Rating: 
Summary: Exceptional value!
Review: 1. GENERAL EVALUATION: The intent purpose of a Study Bible is to give the reader assistance in understanding the scriptures through cross references, comments and exegesis carefully compiled by a board of theology scholars. There are many Study Bibles available, as you likely discovered [....] Each version and publisher differs to varying degrees. I own and use four Study Bibles. All my Study Bibles are very helpful. The Holy Bible King James Version the King James Study Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers is an outstanding value. [....] 2. FORMAT: The binding is genuine leather with gold color stamped letters. The page are also gold edged. The paper is high quality Bible paper and thin but not so thin that the printing on the reverse pages is distracting. This Bible is quite thick. The flexible leather covers are very helpful in holding the pages open for easy reading. A stiff cover might make the inside printing somewhat hard to see. The type font is large and very easy on the eyes. The page format is the standard two column Bible arrangement with a third column between the main texts. The center column is a wealth of information. In the middle column, references to related scriptures are given. Also if an original Greek or Hebrew word has more than one meaning, that meaning is printed in the center column. There is more information in the center column that is too lengthy to describe in this review but a complete, clear explanation is given in the front section of this Bible. Suffice it say that the center column alone can indeed greatly expand the meaning of the texts. Icons are used to clarify to what a note or comment refers. Doctrinal Footnotes Icons are used for systematic Biblical teachings. Personality Footnotes Icons give descriptions and information on persons in the Bible. Archeological Footnotes Icons refer you to information about places in the Bible and recent discoveries. These footnotes and icons are of significant help to the reader. The Holy Bible King James Version the King James Study Bible differs from many Study Bibles in the format the notes are presented. The notes are, as with most Study Bibles, on the lower part of the scriptures pages. However, in many Study Bibles, you will see: See notes on Mt 4.16 as example. Turning to that reference can cause one to lose the train of thought. This is not so in The Holy Bible King James Version the King James Study Bible. In well over 90% of footnotes, all the information pertaining to the text is on that page – complete. The expositors did an exceptional job of a running account of clarifying each verse! There are many references to the original meaning of Greek in the NT and Hebrew words and thoughts in the OT. This, alone, should help the reader gain a better understanding of the Bible. Maps are included on the pages to which they relate. 3. CONCLUSIONS: Nelson’s comment, “The most comprehensive KJV Study Bible ever printed” is indeed accurate. The study notes and comments are, to say the least, profuse and in depth. A word, if you will, on the debate over the King James Version. Some folks claim the King James Version is not an accurate translation. This is simply not true. This version is, in reality, quite precise. The basis of this opposition may well be in the language used in the 1600s when the King James Version Bible was translated. The word archaic language pops up in most debates. Archaic is not the proper word. POETIC is! The wording in the King James Version is lilting, flowing like a Mozart symphony. Archaic, no. Beautiful, yes. If you are one who thinks the King James Version is archaic, try reading the lines as you would a poem. Allow the words to sing the message. - 4 – CONCLUSION: No mater what translation a person selects and/or prefers, they all tell the same time proven, enduring message. To augment understanding of the Bible, I would suggest reading whatever version you prefer with a copy of The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. This book has Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. You do not have to know Greek or Hebrew to use the dictionaries. The words you want defined are looked up in the concordance in English and referenced by numbers in the Greek or Hebrew dictionaries. While the words are in Greek or Hebrew, they are also transliterated into English. [...], this book is a real bargain. I have no reservations in giving this exceptionally well-done Bible five stars. I hope my comments are of some value to you.
Rating:
Summary: For shame!
Review: All you one-star reviewers are in deep, deep trouble. As it says in the book of Bezosephat (4:29), "The Lord hath no scorn like the scorn reserved for one-star reviewers." I don't want to use a word like "hellbound," so instead I'll just say you better pack your sunscreen!
Rating: 
Summary: Eh, too many incorrect statements
Review: As a religous individual, I feel that this book comes no where close to the meaning of it all. Sure, a few people have decided that this is the way things should be, but that's no excuse for acting that way. I preferred the message in the Book of the Subgenius instead. It seemed to fit the inside of my head much better than these older dogmas. Yes, life now makes sense thanks to "Bob's" nonsense. Study with that, earthlings.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't Cut The Mustard
Review: As much as it pains me to write anything negative with regards to our BELOVED LORD JESUS CHRIST!!!! I must side with those other (pious, I'm sure) reviewers who have said that this translation is somewhat lacking. Granted the basic message remains intact, as do the stories and characters (with few exceptions) but where is the soul? Again, it pains me to say this, but this particular translation just doesn't carry with it the feeling, the viscera, or the very weight and conviction that other superior texts included. It does seem that THE BELOVED JESUS CHRIST!!! simply wasn't paying attention when he allowed this little number to be printed with his name in it. Besides the stylistic problems, it is also lacking in other areas. Again, this maintains the basic stories, but so do cliff notes - I recall one particularly good translation published in 1963 by Amsterdam Treasurey Publishing House, which I read at a local university (in only two sittings - holy holy me :) which actually went above and beyond the call of duty and went into detailed descriptions of THE BELOVED JESUS CHRIST!!!'s morning routine - waking up in his bed of hay, getting a cup of joe, praying for a little bit, drinking more joe, go for a short walk, build a house or table or something, more joe, than back to sleep. Now why can't we see quality like this more often? Sure, there was some artistic liberty in there, but it allowed you to get to know THE BELOVED JESUS CHRIST!!! like the loving friend he is, as opposed to here where he is little more than a written stick figure. In short try another copy. This simply doesn't cut the mustard. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive Study Bible; Beware Baptist/New Age Commentary
Review: Devotees of the King James Bible will enjoy several valuable features in this edition, namely historical essays, which introduce each book, numerous maps, biographical sketches of principal biblical characters, and archeological discussions of ancient sites. The preface assures "conservative Christians" that here is a "reliable study Bible that is both scholarly and spiritually relevant," complete with abundant doctrinal footnotes and editorial commentary throughout. However, it is important for readers to realize that these additional trappings are clearly Baptist in perspective, since virtually all of this Bible's 13 contributing editors received degrees from various Baptist theological seminaries. Although the original King James text is preserved, I sense that these editors may not be quite as conservative as they would have us believe. For example, numerous footnotes offer alternative words and phrases, many of which are identical to the wording found in liberal, New Age translations like the New King James Version, the New International Version, and others. Furthermore, at times the editors go out of their way to contest the original wording. For example in Matt. 12:40, when Jesus refers to Jonah in the "whale's" belly, the editors remark, "The reference to the whale's belly in verse 40 is unfortunate. The Greek word 'ketos' means 'a great sea creature,' not necessarily a whale. The Old Testament references are to a 'great fish' (Jon. 1:17)." A simple footnote for "whale" with alternatives like "great sea creature" or "great fish" would have sufficed. Instead, I can only infer from the tone of this commentary that it is a more deliberate attempt to discredit the King James in favor of New Age translations. Of course, we should keep in mind that our word "cetology" (the zoological study of whales and dolphins) is derived from the Greek "ketos." Even more disturbing as with New Age translations, which place allegedly spurious passages in brackets, reduce them to footnotes, or omit them entirely, the editors of this study Bible also appear to doubt the authenticity of certain key doctrinal passages. This could do much to dissuade undiscerning Christians from their belief in the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture. The prime example is Mark 16:9-20, about which the editors comment, "Ancient manuscripts contain two different endings for Mark. While some suggest that Mark did indeed intend for his gospel to end at verse 8, it ends on a note of fear and lacks a clear Resurrection account. In light of the uncertainty attached to verses 9-20, it may be advised to take care in basing doctrine upon them (especially vv. 16-18)." This latter statement is unequivocally false. These editors are either completely ignorant of the important research of Dean John W. Burgon, a 19th-century English theologian, or they flatly deny his research. Burgon's book, "The Last Twelve Verses of Mark," provides overwhelming evidence that Mark 16:9-20 is genuine and its doctrine certain. In no other place is the Baptist perspective more evident than in the doctrinal footnotes. For every passage concerning baptism, for example, the editors, clinging to the traditional "faith-only" tenet, provide lengthy comments emphatically denying that baptism is regenerative or efficacious for salvation. Regarding Mark 16:16 ("He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned"), the editors remark, "Only faith, not baptism, is essential for salvation, as the omission of baptism from the last clause shows." This liberal interpretation overrules Jesus and implies that we cannot take Him literally at His Word here. That Jesus ADDS baptism here makes it an equally essential act with belief. Jesus omits baptism from verse 16b simply because the subject is pointless with unbelievers. With similar passages like Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16, the editors imply that the original phraseologies are misleading and reword them in footnotes to minimize baptism. Such doctrinal bias clearly flies in the face of Scripture and could even convince some people to reject baptism entirely, because they're "saved" without it, so why bother. The editors further fail to acknowledge that, in addition to faith and baptism, the Scriptures equally require two other elements for salvation: repentance (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38) and public confession of Jesus as Lord (Matt. 10:32-33; Romans 10:9). Having faith is just the FIRST step. It is unfortunate that doctrinal bias and New Age theology have infiltrated such a time-honored book as the King James Bible. The editorial comments cited above and others that I have examined convince me that a ready supply of liberal theology exists in this edition. Space does not permit a more lengthy dissertation. Suffice it to say that whenever any commentary appears to contradict the Word, it is much safer to let the pure Word speak for Himself.
Rating:
Summary: It fails miserably in many important aspects
Review: Firstly, the translation disturbed me. The King James version, while being a great work of poetry in the English language is a poor biblical translation, which in most cases, the scholars translating the books of the Tanach didn't even read them in their original Hebrew form, but rather in the Greek. It also mistranslates and equivocates in many aspects, for instance, it will often translate ancient slang, colloquialisms, and idioms very literally, confusing the average reader. (For instance, unless you know that the washing of feet is an ancient euphemism for sex, the King James translation of the phrase will be a puzzlement). In some cases the translation is so bad that it inserts old English euphemisms, especially with regard to riske passages. The King James translation, very beautiful and florid, but very inaccurate and therefore the King James version is only suitable for quoting, in order to preserve the wonderful aureate writing style and poetry, but not for determining actual content. My main gripe is with the commentary. Much of it seems to be authored under the opinion of someone with strong faith in the Christian religion, and while this may be appropriate for a proselytizing Priest, it is speculatory and not factual. The commentary does not stick to actual facts generally accepted by Historians and other scholars to be true but rather often comments in subjectively. In conclusion, the reader seeking the truth, as determined by objective analysis of known facts using logic will be disappointed while the rabidly Evangelical Protestant who seeks only subjective truth, not objective truth will be pacified. Any reader seeking literal and objective truth, however, should buy a better, more literal translation and one of the many excellent factual and scholarly commentaries on the Judeo-Christian mythology present in the Bible, which is without doubt currently the most important mythological text in the Occidental world.
Rating:
Summary: Bullinger's Companion Bible a Better Choice
Review: I believe that any book that helps with the understanding of God's word is worth studying, and this Bible is worthy of study. However, the editors take it upon themselves to judge the KJV translation. Just look at the first page of Genesis. Bullinger's Companion Bible (I recomend ISBN 0825420997 -- The Enlarged Type Hardcover Edition. Other editions have type that is way too small!) would be a better choice. (You'll also want a Strong's Concordance.) These two works, along with the 1611 KJV with Apocrypha, and Green's Interlinear four volume OT & NT make the study of God's word enjoyable and fruitful.
Rating:
Summary: Get both sides of the story!
Review: I dare any Christian to read
The Jesus Mysteries: Was the "Original Jesus" a Pagan God?
by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy
and look at the bible the same way....go ahead.
Don't let your fellow believers scare you with talk of going to Hell by questioning the bible. Do you really believe that God would hurt you for examining the world that he created?
Rating:
Summary: This Bible a must have.
Review: I have had my bible for a few years now, and it has proven useful throughout my studies. I particularly enjoy it because the the Doctrinal Footnotes are very scripturally sound, and the layout studies are superb. If you are going to purchase a study bible to get a deeper understanding of the scriptures, this is it. It simply doesn't get any better. I am going to buy one for a friend of mine, because it has been just that insightful. Definately a must have, in your reading collection. God Bless.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Tool for Serious Bible Study
Review: I have recommended The King James Study Bible (Nelson) to family, friends, and members of my church: and this Bible has won even the Thompson Chain Reference group over! I appreciate the notes in the center column which explain the subtle differences in translations of words used within the text; I find it especially helpful to read the reference verses in the center column of each page, which point the reader to other, related verses; I LOVE the "keys" (doctrinal footnotes) on the bottom of the pages which give in-depth, fresh insights into the Scripture; and the special sections dealing with biographies of Bible characters and Bible archaeology are wonderful.
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