The new NKJV Personal Size Large Print Reference Bible from Thomas Nelson is a verse-by-verse, end-of-verse reference edition that’s easy to carry, read, and follow along with others. It’s available in lots of imitation leather options at an affordable price. I’m reviewing the Deluxe and regular editions. Both are imitation leather, 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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These Bibles are available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Table of Contents
Video Review
Binding
Both editions are imitation leather. They’re Smyth sewn and have no trouble staying open in Genesis, but they will need to break in a little bit to stay open in Genesis 1. The liner is paste-down paper and doubles as the presentation page. The overall size is 5 3/4 x 9 x 1 1/2″. They weigh 2lbs.
Deluxe with Black Leathersoft
This is imitation leather and includes perimeter stitching. It has a grain that looks like goatskin. The front and back have a debossed decorative border. Holy Bible is printed in gold on the front. The spine includes extra-large raised hubs with gold lines on both sides. The text and logo are also printed in gold. The inside is decorated with a gilded chain. The grain, raised hubs, and gilded chain gives this Bible an elegant design. It has one black and one red ribbon. It comes in a one-piece box.
Brown Leathersoft
This one has a smooth grain with some color variation that gives it visual texture. It also includes perimeter stitching. It has a debossed border and a cross on the front. The spine has rib indications printed in gold and the text and logo printed in gold. It has one red and one brown 3/8″ ribbon. It comes in a sleeve.
Paper
The paper is 30gsm. It looks like the standard paper that Thomas Nelson uses in their imitation leather editions. It’s slightly off-white in color and it’s highly opaque. Show-through is only noticeable in poetic settings. It does not have glare under direct light. The texture is slightly rough, making it easier to grab the pages to turn. The edges are gold gilt. I like this paper a lot. It’s excellent for reading.
Typography
The text is presented in a double-column, verse-by-verse format with poetry set to stanzas and letters indented. The header shows the book name, chapter number, verse number, and page number. The footer includes the translation footnotes. Section headings are in all-caps. Cross-references are placed at the end of verses.
The typeface is a 10.5 Comfort Print with the words of Christ in red. The columns have around 8 words per line and enough space between the lines to make it comfortable to read. It has enough inner margin space that the text doesn’t bend too far into the gutter.
Both the black and the red are dark and consistent. It’s printed with line-matching (meaning the lines are printed in the same location on both sides of the page). This improves readability and the paper is opaque enough that the text isn’t affected by having text printed behind it.
Poetry is divided well so that it doesn’t have a lot of lines with just one word. Lines that wrap are indented so it’s easy to know that it continues the line above it. The translation footnotes are out of the way, but still easy to access. This is an excellent text to read and preach from. I didn’t find the end-of-verse references distracting.
References
Cross-references are placed at the end of verses in a smaller type than the verse. There aren’t a lot of references, but those it does have are helpful for quick study or general reference.
Here are a few example references to help you compare:
- Genesis 1:1 – John 1:1-3
- Deuteronomy 6:4 – 1 Cor 8:4, 6
- Isaiah 9:6 – Matt 28:18; Luke 2:11
- Matthew 28:19 – x
- Mark 12:29 – Deut 6:4, 5
- John 1:1 – 1 John 1:1; Rev 19:13
- John 3:16 – x
- Acts 2:38 – Luke 24:47
- 1 John 1:1 – Luke 24:39; John 1:1, 4, 14
Concordance
The concordance is 42 pages and has 3 columns per page. It’s a good basic concordance for finding the most common words and references. Here are a few entries with their number of references to help you compare:
- Christ – 13
- Christian(s) – 2
- Faith – 40
- Faithful – 20
- Faithfulness – 5
- Faithless – 2
- God – 38
- Goddess – 2
- Godhead – 2
- Godliness – 4
- Godly – 3
- Praise – 25
- Praised – 4
- Praises – 2
- Praiseworthy – 1
- Praising – 3
- Pray – 14
- Prayed – 2
- Prayer – 16
- Prayers – 5
Maps
It includes 7 full-color maps printed on 8 glossy pages. They’re printed in bright colors. They include topography, distance, routes, borders, possible locations of lost places, battles, elevation, cities, and locations for the events of Jesus’ ministry. It doesn’t have an index, but the maps are annotated well. I found them easy enough to use.
Maps include:
- World of the Patriarchs
- Exodus and Conquest of Canaan
- Land of the Twelve Tribes
- Kingdom of David and Solomon
- Jesus’ Ministry
- Paul’s Missionary Journeys
- Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus
Conclusion
How the Large Print Personal Size looks next to the Large Print Reference
Thomas Nelson’s new Personal-Size Large-Print Reference Bible, Comfort Print NKJV’s are excellent Bibles. The overall size is great for general use and the large typeface and clean design are highly readable. The v-b-v setting isn’t my favorite for reading, but it is easier for study and following along with a teacher or preacher, and for teaching and preaching. Both editions are nice, but I really like the added features of the Deluxe edition. If you’re looking for a good all-around NKJV, the Personal-Size Large-Print Reference Bible in Comfort Print is a great choice.
_________________________________________________________
These Bibles are available at (includes some affiliate links)
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.
Photography by Randy A Brown
Excellent review Randy. I’ve been waiting for this little carry around since Nikki firsts showed it during the Covid shut-in. I already do have the verse by verse Premier bible but was happy when this one was coming out. The biggest problem is just what color to get. I have it pre ordered in Brown so far.
Thanks again Randy…
THanks Rich!!
Thanks for this review, Randy. Until Cambridge releases the soon-to-be-published Topaz NKJV (also v-b-v ), these Personal Size editions from Thomas Nelson look like excellent cost-effective alternatives.
Ted and Randy both of you thank you for what you do in promoting Gods word.
Ted any other information on NKJV Topaz from Cambridge or will it be listed under Baker?
Thanks James
I wish the old version of this Bible was printed with such quality materials. I like the old version better because it does not have in-text subheadings. Looks like Nelson is adding in-text subheadings to all their comfort print Bibles now (exceptions in the pew Bibles), following the trend of all other translations. I find myself using a KJV more because of that.
I have a very similar Bible with paragraph setting (NKJV Perineal Size “Giant” Print). I prefer not having the references in text but as you say it’s not a big deal. The one drawback of mine – and benefit of This one – is that in mine the letters sometimes get “crammed” into the line and this one does not seem to be the case.
(Corrected from above)
I have a very similar Bible with paragraph setting (NKJV Personal Size “Giant” Print). I prefer not having the references in text but as you say it’s not a big deal. The one drawback of mine – and benefit of this one – is that in mine the letters sometimes get “crammed” into the line and this one does not seem to be the case.
Hello Sir, Praise the Lord! I’m a newborn from India and I’m trying to get a NKJV VERSE by VERSE Cross Reference Bible, I’m keeping an eye in Amazon for the last 2 month’s but unable to buy it because it’s too costly for me. Is there any possibility of getting this Bible with any discount or concession?
It will be a great help. This the best Bible for me.