Clara’s Verdict
An audio Bible sits in an unusual position in a review context. It isn’t a work of fiction to be evaluated on narrative structure and character, nor is it a non-fiction argument to be tested against evidence and experience. It is a recording of a sacred text, and the question is really a simpler one: is this a good recording? Clear, dignified, accessible, suited to its purpose? Simon Bubb’s narration of the complete New King James Version for Thomas Nelson answers that question in the affirmative, and does so in a production that is clean and consistent over twenty-two hours and twenty-four minutes. For those seeking the entire Bible in audio form, this is a well-made choice.
About the Audiobook
The New King James Version is a modern revision of the King James Bible, completed in 1982. Its goal was to preserve the literary dignity and traditional language of the original whilst addressing archaic vocabulary and grammatical constructions that had become barriers to comprehension for contemporary readers. The result sits between the formal grandeur of the 1611 King James and the accessibility of translations like the New International Version – a position that makes it a popular choice for personal devotion, group Bible study, and general reading across a broad range of church communities.
This Thomas Nelson audio production uses a single narrator for the entire text – a deliberate choice that creates coherence and continuity across what is, after all, a work of extraordinary scope and variety, from Genesis to Revelation. There are no dramatised voices, no sound effects, no music, no commentary. It is the text and nothing but the text, read straight. For listeners who find the dramatic productions distracting – where sudden sound effects or multiple voice actors interrupt close attention to the words – this uncluttered, reverent approach is genuinely preferable. The complete recording covers both Old and New Testaments in their entirety.
The Narration
Simon Bubb is an Audie Award-winning narrator with a long and distinguished record in audiobooks, and his reading here is exemplary in the particular way that really good devotional narration always is: you forget the narrator is there entirely. He doesn’t perform the text; he reads it with care and close attention, allowing the language itself to carry its own weight and authority. This distinction matters enormously in a sacred context. A narrator who over-interprets risks replacing the text’s intrinsic authority with their own personality, which is precisely the wrong emphasis for material that listeners come to with their own faith relationship. Bubb avoids this completely. His voice is warm but unobtrusive, his pacing thoughtful and consistent throughout twenty-two hours, and his pronunciation – across the quite extraordinary range of names, places, genealogies, and terms in the complete Bible – is consistently assured. It is a technically demanding performance, delivered with characteristic quiet professionalism.
The single-voice format across the entire recording also serves a practical purpose: for listeners who use this Bible as an accompaniment to study or devotion over extended periods, consistency of voice and tone provides a sense of continuity and coherence across very different books and genres within the biblical text.
What Readers Say
The Audible UK listing holds 4.5 out of 5 from 4 listeners. It’s worth noting that some reviews for Bible listings reflect the physical print edition rather than the audio recording specifically, which is a common occurrence with products that exist in multiple formats. Those who address the audio itself are positive: Oleksandr Voievidko gives it five stars; Joy B. reports it is “well worth the money” and arrived as described. The overall impression from those reviewing the audio is warmly positive and consistent with what this production sets out to be.
Who Should Listen?
This is the right audio Bible for practising Christians who want to integrate Scripture reading into a busy daily routine – during a commute, whilst walking, cooking, or as a companion to quiet time and morning devotion. It works particularly well alongside a formal Bible study programme or devotional guide, since the unadorned, single-voice format lends itself to close attention rather than passive listening. The NKJV translation will be immediately familiar to many church communities, and the complete format means there is no need to switch between recordings. A practical note for prospective listeners: Thomas Nelson also produces dramatised and multi-reader Bible productions, which some listeners prefer. This recording is specifically the single-voice, unaccompanied version – valuable precisely because of that simplicity. If you’re uncertain which format suits your listening habits, the single-voice version is generally the better choice for extended devotional use over many months, since the consistent voice becomes a familiar companion rather than a shifting production element. Available on Audible UK, Kobo, and Scribd. Listen on Audible UK: Get the NKJV Complete Audio Bible on Audible UK
