Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
Zondervan welcomes the legendary TCR to the family with several new editions.
Since 1908, the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible has been a stalwart in the world of Bible publishing. With millions of copies sold across multiple translations (KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, and ESV), it is easily one of the best-selling and most beloved study Bibles of all time.
In December 2020, HarperCollins Christian Publishing announced that they had acquired the rights to the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible from its original publisher, Kirkbride Bible Company, Inc., and that it would now be published under the Zondervan banner.
Zondervan will eventually redesign the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible’s typesetting using their unique Comfort Print fonts for each translation (new designs are currently scheduled to start rolling out in mid-2022), but in the meantime they have released new editions in each translation using the classic design.
My review copy is one of the new hardcover editions in the King James Version. Watch the video below to see a full walkthrough, and keep reading for a detailed overview Zondervan’s first editions of the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible.
KJV Thompson-Chain Reference Bible – Overview
The Thompson Chain-Reference system was created in 1890 by Dr. Frank Charles Thompson. After developing it for nearly two decades, the first copies of the complete Thompson Chain-Reference Bible were published in 1908. In total, the system now contains over 100,000 references as well as hundreds of pages of supplemental study material (biographical sketches, an archeological supplement, book outlines, and more). It’s a fairly simple and easy-to-learn system that organizes the scripture into topics and helps readers locate topical connections throughout the Bible (watch my video review above for a quick demo).
Zondervan’s initial release of the classic Thompson Chain-Reference Bible comes in KJV, NKJV, ESV, or NASB (1977) editions in hardcover, bonded leather, or leathersoft. The standard edition of each of these Bibles features a 6.5” x 9.25” trim size and an 8.3pt type size for the main text of scripture (the KJV is also available in Large Print and Handy Size editions). Each edition is Smyth-sewn and comes with crisp white paper that is right around 30 GSM (there’s a decent amount of ghosting on the page, but I did not find it too distracting). My hardcover review copy was printed in the USA and feels good in hand.
FEATURES
• 8.3pt type (large print is 9.6pt / handy size is 6.8pt)
• 6.5” x 9.25” trim size
• 1.5” thick
• Smyth-sewn binding
• 30 GSM paper
• Words of Christ in red
• Single ribbon marker
• 8,000 topics with corresponding pilot numbers and references
• Biographical sketches, archeological supplement, glossary, concordance, book outlines
• 16-page full-color map section
Now or Later
I suppose the big question for most people will be, “Should I get one of these or wait for the new ones to come out next year.”
That’s a great question.
I have only seen a couple photos of the new design (thanks to Randy at Bible Buying Guide), and it looks like Zondervan’s designers have mostly kept the TCR’s legendary layout intact, opting for a general refresh instead of a complete overhaul. The big difference will be the typefaces, and as someone who likes the Comfort Print fonts, I am quite anxious to see how they all turn out. I assume Zondervan is going to go big and offer some unique binding options, so there’s certainly going to be some tempting new releases next year. That said, there’s also something very appealing about this classic design.
Whatever you decide to do, I think it’s safe to say that the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible is in good hands with Zondervan.
Right For You?
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to studying the Bible, and the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible is one of the more unique ones I’ve come across. If millions of people across the past century have loved this Bible, then it stands to reason that it still has a lot to offer.
I encourage you to watch my video review above to get a good feel for how it works. If you like the looks of it, then you should definitely consider picking up one of these new Zondervan editions and adding it to your Bible library.
BUY THIS BIBLE*
King James Version (KJV)
Hardcover: Amazon ($37) / ChristianBook ($33)
Bonded Leather: Amazon ($53) / ChristianBook ($45)
Brown Leathersoft: Amazon ($62) / ChristianBook ($45)
English Standard Version (ESV)
Hardcover: Amazon ($42)
Bonded Leather: Amazon ($70)
Brown Leathersoft: Amazon ($62)
New American Standard (NASB 1977)
Hardcover: Amazon ($41)
Bonded Leather: Amazon ($51)
Brown Leathersoft: Amazon ($52)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Hardcover: Amazon ($41)
Bonded Leather: Amazon ($53)
Brown Leathersoft: Amazon ($48)
*Pricing and Availability subject to change, and some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you purchase something after clicking the link. Many of the Bibles I review have been provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
