ESV Thompson Chain Reference Bible

Zondervan has released the updated version of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible in the 2016 ESV. It matches the Comfort Print TCRs in every way except for the typeface.
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Written review - biblebuyinggui...
Zondervan provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review.

[@OleHaynes]

I've always been a huge fan of of the TCR and owned several of them and given away many for gifts! I switched to predominantly ESV years ago, so this has been a long wait for me to finally see the new updated edition!

[@jkdbuck7670]

Odd that it isn't Comfort Print. Oh well. Thanks for the review.

[@ScottManser-eu2pg]

While the ESV isn't my favorite translation, the TCR is a great bible study tool. Very good quality bible. Nice review.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thanks!

[@OleHaynes]

A complaint that I have though is the paragraph format verses the VBV format. As a study reference Bible, the TCR to me makes more sense and in my opinion is much easier to read and visualize in the KJV and NKJV which ARE Verse Format (or Verse by Verse) the paragraph format is more busy and cluttered (in my opinion) than the much easier to use KJV and NKJV editions. I understand that there are some copyright issues with the NIV in creating the text into VBV, but the ESV has had several Verse Format editions, and I would have much more preferred to see this copied the KJV and NKJV in that line. Like I mentioned, using the TCR as predominantly or largely a study reference Bible, this complaint makes sense. And I think if users compare the experience of the differences, people will agree.

[@huwfulcher]

Thanks for a thorough review! I have a 1964 Kirkbride print that was given to me by my Pastor back home. It’s KJV so I’m looking for a more modern version but was worried that they would remove a lot of the reference material from the back, doesn’t look like it though! I think there may be some of the illustrative diagrams missing but the bulk is still there. Is there any difference in content between the regular size and the handy size?

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

The content is the same for all sizes. Most of the content that looks different in the back is the same information, but it's been redrawn. The Archaeological Supplement and portraits have been removed.

[@huwfulcher]

@@BibleBuyingGuide thanks for explaining. A shame that they removed the supplement and portraits but glad they kept most of it intact!

[@huwfulcher]

@@BibleBuyingGuide Thanks for your help!

[@mikelilley]

I own the NASB95 Thompson Chain. My question is, are all the chain references across the various translations the same? Would I benefit from getting the ESV version, in terms of different or new chains? I can't seem to find anything published data on this.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

They're the same. I mentioned this in the review.

[@mikelilley]

@BibleBuyingGuide You lost me at no Comfort Print and the cockling.$120 for a Korean Bible? I have been waiting for your review for some time now and was disappointed in the details. If there were new chains or better paper, I may have considered, but the comfort print is a must these days. It's such a game changer for men with older eyes.

[@fnjesusfreak]

I suppose Comfort Print only exists for translations that Harper-Collins usually publishes, and ESV isn't one of them. They seem to have made heavy use of Helvetica as a typeface, but I haven't identified the base font.

[@LXRY]

5:42 that’s a very nice Bible, does the cat come with it?

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

lol She just wants to stay on my desk.

[@Adrian_Mason]

I have been seriously tempted by the NIV TCR but I haven't owned a TCR, and having watched hours of reviews, I noticed some references that seem to be just word match wasting space and time. 1)Are they good for linking prophecy from Daniel, Zechariah and Revelation? 2)I am also upset that the NIV isn't line matched. In fact the entire Zondervan NIV line is broken by this 🤬 It does appear that they may use thicker paper on their NIV line?

[@super60sand70s]

I believe the font is 9.5.

[@anthonyvarano5139]

There’s also a large print 10.5 option

[@elizabethdaniel646]

I have the niv one

[@balaamsass5540]

Not near as premium as the NKJV goatskin version.