CSB Study Bible, Hardcover, Red Letter, Study Notes and Commentary, Illustrations, Articles, Word Studies, Outlines, Timelines, Easy-to-Read Bible Serif Type

The CSB Study Bible is a revision of the HCSB Study Bible (which I've used for many years). I'm currently using the CSB and HCSB, and this CSB Study Bible on a weekly basis for Sunday school and Bible studies. Translation wise, the CSB is very similar to the HCSB since it is an updated revision of the HCSB -- both adopt the "optimal equivalence" approach to translation. It is a flexible approach where the translators determine the original meaning and purpose of the text but then translate certain passages word-for-word, and other passages may be translated in a way to bring out the meaning to the reader. This "optimal-equivalence" approach strives for fidelity to original language and readability.In the CSB Study Bible, the publishers made the font more readable (approx. 10-12 font), and the study notes (approx. 8 font) are small yet readable. The publishers added colored photos and brief word studies of key words within the notes. The CSB notes look better than that of the HCSB Study Bible.What is different:There are new articles "Reading the Bible for Transformation" (Brian H. Cosby) and The Uniqueness of the Genesis Creation Story" (Kenneth A. Matthews) -- these articles were not in the HCSB Study Bible. Both the HCSB and the CSB study Bible have the articles "How to Read and Study the Bible" (George H. Guthrie) and "The Origin, Transmission, and Canonization of OT Books (Jeremy R. Howard)Between Malachi and Matthew, there is a new article "Intertestamental History" which was not in the HCSB Study Bible. At the back of the Bible, after the book of Revelation, there is a new article "What Really Happened to the Apostles?" (Sean McDowell).There are a lot more study notes at the bottom of each page compared to the HCSB Study Bible. The notes have been revised and expanded.Other than these articles and the expanded study notes at the bottom, the content of the CSB Study Bible is very similar to that of the HCSB Study Bible. However, the print of the CSB Study Bible is much smaller than that of the HCSB Study Bible. For example, in both the CSB and HCSB Study Bibles, after Joshua 13, there is a helpful chart "Joshua's Cities of Conquest." In the CSB Study Bible, the chart is written in very small font (8 font) whereas in the HCSB Study Bible, the font is much bigger and the chart is spread across 2 pages.The Translation (CSB)Here is an overview of some good translations from the CSB / HCSB, and some constructive feedback of how the CSB/HCSB could have made "better" translations.Good translations in both the CSB / HCSB:Ps. 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd; I have what I need." This explains better the notion of the LORD being our sufficiency than the NKJV, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want." I also really liked the translation of the Hebrew word "chesed" as "faithful love". (cf. Psalm 23;6; Lam. 3:22):"Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live." (Ps. 23:6)"Because of the LORD's faithful love, we do not perish, for his mercies never end." (Lam. 3:22)Also, I liked how the CSB/ HCSB translated the Greek word harpagmos ("to clutch or to snatch") in this way in Phil. 2:6 about Christ: "who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as SOMETHING TO BE EXPLOITED." The CSB's translation of harpagmos is much better than the NKJV's translation as "consider it robbery to be equal to God" (which may confuse people or give the wrong meaning of the Greek word).The study notes for the CSB Study Bible:The notes are excellent. Most of the translators of the CSB come from an evangelical premillennial viewpoint, and the study notes reflect that viewpoint. The writers of the study notes adhere to the inerrancy of Scripture, to the biblical view of the Trinity, to Christ being fully God and fully human, to salvation through faith alone in Christ, and to a premillennial understanding of eschatology / the books of Daniel and Revelation. The introductions to each book of the Bible provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of the book, explaining:Circumstances of WritingMessage and PurposeContribution to the BibleStructureOutline of the BookAt the bottom of the page in the Introduction, there is also a historical overview of the book and how it fits within the chronological history within OT or NT times. Notable events and rulers in both OT and NT history are noted. Furthermore, there are key word studies of important biblical words juxtaposed with the excellent study notes at the bottom of each page.Some constructive feedback:In certain poetic passages in the Psalms, the CSB misses out on the beautiful Hebrew poetry and it interprets some of the passage. For example, one of my favorite passages in Psalm 139: 7-10 (ESV) reads: "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." In verses 8-10, the CSB translation reads, "If I go up to heaven, you are there, if I make my bed in Sheol you are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me." The CSB, like the HCSB, interprets the beautiful poetic phrases "wings of the morning ... uttermost parts of the sea" as "eastern horizon" and "western limits", thus negating the beautiful Hebrew poetry. This was quite disappointing for me in the CSB. My suggestion: please leave the beautiful Hebrew poetic phrases intact in the translation, and explain the poetry in the notes at the bottom of each page in a footnote.Another notable change in the CSB is that it translates the covenant name of God (YHWH) in the Old Testament consistently as "LORD." The HCSB alternated between translations of YHWH as "Yahweh" and "LORD." Personally, I wished the CSB retained the use of Yahweh, like the New Jerusalem Bible does.The CSB and HCSB also have some awkward translations of several OT Scriptural passages, which I hope will be corrected in future revisions of the CSB. One such verse is Micah 6:8. The ESV reads "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" The CSB's / HCSB's translation reads, "Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God." You can be the judge of which translation is better. I prefer the ESV's translation. In addition, in the OT, both the CSB and the HCSB has the LORD saying, "This is the LORD's declaration" instead of "Thus declares the LORD" in other translations such as the ESV, NIV, or NASB (cf. Isaiah 43:10). When one reads passages such as Isaiah 43:10 aloud, the phrase "This is the LORD's declaration" sounds awkward compared to a simple "declares the LORD" (cf. ESV). Compare the 2 translations by reading it aloud: " 'You are my witnesses'" -- this is the LORD's declaration -- and my servant whom I have chosen,' and understand that I am he.." (Isaiah 43:10a CSB). Now read the ESV, "You are my witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he' " (Isaiah 43:10a ESV). When you read the 2 different translations aloud, the simple "declares the LORD" (ESV) makes for a much smoother reading, than the wooden and awkward phrase, "This is the LORD's declaration" (CSB / HCSB). The CSB translators should have revised the awkward, "translation English" renderings of the HCSB to make it sound smoother as an English translation. Most of the other Bible translations (e.g. NIV, ESV, NASB, NRSV) have smoother English translations of Micah 6:8 and Isaiah 43:10.Is it worth it to buy the CSB Study Bible if you have the HCSB Study Bible? The only major differences are a couple of the introductory articles for the OT and some articles at the back on "What happened to the Apostles?" Most of the content are the same, except the standard version of the HCSB Study Bible provides much larger font and thus it is easier to read. In the CSB Study Bible, the study notes at the bottom of the page are much smaller than those in the HCSB Study Bible -- one has to squint to read the notes. Hopefully, in the future, the editors will make the font of the study notes larger so it's easier to read.I hope this review will help you to discern whether it is worth it to purchase the CSB Study Bible. The HCSB Study Bible earned the Evangelical Christian Book Award in 2011 for Best Study Bible. The CSB Study Bible will most likely receive similar accolades.

I really like this translation. It is much easier to read than the ESV or even the NIV and does not take paraphrase liberties. The study Bible is also very good. I use it alongside my ESV study Bible to get a more readable version and additional perspective in the study notes.

I needed a hard copy Bible for a men's small group that is starting where apps are specifically forbidden. As I didn't own a hard copy version of the Bible, and I didn't want just the text of the Bible, I started researching CSB Bibles. The three top contenders were The Spurgeon Study Bible, the He Reads Truth Bible, and the CSB Study Bible. When I investigated the He Reads Truth Bible, it became apparent that it was more of a reading plan Bible, and I can get reading plans for free on my app. That left the CSB Study Bible and the Spurgeon Study Bible, and not having anyway to compare them, I went with the CSB Study Bible because although I am a 5-point Calvinists, I wanted to be challenged with the study notes. It's helpful to learn from those you don't see eye to eye than to have your convictions validated often times.I have the Bible a good perusal. The photographs are phenomenal. Many pages this has the feel of a middle school text book, and I don't mean that in a bad way.There is an essay on how to read the Bible and what became of the Apostles. This is in the beginning and the end respectively and are relatively lengthy. Other essays are briefed and are located in the body of the text where it is relevant to the passage of Scripture.Another feature I like are the word studies. A small quibble is I would have liked to see the word in the original language and not just transliterated and phoneticized. (Though for me, since I can read neither Greek nor Hebrew, this is tiny quibble indeed.)I read the first three chapters of Romans and read all the study notes and they are helpful, but not overly profound.Because of the size of the book, the paper is think, but not as things as many Bibles use. I would place the paper thickness on the level of a dictionary.There is some ghosting (the letters from the opposite page being visible), but it is not distracting as it is in other Bibles with almost onion-skin paper.One thing that I personally did not like was the orange color scheme the book uses. Chapter numbers are in a orange font and the study notes are shaded in orange. But that's a personal pretence.Overall my first general impressions are very favorable, and I'm pleased with the purchase.

Love the content but print next to impossible in size. Excellent organization. My concern is with your advertising — says “buy 2, get one free.” I did but didn’t get the extra copy. Also I thought CS stood for Century except it didn’t. How do i go about getting the third copy? The quality of the content is soVery, very good , I feel awful even calling it to your attention. Surely hope my copies are intact as I noticed others had issues.June BrandonLiked it so much I ordered leather edition hoping to reduce weight. I am 94 and it's pretty weighty!

I love the red letters

I have a couple of study bibles from NLT that I really like. I didn't realize the CSB was also written in a way that is easy to understand. I like this study bible the best because it has the notes on the bottom of the page and the chapters/verses on the top, there is a note for every verse explaining what the verse means. It's pretty much how the church service is at Calvary Chapel, you really feel like you understand what you are reading. You also know who wrote it, when, where, to who, why, which is written in the pages before you start the chapter. I never had a hardcover bible before, I always get leather, but I am finding it so much easier to handle a hardcover book instead. You open the page and there is no need to hold the pages open, like you do with a paperback. It is pretty thick, I will probably use it solely at home and bible study class, and take my smaller paperback bible to church.