Bible Editions Worth Reading: The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible

Evangelicalism is often disconnected from church history. While I respect the creeds and appreciate the historical circumstances in which liturgical church expressions were developed, I am not deeply creedal, nor am I particularly liturgical. Still, I believe there is something valuable in recovering the history of the church, from the first century through the patristic period and the development of the early creeds. The Western church has not only become disconnected from this history but, at times, seems almost divorced from it and embarrassingly unaware of its own past.

In my own journey, the writings of early church fathers like Polycarp have deeply influenced me, as have early Christian documents such as the Didache and the Shepherd of Hermas. These early witnesses help us understand the context of our faith and how Christians first understood and practiced it. For this reason, I want to not only know more, but call others to read and know more as well. They offer more than historical insight of the early church and it’s contextualized understanding. These documents also provide a faithful and fruitful vision for living in our own era.

Over the past few years, I have challenged myself to become more connected to this history, to share more of it with my children and the people I serve, and to embrace greater spiritual disciplines and liturgical practices in my own life. So when Thomas Nelson offered me the opportunity to review the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible, I was delighted.

This unique study Bible creates an opportunity for the wisdom of ancient Christianity to speak to the questions and challenges of our own time. With its resources, commentary, references, creeds, and engagement with the witness of church history, it invites readers to encounter Scripture within the broader tradition of the Christian faith.

I am grateful to Thomas Nelson for giving me the opportunity to explore this edition, even as someone who is not Orthodox. I also appreciate the freedom to offer my own perspective honestly and openly. My hope is to consider this Bible fairly, recognizing both its distinct tradition and the ways it may benefit Christians from a variety of backgrounds.

In this series, Bible Editions Worth Reading, I take a closer look at Bible editions I have come to appreciate and recommend. In this blog series, I explore their translation, design, construction, and the features that make this edition worth reading and using. These are personal reviews informed by my experience as a pastor, student of Scripture, and lifelong Bible reader, with the goal of helping others find editions that serve them well. In this post, I explore the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible a surprising resource for me.

The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible

This The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is built to last, with high-quality materials throughout. The cover is made of black genuine leather with a textured grain, complemented by carefully sewn edges. The overall design feels historic and reverent without being overly decorative.

The spine features five raised ribs, giving it the appearance of a traditional, archival book. Between the ribs are three gold-stamped rectangular panels with a vintage aesthetic. The spine of the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible itself features only the Thomas Nelson Bibles logo, the words Holy Bible, and the Orthodox cross, all stamped in reflective gold. The Orthodox cross, also known as the Russian or Eastern Orthodox cross, is a distinctive three-bar cross with eight points.

The front cover has no lettering, allowing the quality and texture of the leather to speak for themselves. The back is equally understated, with no writing or ISBN printed on the leather. The traditional reflective gold gilding adds another classic touch to the presentation.

Few Bibles feel this premium, especially at this price point. With a suggested retail price of $49 and a current Amazon price of around $30, the value of the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is remarkable. Based on the materials, craftsmanship, and overall presentation, I would have expected this Bible to retail for well over $100.

Inside, the paper is fairly thick, and the Bible includes a single, substantial gold-colored ribbon marker for keeping your place while reading. Overall, the materials and design of the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible give this edition a durable, traditional appearance that feels appropriate for a Bible intended to be used and treasured for years.

Inside the Orthodox Study Bible

Early on, readers are introduced to the team behind this endeavor. The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible was prepared under the auspices of the academic community of the St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology in Elk Grove, California, with Fr. Jack Norman Sparks, PhD, serving as dean. The general editors and contributors bring recognizable names from the Orthodox world to this project, carrying forward the tradition of the faith for new generations.

The Bible begins with acknowledgments and special recognition, followed by an introduction to The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible, a comparison of the Old Testament canon with Protestant and Roman Catholic canons, source abbreviations, and an overview of the books of the Bible. Through the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible, readers are then introduced to the Orthodox Church and its history before entering the Old and New Testaments themselves.

The resources continue after the New Testament, with sections on God’s revelation to humanity, a guide to reading the Bible, a suggested weekly lectionary for personal reflection and study, morning and evening prayers, an annotations index, a study articles index, and the Septuagint. Throughout this volume, readers encounter history, commentary, and reference materials. The result is a substantial collection of resources in the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible assembled by a dedicated team, with donors recognized at the beginning of the volume and Thomas Nelson making this distinctive study Bible available to English-speaking readers.

Even the box the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible comes in is different from the packaging typically used for Bibles. Rather than a simple cardboard sleeve, it comes in a thick, full-color, glossy, and durable box designed to store and protect the Bible. The packaging beautifully presents the substantial study resource inside, making the unboxing experience feel consistent with the premium quality of the edition itself. I plan to keep my Bible in its box when I’m not using it, both to protect the genuine leather cover and to help preserve this beautiful edition for years to come.

The The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible itself is a substantial volume, measuring approximately 9¼ inches tall by 6¼ inches wide, with 1,856 pages and a spine about 1¾ inches thick. Its size gives it a solid, substantial feel in the hand, while the five raised spine ribs contribute to its traditional, archival appearance. Despite the wealth of material included, the edition uses an easy-to-read 9.5-point type size.

Additional features within the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible include full-color icons, full-color maps that provide visual context for the meanings, themes, teachings, people, and places of Scripture, and a subject index that makes it easier to navigate the Bible and locate specific topics. These features, combined with the extensive commentary and historical resources, make this more than a Bible with an attractive cover; it is a comprehensive study resource designed to help readers engage with Scripture and the Orthodox Christian tradition.

The Old Testament Text and Canon

The editors and contributors worked with the Alfred Rahlfs edition of the Greek Old Testament, a source that may be unfamiliar to many readers outside the Orthodox tradition. They also consulted other significant sources, including the English translation of the Greek Old Testament by Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton and the Masoretic Hebrew text underlying the Old Testament of the NKJV.

Readers of the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible from non-Orthodox backgrounds will notice differences in the order and contents of the Old Testament, along with some distinct interpretive perspectives. The purpose, however, is not to present a new or supposedly superior translation of Scripture. Rather, the goal is to provide a text and accompanying resources that meet the Bible-reading needs of English-speaking Orthodox Christians. For those of us looking in from outside the tradition, it also offers an accessible introduction to an approach to Scripture shaped by Orthodox Christianity.

Even the numbering of some Psalms reflects the differences between the Septuagint and other biblical traditions. This is especially evident in Psalm 50/51, where both the traditional Septuagint numbering and the alternative numbering are provided. Similar differences appear elsewhere, including in Jeremiah and Malachi. The numbering differs because The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible follows the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, which sometimes organizes or divides the Psalms differently from the Hebrew Masoretic Text used by most Protestant Bibles. For example, Psalm 51 in most Protestant Bibles is Psalm 50 in the Septuagint, so this edition provides both numbers to help readers cross-reference passages.

Readers unfamiliar with the Orthodox Old Testament should also know that its canon contains more books than the Roman Catholic Old Testament. This edition includes the Prayer of Manasseh, additional books associated with Ezra, and the expanded material in Daniel, including Susanna, the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men, and Bel and the Dragon. The books of Kings also follow the Greek naming convention of 1–4 Kingdoms, corresponding broadly to 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings in many Protestant Bibles. These are some of the more significant differences readers will encounter in the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible.

The Orthodox Church follows a broader Old Testament canon rooted in the Septuagint, which includes historical books and additions not found in most Protestant Bibles. These include books such as 1 and 2 Esdras, the Prayer of Manasseh, and additional passages in Daniel, reflecting differences in how Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions received and recognized the books of Scripture. The Orthodox Church receives these books and additions as Scripture within its broader Old Testament canon, but that does not mean every Orthodox jurisdiction assigns every book precisely the same canonical status or authority. They are included in the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible for their historic confessional and contextual value.

An Introduction to the Bible and the Orthodox Church

Readers who are newer to the Bible will appreciate the overview of its books near the beginning of the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible. This introductory material surveys both Testaments, explaining the books of the Law, history, wisdom, and prophecy, along with the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation. It provides helpful context before readers begin working through the biblical text.

Perhaps my favorite resource in this opening section is “Introducing the Orthodox Church,” beginning on page XXI. It traces the church’s beginnings in the New Testament, the development of Christian communities in the early centuries, and the historical divisions between Eastern Orthodoxy and the Western church. It explores issues that contributed to their separation, including papal authority, the filioque clause concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit, and differences in church governance.

The section offers a window into how the Orthodox Church understands its own history and identity. Both Eastern Orthodoxy and the Western church have their own accounts of continuity with the early church, and the divisions between them remain significant. The discussion also touches on Protestantism and later movements, including the Anabaptists.

I found some of the generalizations about other Christian traditions less convincing, particularly the treatment of Anabaptists and their relationship to creeds. As someone pastoring in the Anabaptist movement, and a student of its history, I do not think the explanation wihin the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible fully captures the reasons some Anabaptist communities have been cautious about creedal and liturgical formulations. Though, still, I appreciate having these perspectives presented within a resource that seeks to explain the Orthodox understanding of Christian history.

The section concludes by considering the Orthodox Church today, offering a sense of a living tradition rather than merely a historical movement. The Orthodox Church is not simply a subject for academic study; it is a global communion of Christians whose worship, theology, and practices continue to be shaped by this inheritance. It invites readers to get to know the Orthodox faith, creeds, and churches.

Commentary, Creeds, and the Life of the Church

One of the strengths of The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is the material provided before each biblical book. Title pages and introductions discuss authorship, dating, major themes, historical background, and outlines. These pages are accompanied by traditional Orthodox artwork, giving the volume something of the appearance and styling of a vintage family Bible.

Throughout the biblical text, readers will find additional resources exploring creeds, doctrinal questions, historical context, and the significance of particular passages. The notes help explain the origins of creedal statements, highlight places where translation and interpretation require care, and connect biblical passages with Orthodox worship, including Vespers and other liturgical practices. These notes in the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible also explain the relationship between Scripture and the church’s feasts and seasons.

Some of the theological discussions are particularly interesting. Ideas such as the meaning of “image” in Genesis are explored through the interpretive tradition of the church, inviting readers to consider how a passage has been understood beyond their own immediate context. Other notes emphasize the relationship between a passage and Christ, the Trinity, or broader Christian doctrine.

Taken together, these features make this more than a Bible with a collection of explanatory footnotes. It functions as a study Bible, an introduction to Orthodox theology, a resource for church history, and a window into liturgical and creedal Christianity. The The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is truly unique.

For me, the greatest value of the The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is the opportunity to encounter not only the historic faith of the Orthodox Church and the lives of our Orthodox brothers and sisters, but also the early Christian understandings and traditions that helped shape the church. I find considerable value in listening carefully to this tradition and learning from its witness.

The New King James Version

First published in 1982, the New King James Version (NKJV) sought to update the language of the historic King James Version while preserving its literary character and traditional approach to translation. A team of more than 130 biblical scholars, church leaders, and lay Christians worked on the project, updating archaic vocabulary and grammar while retaining much of the familiar cadence of the KJV. However, the NKJV has not entirely escaped the challenges of its predecessor. It avoids gender-inclusive language in many places and retains terms and expressions that modern readers may find difficult to understand. It also preserves the poetic beauty of the KJV, along with some of its occasionally confusing phrasing and translation choices. Many readers appreciate its more formal, traditional approach to translation, while others feel that its revisions do not go far enough in making the biblical text accessible to contemporary readers. The NKJV occupies an interesting middle ground: an attempt to preserve the heritage of the KJV while making it more approachable for a modern audience.

Closing Thoughts on the Orthodox Study Bible

The physical construction of The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is impressive. From the genuine leather cover and raised spine ribs to the gold gilding, substantial paper, and protective presentation box, this is a durable, premium-feeling Bible. The 9.5-point type is readable, the footnotes are comfortably sized and well positioned, and the double-column layout includes a traditional, archival, dividing line that makes the text easy to follow. Although I found myself using the cross-references less than I might in other reference Bibles, the notes themselves kept drawing me back. They are fairly extensive, though they do not replace a dedicated commentary. Rather than focusing primarily on manuscript variations or the technical decisions behind translation, they connect Scripture to the creeds, liturgical feasts, church history, and historic Christian confessions. Along the way, they explore word meanings, theological questions, and the practical implications of living out a passage in light of the broader Christian faith.

Certainly, our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Church will find much to appreciate here, but I believe this Bible also offers considerable value to evangelicals, Protestants, Anabaptists, and Catholics who want to learn more about the Septuagint, early church history, the creeds, and the faith and practices of Eastern Orthodoxy. This is a resourceful, readable, and durable Bible that offers readers a window into the first ten centuries of Christian history and the traditions that have shaped the church. In an era when many Christians have become disconnected from their history, distanced from the spiritual disciplines of liturgy, and unfamiliar with the confessions that have helped preserve and articulate the faith, we would do well to return to these early witnesses with open hearts and minds. We need ears to hear what the church has confessed across generations, a willingness to learn from those who came before us, and a faith formed deeply enough to give an answer for the hope within us. Ultimately, the value of The NKJV Orthodox Study Bible is not simply that it introduces us to another Christian tradition, but that it invites us to encounter Scripture within the historical life of the church and to see more clearly the goodness of God and the good news revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.

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