HCSB and the NIV how do they compare ?

The HCSB attempts to skirt the line between "dynamic equivalence" and "essentially literal," but I think the final product is closer to the former than the latter. Certainly, it isn't as literal as the ESV or NASB. The main advantage of the HCSB over the NIV to me is the abundance of footnotes which give the literal meaning. While the NIV has such footnotes, there aren't nearly as many. My personal preference is more for the essentially literal, so I mostly use the ESV, but I have no scorn for either the NIV or HCSB. They're good versions, especially for devotional reading. They just aren't my favorite translations for in-depth study.

 

You're welcome. Consulting a variety of translations is a good idea, in my opinion.

 

A&I, I am not a Pastor or a theologian, so what I say is from a layman's point of view. I read the HCSB through (and used it as my main study Bible) last year and am doing the same with the NIV this year. At this point I would say they are extremely similar, often to the point of my being unable to tell which is which if you are hearing the word read from them and don't know which one is being read from. I am leaning more toward the NIV but based on very limited reasons (I just plain prefer Ps23:6 in the NIV vs. the way it is written in the HCSB), but that is the only valid disagreement I have with the HCSB. If I didn't have the NIV I could happily live with the HCSB as my number one choice in a Bible. Bruce

 

I like both but commonly use the HCSB over the NIV. I enjoy the footnotes in the HCSB and find it to be a bit more accurate. But this is more personal opinion than anything else.

 

I don’t usually read from the HCSB but as I study through Colossians, I noticed that verse 29 has the widest range of translational variation in the whole first chapter.

KJV 1611
whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

NAS
For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

NIV
To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

ESV
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

HCSB
I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.

All the translations give an acceptable translation of the Greek.
But with this particular verse, IMO, the HSCB provided the simplest and most understandable translation.

I think I'll have to add it to my regular Bible comparisons for a while.

Rob