Thomas Nelson

This particular volume, The Greatest Stories of the Bible, is not in fact a Bible in the traditional sense, as the front matter makes clear. While the actual text is taken literally from the New King James translation of material, the volume is made up of editorially-selected extracts from the Biblical canon with an eye to building a narrative thread through both the Old and New Testament. Rather than presenting a more fluid storyline, Nelson's Greatest Stories of the Bible has focused on show more ordering a string of various stories and plot lines (each not more than three or four pages in length).

This treatment works for some Books of the Bible (such as the Book of Jonah, a minor prophet) but not for others (such as the Book of Job). The Book of Jonah is broken into four relatively equal segments (Rebellious Prophet, Repentant Prophet, Successful Prophet and Pouting Prophet). Given the length of the original and its flow of its storyline, this makes sense. Contrast that with the treatment given to Job, a fairly lengthy poetic treatment of Everyman's reaction to the decisions made by a seemingly capricious Deity. In this volume, Job has been reduced to three chapters (specifically 1,2, and 42) which reduces the message of Job down to the overly simplistic message (and this is my statement of the takeaway from those segments) of “God is God, so don't whine”. Hardly inspiring. Some of the more awkward incidents in the lives of patriarch Jacob as well as King David have been eliminated entirely.

Overall, however, this treatment is largely respectful of both the content and the reader's intelligence. Each of the 250 “stories” is manageable in length for purposes of reading aloud or instruction. For example, in introducing great works of classical art, a book such as this would be quite useful in presenting the literary reference for a painting of Jacob meeting Rachel at her father's well for the first time. Production values are pleasing (cream pages with a light brown type, good quality paper and deckle-edged, a ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding); the cover design uses the conceit of a tattered old volume and debossing of the trim at the edges adds a pleasing tactile touch. show less

I read NKJV, The Woman’s Study Bible, Hardcover, Red Letter, Full-Color Edition: Receiving God’s Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation after my wife received it as a gift. Growing up, I attended Mass and all the usual ceremonies of the church, but I am not especially religious. I picked up the book mainly out of curiosity—I was interested in the explanations of scripture, the historical notes, and how the material was presented from a woman’s perspective. It was a refreshing show more angle on the Bible, especially considering how male-dominated many religions can be.

I was immediately engaged by the study features. The footnotes, maps, character profiles, and historical context sections add a lot of depth. I am already familiar with the text, but I felt those additions made it feel fresh and more layered. From a graphic design standpoint, the layout is also visually appealing, and the full-color design helps break up what can otherwise feel like dense reading, which I think will make it easier for others to engage with.

I especially appreciated reading the commentary written with a focus on women’s perspectives. It offers insights and applications that aren’t always emphasized in more traditional study Bibles, and that made the experience feel different in a good way.

That said, I didn’t agree with all of the interpretations or explanations of scripture. Some notes felt more like opinion than grounded analysis, and some felt old-fashioned and draconian, at least from my point of view. Still, I found it interesting to see how different perspectives shape the understanding of the same passages.

Overall, I’d say it’s an engaging and thoughtfully put-together study Bible. Whether you approach it as a religious text or as mythology (as I did), with historical and cultural influence, there’s value in it. It offers a mix of storytelling, moral lessons, and reflections on life that many readers can take something from—even if you don’t agree with everything it presents and believe me there’s a lot in there I don’t agree with and never will. show less

The Binding:
This Bible is something special. Thomas Nelson ups the ante with multiple binding options; the leather is likely beautiful, but I selected the clothbound and just love it. Not your normal hardback book or even Bible, the clothbound option offers an in-between middle ground that is both feminine and durable. Pairing the ease of the hardback and its lay-flat benefits with a pretty fabric makes for an eye-catching book that will last even without a Bible cover (though I still show more recommend it!). This Bible is heavy and, if you set it on the floor by your bed, your foot will easily stub on a corner or indent the pages. (Ask me how I know.)

The Extras:
The NKJV Woman's Study Bible features a ton of extras, as noted above. I love the full-color artwork interspersed throughout the pages; the splash of color makes me smile. I also enjoyed reading a handful of the articles; several longer ones are featured at the beginning, and other, shorter/topical ones are placed near corresponding scriptures.

My favorites included the features on Holy Week (what timing as we go through Holy Week right now!); missions (quelle surprise, knowing me!); fitness; and work. I felt like each very specifically spoke to my own life of late, and appreciated the introspection it incurred. Each article also includes a "chain-reference" type component - referring the reader to other pages on similar topics and scriptures accordingly. The editors admirably present the scriptures and opportunities to apply them in our everyday lives. So often we wonder how Numbers could possibly be relevant (amirite?) - and yet, these ladies do it! (You'll have to check the Bible out to see how.)

The I-Wish:
While the study Bible features the expected index, concordance, and maps, I wish its contributor list included an index component. I'd love to find anything written by Elisabeth Elliot, for example; while I'm sure I'll find it eventually, that would be a nice added feature.

I received a free copy of the NKJV Woman's Study Bible from Thomas Nelson. All opinions are my own. show less

This is a well-printed economy version of the bible. In the tiny footnotes, it does indicate where the text differs from the earliest versions of the bible, which did not contain the last 12 verses of Mark, for instance, but the footnotes say things like, "but these passages are included in hundreds of other manuscripts." Which is purely dishonest, since these manuscripts are all later versions where these verses were tacked on. The translation retains most of the strengths of the original show more King James Version, with the omission of "thee" and "thou" and other archaic forms, but at least reading the 23rd Psalm in this translation doesn't make you wince like it does in the NRSV or some other translations, which are perhaps more accurate, but lose the poetry entirely. For an unbeliever like myself, there is much to recommend this translation--especially if I squint enough to make out the tiny footnotes! show less