Thomas Nelson NKJV Super Giant Print Reference Bible — Model 6333BWAL
Attention Earthlings: Some books require a magnifying glass. Others require a search party. And then there are books that seem to believe the best way to get humanity's attention is to print the Word of God in letters large enough to be read without negotiating a peace treaty with your optometrist.
I have observed the human species for some time now. They stare at glowing rectangles, purchase books they never read, and occasionally argue over the contents of books they have never opened.
So when a Bible arrives with sixteen-point type, I am prepared to give it my attention.
Or at least the attention of my painted eyes.
First Impressions: A Pleasant Cover and a Few Wrinkles
The first thing I noticed about this NKJV Super Giant Print Reference Bible was its brown Leathersoft cover. It feels very good in the hand. There is something satisfying about a cover that feels pleasant to hold without pretending to be something it isn't.
Leathersoft is not genuine leather, of course, but the material makes a favorable first impression. It gives the Bible a traditional appearance and a comfortable feel.
The paper is also good quality overall. The pages feel suitable for a Bible intended for regular reading, although I did notice a couple of slightly wrinkled pages near the beginning. I carefully pressed them out, and the problem was manageable.
Still, quality control matters. A Bible is a book people may keep for years, perhaps decades. It deserves a little more care than a shipment of disposable instruction manuals.
The Bible is printed in China. That is worth noting as a manufacturing detail, not as a verdict on quality. What matters to the reader is how the finished product performs, and my initial impression of the paper and cover was favorable.
Sixteen-Point Type: Finally, Some Consideration for Human Eyes
Let us discuss the principal attraction: readability.
The large type is excellent. I found the layout particularly well done, with the text arranged in a way that makes reading comfortable and straightforward. The words are easy to follow, and the page design does not feel needlessly cluttered.
This is where the Bible makes its strongest case.
Humanity has developed telescopes to observe distant galaxies and microscopes to examine things too small to see. Yet readers have been expected to decipher tiny print in some Bibles for generations.
Perhaps it is time to acknowledge that making words easier to read is not a concession to weakness. It is simply good design.
There is some ghosting, meaning that printing from the reverse side of the paper is faintly visible through the page. This is not unusual in thin Bible paper, and it did not outweigh the excellent readability for me. Readers who are particularly sensitive to show-through should nevertheless be aware of it.
The distinction is important: a little ghosting is an imperfection; poor readability would be a much greater problem. This Bible gets the more important part right.
Reference Features: Useful Tools, Not Magic
The NKJV is a natural choice for readers who appreciate the traditional English Bible tradition but prefer updated language. It retains much of the familiar character of the King James tradition while making changes intended to improve contemporary understanding.
Reference features can also help readers follow related passages and investigate the text more carefully. As always, such tools are aids to study rather than substitutes for it.
A concordance can help you find a word. A reference can point you toward a related passage. Neither will do your thinking for you.
I have met humans who seem to believe that owning a reference book automatically makes them an authority. I have also met books that would probably disagree with them.
One practical omission deserves mention: this Bible has only one ribbon marker. That is not a disaster, but readers who regularly keep their place in several passages at once may wish there were more. Humans do enjoy putting bookmarks everywhere, apparently in the hope that the book will eventually read itself.
One other clarification: my copy has no maps. Readers who specifically want maps of biblical locations will need to consult another resource or choose an edition that includes them. If geographical reference material is important to your study, check the contents of the particular edition before purchasing.
The Size Question
A super giant print Bible is not going to be everyone's ideal travel companion. It is a volume intended to make reading comfortable, not to disappear into a shirt pocket.
For home reading, a desk, or a favorite chair, that trade-off may be entirely worthwhile. The large type is the point, and this edition delivers on that central promise.
The excellent readability is not a minor convenience. It is the reason to consider this Bible in the first place.
Dale's Verdict
The Thomas Nelson NKJV Super Giant Print Reference Bible, model 6333BWAL, gets the most important things right. The layout is excellent, the type is wonderfully readable, the paper is good, and the brown Leathersoft cover feels great.
There are small shortcomings. A couple of pages arrived slightly wrinkled, there is some ghosting, and the single ribbon marker may disappoint readers who like to keep several places marked. My copy also has no maps, which is worth remembering if geographical aids are important to you.
None of those observations changes my overall impression: this is a Bible designed with the reader's eyes in mind.
And that is a sensible idea.
Humans spend an extraordinary amount of time arguing about what books say. They might occasionally benefit from making sure they can comfortably read the words first.
I shall leave the theological questions to the theologians. My specialty is observing the curious creatures who write books, buy books, argue about books, and sometimes even read them.
On that last point, this Bible offers a promising place to begin.
Dale's assessment: A strong choice for readers who prioritize large, clear type and a comfortable cover, with a few minor construction and convenience issues to consider before buying.
Dale T. Doll is an observer of humanity, its peculiar inventions, and its enduring stories. He remains unconvinced that humans require quite so many bookmarks, but he is willing to let the matter rest.
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