Annotated History & Bibliography

The New King James Version (NKJV)

Origins, milestones, translation philosophy, and key references
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Milestones (Timeline)

  • 1975 — Project commissioned.
    Thomas Nelson gathers a team (≈130 scholars, church leaders, and lay readers) to update the KJV while preserving its cadence and literary beauty.
    BibleGateway: NKJV Version Information
  • 1979 — New Testament released.
    First NKJV volume reaches readers after four years of work.
    Thomas Nelson: NKJV History
  • 1980 — Psalms published.
    Bridging toward the full Old Testament rollout.
    Thomas Nelson: timeline
  • 1982 — Complete Bible published.
    Full NKJV (OT+NT) appears; translation goal described as a faithful update to the KJV in contemporary English.
    Overview · Official timeline
  • 1984 — Minor revision.
    Publisher issues a light update for accuracy, clarity, and consistency; typeset widely from 1985 forward.
    Revision note

Translation Philosophy & Textual Basis

Approach: Complete equivalence (a word-for-word, formal-correspondence approach that aims to preserve all information while using natural contemporary English).

Sources: NKJV Preface; Thomas Nelson overview. NKJV Preface (hosted) · Thomas Nelson

Old Testament: Based primarily on the Masoretic Text (notably Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia), with attention to textual and linguistic data.

New Testament: Translated from the traditional Greek Textus Receptus; extensive marginal notes indicate significant variants from the Nestle-Aland/UBS (critical text) and the Majority/Byzantine tradition, allowing readers to evaluate differences.

More: Textual summary · M. Marlowe: NKJV background

Annotated Bibliography (Selected)

  1. “Preface to the New King James Version.” Thomas Nelson (1982). Authorized hosted text.
    Primary statement of aims, “complete equivalence” method, and handling of textual variants. Read the Preface
  2. Thomas Nelson. “NKJV History and FAQ.”
    Official timeline (1979 NT, 1980 Psalms, 1982 full Bible), brief explanation of translation philosophy. Publisher page
  3. Farstad, Arthur L. The New King James Version: In the Great Tradition. Thomas Nelson, 1989/1990.
    Insider history by the Executive Editor; discusses Majority/Byzantine considerations, committee process, and “complete equivalence.” Google Books · Library entry
  4. BibleGateway. “New King James Version (NKJV) — Version Information.”
    Publisher-approved summary: ~130 contributors; seven-year process; aims to retain KJV’s literary excellence. Version info
  5. Marlowe, Michael. “New King James Version.” Bible-Researcher.com.
    Independent background on conception (1975 meetings), personnel lists, and textual discussion. Article
  6. Overview/Reference Summary. NKJV entry (dates, textual basis, revision note).
    Handy cross-check for dates and textual sources (OT: BHS; NT: TR with NA/UBS & Majority notes). Reference
Presented by Living Word Bibles. The Holy Bible, New King James Version® (NKJV®) © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.