Business Editors

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 13, 2004--Thomas Nelson (NYSE:TNM) announced today that the New Century Version (NCV) has boosted its translation standings from .11 to .5 over the past 18 months, due in large part to the success of Revolve: The Complete New Testament, which was recently ranked the .1 best-selling Bible of 2003 (single item category), according to the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's STATS(R) sales data collection system which captures point of sale data from Christian retailers across the U.S. A Bible in teen fashion magazine guise, Revolve still remains popular nine months after its release and has received staggering amounts of national and international media attention because of its easy-to-understand NCV translation.

The NCV's translation standings have been raised as a direct result of publisher Thomas Nelson's overall strategy to develop innovative products that resonate with the pop culture of today. Revolve marked the first in the initiation of a new category of NCV Bibles created by Nelson - the Bible-zines. The category will continue to expand with the upcoming March release of Refuel, targeted at teen guys, and the June release of Becoming, a women's version.

While the NCV is an accurate translation, it reads like a novel. By putting complicated biblical concepts into more straightforward and modern terms, Bible reading becomes more about the reader's comprehension and enjoyment, which has touched a nerve with consumers. A group of teens will be on an upcoming segment of ABC World News Tonight discussing Revolve, Refuel and the NCV.

"The strength of the New Century Version is that it was really developed with the intent of making Scripture understandable for everyday people. Because of this, the terminology and phrasing of typically difficult-to-grasp concepts allows the reader to understand the message of the Bible upon first reading," states brand manager of the NCV Laurie Whaley.

Pastor and writer Max Lucado is an endorser and supporter of the NCV. The Devotional Bible, edited by Lucado, as well as The Answer (Lucado is a contributor) and My Time with God are also part of the growing NCV category.

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those reflected by the forward-looking statements and a number of factors may affect future results, liquidity and capital resources. These factors include, but are not limited to, softness in the general retail environment, the timing and acceptance of products being introduced to the market, the level of product returns experienced, the level of margins achievable in the marketplace, the collectibility of accounts receivable, the recoupment of royalty advances, the effects of acquisitions or dispositions, the financial condition of our customers and suppliers, the realization of inventory values at carrying amounts, our access to capital and the realization of income tax (including the outcome of any future Internal Revenue Service audits) and intangible assets. Future revenue and margin trends cannot be reliably predicted and may cause the Company to adjust its business strategy during the remaining portion of the 2004 fiscal year. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Thomas Nelson, Inc. is a leading publisher and distributor of books emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes, and believes it is the largest publisher of Bibles and inspirational books in the English language. For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com.

Thomas Nelson's stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (TNM-NYSE).

    CONTACT: Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville
             Joe L. Powers, 
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             Website: www.thomasnelson.com