HCSB Minister’s Bible

I just received a review copy of the HCSB Minister’s Bible in the mail.  Anyone who reads this blog knows that I really like the HCSB translation.  I am very excited about the forthcoming revision.  I cannot wait till it is released and anticipate the forthcoming HCSB Study Bible.

My first impressions of the Bible is that the formatting is the best I have seen.  I absolutely love the single column paragraph format.  It is also a black-letter Bible, thank you B&H Publishing!  The Bible itself has all of the technical textual notations at the bottom of the page.  It is not a reference Bible.  I have absolutely no problems with this at all.  Typically the references do not run parallel to my train of thought.  There are some articles in the back of the Bible that would be helpful for those in ministry.  The Bible does include the normal HCSB text Bible features:  plan of salvation, concordance, bullet note index, and several tables.

I will have much more on this Bible in the future.  Everything that I has seen so far is absolutely wonderful.

Update:

I have had plenty of time using this Bible to make a more informed review.  The Bible is smyth sewn which makes it possible for the Bible to lay flat and will also ensure that the binding lasts longer (kudos to Holman for making the majority of their Bibles with sewn bindings – we appreciate it).  The cover itself is genuine leather (it is not the best I have seen but certainly not the worst).

The font is very easy on the eyes in regard to size.  It is a different font character than I have seen in other Bibles.  This does not make it bad just different.  Christians are unique when it comes to Bibles.  There is a large segment which does not want to see any variation between Bible translations (font, format, translation theory, etc…) so I don’t know how this will effect potential customers.

I like that this is a black letter text.  The truth is that there was no such thing in the original letters.  A black letter text forces readers to recognize that every single word in the Bible carries equal inspiration and weight.

The text is in a paragraph format with a single column of text.  I prefer this layout of the biblical text.  It allows you to focus on the text at hand rather than all of the visual noise on the rest of the page.  It does feature the textual notes at the bottom of the page which is very a useful feature.  The notes provide pertinent information for alternate renderings, Hebrew or Greek textual manuscript information, or literal translations.

This is a wide margin edition.  It has ample amount of space on the outside of the text which allows users to record their own studies and thoughts on the biblical text.  I have been able to record notes from my own studies in the margins and have had sufficient room to write.  I think that this is an excellent feature in a Bible.

The Bible paper is thin.  There is some bleed through from the text on the opposite side of a page.  The boldness of the font on the facing page actually makes the bleed through less of an issue.  The font on the facing page grabs your attention and minimizes the distraction.  I did notice that after writing on a page that the edges of the page began to curl.  Over time the page goes back to normal.

There is a pastoral helps section.  I am a pastor but do not choose to use the helps.  The helps are well done and could be very useful.  I choose to use this as more of a study/teaching/preaching Bible, not a minister’s manual (not that there is anything wrong with such a use).

There is a full concordance in the back of the Bible.  Since the HCSB is an optimal equivalence translation such a feature is a useful tool.

All things considered, I think that this is an excellent edition of the HCSB.  I would encourage others, who like the HCSB and want a Bible to record their study notes in, to purchase this Bible.  This is the first edition of the HCSB text so it would probably be wise to purchase Minister’s Bible which features the updated text.

My preferences for editions of the revision of the HCSB

NASB large print ultrathin reference

These are somewhat insignificant hopes but they still exist nonetheless.  I am hoping that when the revision is released that B&H Publishing will release a non-thinline reference Bible.  I still like the basic size of the Foundation Publications large print ultrathin NASB reference Bible (I don’t like that it is verse format, but I don’t mind the size, the paper is great).  I wouldn’t even mind if B&H released an HCSB reference Bible that was the size of the ESV Classic Reference Bible.

ESV classic reference

I prefer a classic reference Bible for study and teaching/preaching. I would be ecstatic if B&H would produce and release an HCSB in a classic reference Bible format.  It is a very functional and helpful format.  The HCSB Hand Size Giant Print Reference Bible is not a bad size.  Yet, I do not care for the Jewel Verse System (which lists a few references after the paragraph).  This formatting does not allow for many references to be listed.  The formatting also does not allow for a full concordance to be included.  I would prefer more references and a full concordance.

HCSB Handsize Giant print reference

I like the formatting of a classic reference Bible.  I like two columns of text and a center column set full of cross references.  I know that cross references are not important to everyone.  I also know that there are many reference Bibles that have cross references that seem to have no logical connection with the verses they accompany.  Yet, I believe that Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture.  Therefore, a reference Bible which provides logically connected cross references would be a desirable item for me.

It is possible that I have simply become accustomed to the traditional formatting of a classic reference Bible.  It works for me.  It is very useful for preaching/teaching and studying the biblical text.  I hope that B&H Publishing produces and distributes a classic reference Bible with a full concordance and center column references in a non-thinline format.  If such a product is produced if it is anywhere between the size of the Foundation Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible and the ESV Classic Reference Bible, I will be ecstatic.

Update:

I have been thinking about my preferences for new editions of the HCSB revision and I have also decided besides wanting a classic reference Bible, I would also like to see a wide margin, single column reference Bible for the HCSB revision.  I would love to have one of each.

HCSB Minister’s Bible

I just received a review copy of the HCSB Minister’s Bible in the mail.  Anyone who reads this blog knows that I really like the HCSB translation.  I am very excited about the forthcoming revision.  I cannot wait till it is released and anticipate the forthcoming HCSB Study Bible.

My first impressions of the Bible is that the formatting is the best I have seen.  I absolutely love the single column paragraph format.  It is also a black-letter Bible, thank you B&H Publishing!  The Bible itself has all of the technical textual notations at the bottom of the page.  It is not a reference Bible.  I have absolutely no problems with this at all.  Typically the references do not run parallel to my train of thought.  There are some articles in the back of the Bible that would be helpful for those in ministry.  The Bible does include the normal HCSB text Bible features:  plan of salvation, concordance, bullet note index, and several tables.

I will have much more on this Bible in the future.  Everything that I has seen so far is absolutely wonderful.

Update:

I have had plenty of time using this Bible to make a more informed review.  The Bible is smyth sewn which makes it possible for the Bible to lay flat and will also ensure that the binding lasts longer (kudos to Holman for making the majority of their Bibles with sewn bindings – we appreciate it).  The cover itself is genuine leather (it is not the best I have seen but certainly not the worst).

The font is very easy on the eyes in regard to size.  It is a different font character than I have seen in other Bibles.  This does not make it bad just different.  Christians are unique when it comes to Bibles.  There is a large segment which does not want to see any variation between Bible translations (font, format, translation theory, etc…) so I don’t know how this will effect potential customers.

I like that this is a black letter text.  The truth is that there was no such thing in the original letters.  A black letter text forces readers to recognize that every single word in the Bible carries equal inspiration and weight.

The text is in a paragraph format with a single column of text.  I prefer this layout of the biblical text.  It allows you to focus on the text at hand rather than all of the visual noise on the rest of the page.  It does feature the textual notes at the bottom of the page which is very a useful feature.  The notes provide pertinent information for alternate renderings, Hebrew or Greek textual manuscript information, or literal translations.

This is a wide margin edition.  It has ample amount of space on the outside of the text which allows users to record their own studies and thoughts on the biblical text.  I have been able to record notes from my own studies in the margins and have had sufficient room to write.  I think that this is an excellent feature in a Bible.

The Bible paper is thin.  There is some bleed through from the text on the opposite side of a page.  The boldness of the font on the facing page actually makes the bleed through less of an issue.  The font on the facing page grabs your attention and minimizes the distraction.  I did notice that after writing on a page that the edges of the page began to curl.  Over time the page goes back to normal.

There is a pastoral helps section.  I am a pastor but do not choose to use the helps.  The helps are well done and could be very useful.  I choose to use this as more of a study/teaching/preaching Bible, not a minister’s manual (not that there is anything wrong with such a use).

There is a full concordance in the back of the Bible.  Since the HCSB is an optimal equivalence translation such a feature is a useful tool.

All things considered, I think that this is an excellent edition of the HCSB.  I would encourage others, who like the HCSB and want a Bible to record their study notes in, to purchase this Bible.  This is the first edition of the HCSB text so it would probably be wise to purchase Minister’s Bible which features the updated text.