Comments on: HCSB vs. ESV Update

By: Nathan Creitz

Nathan Creitz — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:06:45 +0000

Thanks for all of your comments on the HCSB. Please check out my new blog http://nathancreitz.net and read my most recent post about why I use the HCSB and hope that all English speakers will too. My recent post Bible Translations- Tools and Tech for the 21st Century- HCSB

By: Zach Mockbee

Zach Mockbee — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:42:22 +0000

I just recently got my HCSB ultrathin in calfskin and the leather is better than my ESV Allan. It's also light-years beyond my ESV cordovan. Not only is the translation better, but the publishers and binders are more advanced. Go figure.

By: Tymetraveler

Tymetraveler — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:39:52 +0000

Enjoyed the article and comments. Have been an avid user of the ESV for the past five years, but recently find myself returning to the NASB, thus discovering the almost ridiculous similarities between it and the ESV. Almost makes me wonder now was the ESV necessary? Which brings me to the HCSB. After looking into it, I am impressed. I was one of those who swallowed the " HCSB is an SBC bible" propaganda, but since wised up. I am a Presbyterian who once was Southern Baptist, and I think I am going to buy my first copy of the HCSB soon!

By: Mattie Buzek

Mattie Buzek — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:01:55 +0000

Hello, for some reason when i place your feed into google reader, it won?t get the job done. Are you able to give me the Rss link simply to be certain I?m using the most appropriate 1?

By: Jools

Jools — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:57:15 +0000

Ooops. Further to my comment above, that was correct, but was for study bibles.

Here in Jan 2011, for both unit sales and dollar sales, the ESV is at position 5, and the HCSB is below it at position 6.

By: Jools

Jools — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:53:16 +0000

Here we are a while later (Jan 2010) and I just took a look at the best-seller list. The ESV is #3 and the HCSB has completely dropped off the list.

By: PJ Tibayan

PJ Tibayan — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 23:46:30 +0000

"I predict that we will see the HCSB as the #1 Bible translation of choice within the next year." I wish this were true. Is it #1 or even #2 today?

By: The Problem of Choosing a Good Bible Translation | ChurchETHOS

The Problem of Choosing a Good Bible Translation | ChurchETHOS — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:52:51 +0000

[...] you speak English, I recommend the Holman Christian Standard Bible. I’ve written about that here and here. It’s the best of the modern translations because it is accurate, it is readable, [...]

By: Will

Will — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:14:56 +0000

I know I'm really late to this discussion, but I wanted to offer a brief follow up to Keith's comments.

I couldn't agree more that every translation is biased in some ways. I also would LOVE for everyone to be able to know the original languages and study the Bible there. However, that's not the case we're in, so we're stuck translating. Besides, even if we DID know the languages, we would still have to translate it into our own in order to talk about Scripture at all. Plus, even people who know the languages disagree on what the meaning is.

All that to say, knowing the languages isn't the answer. (And I'm not saying that because I'm afraid of doing the hard work. I've taken 7 years of Greek and 3 years of Hebrew).

For what it's worth. I'm also a Presbyterian. Our church officially uses the ESV, but I always take my HCSB with me too. It's funny to hear our pastor explain a verse and then see that that's exactly how the HCSB translated it in the first place.

I think ESV and HCSB are both good translations, I just prefer the non-archaic forms of the HCSB (sorry, Andy, but I can't stomach archaic English for long).

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:38:16 +0000

I own the ESV Study Bible and the HCSB Apologetics Study Bible. As far as translation goes, I actually prefer the slightly archaic forms in the ESV, as they lend a somewhat poetic quality. (For similar reasons, I have always been fond of the NKJV.) Both are stellar translations, though, and I'm hoping they chip away at the mediocre NIV, which is still sitting pretty at #1 on those bestseller lists…