Thompson Chain Reference Bible: King James Version, Black Genuine Leather, Gold-edged Hardcover – Large Print, January 1, 1988

After reading all the reviews on this Bible, and now having mine in hand, I feel this is the best and most comprehensive study Bible available. I see people complaining about general poor quality, binding, hard leather, small point large print, thin see-through pages, dull red lettering, etc, I just had to wonder if they were talking about the same Thompson Chain Reference Bible (mine is King James Version) that I have come to know and love. Prior to ordering I was having doubts and looked at many other Bibles, thinking to myself how could Kirkbride's quality slide so far since I bought my first TCRB in NIV in 1985. Well in my case at least I was not disappointed once I got my 16th printing, April 2012 edition.I always wanted a genuine leather King James study bible and the price was right during the extended days of the Black Friday madness. So glad I did. I did not take any stars away from the product because my only complaints were how the vendor failed to clarify the vague description of the Bible by Kirkbride. So the review is just about the Bible itself.The not so good...I expected my Bible to have thumb indexes like the pictures of the box for the style 514 black (it's not shown on Amazon's site but at other vendors for twice the price), but it did not have thumb indexes. Once I received the Bible I checked back on Amazon's site and the description does not mention thumb index. The image on Amazon only shows the Bible with the spine at the front so you cannot see the page edges. Looking at Kirkbride's site it is a $10 option, but they sell TCRB at twice the price of Amazon. Still, I really did want thumb index for very good reason: Thompson chain reference system has so many sections and so you are constantly flicking around all those sections. Now I have to stick those ugly protruding plastic tabs on these thin pages. I am sure I cannot get the correct section tab titles for it. And when you you use adhesive on thin paper it dries and stains the pages rather badly over time. Also the tabs will be sticking out so it is easy to hooks the tabs on things and even rip the pages. If it had the original tabs sculptured into the pages I would never have to deface my beautiful Bible. I would have returned it except I had already opened the Bible.I also agree with other reviewers that 9 points could hardly be considered Large Print. My wife has smaller Bible and it has larger (10.5) point print than this one. In their defense, if would have been task to produce a larger font with all those sections, so you probably could not carry it around.The gilt embossing on the spine is not clear because the letters bleed. The capri is much more grainy leather finish and it is hard to emboss, so a larger kerning font would be easier to read. It is definitely not the same quality as my 1985 TCRB, but how times change.The Good comments...The genuine leather - black Capri grain is soft to the touch and not flimsy at all to hold. Still firm but falls nicely from the spine. The leather edging on the inner cover is well secured to last and does not appear to be hardened with board as many do.Smyth Sewn is something I look for in any quality bound books. It is a centuries old technique of taking folded flat sheets known as signatures and stitching them together with very fine, strong thread. This is quality stitching and will handle wear and tear for years to come.The gold foil page edging is beautiful and is as good a quality as my Cambridge Bible.The red letters of the words of Christ on my Bible are deep red and uniform throughout (not brown or orange, or pink as other Bibles). I checked many of its 1921 pages and the black and red print is uniform throughout.The registration of the full color plates of the maps section are clean, but some of the maps appear pale, while one map has vibrant color. The text is still quite legible on the color backgroundsThe paper is very thin. How thin? I have no idea, but I think it is India paper, but Kirkbride don't publish that information. The pages have good opacity so as to minimize 'show-through' of printing on the reverse side. The paper has sufficient strength to sustain the usage it will receive over the years. It is thin, but not so thin that it will tear, and yet the pages turn easily and quickly. Good job Kirkbride.A reviewer said their TCRB was printed in Korea and this almost put me off. I am pleased to say that everything is printed and manufactured in the U.S.A. and pray it stays that way.There is no room for margin notes alongside those 100,000 margin entries, but then this is a study Bible after all. The text is spread out well over the page with the margin notes.The content, structure and study system is what we have come to expect from a TCRB and this is no exception.It has already been such a blessing to our family, and I pray this review helps someone.May God bless you richly in your choice of His eternal Word.

Very very pleased with my new Kirkbride Thompson Chain Bible! Great price on Amazon too. Now I have made this "my" Bible and am now reading primarily only it. I have several bibles (large and giant print) but had been listening to my digital eSword and YouVersions primarily. I realized that, since I am a 'seeing' learner (versus hearing), that now I am remembering verses and information so much better with reading, like I used to do. It has been a joy going through this Thompson Chain Bible to get a feel for ALL that it offers, all in One place and with the Bible interpreting itself. I often use my iPad eSword app in conjunction with my Bible devotion or study to more quickly look up verses (sometimes getting more clarity from ESV or MSG translations); this works well. Many folks said this Bible is huge, but it is thinner than our large print Spirit Filled Life Bible. I am using a leather-like (sturdy) Bible case which evens out the weight when I have the Bible on my lap, and the carry-handle makes it easy to carry. The "large" 9 point font is SUCH an improvement from their regular-size font that I was quite surprised (I never used that Bible because I could not read it without a magnifying glass, so I will give it to a friend). Well, I am thrilled and so glad I got everything on this KJV Bible - large print, genuine leather bound (very nice), thumb indexed (totally needed), Christ's words in red. So with the stay-at-home mandate, I have been spending a couple hours each day in my new Bible and I will continue this practice especially needed in these times. Definitely worth the price.

I don't regret buying this book. It's been of great help for my Bible study.

This is a review of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible (Style 509black) - Regular Size KJV - Bonded Leather.The quality is excellent. The Bible is very sturdy and smythe sewn. The pages are thin but need to be as it would be simply to heavy with thicker paper; it has 1,923 pages not including the great maps (15 color) which include a very helpful index. I've experienced no problems reading the text on account of the thin paper and I have bifocals. The red lettering could be darker and brighter but I'm still satisfied with it.The Bible has a copious Archaeological Supplement with each article having its own chain reference number that is linked to from the Bible text itself when appropriate, it also contains many B&W photos (about one per page).It also has a ca. 100 page concordance which not only directs you to verses in Scripture but also to chain reference numbers to further help with the topic you are studying and of course these have many more Scripture verses to assist you.I'll go ahead and list some of the other contents of the Bible listed under COMPREHENSIVE BIBLE HELPS:General Index (All topics listed alphabetically with collateral subjects and chain reference numbers)Condensed Cyclopedia of Topics and Texts (All marginal topics are contained here from 1- 4452 with their chain of texts AND when space allows the text is printed in full with selected verses of more important chains so you don't have to refer to the Bible text!)Special Bible Readings for Private Devotions and Public Services.Outline Studies of the Bible.Bible Character Studies.Bible Harmonies and Illustrated Studies etc. etc..I would recommend Bible Tabs for this Bible or the indexed version since you'll be doing a lot of verse search for obvious reasons. Also a set of tabs that have blanks where you make your own references for the index, maps etc. wouldn't be a bad idea. If you can afford it I would also recommend a smythe sewn version so you'll have a Bible that will last and will lay out on your table or desk very conveniently.On the devotional side I've found the Chain Reference Bible very helpfull when I am going through "dry spells", and just don't feel like spiritual reading and who doesn't experience that? The reason being is that it has so much information contained in it, Archaeological Suppliment, Outline Studies etc. (600 pages worth) that you can start there and let these helps serve as "frosting" for your your Bible Study and they can lead you into the Bible text itself, the "cake" so to speak. For all the extras in this Bible it still, as of yet, does not seem to me to be a fancy or "high tech" (i.e. a lot of opinion) version which suits me just fine so I've labelled this review "Good Meat and Potatoes Bible".In Christ.

This Bible has it all and a treasure trove of useful information in the back along with its marginal references. My Pastor inspired me to get one because he used a Thompson Chain and I know that he is a true man of God. This Bible also has full-color maps, Archaeological sites and finds along with the maps, basically enough to shut down cults like Mormons and Jehovah's Witness. It also has one big page of a photograph of the Rosetta stone, ancient temples, diagrams, important dates, Jewish calender months, how to study the Bible, lineages, etc, etc! I absolutely LOVE this Bible, I have everything I need to grow in my relationship with Christ, wage war in the spirit, to shut down principalities and spiritual powers in high places and reach the lost and hurting. It is the Ultimate Book!!! If you decide to purchase this version of the Thompson Chain Bible, I highly recommend buying the Distressed Leather-Look Black Bible Cover (L) here on Amazon, it's cheap, and fits perfectly with this Bible because that's what I keep mine in. or, simply make sure that your Bible cover fits 6 5/8 by 9 1/2 which are the measurements of THIS Bible. Hope this helps!!!

This was a gift for my Dad. He absolutely loved it.

I have tried for a long time to get a Kirkbride Thompson chain with decent print. At last i have found it. Yes the bible is large, but unlike the other Kirkbride Thompson chains i have viewed and bought ( & returned), this one has reasonable size print and good paper. The notes are simply amazing.

Great and durable will last

The quality of the paper and printing was bad. The pages were very thin and transparent. It was not Gold edged like it says in the description.