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Which NLT Bible Should I Buy? A UK Guide
Not sure which NLT Bible to buy? Compare Anglicised, Study, Large Print, Journaling, Gift and Compact NLT Bibles with our practical UK buying guide.
By The Editor
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Not sure which NLT Bible to buy? Compare Anglicised, Study, Large Print, Journaling, Gift and Compact NLT Bibles with our practical UK buying guide.
The Bible contains 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Here is the complete list in order, with every book grouped by section, plus guidance on where to start reading.
Wondering what 9-point or 12-point font actually looks like? Use our visual Bible font size comparison chart to find the perfect Large, Giant, or Super Giant print.
Why read Song of Songs? Discover 7 compelling reasons to read the Bible's ancient love poem, plus the best translation recommendations for romantic poetry.
Why read Exodus? Discover 7 compelling reasons to read the Bible's ultimate liberation epic, plus the best translation recommendations for study and daily reading.
Why read Mark? Discover 7 compelling reasons to read the Bible's shortest, fastest-paced Gospel, plus the best translation recommendations for daily reading.
For most UK readers, the best NLT Bible is a standard Anglicised NLT for everyday reading. Choose a Large Print NLT if readability matters most, an NLT Study Bible for deeper explanation, a Life Application Bible for practical guidance, a Journaling Bible for note-taking, or a Compact NLT for portability. An Anglicised NLT is particularly suited to UK readers because it uses British-English spelling and conventions while retaining the NLT's clear, accessible style.
Choosing a Bible should be exciting, but the sheer number of editions can make it surprisingly difficult.
Even once you have decided that the New Living Translation (NLT) is right for you, there are still plenty of choices to make. Do you want a standard Bible or a study Bible? Large print or compact? A Bible for everyday reading, journalling, church, or as a gift?
And if you are buying in the UK, there is another question to consider: should you choose an Anglicised NLT Bible?
This guide will help you work out which NLT Bible best suits the way you want to read it.
The New Living Translation is known for its clear, natural and contemporary English.
Rather than closely reproducing the sentence structure of the original Hebrew and Greek, the NLT aims to communicate the meaning of the biblical text in language that is easy to understand.
That makes it particularly popular for:
If you want a Bible that encourages you to keep reading rather than regularly stopping to work out what a sentence means, the NLT can be an excellent choice.
For many UK readers, an Anglicised NLT is worth considering.
An Anglicised edition uses the New Living Translation adapted for readers who use British English. You may see British spelling, punctuation, measurements and familiar UK terminology rather than American conventions.
The underlying Bible translation remains the NLT. The main difference is that the text has been presented in a way that can feel more natural to British readers.
You may also see these editions described as:
British Text NLT
British-English NLT
Anglicized NLT
If you live in the UK and simply want an NLT for everyday reading, an Anglicised edition is a very sensible place to start.
Best for: UK readers who want a straightforward everyday NLT.
The easiest way to choose is not to start with covers or colours.
Start with one question:
How are you most likely to use your Bible?
If your main aim is simply to read the Bible regularly, you probably do not need an especially complicated edition.
A standard NLT Bible gives you the biblical text without large amounts of additional commentary or study material.
Look for:
A standard NLT is often the best choice for someone who wants a Bible for reading at home, following along at church or spending time with Scripture each day.
Choose a standard NLT if:
Best all-round choice: a standard Anglicised NLT with a comfortable print size.
If you regularly find yourself asking questions such as “What does this verse mean?”, a Study Bible may be worth the extra size and weight.
Study Bibles combine the biblical text with additional material that can include:
The NLT's accessible language can make it especially useful when combined with more detailed study notes.
The trade-off is that Study Bibles tend to be larger and heavier than standard editions, so they are often better suited to reading at home than carrying around every day.
An NLT Study Bible is a good option if:
Best for: readers who want explanation as well as Scripture.
A traditional Study Bible often concentrates on questions such as:
What did this passage mean in its original context?
A Life Application Bible also asks:
What might this mean for the way I live today?
Life Application editions include notes designed to help connect biblical teaching with everyday decisions, relationships, faith and Christian living.
That can make them particularly useful for:
If you sometimes finish a Bible passage thinking “I understand what it says, but what do I actually do with it?”, this style of Bible may be particularly helpful.
Best for: practical everyday discipleship.
Print size makes an enormous difference to how enjoyable a Bible is to read.
Bible publishers often try to fit a very large amount of text into a reasonably portable book. As a result, some standard Bibles use type that is smaller than you might expect.
If you:
then consider an NLT Large Print Bible.
Do not assume that “large print” means an enormous Bible designed only for people with poor eyesight. There are many editions that balance larger text with a manageable overall size.
Terms such as large print, giant print and comfort print can vary between publishers.
Whenever possible, look at the actual point size and pictures of the inside pages rather than relying only on the description on the cover.
Best for: comfortable extended reading.
If you want a Bible to carry to church, university, work or while travelling, size and weight become much more important.
A compact or slim NLT can easily fit into a:
The compromise is usually smaller print.
Before choosing the smallest Bible you can find, think realistically about whether you will enjoy reading it. A Bible that fits perfectly into your bag but feels uncomfortable to read may spend most of its time staying there.
A slightly larger edition can sometimes be the better everyday choice.
Best for: travel, church and reading away from home.
If your Bible-reading habits involve pens, pencils, notes, reflections or artwork, consider a Journaling Bible.
These Bibles usually provide wider margins or dedicated space alongside the biblical text where you can write.
They can be particularly helpful for recording:
Some journaling editions are designed primarily for writing, while others provide space for more creative Bible journalling.
Looking for a beautiful NLT for journaling? Hosanna Revival's NLT Notetaking Bibles combine the clear, accessible New Living Translation with distinctive cover designs and generous lined margins for recording prayers, sermon notes and reflections as you read. Designed to make spending time in Scripture feel both personal and inviting, they are a particularly good choice if you want plenty of space to write without moving to a separate notebook. With a growing choice of designs and finishes, a Hosanna Revival NLT can also make a thoughtful gift for someone beginning a new season of Bible reading.
Find your beautiful Bible here.
If you like writing extensive notes, look carefully at photographs of the page layout before buying.
A Bible described as having margins may provide much less writing space than you expect.
Best for: readers who actively annotate their Bible.
Do I need a red-letter NLT?
Some Bibles print the words spoken by Jesus in red.
Many readers like this because it makes passages in the Gospels easier to navigate visually.
Others prefer the consistency of all-black text.
Neither changes the biblical content, so this is entirely a matter of preference.
If red-letter text is important to you, check the individual product description before buying because not every NLT includes it.
Think about these three questions:
Mostly at home? Prioritise comfort and print size.
Carrying it with you? Prioritise size and weight.
Simply reading Scripture? Choose a standard NLT.
Want explanations? Choose a Study Bible.
Want help applying it? Consider a Life Application Bible.
Want to write alongside the text? Choose a Journaling Bible.
If your answer is readability, choose larger print.
If it is portability, choose compact.
If it is British-English wording, choose an Anglicised edition.
If it is giving someone a special Bible, explore gift bindings and presentation editions.
Once you know those three things, the choice becomes much easier.
Whether you are buying your first Bible, replacing a much-loved copy or choosing one as a gift, taking a few minutes to think about how it will be used can help you find an NLT you will enjoy reading for years to come.
