NIV, Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, Hardcover, Red Letter, Comfort Print

An easy-to-learn, easy-to-use tool for topical Bible study

With over 100,000 references listed in the Bible’s margins, covering over 8,000 topics, the Thompson® Chain-Reference® Bible is an ideal tool for comprehensive topical study. The chain-reference system enables you to search the breadth of Scripture’s teachings on thousands of topics and allows you to follow those topics throughout the entire Bible. Beloved and acclaimed for more than five generations, this unique reference Bible is unparalleled in its ability to enrich personal devotions, topical study, and sermon preparation.

The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible also offers a library of additional study resources, including biographical sketches, illustrated studies, maps, and charts. The alphabetical and numerical indexes make it easy to find any topic you wish to study, explore, or speak about. These tools together allow readers to interpret the Bible using related scripture passages rather than consulting a commentary.

The NIV Thompson Chain-Reference Bible is printed in Zondervan’s exclusive NIV Comfort Print® typeface for easy reading. Expertly designed specifically to be used for the New International Version (NIV) text, Comfort Print offers an easier reading experience that complements the most widely read modern-English Bible translation. It also features a fresh, two-color design that preserves the original look of the chain-reference system, while making each page cleaner and easier to read.  

Features:

• Complete text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV)
• Easy-to-understand chain-reference system with over 100,000 topical references
• Alphabetical and numerical indexes highlight study materials for over 8,000 topics, each with its own topic number, for exhaustive topical study
• An extensive study resource section includes biographical sketches, illustrated studies of the Bible, a concordance, Bible harmonies, and many other helpful study tools
• Fresh, two-color page design
• 66 book introductions
• 16-page full-color map section with map index
• Words of Jesus in red
• Two 3/8-inch wide satin ribbon markers
• Exclusive Zondervan NIV Comfort Print typeface
• 9.5-point print size

In 1890, creator of the Thompson Chain-Reference system, Dr. Frank Charles Thompson, began working on the “chain-links” that became the foundation of the unique Thompson referencing system. The Kirkbride Bible Company, Inc., published the first complete Thompson Chain-Reference Bible in 1908 and continued that legacy for over 100 years, adding visual, maps, archeological insights, and over 100,000 references. Now, Zondervan Bibles is excited to take the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible forward, and to continue to steward this important brand with new revised and expanded editions.

Dr. Frank Charles Thompson was a young preacher in the late 1800s when he became disappointed with the reference Bibles being used by preachers. Dr. Thompson believed Bible study tools should be presented in a simple but scholarly way. He saw the need for a well-organized reference Bible that would be of practical use to the lay reader as well as to preachers. In 1890, Dr. Thompson began the work he would continue for the rest of his life. He completed a series of "thought suggestions" opposite key verses throughout the Bible. These are what became the "chain links" that comprise the heart of the Thompson system. Some in Dr. Thompson's church saw his Bible and told him this would be a great help to them in their Bible study too. They encouraged Dr. Thompson to have his Bible, with its extensive marginal references, published so that everyone could enjoy the blessing of this helpful study system. In 1908, the first edition of the Thompson® Chain-Reference® Bible was printed. It became known as the most helpful, comprehensive, and unbiased study Bible available. After Dr. Thompson’s passing in 1940, his work and legacy continued with several major updates and enhancements to the study system over the years. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible’s impact has grown as it has been offered in five English Bible translations as well as multiple Spanish editions. With over 100,000 topical reference and 8,000 chain topics, this Bible continues to offer a complete study library in one volume.