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Rating: 
Summary: A Nice Modern Rendering Of The New Testament
Review: Being in the ministry and also an avid reader, I'm always looking for new stuff to read. I found this one purely by accident as I was doing some research on the internet. A few days later, I ordered me a copy at a Christian website. It was probably the best investment I made in 2002.I agree with the reviewer named Ken in what he said regarding the NIV. Being a pastor I can shed some insight. Even though the NIV is a popular version of the Bible and I do own one, there are some problems with it. The probelms are all with the translation of the text. When the translators put the NIV together, they were not sure what to do with many of the words. So, in the process, many of the words sound odd in the NIV. The average layman wouldn't notice it unless they read a different version of the Bible. Then, many questions would soon arise. Why is this version different? The HCSB New Testament is what the NIV would've sounded like if it were taken straight from the Greek and was in modern English. All of the language & wording are made simple enough so that there's no question as to what the translators meant. And unlike the King James Version, you don't need a dictionary or have to understand Shakespeanian English to understand it. This version is really that understandable and that direct. But there are a couple of added features to this version. Henry T. Blackaby adds thought provoking questions and comments in the margain. His comments are all based on a passage that's on that particular page. Mind you, his comments & questions don't change any of the content of the Bible. But what he says will make each page & passage more direct and personal to you. Some of his comments & questions include, "What has God called you to?" "God is still in control of things." "Let your light shine for others to see." As I read through each passage, I get the sense that his comments are divinely inspired. The other thing that's different about this translation is that he includes many Greek words from the original Greek New Testament. He translates and explains them and tells how they were & still are relevant to the gospel. Since I'm a pastor that hasn't been to the seminary, this has been very helpful to me. I'd recommend the HCSB New Testament to anyone who needs a more accurate version of the New Testament that they can understand. I'd also recommend this to anyone in Bible college, the seminary, or in any type of Christian leadership. Kudos to Henry T. Blackaby!
Rating: 
Summary: painful
Review: I'll state first that I am not a Bible translation ideologue. I prefer the King James and the NASB, in that order, but I think that whatever translation brings someone closer to the Words of the Old and New Testaments is a good translation. I think that people then will naturally gravitate to the translations they are most comfortable with and the ones which they need, as they see their needs, and as their needs evolve. As for this new Holman Christian Standard Bible translation, well, it is about as comical an enterprise as it gets. First of all, including the publisher's name in the official name of the translation should give anybody a hint of what's in store. The translation itself ranges from laugh-out-loud funny to bizarre. It is very difficult to describe how they make Jesus sound, so I'll quote: "You don't want to go away too, do you?" "Didn't I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is the Devil!" [Both quotes from John 6.] "Let the little children come to Me, and don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." [From Luke 18.] "Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder!" [From Matthew 21.] The use - extensive in the case of this translation - of exclamation marks is just simply a symptom of amateur writers at work. They always come across as comical and needless, especially in sacred writings. The prose itself is mostly passable, but too often - too very often - runs into patches of painfully comical bad writing. The translation's stated goal of not cowering under the strictures of political-correctness is obviously commendable. Though it's claim to greater accuracy is undercut by the publisher's reluctance to expand in the intro on the choice of manuscripts used and so forth. They obviously want to avoid taking on the extremists of the King James only folks, but there's no way they will be able to do this. Avoiding these issues from the beginning won't make them go away. I actually don't feel good criticising an effort like this, especially one that is attempting to bring the actual Word of God closer to people and to preserve it; but intended faithfulness to the text is not enough, you simply have to bring a greater level of talent and inspiration and good taste to the enterprise.
Rating: 
Summary: Experiencing the Word New Testament
Review: See related reviews for the pocket version of the Holman Christian Standard Version. Anyway, I'll be brief: If you want the flavor of this translation, it reads the the NIV with most of the questionable passages fixed. Rather than paraphrases like "sinful nature,' we have "flesh." In places where the Greek has "age" you will find "age" in the translation, rather than "world' or something else. It often gives alternate readings which rely heavily on the Byzantine text, which is fine by me. It translates "pornea" as "sexual immorality," a rather vague relativistic phrase in my opinion. I would have preferred "fornication" as it has a distinct and correct dictionary definition. Rather than obscure renderings like "sexual pervert" or "sodomite," the Holman Christian Standard Bible translates "homosexual." (The NIV "homosexual offender" is unnecessarily complex: Does it refer to a homosexual who offends? people who offend homosexuals?? I'm totally lost on that rendering in an otherwise excellent translation.) Anyway, I digress. Many verses are clearer: 1 John 2:25 " Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him." (Other translations have "love of the Father," causing uncertainty in understanding; does the Father not love him, or vice versa?) Some insist that the NASB is more literal and correct. I doubt that. Even the NASB paraphrases and often puts the literal rendering in the footnotes. The NASB is excellent, but too wooden to read in public or to memorize from. If you like the flow of real English found in the NIV, try this translation out. Ignore the Blackaby comments on the side if they annoy you- concentrate on the text. I find it refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: Experiencing the Word New Testament
Review: See related reviews for the pocket version of the Holman Christian Standard Version. Anyway, I'll be brief: If you want the flavor of this translation, it reads the the NIV with most of the questionable passages fixed. Rather than paraphrases like "sinful nature,' we have "flesh." In places where the Greek has "age" you will find "age" in the translation, rather than "world' or something else. It often gives alternate readings which rely heavily on the Byzantine text, which is fine by me. It translates "pornea" as "sexual immorality," a rather vague relativistic phrase in my opinion. I would have preferred "fornication" as it has a distinct and correct dictionary definition. Rather than obscure renderings like "sexual pervert" or "sodomite," the Holman Christian Standard Bible translates "homosexual." (The NIV "homosexual offender" is unnecessarily complex: Does it refer to a homosexual who offends? people who offend homosexuals?? I'm totally lost on that rendering in an otherwise excellent translation.) Anyway, I digress. Many verses are clearer: 1 John 2:25 " Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him." (Other translations have "love of the Father," causing uncertainty in understanding; does the Father not love him, or vice versa?) Some insist that the NASB is more literal and correct. I doubt that. Even the NASB paraphrases and often puts the literal rendering in the footnotes. The NASB is excellent, but too wooden to read in public or to memorize from. If you like the flow of real English found in the NIV, try this translation out. Ignore the Blackaby comments on the side if they annoy you- concentrate on the text. I find it refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: Very Readable
Review: The text is set up like a college text book, with margins, some margin notes, one column (not two like most Bibles), with paragraphs (not chopped up verse-by-verse).
The pages don't bleed through so you are not reading both sides of the page at once.
The "margin articles" are insightful; for example, I like the note on "monogenes" in John 1.
I like reading this Bible.
Rating:
Summary: An exercise for underworked translators....
Review: Where should I start my review? Maybe with the translation. Or should it be with the design and layout of the book?
Better still I shall start by expressing my exasperation. It seems that this is yet another translation of the bible in the "designer bible" series. Currently there seems to be a trend in producing translations to suit the tastes of small, and often vociferous, groups or sects. Mostly these are translations which do not stand out as being particularly innovative. The HCSB is such a translation.
In the forward we read 5 pages of blurb which are intended to impress us and make us feel good about having bought the book. In fact the contents of these pages is old hat and not in the least impressive.
Now to the layout. The use of colours is garish, horrible and an insult to the eyes. On page 104 we have black text, rusty brown text, ochre text and blue text. The supposed words of Jesus are printen in rusty brown (I use the words supposed advisedly and the reader will know why if he/she consults a synopsis). The only good thing about the layout is that it is single column and uses a decent font.
In the margins there are short, but interesting word studies. These are interspersed by "notes" from Henry Blackaby. These notes are for me a total waste of ink; they will probably appeal to those towards the right-wing of protestantism and the happy-clappy groups.
Now to the translation itself. Turning randomly to a page (I let the book fall open): Mark 10:23. The wording is identical to the NRSV. The only difference is that the HCSB insists on using capital letters for pronouns referring to God or Jesus (something one will not find in the original Greek - it is a quirk introduced by some translators). Now to John 9:1. The HCSB starts with: As He was passing by, He saw.... The NRSV has As he walked along, he saw.... Reading the HCSB I am tempted to ask: passing by what?? One pluspoint: the footnotes are reasonably detailed.
I could go on, but I only have 1000 words for this review. The RSV and NRSV are THE standard in mainline church and academic circles. For those like the target audience of the HCSB who prefer to keep the bible masculine-oriented, there is the most excellent RSV. For those who prefer are more modern approach there is the equally excellent NRSV.
You can better donate the money you would have spent on this version to a charity which tend to the poor and needy. The underworked translators have tried their best to say the same things in another way and have not really succeeded.
Rating:
Summary: An exercise for underworked translators....
Review: Where should I start my review? Maybe with the translation. Or should it be with the design and layout of the book?
Better still I shall start by expressing my exasperation. It seems that this is yet another translation of the bible in the "designer bible" series. Currently there seems to be a trend in producing translations to suit the tastes of small, and often vociferous, groups or sects. Mostly these are translations which do not stand out as being particularly innovative. The HCSB is such a translation.
In the forward we read 5 pages of blurb which are intended to impress us and make us feel good about having bought the book. In fact the contents of these pages is old hat and not in the least impressive.
Now to the layout. The use of colours is garish, horrible and an insult to the eyes. On page 104 we have black text, rusty brown text, ochre text and blue text. The supposed words of Jesus are printen in rusty brown (I use the words supposed advisedly and the reader will know why if he/she consults a synopsis). The only good thing about the layout is that it is single column and uses a decent font.
In the margins there are short, but interesting word studies. These are interspersed by "notes" from Henry Blackaby. These notes are for me a total waste of ink; they will probably appeal to those towards the right-wing of protestantism and the happy-clappy groups.
Now to the translation itself. Turning randomly to a page (I let the book fall open): Mark 10:23. The wording is identical to the NRSV. The only difference is that the HCSB insists on using capital letters for pronouns referring to God or Jesus (something one will not find in the original Greek - it is a quirk introduced by some translators). Now to John 9:1. The HCSB starts with: As He was passing by, He saw.... The NRSV has As he walked along, he saw.... Reading the HCSB I am tempted to ask: passing by what?? One pluspoint: the footnotes are reasonably detailed.
I could go on, but I only have 1000 words for this review. The RSV and NRSV are THE standard in mainline church and academic circles. For those like the target audience of the HCSB who prefer to keep the bible masculine-oriented, there is the most excellent RSV. For those who prefer are more modern approach there is the equally excellent NRSV.
You can better donate the money you would have spent on this version to a charity which tend to the poor and needy. The underworked translators have tried their best to say the same things in another way and have not really succeeded.
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