My Top 5 KJVs

Plus honorable and dishonorable mentions!

📖 Martyn Chamberlain's Tiny KJV:

📖 Cambridge Clarion (affiliate link):

📖 Thomas Nelson Red single-column goatskin (affiliate link):

📖 Schuyler Treveris:

📖 1611 KJV:

📖 New Cambridge Paragraph Bible (affiliate link):

📖 TBS Westminster Reference Bible (affiliate link):

🎁 Help me end Bible translation tribalism, one plow boy at a time:

📖 Check out my book, Authorized:

🎥 Watch my Fifty False Friends in the KJV series on YouTube:

👏 Many, many thanks to the Patreon supporters who make my work possible!
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[BibleBuyingGuide]

Awesome video! Thanks for the shoutout! I've paused the video before you revealed the #1 spot to make a guess - Treveris. I agree 100% with your choices.

[palevelmode]

The Define KJV version you have is my most favorite. Can I have it instead? I received one circa 2005 but I gave it to one of my closest friends I met. Now I can't find any version available similar to that here in my country.

[warblerab]

@18:50 1: what is a perickapy? (not sure how to spell it) I have never heard that word before.
2: I completely disagree with you about the drop caps I think they look very nice and eligant. You asked why they have them in one and not in another, obviously they have them at the beginning of each chapter. Also the chapters have to be set apart, otherwise how would you be able to find a given chapter in a reasonable amount of time?

[JamesFranklin-hdtm]

Someone surely commented on this earlier, but as a preacher I NEED the verse-by-verse format. When I stand in the pulpit with a paragraphed Bible the verse under consideration tends to get lost. But even in some verse-by-verse Bibles the verse numbers are so small that they disappear.

[Watchmanonthewall]

Hey Mark, i was reading my kjv yesterday and run across Exodus 22:28.
It says do not revile the gods. Am i right to think this is a translation error.
Should it read God instead of the Gods.
Nkjv translates God.
Thank you

[arthurbrugge]

Hello, dr. Ward. I have noticed a couple of times, that you seem to prefer single-column layout. Do you find it easier to read, or is there some other reason?

I personally find wide columns to be obnoxious and more tiresome to read, and don't see how anyone could prefer them. Many "reader" editions also tend to have light/faded font, which makes the wide/chunky columns even worse.

That red KJV was beautiful, though🙂

[XwynntopiaX]

Very much enjoyed this video. Pretty much all the things you dislike about the KJV Bibles are the things I love like double column and every line it’s own paragraph. I very much enjoyed verse-by-verse Bibles. My favorite is an ESV genuine leather v-b-v. LOVE IT! But thanks for your top 5 and the mentions. Love the content so far.

[edoleary]

Mark, I appreciate your graciousness toward KJ only-ists. I also admire your well-balanced treatment of the subject. You certainly cannot be legitimately accused of being unfair toward or anti KJ. As I mentioned in a previous comment, your ministry is vital for the church. Keep up the good work.

[Notworthy]

Just curious if you have ever done a review of a Ruckman Reference Bible or the common man’s reference bible? Not a fan of either one but would love to see a review from you on those.

[justinthyme]

Excellent. You know you’re going to have to do this with your other favorite translations now, right?

[sethtbaguley]

Hey Mark, have you come across the "simplified KJV" by Barbour? I'm in South Africa and they have some really nice edition that my Wife loves. I have flicked through but haven't read through comprehensively. Any chance you've had oppurtunity to work through it yet? Trust you are well!

[FLDavis]

I have a KJV 1611 by A.J. HOLMAN CO. Have had it for about 48 years and love IT.

[russell]

I would love recommendations for a parallel KJV + LXX/TR or MT/TR, if such a thing exists! I'd also settle for just the New Testament. I want something I can discreetly take to church. I use my phone for this purpose currently but I would rather avoid that. I found one New Testament from the 19th century (British and Foreign Bible Society). It looks quite nice on Google Books -- it's even paragraphed! -- but using an antique is hardly discreet! I wonder how big it is. The other two I found from the 2010s look to be rather hard on the eye.

[matthewjbarron]

10:25 For the KJV, I don't mind pilcrows; 'tis a shame that the KJV printers ran out of those characters somewhere in Acts and didn't continue them through the rest of the New Testament.

[AITheWise]

The speaker shares his top 5 recommendations for King James Version (KJV) Bibles, highlighting their features and suitability for different purposes, while also mentioning some honorable and dishonorable mentions.


Key moments:
00:00 The speaker shares their top five additions of the King James Version Bible, expressing love for the version and highlighting specific features of each addition.
-The speaker emphasizes their admiration for the King James Version and clarifies that criticism does not equate to hatred.
-A detailed review of the Thomas Nelson KJV personal size large print reference Bible, focusing on its design and layout.
-Discussion on a 1611 reprint of the King James Version, highlighting its historical significance and usefulness for video presentations.
05:04 The video discusses different editions of the King James Bible, highlighting the Cambridge Clarion and the new Cambridge paragraph Bible for their typography, layout, and textual accuracy.
-The Cambridge Clarion and the new Cambridge paragraph Bible are praised for their beautiful typography and layout, making them ideal choices for Bible readers.
-The new Cambridge paragraph Bible stands out for its textual accuracy due to David Norton's meticulous work in correcting printer errors and aligning it with the original 1611 version.
-The TBS Westminster Edition, though high quality, is critiqued for its layout with double columns and paragraph symbols, which may hinder readability for some users.
10:08 The TBS Westminster Reference Bible makes efforts to explain archaic words in the King James Bible, though it's hit or miss with some words. It stands out for its clarity compared to other editions.
-The TBS Westminster Reference Bible clarifies archaic words like 'fray' to 'frighten', making it more understandable than other King James editions.
-The compact size and unique layout of the TBS Westminster Reference Bible make it a practical choice for those needing a portable King James version.
-The Defined King James Bible, while helpful in defining unfamiliar words, is criticized for its unattractive design and typography, lacking in aesthetic appeal.
15:11 The speaker recommends the Skyler Travaris as the top choice for a King James Bible due to its design and features, despite some criticisms about the drop caps. The Bible's single column, paragraphed layout, and red text for Jesus' words are highlighted as beneficial for reading and teaching.
-Comparison with other editions like the Cambridge Clarion and the new Cambridge paragraph Bible, as well as the Thomas Nelson red edition, is discussed. The Travaris is praised for its minimalist design and clear verse numbering in the margins.
-The speaker appreciates the Travaris' layout for poetry, noting the clear line matching and lack of ghosting. However, there is a critique about the drop caps being too bold and distracting, suggesting a more elegant approach.
-The use of red text for Jesus' words is mentioned as a helpful typographical convention, aiding in quickly identifying His speech. The speaker also addresses the misconception of treating red letters as more divine.

Generated by sider.ai

[missinglink_eth]

When is the “Mark Ward KJV False Friends Reference Bible” going to be released?

[LiaandRalphRomero]

Mark, would you ever sell your Schuyler Westminster Reference Bible? I would love the chance to own one.

[Calatriste]

Where can I find a Traveris AKJV Bible? Hmmm?

[joyg]

I own the red Thomas Nelson Premier Bible. Truthfully, I like single column, but I prefer verses by verse, because when I'm doing Bible study I get really tired of "find the verse #". Thank you for this interesting video. :)

[MAMoreno]

For me, it's the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible, no contest. It includes almost everything I would want--the Epistle Dedicatory, The Translators to the Reader, the Apocrypha, the original marginal notes--with a pleasant layout to boot. I just wish it had carried over the original cross-references, too, as some of them do double-duty as justifications for the translators' word choices. It also makes no effort to indicate the translators' supplied words, and while I don't care for italics, there has to be _something_ they could use that won't be too distracting.

The Clarion is a strong runner-up, as it includes three of the four things I listed above, but it's missing the Apocrypha. It's not really a complete KJV without those books. The Westminster Reference Bible again contains three of the four items I want in a KJV, but it looks hideous. That's unfortunate, as it includes two major things that are missing from both the NCPB and the Clarion: the original 1611 chapter headers and a set of marginal notes giving modern synonyms for archaic words. If I could get the WRB's marginal apparatus in the Clarion format with the Apocrypha included, I would probably be content.

An honorable mention for me would be the Matthew Henry Study Bible from Hendrickson. It uses the Scrivener Cambridge Paragraph Bible as its base, so it includes the 1611 translator notes and presents the text in a highly-readable format. It's missing some other things that I would want, but it's better than nothing. This same text is used in their KJV edition of the Fire Bible, so that's a fair option for Charismatics. I feel like badgering Hendrickson to release the entirety of the 1873 Cambridge Paragraph Bible, including the introductory content and the Apocrypha, but I don't have much confidence that they'd listen.