AuthorJournal

New Bible Study App for iPad

2012-02-01T13:10:00Z

WORDsearch debuts a new iPad app this week. iPad users can now access their WORDsearch library of Bibles (including the HCSB), books, and commentaries via the new free app in Apple's App Store. Here are some of the features highlighted on WORDsearch's website:

Easy-to-Use Navigation Buttons

You’ll discover navigating is easy with the handy buttons located above and below each open window. These buttons put you one tap away from choosing books in your library, searching scriptures or topics, bookmarking, answering questions, setting preferences, and much more.

Easy Searching for a Bible Text

Quickly navigate to any Bible passage by tapping your Bible, book and chapter. Your selected Bible will open exactly where you want it.

Switch Bibles Easily

You can switch to a different Bible with a simple tap or two. Your new selection will open to the same verse you’re studying.

Synchronize Bibles and Commentaries

It’s easy to sync any Bible to any commentary by tapping the handy Lock/Unlock icon between your two window panes. Tap on any scripture reference, and the entire reference will pop up for easy reading, just like it does in WORDsearch.

Highlighting Bible and Book Text

You’ll love the intuitive highlighting tool. You can color-code your highlights with six different colors, or underline any text. You can also add your own notes anywhere in the text and save it to your iPad.

Study Pane That Saves Your Personal Notes

Tap the “Study Pane” icon in any book to open a personal work area. This is where you can enter your own notes, and paste in text you have copied from Bibles and books. When you “save” notes in this Study Pane, a little note icon will appear in your Bible or book next to the referenced text.

Fast Answers to Your Questions

As you are growing familiar with your iPad app, tap the Info icon any time you have a question. You’ll find FAQs to explain most anything related to the app.

Below is an overview of the new WORDsearch app:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Going Deeper on Issues is Translation

2012-01-13T14:21:00Z

Often on Facebook we get a questions about a nuance of a particular translation in the HCSB. The questions are usually very sophisticated, and require the expertise of the contributor who helped translate that particular book, chapter, and verse. The questions prompt a chain of emails from social media moderators that persist until the "expert" repsonds with an explanation for why the Greek/Hebrew was rendered into English in a particular way.

Biblical studies are an important discipline for local church ministry. Increasingly, churches are faced with more and more choices in regards to English Bible translations. There are many good English Bible translations to choose from, so church leaders continue to examine deeper issues in translation when selecting a Bible for their churches.

Back in 2010, we highlighted the launch of new blog co-sponsored by BibleGateway.com and the Gospel Coalition. 'Perspectives in Translation' is described on the site as "a discussion on English Bible translations." Drawing from a diverse pool of biblical scholars, the blog goes deep on issues in translation. We would heartily recommend this as a resource in keeping up to date on trends in biblical studies, and for those of you who are examining (or re-examining) all of the issues related to choosing an English Bible.

Contributors to 'Perspectives in Translation' include:

Collin Hansen - editorial director for The Gospel Coalition

Craig Blomberg - distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado

Douglas J. Moo - Blachard Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois

Tremper Longman III - Robert H. Gundry professor of biblical studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California

Denny Burk - associate professor of New Testament and dean of Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky

James M. Hamilton - associate professor of biblical theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky

Ray Van Neste - associate professor of biblical studies at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee

Michael Bird - lecturer in theology and New Testament at Crossway College in Brisbane, Australia

E. Ray Clendenen - Bible commentary editor for B&H Publishing and associate editor of the HCSB

Darrell L. Bock - research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary

T. David Gordon - professor of religion and Greek at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania

Thom S. Schreiner - James Buchanan Harrison professor of New Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and chairman of the HCSB translation oversight committee

Robert Yarbrough - professor of New Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri

Richard L. Pratt Jr. - president of Third Millennium Ministries

George Guthrie - Benjamin W. Perry professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee

We are grateful for increasing awareness and engagement in these issues, indication of growing concern for maintaining the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. We pray you will find this resource (and others from B&H and HCSB as well) useful as you study the Scriptures to the glory of God.

Considering Changing to the HCSB? One Church's Story

2012-01-05T13:32:00Z

We are often asked what factors a church should think through when considering switching their Bible translation. For the past decade many churches have switched Bible translations, deciding a switch is worth the effort. Here are two important questions churches are asking in the process of evaluation:

Is the translation readable?

Many have switched from older translations like the King James Version, for a more readable translation. As English continues to evolve and change, new Christians and seasoned Christians alike find it increasingly difficult to study an English language Bible with ancient speech patterns and vocabulary.

Is the translation accurate?

Churches also tend to switch when they discover a translation they feel is more accurate in rendering biblical manuscripts into English. Evaluating accuracy can be difficult without a great deal of research. A background in the biblical languages is helpful in this regard. But tools like MyStudyBible.com make study in the original languages more accessible than ever before. One of the unique features of the tool is the ability to hover over an English rendering in multiple translations and correlate the corresponding Greek and Hebrew words.

Each church has unique questions to consider when it comes to changing translations. This is why we like to tell stories of churches making the switch to the HCSB, highlighting why making the switch is helpful in their individual ministry context. First Baptist Church Houston, TX recently posted their decision to switch to the HCSB on their website. We are always excited and honored when churches make the switch, because we know churches do not do so flippantly. Here is a look at why First Baptist Church Houston made the switch:

A Fresh Look at the HCSB: 3 Videos

2011-12-20T13:18:00Z

As we talk about the HCSB all over the world, we use videos like these to give a bird's-eye-view of the translation. Below we have 3 different versions of the video, all different lengths. Since, in many cases, conference vendors and meeting planners have different time needs, we trimmed the same video into 3 different edits. Feel free to use any of the three below as you have need.

Version 1 (4:12)

Version 2 (5:42)

Version 3 (2:01)

Advent and Bible Reading

2011-12-13T13:20:00Z

Does your church participate in an Advent Bible reading plan? John Piper's ministry, Desiring God, recently posted an article on their blog about Advent with some compelling reasons why you might consider doing so. Jonathan Parnell describes Advent this way:

"Advent" is from the Latin word for "coming" — translated from the Greek word parousia. It's a stretch of four weeks where we reenact and remember how the Old Testament saints longed for Messiah to come.

Noel Piper, the wife of pastor John Piper, describes Advent in Desiring God's free online book Treasuring God in Our Traditions, saying:

So here we stand in the middle. Advent is the season of looking back, thinking how it must have been, waiting for the promised salvation of God, not knowing what to expect. And at the same time, Advent is a season of looking ahead, preparing ourselves to meet Jesus at his Second Coming. (Treasuring God in Our Traditions, 77).

While many evangelicals have tended to avoid more liturgical approaches to Christian worship, recent trends have reversed to embrace more an more events on the "Christian calendar." Advent, often observed for four weeks before Christmas, can be a focused time of Bible study and prayer centered on remembering the first time Jesus came into our world. Many churches provide devotional guides for families to use throughout the week in family worship to prepare for Sunday services that focus on the same Scripture passages and biblical themes.

The Village Church in Texas has produced an excellent devotional guide for their church that they are sharing for free online. You can download the guide here. The Village Church sets aside 5 weeks for Advent (instead of 4) and focus on the following themes:

WEEK 1: PROMISES AND PATIENCE

Theme: Our God makes and keeps promises, and His people are called

to wait with patient longing.

WEEK 2: AWAITING AN ADVENT

Theme: God made a particular promise of a Messiah, and Israel longed

for His coming.

WEEK 3: INCARNATION AND IMPLICATIONS

Theme: God fulfilled the promise of a Messiah in the first advent of

Jesus Christ.

WEEK 4: RESURRECTION AND RETURN

Theme: After dying to redeem His people from slavery, Christ rose from

the dead and promised to come again to redeem us fully.

WEEK 5: WATCHING AND WAITING

Theme: As we await the second advent of Christ, we are called to a life of

prayerful and prepared patience.

If you are looking for something less devotional and more focused on the biblical text itself, YouVersion offers a free Bible reading plan for Christmas. You can choose to read in the Bible translation of your choice, including the HCSB.

If you are willing to spend $12.99, Nancy Guthrie has edited a short but exhaustive guide to writings of theologians throughout history. Some of the contributors include:

Nancy Guthrie (Editor), Alistair Begg (Contributor), James Montgomery Boice (Contributor),Joseph Ryan (Contributor), John Piper (Contributor), J. Ligon Duncan (Contributor), Randy Alcorn(Contributor), John MacArthur (Contributor), Francis A. Schaeffer (Contributor), R. C. Sproul(Contributor), Joni Eareckson Tada (Contributor), George Whitefield (Contributor), Martin Luther(Contributor), Timothy J. Keller (Contributor), Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Contributor), Jonathan Edwards(Contributor), Charles H. Spurgeon (Contributor), Augustine (Contributor), J. I. Packer (Contributor),John Calvin (Contributor), Alistair Begg (Contributor), Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. (Contributor), J. C. Ryle (Contributor)

You can find Come Thou Long Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas by Nancy Guthrie here.

New Mobile Bible Study Tool from B&H

2011-12-06T16:27:00Z

Yesterday, B&H Publishing launched a new mobile version of MyStudyBible.com. The HTML 5 site is compatible with both Android and iPhone, making it easier than ever to access your free and paid MyStudyBible.com library. Choose from different translations of the Bible, including the HCSB, in the mobile version while you're on the go. Mobile users can quickly and easily search the entire Bible with MyStudyBible.com's new mobile search feature. To access the mobile site, simply key in www.MyStudyBible.com on your Android or iPhone device, or use the URL www.MyStudyBible.com/mobile.

To read more about updates to MyStudyBible.com, visit the B&H Blog.

How many times have you opened your suitcase only to discover you left your Bible on the kitchen counter miles away? People today are busy and mobile. There are hundreds of scenarios when it would be really handy to have access to your bible and some study helps. At “MyStudyBible.com” you will find an attractive interface to do verse-by-verse bible study with cross reference study notes side by side with the text. You will have access to word study databases, including the original biblical languages. In addition to all of these features, you will find a Bible dictionary and footnotes. If you find yourself on the road without your bible, hop on to “MyStudyBible.com” for help, now available on your Android or iOS device.

Thom Rainer Giving Away HCSB Study Bible Today

2011-12-02T13:26:00Z

Today at thomrainer.com, Dr. Rainer is giving away an HCSB Study Bible. Here are the details:

"My giveaway this Friday is the black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Study Bible. The unique, full-color design and format are the direct result of a nationwide research project. The Bible people wanted is the Bible B&H built. The result is a visual Bible that's comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to use, with features and formats specifically designed to enhance your Bible study experience. You can also go to MyStudyBible.com and dive right in for a complete digital experience.

This Bible has a retail price of $79.99 and features 15,000 study notes, 290 Hebrew and Greek word studies, 66 highly detailed book introductions, 62 maps, 27 topical articles, 20 charts, and 18 illustrations, all focusing on the most important topics and questions in Bible study.

To be eligible to win, take a fresh look at your favorite Scripture or passage at MyStudyBible.com. Then copy and paste it in the comment section for this post.

The deadline to enter is midnight CST this Saturday. We will select one winner from the entries on Monday morning."

B&H Breakfast at ETS 2011

2011-12-01T13:43:00Z

Dr. Tom Schreiner was kind enough to speak at the B&H Publishing Group's authors breakfast. Schreiner, the chairman of the HCSB translation oversight committee, delivered a powerful message about the implications of the preeminence of Jesus Christ. The audio is below.

Schreiner serves as James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation (1997); Associate Dean, Scripture and Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Schreiner, a Pauline scholar, is the author or editor of several books including, Romans, in the Baker Exegetical Commentary Series on the New Testament; Interpreting the Pauline Epistles; The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law; The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance; Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives of Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace, co-edited with Bruce A. Ware; Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of I Timothy 2:9-15; Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude. Most recently, Schreiner was elected Vice President of the Evangelical Theological Society.

Click here to see Dr. Schreiner's B&H author profile.

Dr. Thomas Schreiner - Living Like Jesus is the Only Way - ETS 2011 by BHPublishingGroup

The Gospel Coalition on the HCSB, ESV, and NIV

2011-11-10T21:14:00Z

David Croteau at the Gospel Coaltion Voices blog writes today about Liberty University's recent biblical studies symposium. Croteau writes:

"As a Bible professor, I hear a lot of questions regarding translations:

When a translation says it's more literal, it's the most accurate, right?

Doesn't "gender-neutral" mean it's bad?

Do certain Bible translations promote women pastors?

Which Bible translation should I use?In trying to help them answer these questions, Liberty University allowed me to invite three representatives from three of the bestselling Bible translations today. Doug Moo agreed to speak on behalf of the 2011 New International Version (NIV), Wayne Grudem defended the English Standard Version (ESV), and Ray Clendenen contended for the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). The symposium offered just a glimpse of what we'll be exploring in a book I'm editing with Andreas Köstenberger that will be published by Broadman & Holman Publishers and available in fall 2012. This book will compare about sixteen passages between four major translations."

Liberty is now hosting the videos of the symposium on their site here.

B&H Giving Away A Free Life Essentials Study Bible

2011-11-01T22:03:00Z

B&H is giving away a free Life Essentials Study Bible! Click here for more information about their giveaway.

Below is an introductory video, explaining what makes the Life Essentials Study Bible unique.

Liberty University Biblical Studies Symposium

2011-10-26T16:05:00Z

This week, audio and videos from Liberty University's Biblical Studies Symposium were released. Participants highlighted a different translation of the Bible and engaged in a panel discussion responding to one another (taking questions as well). Presenters included scholars Ray Clendenen (HCSB), Wayne Grudem (ESV), and Doug Moo (NIV). Click here to see videos from each presenter and the panel discussion at the end. Thank you to Liberty University for hosting and capturing this helpful conversation. B&H will publish a book based on the symposium in the future.

B&H Releases Life Essentials Study Bible QR Reader App

2011-10-19T15:39:00Z

The Life Essentials Study Bible contains 1,500 principles to live by connected to teaching videos from Gene Getz. These apps allows you to scan the QR codes in the Study Bible or select the individual principles for instant access to the 1,500 teaching videos. By using this app, you will be able to save your favorite videos and keep track of which videos you have watched.

The teaching videos from Gene Getz elaborates on 1,500 principles in Scripture that are as relevant today as when the sixty- six books of the Bible were written. Distilling these truths into principles, Getz helps you more easily remember and effectively apply the Bible's wisdom to everyday life. He explains how each of these principles represents a supracultural truth - one that can and should be applied at any moment in history and in every cultural situation.

Click on one of the images below to download the app for your mobile device.

9 Reasons You Will Love the HCSB

2011-10-12T15:08:00Z

There are several key distinctions that make the HCSB a reliable translation. Here are nine of them.

1.) It brings new meaning and insight into your favorite verses.

For example, take John 3:16 - "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." Readers of the verse, when translated "For God so loved the world...," will think that the verse says how much God loved. The adverb "so" indicates how much or to what degree. Scholars, however, understand the verse actually describes how God loved us, not how much. This is the way in which God has demonstrated His love for us: He gave His Son. The HCSB translation makes it clear that the proof of God's love is the gift of His Son. There is no degree of God's love. It's total and complete.

2.) A word-for-word translation doesn't always offer the best translation.

Look at Psalm 147:10. "He is not impressed by the strength of a horse; He does not value the power of a man." In the NASB and ESV the power of a man is translated literally as "the legs of a man." The original audience would have understood that "legs" meant the total strength of a man. Using "the power of a man" gives a clearer meaning of what the verse is trying to convey.

3.) When God uses His personal name, it should mean something.

Is there a difference in Lord and Yahweh? Aren't they both names of God? Actually, no, they aren't. Lord is a title, not a personal name. Yahweh is God's personal name, not a title. In the HCSB, when God is using His own personal name, that's how you will find it said.

In Isaiah 42:8 the ESV says, "I am the Lord; that is my name ...," but the HCSB says, "I am Yahweh, that is my name ..."

It's a subtle difference, but important.

4.) Biblical figures of speech are often difficult to understand.

Admit it. Sometimes it is hard to understand phrases in the Bible. You could compare it to slang. If you read that someone "lit a shuck" what would come to mind? You would might think it meant that someone set corn on fire ... maybe to use as a torch ... maybe to destroy an enemy's crop. But, you'd be wrong. It simply means someone "went away." At least that what it meant in the 1800s.

When you read Amos 4:6 in the NASB that God gave them "cleanliness of teeth in all their cities," it sounds like something wonderful. Clean teeth are great and to have a whole city of people with clean teeth ... impressive! The problem, however, is that what we (today) understand cleanliness of teeth to mean isn't what the Scripture means to communicate. Therefore, HCSB translates the ESV's "cleanliness of teeth in all their cities" into phrasing we understand: God gave them "absolutely nothing to eat in all your

cities ...." Clean teeth meant teeth that had no food to chew, not glowing pearly whites. It changes how we understand the passage.

5.) The greater use of "Messiah" adds deeper meaning.

It might come as a surprise to some, but Christ isn't Jesus' last name. "Christ" comes from the Greek word "Christos," meaning "anointed." The Hebrew concept of the Christos translation conveys the Jewish longing for the Messiah. Because of this, the HCSB uses "Messiah" as the translation for "Christ" in Jewish context.

Look at Luke 3:15. The NIV says "The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ." The HCSB translators, understanding that the verse's context regarding the Jews, translated it "Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds whether John might be the Messiah."

6.) Words we consider synonyms have different biblical meanings.

Consider words like slave and servant. All slaves were servants, but not all servants were slaves. A slave had no rights, didn't receive any pay for work but was completely dependent on the master for everything. A servant, on the other hand, worked for a master but had rights and privileges aside from the master.

The HCSB uses "slave" instead of "servant" in order to indicate the relationship of believers to Jesus. When believers are called "slaves," it is to show they have no rights before Christ.

7.) Words like "behold" and "shall" are no longer commonly used.

Words such as "behold" and "shall" don't creep into today's English too often. Most people don't speak that way, just as most people don't use "thee" and "thou." We certainly know what they mean, but the formality they convey isn't standard for us any longer. Archaic words should never be a stumbling block for people reading the Bible.

"Shall" appears in the KJV almost 10,000 times, but it was published in 1611 when people used the word in everyday conversation.

8.) Greater word precision makes for a tighter translation.

The word count of the original Hebrew and Greek texts in the standard critical editions is 545,202. (How's that for a really cool fact?) The HCSB comes closer to this word count than other major translations. So why does this matter? It says that the HCSB is able to convey the original texts in a more precise fashion.

9.)The HCSB team are men and women (most not Southern Baptist, by the way) of integrity and reliability who worked with reliable source texts.

The team was comprised of 100 people representing some of the most outstanding scholars from 17 Protestant denominations. The works they used included Nestle-Aland's Novum Testamentum, 27th edition; United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament, 4th edition; and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 5th edition.

Digital Tools for a Digital Age

2011-10-07T13:49:00Z

Article by Jon Wilke, Media Relations, LifeWay Christian Resources

Gary Mitchell has spent 20 years as a pastor in small, rural churches. Like many other church leaders across the country, Mitchell held a full-time job to support his ministry work.

"I've been bivocational my whole life," said Mitchell, who is 68 and "retired." Now, he trains and equips the nearly 1,000 bivocational pastors in the Louisiana Baptist Convention.

"The vast majority of churches are led by a bivocational pastor," said Mitchell. Nationwide, the Bivocational Small Church Leadership Network estimates there are about 37,000 smaller church pastors, most bivocational, within the Southern Baptist Convention alone.

"Most bivocational pastors are looking for affordable study tools to assist them in their sermon preparation," said Mitchell. "They are starved for information and resources. I constantly search for study materials that are easy to use and not overwhelming. Bivocational pastors have limited time and resources."

One of the main tools that Mitchell tells pastors about is MyStudyBible.com, an online Bible study tool launched by LifeWay in 2010.

"I love the format of MyStudyBible.com," said Mitchell. "All the tools are in one spot."

MyStudyBible.com contains the award-winning HCSB Study Bible and commentary notes, as well as select content from books like the Holman New Testament Commentary and references from Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary.

Users can purchase additional content including The Apologetics Study Bible, The Holman Illustrated Study Bible, The Teacher's Bible Commentary, Word Pictures in the New Testament, The Holman Bible Atlas, Experiencing God, and more.

"MyStudyBible.com makes the Bible and some of the best biblical reference materials in the world accessible," said Paul Mikos, LifeWay's executive editor of digital publishing. "Now people don't have to spend $400 for commentary sets or Bible software. They can dive as deep as they need when they need for as long as they need."

Simplified biblical research

In July, LifeWay announced the acquisition of the WORDsearch and QuickVerse brands, further strengthening its position as a leader in digital Christian solutions. The addition of these two powerful Bible software resources is another vital step in LifeWay's overall digital strategy to serve churches and individuals.

WORDsearch Corp. (WORDsearch Bible.com), based in Austin, Texas, has been producing software and electronic books for the Christian market since 1987. The company offers more than 4,200 volumes of electronic books for Christian pastors, teachers and laypeople through its WORDsearch, Bible Explorer, LESSONmaker, WORDsearchToGo and InstaVerse software products.

WORDsearch and QuickVerse (QuickVerse.com) software simplifies biblical research, allowing a user to view multiple reference materials including Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries and encyclopedias side-by-side on the user's computer screen. Other QuickVerse software products include SermonBuilder that provides quick access to thousands of Bible-related stories, quotes and anecdotes and various biblical language tools, sermons and stories.

"There is unprecedented growth in practically every area of digital media, and we continue to seek opportunities to leverage these technologies in spiritually-transforming ways," said LifeWay President Thom Rainer. "By bringing the strengths of WORDsearch and QuickVerse into the LifeWay portfolio of Christ-centered resources, we offer customers a more robust collection of exciting Kingdom tools."

By acquiring the assets of these two companies and through other digital offerings such as the launch of the new LifeWay.com, MyStudyBible.com and more than 25 applications for mobile platforms, LifeWay continues to assert a leading strategy in the digital publishing industry. LifeWay's growing digital products and services span such areas as webcasts, church software, digital downloads, self-publishing, simulcasts, apps, events, online communities, ebooks and other offerings that positions LifeWay as a leading provider of cutting-edge resources for individuals and churches.

"Expense is the biggest obstacle [for bivocational pastors]," said Mitchell, "Most bivocational pastors can't afford expensive commentaries or the fees for the websites with all the bells and whistles. But, they will invest in these types of tools. These price ranges put invaluable tools within their reach."

This article was released by LifeWay on Saturday Oct. 1.

Which Do Readers Prefer: Servant vs. Slave

2011-10-03T12:32:00Z

*A LifeWay Research release, written by David Roach

Three out of four American Bible readers say they prefer a literal translation of Scripture even if some of the words or concepts do not fit easily into modern culture, according to a new study by LifeWay Research.

The study polled 2,000 people through a demographically representative online panel. All participants read their Bibles at least monthly — either for personal study or as part of a family activity. People who read the Bible only in a corporate setting, like a worship service, were not included in the study.

Survey participants were told: "In the original Greek and Hebrew, the Bible occasionally uses words that some might think do not fit in our society today, such as 'slave.' Some translators think these should be translated literally as 'slave,' while others think they should reflect current context and be translated as 'servant.' Which do you prefer?"

Nearly half (46 percent) strongly prefer a literal translation, and 28 percent somewhat prefer a literal translation. Fourteen percent somewhat prefer a translation to reflect current context while 4 percent strongly prefer such a translation. Seven percent are not sure.

The HCSB translates many ancient concepts literally, including "slave," and uses bullet notes at the end of the Bible to explain them.

"The Bible includes concepts that may be uncomfortable or may require more study to fully understand," said Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research. "This example shows more Bible readers prefer to see the literal translation rather than glossing over such concepts in a translation."