The New King James Version (NKJV)

In 1975, more than two-hundred years since the King James Version's last update, the boldest and most extensive revision in the history of modern Bible publishing began. With a 130-person team of Greek, Hebrew, and English scholars, editors, church leaders, and Christian laity Thomas Nelson Publishers sought to preserve the accuracy and poetry of the King James Version, but in a language that the everyday person could understand. In 1979 the NKJV New Testament was finished, releasing only the Book of Psalms in 1980. In 1982, the New King James Version was released in its entirety, seven years after its commission, making it the fifth major revision to the beloved King James Version.

The NKJV preserves the authority and accuracy, as well as the rhythm and beauty, of the original King James Version while making it understandable to current readers.

Beautiful

The NKJV preserves the traditional literary quality of the King James Version. As the latest revision of the time-honored 1611 Bible, it deliberately seeks to maintain the sound, language, and rhythm that lovers of the Bible have come to expect, while modernizing when necessary to prevent misunderstanding.

Trustworthy

The NKJV translates from the traditional texts of the Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament and the Greek New Testament, and it has footnotes wherever variations are found in critical texts that would affect the wording of the English translation. The translation method is "complete equivalence," which is sometimes known as formal equivalence. It gives the meaning clearly in natural English while maintaining as much of the wording and grammar of the original languages as possible.

Today

The NKJV is written in today's language for today's reader. All of the accuracy and beauty in the world wouldn't mean much if it couldn't be understood. To achieve maximum clarity, the NKJV uses modern English that is dignified but natural.

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NKJV Study Bible, Brown Leathersoft, Thumb-Indexed, Comfort Print: The Complete Resource for Studying God's Word

Regular Price $69.99

Our Price $41.99

With more than 2 million copies sold, it's no secret that the NKJV Study Bible is a reliable guide for your journey into God's Word. This Bible provides a complete resource for study, including thousands of notes, articles, extensive cross-references, and features contributed by top evangelical scholars. These multilayered study tools, combined with the accuracy and beauty of the New King James Version, make this Bible a perfect choice to help you understand and deeply engage with Scripture.

Features include:

Over 15,000 verse-by-verse study notes
Bible times and culture notes
Word studies with Strong's numbers
Extensive cross-reference system
In-text maps and charts
Book introductions, outlines, and timelines
Full-length articles, a concordance, and color maps
Clear and readable Thomas Nelson NKJV Comfort Print(R)

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NKJV Abide Bible, Green Cloth over Board, Comfort Print, Red Letter Edition

Regular Price $54.99

Our Price $32.99

"Abide in Me." John 15:4

Do you yearn for life-giving, intimate communion with God? The Abide Bible is designed to help you experience the peace, hope, and growth that comes from encountering the voice and presence of God in Scripture. Every feature in Abide is designed to teach and develop Scripture-engagement habits that help you know the power and spiritual nourishment of abiding in Christ.

Created in partnership with Bible Gateway and the Taylor University Center for Scripture Engagement, The Abide Bible's features include articles, book introductions, and practical Scripture engagement prompts based on five ways of engaging deeply with the Bible:

Praying Scripture Pattern your prayers after biblical texts, personalizing the prayer and gaining language for the thoughts and emotions you want to express.
Picture It Place yourself in a biblical narrative as a bystander or participant in important events.
Journaling Focus and reflect on Scripture and its meaning for your life, opening yourself to God's voice as you ponder.
Engage Through Art Consider a classic piece of art--photograph, sculpture, painting--and let it deepen your meditations on scriptural truths.
Contemplate Follow the church's longstanding practice of reading, meditating on, praying, and contemplating a passage of Scripture in order to experience God's presence through the words of the Bible.

Features include:

Line-matched, single-column Scripture text
Thomas Nelson's exclusive NKJV Comfort Print(R) 9-point type size
Smyth-sewn binding lays flat in your hand or on your desk
Two satin ribbon markers

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NKJV Abide Bible, Brown Leathersoft, Red Letter, Comfort Print

Regular Price $79.99

Our Price $69.99

"Abide in Me." John 15:4

Praying Scripture Pattern your prayers after biblical texts, personalizing the prayer and gaining language for the thoughts and emotions you want to express.
Picture It Place yourself in a biblical narrative as a bystander or participant in important events.
Journaling Focus and reflect on Scripture and its meaning for your life, opening yourself to God's voice as you ponder.
Engage Through Art Consider a classic piece of art--photograph, sculpture, painting--and let it deepen your meditations on scriptural truths.
Contemplate Follow the church's longstanding practice of reading, meditating on, praying, and contemplating a passage of Scripture in order to experience God's presence through the words of the Bible.

Features include:

Line-matched, single-column Scripture text
Thomas Nelson's exclusive NKJV Comfort Print(R) 9-point type size
Smyth-sewn binding lays flat in your hand or on your desk
Two satin ribbon markers

Discover More

NKJV Abide Bible, Stone Leathersoft, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print

Regular Price $79.99

Our Price $69.99

"Abide in Me." John 15:4

Praying Scripture Pattern your prayers after biblical texts, personalizing the prayer and gaining language for the thoughts and emotions you want to express.
Picture It Place yourself in a biblical narrative as a bystander or participant in important events.
Journaling Focus and reflect on Scripture and its meaning for your life, opening yourself to God's voice as you ponder.
Engage Through Art Consider a classic piece of art--photograph, sculpture, painting--and let it deepen your meditations on scriptural truths.
Contemplate Follow the church's longstanding practice of reading, meditating on, praying, and contemplating a passage of Scripture in order to experience God's presence through the words of the Bible.

Features include:

Line-matched, single-column Scripture text
Thomas Nelson's exclusive NKJV Comfort Print(R) 9-point type size
Smyth-sewn binding lays flat in your hand or on your desk
Two satin ribbon markers

NKJV in Comparison to Other Translations

Verse

NKJV

KJV

MEV

ESV

Gen. 4:1

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the Lord."

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived, gave birth to Cain and said, "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord."

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord."

1 Pet. 1:1-2

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the refugees scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Rom. 10:9

[T]hat if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

[B]ecause, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Endorsements

"People often ask me why I use the New King James translation of the Bible. First and foremost, it's because I like an exact equivalency translation—one that is meticulous with the text of the original languages. This is not to say that other translations or paraphrases of the Bible don't present the truth; they do. It is to say that in my study, when I want to grow in the Word of God and know I'm reading it exactly the way it came out of the Bible, the New King James Version is the translation I choose."

Dr. Jack W. Hayford (Founder and President, The King's University)

"The idea of revising or updating the beloved King James Bible isn't a shocking, new idea at all. The current edition is the fifth revision of 1769. In the New King James Version, the 1611 Bible has been systematically-and prayerfully-analyzed and revised word-by-word under stringent guidelines to ensure that the original meaning of God's Word is preserved in understandable language."

Dr. James D. Price (Temple Baptist Theological Seminary, Chattanooga, Tennessee)

"I'm fond of the New King James Version and decided to use this translation for the START! Bible because it's easy for new believers to understand. I've been preaching from the NKJV for years. It holds to the poetic and accurate qualities of the King James Version, but yet it uses modern words that give a clear understanding of God's Word."

Greg Laurie (Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship)

"When writing articles and insights offering guidance for couples to accompany the Bible, it was our hope to maintain the poetry and beauty found in the King James Version Bible and a clarity understood in today's language. The New King James Version allowed just that. This accurate and faithful translation can inspire couples to let God become a stirring presence in their marriage and allow them to experience a richness that only He can bring."

Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the goal of the New King James Version?
The goal of the New King James Version is to preserve and improve the King James Version, restoring its originally intended meaning.
Who were the translators and scholars for the New King James Project?
A 130-person team, including Greek, Hebrew, and English scholars, editors, church leaders, and Christian laity, was commissioned to work on the project. Each pledged commitment to the basic aims of the project, signing a statement of faith declaring a belief that the Scriptures in their entirety are the inspired Word of God, free from error in their original autographs. The process was very similar to the one which produced the beloved 1611 King James Version, but today's technology allowed for higher levels of accuracy and easier communication among the scholars.
Is the New King James geared to a particular denominational interest?
No. One goal was to produce, once again, a King James Version worthy of universal trust and acceptance as the text for all English-speaking Christians. The international team who worked on this version was made up of conservative scholars, editors, and laity representing a broad cross-section of Bible-oriented Christianity.
How does the New King James Bible version compare with other modern translations?
Based on the more recently discovered texts, some modern translations omit some of the phrases and verses found in the original King James Version. The scholars of the New King James Version retained every verse of the original King James. Significant textual variations are footnoted, showing the source of every variant reading.
Were any scholarly checks built into the translation process to guard against possible error?
Yes. Scholars were assigned specific Old and New Testament books based on their areas of expertise. They submitted their work to the Executive Editors for the Old and New Testaments, who next gave it to the English Editor to be checked for grammatical accuracy, literary beauty, and effective communication of content. Throughout the entire editing process, the work was regularly reviewed by the clergy and lay advisers on the British Oversight Committee and the North American Overview Committee. The final exhaustive process was carried out by a separate Executive Review Committee for each Testament.
How long did the revision take? How much did a project of this magnitude cost?
Altogether it took seven years to produce the complete New King James Version. (Coincidentally, the original 1611 translation also took seven years to complete.) The New King James Version represents an investment of over $4.5 million. All of those costs have been paid by Thomas Nelson Publishers.