The Premier Collection version of the NKJV Single-Column Reference Bible improves on the original with better paper, leather, and construction quality. Like the original, it presents the NKJV in a single-column, v-b-v format with cross-references in the inner margin. This is an excellent edition for study and carry. This is ISBN 9781400349081, 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)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Table of Contents
- Binding
- Paper
- Typography and Layout
- References
- Concordance
- Bible Atlas
- Comparisons
- Video Review
- Conclusion
Binding
The cover is black goatskin leather. It is thick and has a pronounced grain. It feels soft. 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 text block is Smyth sewn and it has overcast stitching to give it more support for the first signature. The tab is slightly stiff, so it will need to be broken in before it will stay open at the beginning of Genesis. 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″ 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 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. I find it easy to separate and turn. The page edges are art-gilt with red under gold. This is some of my favorite paper for Bibles.
Typography and Layout
The NKJV text is presented in a single-column verse-by-verse format. Poetry is set to stanzas, letters are indented, and lists are presented as lists. Cross-references and footnotes are placed in the inner margin as far down the page as possible, leaving the top portion of the inner margin for notes on many pages. the start of each prose verse is indented, and all poetic lines are indented. Paragraphs are marked with bold numbers. The header shows the book name and chapter numbers in the outer margin. Verse numbers, chapter numbers, book names, references, section headings, and the heading text are in dark red.
The typeface is the Comfort Print designed for the NKJV by 2K/Denmark. It’s 9-point and is a black letter text. The print is dark and is highly consistent throughout. It’s printed with line-matching and has around 12-14 words per line, which is perfect for poetry. Only a few lines wrap to the next line, and those are indented and well-balanced. This is a good edition for reading and preaching, as long as you don’t need a large print.
References and Footnotes
The Premier Collection NKJV Single-Column Reference Bible has 72,000 cross-references and the full set of translator’s footnotes. They are placed together in the inner margin under the pilot numbers with extra space separating the main verses where possible. There are enough cross-references for deep study and sermon prep. The footnotes are excellent. I like that they provide manuscript variations and identify the manuscripts.
Here are some example references to help you compare:
- Genesis 1:1 – Ps 102:25; Is 40:21; Jn 1:1-3; Heb 1:10; Gen 2:4; Ps 8:3; 89:11; 90:2; Is 44:24; Acts 17:24; Rom 1:20; Heb 1:2; 11:3; Rev 4:11
- Deuteronomy 6:4 – Deut 4:35; Mark 12:29; John 17:3; 1 Cor 8:4, 6
- Isaiah 9:6 – Isa 7:14; Luke 2:11; John 1:45; Luke 2:7; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; Matt 28:18; 1 Cor 15:25; Rev 12:5; Judg 13:18; Titus 2:13; Eph 2:14
- Matthew 17:20 – Mat 21:21, Mk 11:23, Lk 17:6, 1 Cor 12:9
- Mark 11:23 – Matt 17:20; 21:21; Luke 17:6
- Mark 12:29 – Deut 6:4, 5; Is 44:8; 45:22; 46:9; 1 Cor 8:6
- John 1:1 – Gen 1:1; Col 1:17; 1 John 1:1; John 1:14; Rev 19:13; John 17:5; 1 John 1:2; 5:20
- John 2:19 – Mat 26:61, 27:40, Mk 14:58, 15:29, Lk 24:46, Acts 6:14, 10:40, 1 Cor 15:4
- Acts 2:38 – Luke 24:47
- 1 John 1:1 – John 1:1; 1 John 2:13, 14; Luke 1:2; John 1:14; 2 Pet 1:16; Luke 24:39; John 2:27; John 1:1, 4, 14
Concordance
The concordance is 138 pages with 2 columns per page. It has 3500 entries with 9200 context lines. It shows the number of times the word appears and the number of references that contain the word. Some of the main words include Greek and Hebrew word studies with Strongs’ numbers. This is an excellent concordance for study. It doesn’t include other common names, but it does have Jesus.
Here are a few example entries and the number of references they provide to help you compare:
- Christ – 13, word study
- Christian – 1
- Christian – 1
- Faith – 40, word study
- Faithful – 20
- Faithfulness – 5
- Faithless – 2
- God – 38, word study
- Goddess – 2
- Godhead – 2, word study
- Godliness – 4
- Godly – 3
- Gods – 5
- Jesus – 20, word study
- Praise – 25, word study
- Praised – 4
- Praises – 2
- Praiseworthy – 1
- Praising – 3
- Pray – 14, word study
- Prayed – 2
- Prayer – 16
- Prayers – 5
Bible Atlas
In the back are 8 pages with 7 full-color Zondervan maps printed on thick non-glossy paper. They’re printed in bright colors and are annotated well, making them easy to use. They include topography, distance, routes, borders, possible locations of lost places, battles, elevation, cities, and locations for the events of Jesus’ ministry.
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
Comparisons
Here are a few comparisons. Check our YouTube channel for upcoming comparisons.
NKJV Single Column VBV Reference Genuine Leather
The genuine leather edition of the NKJV Single Column VBV Reference Bible includes lower-quality paper and leather. This is a red-letter edition. My review copy has cockling. The paper is 30gsm, but it’s a low-quality paper. It was made in China. It is a good edition for the money, but I recommend the Premier Collection edition if it’s an option.
NKJV Stridon
The NKJV Schuyler Stridon is also a v-b-v NKJV in a single column. It has the same references and footnotes placed separately in the footer. The Stridon is larger, but it has a lot larger font. It has a red-letter text and red highlights. The paper is 28gsm. The font in its concordance is small. It was made in the Netherlands.
NKJV Clarion
The NKJV Clarion has a smaller footprint, thinner paper, and the same thickness. Its layout is a single-column paragraph with the same references in the outer margin. The clarion’s font isn’t as dark, but it looks larger and has more white space. The paper is 28gsm. It was made in the Netherlands.
Video Review
Conclusion
The Premier Collection NKJV Single-Column Reference Bible is an excellent verse-by-verse Bible. It’s a well-made Bible, and the size is great for carrying and reading. Although I prefer a paragraph layout for reading, the v-b-v layout is highly readable and looks elegant with its poetic formatting. The inner-margin references bring the text out onto the flat part of the page, making it great for reading and preaching. If you’re looking for a black-letter v-b-v NKJV in a single column, the Premier Collection NKJV Single-Column Reference Bible is an excellent choice.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is 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.
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