The late A.W. Tozer wrote Confessions Of A New Version Addict, describing how he was “addicted to the habit of acquiring and being disappointed with new versions of the Scriptures.” I have the same addiction. In the past thirty-five years, I’ve gone from using the GNB to the KJV to the NASB to the NKJV to the NIV to the ESV. Tozer always returned to his “first love, the familiar King James Bible.” I’ve continued to search for a version that satisfies me, and I think I’ve finally found it: the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Let me explain why.

Very accurate, yet easy to understand
The HCSB translators are wary of a functional equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation approach. But they know that a formal equivalence (word-for-word) translation sometimes fails to clearly communicate the original meaning to modern readers. So, they opt for an “optimal equivalence” method, aiming for literal translation as much as possible; but sometimes going beyond that. Compare how the New King James Version and the HCSB render Psalm 1:1,5-6. Ask yourself how many people in your congregation could explain the phrases I’ve highlighted in the NKJV.

NKJV:
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful… Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

HCSB:
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! …Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.”

Avoids oversimplifying
Some versions drop important theological terms, in favor of something simpler. The NIV uses “sacrifice of atonement” in Romans 3:25, and “atoning sacrifice” in 1 John 2:2. The HCSB uses the more accurate word propitiation in both places, and includes a footnote to explain it: “The word propitiation has to do with the removal of divine wrath. Jesus' death is the means that turns God's wrath from the sinner; see 2 Co 5:21.”

In some passages, the HCSB brings out the full meaning of a word that other English versions fail to reveal. In Luke 18:9-14, most versions render the tax collector’s prayer as, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” Some commentators point out that Greek word indicates a desire for God to “be propitious” i.e., to show mercy through a propitiatory temple sacrifice (which typified the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus). So, the HCSB translates it as, “God, turn Your wrath from me – a sinner!”

Maintains interpretive options
The HCSB generally leaves interpretive options open to the reader, rather than importing only one option into the text. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 reads: “For this is God's will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, so that each of you knows how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not with lustful desires, like the Gentiles who don't know God.” The phrase I’ve highlighted is footnoted in the HCSB, with two possible meanings: “4:4 Or to control his own body, or to acquire his own wife.” Either of those is a possible interpretation. On the other hand, the NIV uses an interpretive translation that rules out the second meaning. It reads, “that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable….”

Corrects common misinterpretations
When translating words or verses that are often misinterpreted, the HCSB translators try to help correct the misunderstanding. E.g., when people read John 3:16 in most versions (“For God so loved the world…”), many think it means “loved so much.” That’s not what the Greek word means, though; so the HCSB reads: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Includes helpful footnotes and definitions
The HCSB includes explanatory footnotes with many texts. E.g., in John 11, Lazarus dies; then verse 33 says, “When Jesus saw [Mary] crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved.” The footnote explains: “The Greek word [angry] is very strong and probably indicates Jesus’ anger against sin’s tyranny and death.” This helps the reader avoid the unlikely conclusion that Jesus was angry with the mourners.

At many other places, the HCSB places a “bullet” (black dot) in front of important words, alerting readers to look in an index for a definition. The definitions are excellent. “Hell” is defined as: “Greek Gehenna; Aramaic for Valley of Hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem; it was formerly a place of human sacrifice and in NT times a place for the burning of garbage; the place of final judgment for those rejecting Christ.”

Gender-accurate
Some new versions, such as the NRSV and NLT, render many masculine nouns and pronouns as gender-neutral (except when referring to God). A gender neutral Today’s New International Version is due to be released in 2005. The HCSB does not follow that new fad; if the original language indicates a masculine noun or pronoun, it is rendered accurately.

Restores God’s name to the text
At some point in their history, Jewish people ceased to pronounce the covenant name of God, Yahweh, and began substituting “adonai” (“Lord”). Most English Bibles follow suit, rendering Yahweh as “LORD” (in all caps). The HCSB restores God’s covenant name in many key texts. E.g., Exodus 3:15 – “God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.’” In seventy-seven other passages which involve the significance of God’s actual name the HCSB uses “Yahweh” (cf. Ex.33:19; Deut.7:9;      1 Kings 18:21,24; Psalm 68:4, 83:18; Isaiah 42:8).

Uses Messiah, not only Christ
The Greek Christos (anointed one) is rendered “Christ” in most Bibles. The HCSB maintains that usage at many places; but when it appears in a more Jewish context, or with the definite article, the HCSB uses “the Messiah.” E.g., Matthew 16:16 – “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!’” (Cf. Matt.2:4; Acts 2:38; 3:20; 4:26, etc.) This helps modern readers remember the Jewish roots of our faith.

Other helpful features
When Old Testament passages are quoted in the New Testament, the HCSB uses bold print, so they’re easy to spot. Words that are added by the translators for clarification are printed inside brackets. E.g., speaking in “a tongue” (in 1 Cor.14:4,13,14) is “[another] language” in the HCSB. New Testament passages that are thought to be quotations of an early Christian hymn (such as Phil.2:5-11; Col.1:15-20; 1 Tim.3:16) are indented rather than flush to the margin.

Some verses that appear in the KJV/NKJV are left out of most modern translations, because they don’t show up in certain Greek manuscripts. The HCSB restores many of those verses to the text, but puts them in brackets, with a footnote to explain that some manuscripts have them and some don’t. These include verses like Matthew 6:13b, John 5:3b-4, Acts 8:37, etc.

Go buy it!
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a primary Bible. If you’ve done memory work in another translation, it’s difficult to start over. If you’re preaching or teaching, and most of your hearers have another version, it’s awkward to change – unless you print out the sermon text for them. And if you want to read Psalm 23 at a funeral, you may find that the NKJV sounds more familiar than the HCSB. But, even if you use some other version generally, you may want to occasionally use the HCSB when it provides a more helpful translation. Certainly, you’ll want to consult other versions in your study. If for no other reason than that, I recommend that you get a copy of the HCSB. And, if your church is planning to buy new pew Bibles, or New Testaments to give away, you should certainly consider using it.

The full text of the HCSB is online at www.broadmanholman.com/scriptureSearch.asp and at http://bible.gospelcom.net/ with several other versions.

This review will be published in Henceforth Theological Journal.
Tom P. Warner is a chaplain with Ministry to the Aged and Horizon Hospice in Boise and Meridian, Idaho. You can reach him at tompwarner@hotmail.com