When I first started really studying the Bible I discovered that there are many different study Bibles out there to choose from and that each different type has its intended purpose. The Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible is one of those study Bibles that serves some very specific purposes.

I received a complimentary copy of the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible as a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid in exchange for an honest review of this Bible. You can find even more information about this Bible here, and I'd love for you to check out the Bible for sale here. #BibleGatewayPartner 

While its uses are specific, as soon as I discovered this Bible I recognized the insane potential for my studies. I spent hours drooling over this Bible and telling my family over and over “oh my lanta, look at THIS, and THIS, and THIS…” Honestly, I’m so impressed with this Bible and would love to share with you why, as well as what I would recommend using this unique study Bible for.

What is the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible?

This Bible was pioneered by Dr. Frank Charles Thompson, who according to Bible Gateway was “a deep Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek scholar”. The goal of this Bible was to help Bible students organize their research and references to help with in-depth studies. This Bible is designed to encourage Christians to study scripture deeply and entirely.

The pages are jam-packed with resources to help Bible students with a variety of different types of study. The explanations at the very beginning should definitely be reviewed in depth before diving into the contents. Once you learn how to use the reference system the pages don’t feel as scattered, but at first, it can feel a bit confusing and intimidating. You can then explore over 7,000 themes and 100,000 references in a variety of ways.

This reference Bible is available in KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV Bible translations. KJV was Dr. Thompson’s Bible of choice where his work began in the margins of his own personal Bible.

Included in the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible

• Introduction that includes a detailed explanation of the Cross-Reference system and how to use it
• 100,000 references in the margins
• An alphabetical topic index with over 7,000 references
• A numerical index to connect the marginal references with special numerical codes
• Bible book outlines
• Bible character profiles
• Contrasts between Old and New Testament
• Historical analysis articles
• Archeological Supplement
• Abridged Concordence
• and much more

Types of studies the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible best for

• Topical Bible Studies
• Chapter or Book Studies
• Passage or Verse Studies
• Character Bible Studies
• Timeline and Geographical Bible Studies
• Key Theme Bible Studies
• Verse Mapping Bible Studies

I love to have many different study Bibles on hand to tackle any type of study. Having physical Bibles at your fingertips is invaluable. With over 7,000 different topics, 100,000 marginal references, and multiple ways to use the reference guide in this intensive Bible, this chain-reference Bible can guide you through seemingly countless different themes in scripture.

Whether I am doing a word study, diving into a specific person in scripture, researching timelines, chronology, or geography of Bible times, and more, I find this an incredible companion to the others in my inventory. I will gladly be taking advantage of this regularly as I study monthly themes and build reading plans around specific topics and words, as well as other more challenging studies. The opportunities for this Bible study tool are extensive.

Do I recommend the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible?

I highly recommend this study Bible to anyone who wants to take their studies seriously and dive deeply into scripture and its countless themes, characters, and context. It is one I recommend pairing with other resources and types of study Bibles, but can certainly pack an incredible punch on its own as well.

This very well may become one of my most highly recommended Bible study tools. It may be a bit overwhelming to someone new to Bible study, but there is still so much value for anyone no matter how familiar they are with studying scripture.

If you are serious about studying the Bible I would recommend you grab your own copy of this Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible.