Jesus.
I love this Bible. It is very Useful and has Great Pictures and Diagrams. A Definite Study Aid. "The land is the Fifth Gospel", As they say. It really brings the Historical and geographical context alive. A great buy.
Great Information
This study Bible is loaded with information. I especially love all the maps in the book. It makes the Scriptures come alive in a very visual way. The Holman Bible reads somewhere between the New King James version and The Message. Not hard to understand, but doesn't come off too liberal either. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars, for me the lettering is just a bit small.
The Best Bible Ever!
This book has everything you would want to know about the time line & what they wore,ate, lived in, etc...And the Old & New Testament is in it & maps! It's great!
Faithful. Accurate. Understandable.
The HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE has become our favorite version in teaching and preaching. My wife and I have been doing Bible studies in prison ministry since 2003 and have used many versions of the Word: NIV, ESV, NKJV, and finally settled on the New International Readers Version as one which was easy to understand, clear, and faithful to the text. Then we found the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
This version fulfills everything we are looking for: accuracy of the text, ease of use and understanding (I would say it is written at a high school reading level), and faithfulness to the meaning of the passages. For example, the healing scriptures of Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17 are all present and clear.
Some of the other modern versions seem to lose the power and authority of the Word as they try to be easily understood in plain English, not Holman. Holman does not take liberties with the authority of the Word, richness of the language, nor many of the key doctrines of the Old and New Testament. I found it to be reliable, articulate and a solid reference.
I highly recommend it for personal devotion, sermon preparation and study, and Bible study with a group. The illustrations are clear, colorful, and helpful. The maps are very well-done and useful. I like the tabs because my memory isn't what it was once. All in all, the Holman Standard is an exceptional Bible and available in a wide range of prices and features.
Just what I needed...
I have been searching for a bible that wouldn't be so hard to follow. I have several bibles, after awhile I just put them away. I have a hard time following small print, and words that I don't understand. This study bible is what I was looking. It has large enough print, and quick reference translations that make it easy to read through an entire chapter without reading it over and over to understand. The captions relating to the historical moments that occured during that time period is a great addition. It helps you visualize yourself what the people saw.