Recent years have seen the release of a number of translations and paraphrases, including the ESV and The Message. Each has its value, while at the same time placing a new burden on pastors and preachers to sift through the available options to select an optimum text for preaching and teaching.

In contrast to the "dynamic equivalence" translation model (used by the New International Version and others) — which tends to favor translating phrases or ideas, thus lending itself to more interpretation — there is the "formal equivalence model," which puts an emphasis on translating the exact words of scripture; the New American Standard Bible (NASB), known for its accuracy to the original language of the biblical texts, would stand in this camp.

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Advocates of the newest major translation on the scene — the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) — argue that it uses an "optimal equivalence" approach which seeks to use the best elements of each of the other two approaches to translation. Developed under the sponsorship of Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention — it is already beginning to appear in Southern Baptist curriculum this fall — the HCSB is targeted at conservative evangelical readers with its emphasis on the original language and its refusal to adopt the more gender-neutral language of translations such as the TNIV.

The HCSB New Testament is already available in several formats. The full biblical text is scheduled for release in early 2004. You can read the text in an on-line format by going to http://bible.lifeway.com/crossmain.asp.

Publishers continue to offer existing translations in a variety of formats aimed at different audiences — from the pop-culture approach of Revolve to the many types of study Bibles available. Hitting the stores in 2003 was The Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson), for which Max Lucado served as general editor. Using the New Century Version as its text, The Devotional Bible offers a variety of features that may interest readers, including "Life Lessons" from Lucado and others, study questions for group of individual use, and a topical index.

Commentaries

If you think there are too many Bible translations crowding the shelves of Christian bookstores, just wait until you get to the commentary section! Of course, for many preachers it may be hard to comprehend too many commentaries.

One excellent resource designed to help you make your way through the commentary maze is Commentary & Reference Survey (Kregel) by John Glynn. First published in 1994, the most recent edition came out this year, and it is a treasury of information on commentaries and biblical studies materials. Glynn goes through each book of the Bible and suggests the best in technical commentaries, exposition commentaries, and special studies on that text. He also provides some newer features, including ideas on Bible study software, and a valuable listing of sources for purchasing used theological books. (I've been a used-book buyer for years, and Glynn suggested some sources I had yet to run across.) If you want to get the most bang for your book-buying buck, you'll fine this book to be a helpful tool.