Thompson Chain Reference Bible-KJV-Handy Size [Leather Bound]

Thompson Frank C (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

This burgundy bonded-leather KJV Bible employs the Thompson Topical Study System, acclaimed for more than six decades as the most helpful study system available, and which now has been completely updated and expanded.

Product Details

• Leather Bound: 1923 pages
• Publisher: Kirkbride Bible Company; Bgdy/Handy edition (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887072038
• ISBN-13: 978-0887072031
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,862,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thompson Chain NASB still one of the best!, January 28, 2005

By 

William Steck "Bill" (Dearborn) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Thompson Chain Reference Bible-KJV-Handy Size (Leather Bound)

To be most helpful to you, I have included information about Thompson Bibles in general, and about the NASB in particular. I'd also like to point out that there are apparently two companies that produce a "Thompson Chain Bible." The one I reviewed was produced by Kirkbride. My suspicion is that they make a nicer bible than "that other company."

My Bibles get used every day, so when I decide to replace one it needs to be something that is going to last. After looking at Bibles for three days at various bookstores, I recently bought a Thompson Chain NASB. I love it.

The page layout is very pleasant to the eye. While I don't agree that the Thompson Chain system is totally free of denominational bias, it is pretty close. If you don't want to use the Thompson study system, it sits unobtrusively off to the side of the page. Chances are though, you'll use it a lot. Other Bibles I've seen give you about one third of each page with some commentator's opinion of what he thinks God's word says, which gets kind of annoying. Plenty of textual notes (refering to manuscript issues) are provided in this version.

About the construction: My first Thompson Chain was a NIV with bonded leather. I bought it in 1985 and it's still holding up. My new one is the genuine leather and should hold up just as well. I've seen other reviews where people complain about shoddy workmanship, cheap paper, or the fact that its printed offshore. My 1985 version was printed in Canada (not US) has similarly thin paper, and has held up just fine. I think that this one will also. Unlike some of my other similarly priced study Bibles, the leather on this Thompson Chain NASB was not shiny. It has kind of somewhere between shiny and satin, but quite attractive. Inside both covers there are plenty of blank pages for notes.

I also have the NIV version ISBN 088707166X, the KJV version, and the NKJV all of which I have purchased in the last six months. The NIV version is thinner and easier to carry due to the print being smaller, and the fact that the NIV contains less textual notes. The helps in the back of the Bible are the same, but the concordance in the NIV is better than the concordance is the NASB. The NKJV is the biggest and heaviest of all. Surprisingly, my new Thompson Chain NIV, KJV, and NKJV are printed in the USA. (The NASB Thompsons are printed in South Korea.)

The KJV Thompson is the thinnest version available at a mere 1923 pages. It's concordance is the best of the Thompsons. There are no textual notes in this version. In other words, there is nothing to alert you that different manuscripts don't contain the longer ending in Mark, all of 1 John 5:7, or Acts 8:37. The paper in this version appears to be different (not as smooth) than that found in the others.


Like I stated earlier, I compared Bibles for 3 days and ended up going back with a Thompson. The only other Bibles in the same league are the old version Scofield (not availible in NASB), and the Open Bible (which I also have). The only things that I would like to see improved are the concordance, and the introduction/background information for each book of the Bible. Don't get me wrong, the concordance is decent, but since everything else about this Bible is excellant it would be nice to have a concordance that is on a par with the rest of this Bible. My guess is that they went light on the concordance to make room for the excellant indexes/helps/archelogical suppplements. Having said that, this is still about as big of a Bible as you would want to carry as it is fairly heavy!

While the NASB isn't a large print Bible, it has the largest cleanest type of the Thompsons. Its concordance leaves some things to be desired. If you need an excellant concordance, and the size of the type isn't a huge consideration for you, give the NIV version Thompson Chain a look.

If you like the NASB your choices are somewhat limited when looking for a serious study Bible. When shopping for that new study Bible, try out a Thompson. Chances are, in the NASB the Thompson Chain is your best bet.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest!, November 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Thompson Chain Reference Bible-KJV-Handy Size (Leather Bound)

The Thompson Chain bible was recommended to me by a minister at my church. I purchased my first bonded leather one in 1999. Since then I have purchased many other study bibles and was not satisfied. I have concluded that this is the best study bible created. It is so nice to have the option of reading the bible text without a load of commentary being stuffed in your face. If you want a commentary, go buy one! The more I study the Bible, the less of man's opinion I want. This bible allows you to read and research any topic on your own using scripture only. I LOVE MY THOMPSON-CHAIN!
Get the Genuine leather or a Calfskin because as a new Christian, you may not get the full use of the bible right away, however, as your thirst for God's precepts increases, this Bible will not disappoint. Kirkbride bibles are built very sturdy and the genuine leather will ensure that the bible lasts longer outside of a cover. This is the best Bible I own.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best, January 27, 2002

By 

mtk5150 "mtk5150" (Titusville, FL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thompson Chain Reference Bible-KJV-Handy Size (Leather Bound)

I love the New King James Version, put out by Thomas Nelson, but I loath Thomas Nelson Bibles. This is how I happened upon the Thompson a few years ago as I was relieved to find a NKJV not made by T.N. I first bought an NKJV in bonded leather. After 2 years of very heavy use, I bought an NKJV in genuine leather, and later a handy size KJV in genuine. All three of these Bibles are wonderful in every way.

The Thompson Study system is very helpful and they've graciously spared us from a myriad of religious cliche and personal opinion. The page layout is smart. The Bible text actually fills the page and all study helps and references are relegated to the side margins. There are so many ways to use the studies and references, I am unable to number them here. The concordance is as extensive as any I've seen. The 14 maps are colorful and very well done. Simply put, it's a complete, Jesus-exalting study Bible designed with excellence.

The construction of these Bibles is equally impressive. The paper is just right--not too thick, not too thin. The print is dark and sharp. Their font is subtil and very appropriate for the Bible, if you ask me. The red words of Jesus are RED. They're not muddy brown; they're bright, deep, beautiful red. They are printed consistantly page to page, not some pages lighter or misprinted, as the Thomas Nelson folks are plagued by.

Now that I own three Thompsons, I feel about them the way a good ol' boy down in the South feels about shotguns. "I have more than I need, but not as many as I want!"