NKJV Apply the Word Study Bible from Thomas Nelson, 2016

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The Apply the Word Study Bible brings you to an intimate understanding of the Bible's message, helps you think about it and apply it to your lives. People of all ages and walks of life will enjoy the fresh style of the feature articles, which are directed at helping you approach life with the mind of Christ. You will discover that the Bible is a very practical book, just what is needed to guide you through every day. Featuring the New King James Version, the best translation for Bible study, abundant sidebar articles and vibrant full-color design, the Apply the Word Study Bible is the perfect companion for everyday living.

This is the second Bible that I've reviewed on this blog (the first was Zondervan's Understand the Faith Bible), and I have to say that Bibles are not the easiest books in the world to review. I was really curious about the New King James Version, though, and I wanted to see what sort of features this Bible has, so I went ahead and requested the Apply the Word Study Bible for review. I've used it a fair amount for a month or so now, and so I think I'm ready to finally write my review.

First, the physical stuff. It's not the most attractive Bible in the world (it kind of looks like a textbook from the cover, doesn't it?), but at least it's not the garish red of the Zondervan BIble I tried before. It's hard-cover, which I suppose is nicer than the soft leather-bound Bibles I usually read from but I really just prefer the floppiness of a good leather Bible. It feels strange to hold a hard Bible, but that's really more a matter of preference than anything else. This one also doesn't have a ribbon, which is a bummer, but I just use a bookmark instead.

Next, the translation. I honestly can't tell that much of a difference between the NKJV and regular NIV, but then I never really spend much time focusing on the exact words of different translations. Regardless, this is definitely a very fluid, easy translation to read - it's natural enough that it feels like someone could have written it not long ago. Since the original KJV is famous for being hard to understand for 21st-century readers, I thought it was kind of funny how easily readable its modern translation is. There's a certain elegance in the old translation, though, which is why it's my goal to someday own a King James Bible to read when I'm in a particularly poetic mood.

Last, the supplementary resources in the Bible. There are little inserts every few pages that go into different verses in more detail, which are pretty interesting. There's also a nice long concordance in the back, which is probably one of the most useful tools a Bible can have. I haven't used the reference materials too much but they seem solid.

This is a good Bible for studying, though not a very attractive one. I like to use it when I'm reading at home, but I've never taken it out in public and don't plan to in the future. I think after reading this review you'll know pretty well whether this is the Bible that will meet your needs, but if you have any more questions about it feel free to post them in the comments section below.