I was using an NRSV Life Application Bible, which I was pleased with, but wanted something with more depth to the comments. I looked over several study Bibles (Ryrie, New Oxford, NIV Study...), and felt the Nelson was the best by far. Cross refs. are relevant, and the on page comments are the best I've seen - they go into great depth and deal with the heart of the matter. The 200 page concordance is also a plus, as are other features. I wasn't sure about the NKJV (only choice), but took a closer look and am very pleased.

I'm not a Christian but decided to purchase a bible to get this classic work under my belt. I wanted a study version though so I could get through the tougher parts without being baffled at the language or meanings. I purchased the Nelson version after reading many positive reviews and feel I made a great choice! Understandably, you need to be careful with study bibles in case you begin to adopt the editors' slant on things, but from what I can tell the Nelson team has done a fine job of retaining the integrity of the NKJV translation in their commentaries.

I'm still on the Old Testament (2 Kings right now) and I've throughly enjoyed most every single chapter so far. Thanks to the well-written and not-too-long commentaries on many verses it's easy to comprehend the significance of the passages and understand some of the ancient practices prevalent at the time.

Great maps in-text and at the back, helpful tables of dates and events, thorough cross-referencing, definitions of especially meaningful words in the Hebrew context, as well as in-text discussions of major concepts make this a definitive study bible for any NKJV reader and also as a reference work.

Here is a Bible for serious study and/or devotion. The devotional quality is achieved primarily through the tone of the copious and scholarly notes, which are reverent, main stream, and remarkably non-intrusive. I have a number of other study Bibles, and have generally found them lacking.

I appreciate the lofty literary style of the King James (Authorized) version, and wanted to try the New King James (NKJV). I have spent hours comparing the two versions. The poetic books are almost unchanged except for long obsolete words, pronouns and inflectional verb endings. The meter is unchanged. Other books have been further updated with modern sentence structure where it is most needed. The result still sounds magnificent and timeless, and glows like a freshly restored work of art.

The Nelson SB contains a remarkably comprehensive concordance which contains proper nouns and describes them within the concordance listing. Thus the concordance can also be regarded as a Bible dictionary.

There are eight pages of color maps in the rear. I would have liked a color map showing the twelve tribes at the time of the judges (after Joshua's conquest of Canaan), but the intext maps show this very nicely, so this is a quibble.

Nelson's SB is most remarkable for its highly tailored, complete and accurate annotations, which can only have been achieved through a devotion to the work and a lot of toil. This book is quite evidently a labor of love, and this, more than any other quality ranks it as the finest SB I've encountered.

I received the black bonded leather edition. Its Gold stamped quality leather cover and gold edged paper, as well as the overall high quality of workmanship make this book a delight to the senses. A real treasure all 'round.

This Bible, besides containing a wealth of cross-references for study, also features notes that are right in line with the traditional mainstream Baptist interpretation of scripture (except KJVO which is not traditional, historical Baptist doctrine anyway). (The notes in this Bible were originally written by Liberty University profs in the early 1980s)
...which makes this Bible great for following along in preaching to see at a glance if your Baptist pastor is teaching something new or contrary to traditional Baptist doctrine. Of course, final judgement is reserved for personal inductive study of the matter, but I remember at least one time this Bible brought out facts clearly enough during a sermon to where I knew for a fact the pastor was wrong- and unfortunately based his whole sermon on it.
I give this Bible 4 stars because, of course, the conservative traditional Baptist doctrine in the notes is strongly pre-trib, to the point where other views are not given enough space, IMHO.

I have only had this bible for about two weeks and I find it hard not to pick my bible up and start studing and reading this wonderful book of God's word ! I purchased it at a local Bible book store and now am online to amazon to find this Bible for my daughter's birthday! I want to share this wonderful way of reading and learning with her! I have at least ten bibles in my home and this is the first I can really understand what I am reading,I am reading one chapter each day from each of these books,Genisis,Job and Matthew! I found this in another book of suggestions on bible study to keep a pattern in reading. Of course I find myself spending much more time reading each day than I intended. I would highly reccomend this study bible to anyone,especially someone who has found it hard to focus and enjoy reading!

I have owned a KJV Study Bible for some time. It is an excellent Bible when you need to be clear on doctrine. The foot notes are especially help full in teaching the Bible to young and old. It gives very clear meaning and reference of passage. There are many study helps to encourage a Bible student to keep reading and digging for the truths in the pages of God's Word

The Nelson's smallest Bible is an extremely portable 3" x 5" genuine leather Bible. It is about as big as most Gideon vest pocket New Testaments w/ Psalms and Proverbs and about twice as wide. If you travel a lot or you want to carry a Bible with you at all times, I would definitely recommend this Bible. However, there are two cons: 1)The print is so small that a magnifying card is provided, 2)This is the King James translation.

This Bible is excellent for travelling! It is not only a New Testament and Psalms, but a complete Bible in a very small (lightweight pages) but durable format. I use mine all the time and have also purchased it to use as a gift for friends who fly a lot.

The size and construction (snap flap) of this edition make it EXCELLENT!

I had no idea such magical things existed! Strong's Concordance is an essential tool in any academic study of the Bible. The Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic dictionaries allow one a glimpse of the hurdles translators had to navigate in wrestling with this text. I recommend this for anyone working with the Bible or with any text with densely packed biblical allusions, such as Milton, Shakespeare or T.S. Eliot, among countless others.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance is a "must have" reference for the serious student of the Bible. The Fan-Tab ™ Thumb-index system makes this an easy to use reference to locate any word or topic in God's Word. The addition of the Hebrew and Aramaic Dictionary sheds new light on God's word by giving accurate meaning to the original text.

Strong's Concordance is an absolute gold mine. In searching for the riches that God's word has to offer, there is no greater dictionary or lexicon better than Strong's. This concordance and dictionary helps the diligent student to separate identical words in the same context that may have different Hebrew and Greek meanings. In cross referencing, it aids the student in defining identical words that may have a different meaning based on the particular passage of scripture. There could be one word that we are familiar with in English that may have five different Hebrew or Greek translations. Strong's does an excellent job pointing the reader to the correct Hebrew/Greek interpretation whereby he or she can then search the English definition to add clarity. Preachers and teachers are encouraged to own and use this powerful tool for studying the word of God. I highly recommend this book for anyone who would desire to know what God determined that we should know in the original language. It will change your life completely. Strong's Concordance is a must have for your Biblical library. Kudos!

This book was about how King Arthur's life supposedly was. He was born after King Uther tricked an enemy duke's wife into thinking that Uther was her husband. That child was given to Merlin, and he was un-christened, and was given to Sir Ector. He became a squire at his new home and had a bigger stepbrother to help. When the sword in the stone appeared, all the knights and noblemen around England appeared to try and pull it out, since the person who pulls out the sword in the stone is supposedly the king of all England. Throughout his life he encountered many people like Sir Lancelot of the Lake, who fell in love with his beloved wife, Guinevere, and also gave birth to a child with his half-sister when she disguised herself. He would later become a legend for all the things he had done during his life.

I read this book because I watched the movie from Disney called "The Sword in the Stone." It sparked my interest of knights and I was fascinated with the Middle Ages ever since. Then when I went to the library, this book was the only one about King Arthur that wasn't checked out, so I read this wonderful recount of the amazing life of Arthur.

I recommend this book to everyone above the age of 9. There are some "not so good for children parts" in this book. If you are a child who wants to read about King Arthur, then you should choose this book. If you want something that is easier, I suggest you not to select this book since it is kind of a hard book.

This book is a bargain, but make sure your reader is ready for it. Its style is rather "olde englishe biblical" -- not obsolete spelling, but somewhat difficult language for modern readers. If your reader is in the mood for thee-thou-mayhap-hath-milady, then go for it!

Who hasn't heard of King Arthur and the knights of his Round Table? In this book you meet them all ' including the magician Merlin, and the brave knights Sir Lancelot, Sir Gareth, Sir Tristam, Sir Bors, Sir Key, and Sir Galahad. All the old favorites are included ' Arthur drawing the sword out of the stone, Arthur receiving the sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, Arthur becoming emperor, and Arthur's marriage to Guinevere. These events are recounted with surprising little drama. But don't give up too soon ' the best comes with all the quests and adventures of the knights that follow, including the Quest for the Holy Grail. This book is chock-full of entertaining adventures involving knights in shining armour, damsels in distress, fierce jousting and sword fights to the death, battles against hoards of enemies and giants, tournaments and miracles. Accompanying the text of this hard-cover, are ornate black and white pictures and images that contribute splendidly to the atmosphere evoked by the text.

The medieval setting is painted in a rather idealized fashion, limited to the nobility and figures of the court, who embrace all that is beautiful, brave and noble. These virtues are sometimes portrayed rather simplistically, as unknown knights engage in mortal combat, and only after they have virtually killed each other do the introductions begin: 'What is your name?' Behind this medieval mayhem is a heightened sense of chivalry more reflective of legend than fact, where knights battle to the death for the sake of a woman - even one they have only just met. But isn't that what the Arthurian legends are all about? Nobody is under the illusion that they are to be taken too seriously. Journeying to Arthur's Camelot is a form of escapism - suspend your sense of disbelief, watch the flashing swords and fearful battles, and enjoy.

That's not to say that the Arthurian tales do not reflect any reality. Arthur's world is in many respects a real medieval world. Medieval beliefs in paganism and Christianity are evident throughout. Witchcraft and enchantment is presented as alive and deadly, and conversely the true religion ' in this case the beliefs of the medieval Catholic church ' is evident throughout as knights commend themselves to God in prayer, thank him for his help, and even repent from their sins. The whole notion of the Holy Grail is of course a very Christian tradition ' although a tradition that represents more fiction than fact. And the moral virtues of justice, truth and right for which the honorable knights fight are still noble ideals of virtue today. Arthur's kingdom is presented as a kingdom blessed by the grace of God, a beacon of light symbolizing all that is good and true and right, and a worthy model for kingdoms in today's world because it revolves around timeless virtues. Tales that promote dignity, courtesy, courage, respect for right, respect for female dignity and purity are as ennobling as they are entertaining.

How much truth there is behind the Arthurian tales will always be the subject of debate. The fact remains that there is an extensive and confusing body of legend to wade through. In this 1923 work, Knowles has essentially followed Malory's fifteenth century classic 'Morte d'Arthur.' Even his language is antiquated and tedious, but persevere because you will soon find that this an enjoyable and essential addition that heightens the heroic atmosphere of the story and gives the legend a fittingly majestic touch. But it is doubtful that Malory or Knowles have been successful in making a great deal of sense out of the confusing mass of legend, because it is not unified in a plausible manner. Those looking for a more readable or easier introduction to king Arthur would be better served by the works by Roger Lancelyn Green or Howard Pyle.

In the end these tales of King Arthur and his knights remains a hodgepodge of anecdotes with different styles that is sometimes hard to wade through. But that doesn't matter. This collection is primarily of historical value, in giving a true picture of the original legends as they have been transmitted across hundreds of years. Even if it's not always easy to read, it cannot be denied that Knowles has produced a very comprehensive collection of the Arthurian tales, and the unbelievable exploits of knights in shining armour will continue to entertain in the future just as they have done in the past. Along with the tales of Robin Hood, the tales of King Arthur are the most exciting tales that British history has produced. This is the stuff of legend, and it's worth a read.

The King James Version (KJV) is probably the best-known version of the Bible. And it is truly an excellent translation. First off, it follows a "formal equivalence" (word-for-word) translation principle. IMO, this principle is much more accurate than the "dynamic equivalence" (thought for thought) principle that most modern-day versions follow.

In addition, the KJV is based on the "Textus Receptus" (TR). And again, I consider this Greek text to be more reliable than the "Critical Text" (CT) that most modern versions utilize. Although, I actually prefer the "Majority Text" (MT) to the TR, but these two texts are very close, much closer to each other than either is to the CT.

But it must be noted that the KJV is not the only version that follows a formal equivalence principle and is based on the TR. There are several other such versions, such as the New King James Version, Modern King James Version, and the Literal Translation of the Bible, while my own Analytical-Literal Translation is based on the MT.

Moreover, each of these other versions utilize modern-day English and thus are relatively easy to read while the KJV's use of the Elizabethan English can make it very difficult to understand.

Now I know there are many "KJV-onlyists" who consider the KJV to the only true Bible, while all other Bible versions are called "perversions." And their diatribes even attack versions like the ones I list above. But I have taken the time to investigate their arguments and have found them to be faulty.

I present my counter-arguments to the KJV-onlyists' arguments in much detail in the section on "KJV-onlyism" in my book Differences Between Bible Versions, so I won't try to get into that discussion here. I'll simply encourage the reader to consider both sides of this argument before making a decision on it.

All that said, if you can understand the KJV then by all means utilize. But if you find the KJV difficult to read, then before condescending to read a less reliable dynamic equivalence version, or worse, giving up on reading the Bible altogether, I would suggest checking out one of the versions I mention above.

My Bible version book will provide aid in understanding the issues I address above and in choosing a Bible version. Along with looking at the versions mentioned above, my book also reviews over 25 other versions of the Bible.

Fabulous moral tale, really tells people how to live their lives. Without this, their would not be any morals in the western world. The end was a bit of a let down, though.

please read this book.... KJV Bible saves souls and grants immeasurable wisdom to readers through intervention of the Holy Spirit. It changes lives and is infallible in it's entirety. Many peoples condemn the Bible and Jesus Christ, but they can't understand the Sovereignty of God. Amen

I love this bible. It is a great bible for teens. It helps you understand what the bible means to teens. It is the NKJ version but it is easy to understand.

This Bible is like, so totally cool. I'm 13, and it makes studing God's word much more fun. There's great "On The Edge" things that very well explain what certain verses mean. I reccomend buying this Bible. You won't regret it! :)

I received this English version of the Bible (fifth edition 1999, leather, easy to read print, direct words of God in red, not only words of Christ - an enlightening experience) in January. I have been using it as my Bible to read through in a year (presently nearing the end of 2 Kings, but have read some Psalms and many portions of New Testament). Mr. Green encourages readers to submit suggestions for improvement, which he then incorporates, as appropriate, into later editions. This is truly a grassroots, shoestring effort, which may be the best available Bible in modern English today. The only other candidate is Mr. Green's LITV.

This version stands on the three pillars which I personally require in an English version: 1) Bible believing/evangelical translator, 2) Formal equivalence method (translate the words, not the thoughts - necessary for verbal, plenary inspiration to have any true meaning), 3) use of the traditional/historical texts of the Old (Masoretic) and New (Byzantine/received text) Testaments (i.e., God has preserved his word down through the ages).

The only problem I have with this edition (fifth) is the implementation of the red letter concept. Often the printer has made obvious errors in what should be red and what should be black. The quality of the translation and clarity of expression overcomes this minor inconvenience.

Update: I completed reading the whole book in December 2000. All my earlier comments still apply. The large print is easy to read for someone like me who uses bifocals. Perhaps the red letter concept should be dropped in future editions since the implementation is difficult. This is a text only translation without cross-references or other aids.

Update of September 2002: I have found it difficult to continue to recommend this version because of the harshness of the language contained in the introductory pages. Also, I have not found it necessary to use a modern English Version. Once one begins reading on a regular basis from the AV/KJV the supposed defects of language disappear. A dictionary normally solves any problems, or original language helps which are readily available.

The new edition is back in stock from Sovereign Grace Publications, with larger print, and the first true red-letter edition that I have ever seen: the Words spoken by God are in red letters, in both Old and New Testaments... this is a beautiful Bible, in full leather, and for anyone who loves the King James Version. I could not recommend any better version! Get it!

Having always been an Authorized Version kind of guy (hey, how DID King James get his name on this, anyway?), but knowing that my children just don't "brey" as often as one might suspect, I wanted a version that would deliver what the NKJV did not: an accurate representation of the Authorized Version. This is it. Order it, and be blessed!Peter Hyatt

I have used a lot of study Bibles over the last 25 years and this is one of the best. I love the cyclopedic index which is over 200 pages long. It defines a term, such as "peace" and then shows key incidences of it in the Bible. The type face is easy to read and there are in-text charts, maps and word studies. The New Living Translation is a good translation for personal devotional reading and public reading as well. This Bible also shows good workmanship and you will be pleased with it. I use this study Bible along with the New American Standard Ryrie Study Bible.

I was reading the reviews of this Bible and found two which troubled me. You see, I believe that this is an excellent study Bible, I own one and am contemplating the purchase of another. The study aids and references are easily found and easy to read. It increased my understanding of God's word quite a lot. In fact my 12 year old sister likes this Bible because she understands the language better than in a KJV, however the changing of a few words seems to offend some of the readers of this Bible. In later reviews they refer to the changing of the word black in Song of Solomon 1:5 to dark. This is a perfectly acceptable translation of the word when one considers the translation from Hebrew to english can be dusky which is dark while not necessarily black. And in the second complaint from Song of Solomon 5:11 which is about being bushy headed. The original Hebrew word is translated as vibrating and pendulous meaning wavy and long. I see no problem with either translation. Please check your references before you slam an excellent and helpful translation of God's word. (I checked mine in the Strong's Concordance. It translates from the original Hebrew and Greek which our Bible was written in.)

The Open Bible has served me for years now. I have gone through three copies and updates. The book outlines and historical information are unmatched in other study Bibles. The charts of history are exceptionally easy to follow. As stated above, the study information does not get in the way of reading God's Word as He gave it. I highly recommend this study Bible to anyone who wants to go a little further than casual reading of the Bible.

My friend recently purchased a Bible (New Living Translation) and allowed me to exchange my Bible (New King James Version) with hers. I am an instructor in a Seminary and therefore very picky with the versions I choose to read. I usually prefer either the New American Standard or the New Revised Standard Versions. However, I found the NLT to be an inviting one. While I was sharing my experience with the NLT with my other friends, one of them, Karen Davila, who is a popular, award-winning, television journalist here in Manila, Philippines (GMA-Channel 7) mentioned how pleasant it was to read the NLT. It was a '...perfect way to start your day...'

A few of my students who are freshmen enjoy the version too. I will request our Library that we acquire a few copies. A colleague of mine is thinking of purchasing one. Frankly, I probably would go back to NRSV/NASB when I teach or write, primarily for the reason that they are much closer to the original languages. But, for daily quiet time and while keeping my journal, the NLT looks like an appropriate choice. I thank the Lord for all those who invested their time and efforts in giving all of us the NLT. God bless you.

I have been a born-again Christian for over 30 years. I have tried for all of these years to read the King James version and the Living Bible. Neither one was able to break the scriptures down into a language I could truly understand. Now I can! I can finally understand God's word, His wonderful message! Not only do I find this translation understandable but also fasinating! I can barely put it down. I am amazed at how much of the New Testament I have read in such a short time. This version holds my attention and keep me yearning for more.

So much of what I have heard in sermons and been taught in Sunday School over the years finally come together for me.

I am very careful when someone talks about what God has to say. Too many put their own twist on the Word to suit their purpose instead of using the Word as it is intended. I have cross checked The New Living Translation with the King James version and I find the NLT to be very accurate. So does my Pastor!

This version will fire you up for Jesus! Imagine Gods pleasure that in this day and age we can understand His will on our own. No other interpretation is needed.

This is a "must have" for all Believers in Christ.

The Word of God is to be consumed by His people and this translation satisfies the hungry 'child' in me. I grew up reading the "The Living Bible" but as the the need for a more precise study Bible presented itself, I left behind my 'childhood' friend in favour of more 'accurate transliterations'. To their credit, they served me well, however when attempting to relate intricate truths to others, I found myself sounding pious and scholarly...not a coat I wear comfortably. What a complete joy, then to read the sheer simplicity of His loving missive to me and still know that academics have not been forsaken. This will be the Bible I grow old with...