We know you know that there are many different translations of the Bible, and a Lifeway Women, you’ll see our favorite translation used in every verse or passage we reference—the CSB, or Christian Standard Bible.
But what is the CSB and why do we love it? We’ll give you the inside scoop about this newer translation and also compare it to its predecessor, the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB).
What is the CSB?
The CSB is a revision of the HCSB. It includes an updated translation and word choices that optimize both fidelity to the original languages and clarity for a modern audience. The Translation Oversight Committee, co-chaired by Drs. Tom Schreiner and David Allen, incorporated advances in biblical scholarship and input from Bible scholars, pastors, and readers to further hone both the accuracy and readability of the CSB.
Additionally, the CSB is as literal a translation of the ancient source texts as possible. However, in the many places throughout Scripture where a word-for-word rendering might obscure the meaning for a modern audience, it uses a more dynamic translation. In all cases, the intent is to convey the original meaning of God’s Word as faithfully and as clearly as possible.
Why we Love The CSB
We’re excited about this revision because the translation team in charge of developing this update took to heart research that shows how many of people do not read their Bibles because the feel it is too difficult to understand. That’s why the goal of the CSB translation is to be trustworthy—faithful to the original text and meaning—yet easy to read and understand. The hope of the CSB translation team was to improve readability and encourage readers to spend more time in God’s Word, enabling them to apply it to their lives.
Many of the Lifeway Women authors and speakers love this translation as well:
As I travel around the country teaching the Bible to women, I encourage them to draw on the promises of God as their main source and sustenance for life. The Christian Standard Bible lines up perfectly with my core ministry goals—theological soundness and accessibility for the everyday person.”
Lisa Harper
I’m passionate about teaching the Bible, especially to women, because I’ve seen in my own life how God’s Word touches and transforms the heart. I’m using and recommending the Christian Standard Bible because I find the translation trustworthy, while also accessible to the women I have the privilege of teaching and encouraging.”
Kelly Minter
If you love a good chart (we love a good chart), check out this one below that compares a lot of the popular translations of the Bible.
We love that the CSB is both literal and readable. This means we can trust that what we’re reading is true, and we can more easily understand the stories in Scripture and how they apply to our lives.
HCSB vs CSB
You may be asking how the CSB is different from the HCSB. The CSB (Christian Standard Bible) updates many translations and word choices in order to improve both faithfulness and clarity, as well as to enhance the shareability of the translation to new Christians, or those who have never read a Bible.
The original HCSB translation committee includes more than 100 scholars from 17 denominations who translated the HCSB from the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic languages. In keeping with that trans-denominational focus, the revision and oversight committee was composed of top biblical scholars representing a variety of colleges and seminaries as well as a range of conservative, evangelical denominations, including Southern Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, conservative Anglican and non-denominational Bible churches. These scholars provided oversight for the CSB translation, keeping the text up-to-date with current biblical scholarship and ensuring clarity for a modern audience.
We recommend you check out www.CSBible.com. You can find a list of all the committee members’ names and credentials there, and read the CSB right on the website. If you have other questions about the process and how you can get a CSB Bible, you’ll be able to find that information there as well.
We can’t wait to see how God uses this new translation of His Word to change the lives of the women who read it.
