and more charts. The articles and commentary are separate from the text, so you can use the text without interruption. Like every study Bible and commentary set, I recommend using the commentary for reference and do your own study.

Commentary – it has almost 25,000 verse-by-verse study notes. They include in-depth teachings on the text.

In-text Maps, Charts, and Diagrams – it includes 190 in-text maps, charts, and diagrams. They discuss themes, places, people, teachings, etc., and include lists or maps of the context.

Bible Reading Plan – this is a yearly reading plan that takes you through both testaments in standard biblical order. It includes daily readings from the OT and NT. It shows the month, date, and morning and evening readings.

Index to Key Bible Doctrines – this is a 23-page index of the 10 classic doctrines covered in the commentary. They show the topic with references where you can see the Scriptures and commentary on each topic. Some have sub-topics.

Table of Monies, Weights, and Measures – this is a 3-page table with information and how they were used in Scripture. It shows the unit, monetary value, equivalent, and translation.

Articles – these are placed in the front and back. There are only a few, but they’re excellent topics about the Bible. They include:

  • Introduction to the Bible
  • How We Got the Bible
  • How to Study the Bible
  • Introduction to the Intertestamental Period
  • Overview of Theology in the Holy Scriptures

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Concordance

The concordance is 149 pages with 3 columns per page. It includes a thesaurus/dictionary with the names of people and places. Foreign words and titles of literature are in italics. Some of the entries include root words, meanings, and parts of speech.

Here are some example entries with their number of references to help you compare:

  • Christ – 8 major topics
  • Christian follower of Christ – 3
  • Faith believe, trust – 36
  • Faithful loyal, trustworthy – 15
  • Faithfulness loyalty – 7
  • Faithless unbelieving – 4
  • God Deity, Eternal One – 37
  • God false deity, idols – 8
  • God the Father – 12
  • God Who Sees – 1
  • Goddess female diety – 3
  • Godless pagan, without God – 5
  • Godliness holiness – 5
  • Godly holy – 6
  • Praise (n) acclamation, honor – 10
  • Praise (v) extol, glorify – 12
  • Praise the Lord – 13
  • Pray ask, worship – 19
  • Prayer – 15

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Maps

It includes 8 glossy pages with 7 full-color Thomas Nelson maps. They’re fully annotated, making things easy to find. They include topography, distance, routes, borders, possible locations of lost places, battles, elevation, cities, and locations for the events of Jesus’ ministry.

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

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Conclusion

The second edition of the NASB MacArthur Study Bible with Comfort Print type in the Premier Collection is an excellent edition of the MacArthur Study Bible. The materials and construction look and feel high-quality. The 9.5-point font is dark and readable, but it looks more like a 9-point to my eyes. The layout is clean. The references, footnotes, commentary, charts, and maps stay out of the way of the text, making it easy to read and use. The commentary is extensive and is good to use as a reference along with your own. If you’re interested in a MacArthur Study Bible in NASB, I think you’ll like this one.

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_________________________________________________________

This book is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Christianbook

Amazon

and many local Bible bookstores

_________________________________________________________

 

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