CSB Seven Arrows Bible: The How-to-Study Bible for Students

By Matt Rogers and CSB Bibles by Holman

The How-to Study Bible

How do you approach your daily reading of God’s Word? And where do you start?  Leveraging the research and success of the Seven Arrows study method, the CSB Seven Arrows Bible walks readers through 150 passages, with additional insights into 600 other passages. By using the arrows as a guide, readers will learn to ask and answer questions such as What does this passage tell us about God? How does this passage change the way I relate to people? and How does this passage prompt me to pray? Clear, orderly, and memorable, this guide for studying any passage of Scripture will equip you to love and apply God’s Word for the rest of your life.

FEATURES:

• General Bible introduction with explanation of the Seven Arrows reading method
• Introductions for each book of the Bible
• 150 passages with a full page application of all Seven Arrows
• 600 passages with a highlight on one of the Seven Arrows
• Bible reading plan
• Maps
• Bible concordance
• Full text of the Christian Standard Bible

The CSB Seven Arrows Bible features the readable, faithful-to-the- original text of the Christian Standard Bible. The CSB’s optimal blend of accuracy and readability makes it perfectly suited for a lifetime of studying, memorizing, and sharing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BH Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781462792658

Book preview

Seven Arrows Bible

Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers

Nashville, Tennessee. All Rights Reserved.

Christian Standard Bible®

Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers.

Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The text of the Christian Standard Bible may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of one thousand (1,000) verses without the written permission of the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not account for more than 50 percent of the work in which they are quoted, and provided that a complete book of the Bible is not quoted. Requests for permission are to be directed to and approved in writing by Holman Bible Publishers, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee 37234.

When the Christian Standard Bible is quoted, one of the following credit lines must appear on the copyright page or title page of the work:

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB®are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The interior of the Seven Arrows Bible was designed and typeset using Bible Serif created by 2k/denmark, Højbjerg, Denmark. Proofreading was provided by Peachtree Editorial Services, Peachtree City, Georgia.

Seven Arrows Bible introduction

God’s Word is a treasure (Pss 19,119). The God who spoke all things into existence is the very same God who graciously gives us His Word. From the opening page, the Bible focuses the attention on God, making it clear that this is His story.

Along the way, every small story told in the Bible displays God’s character—His attributes are vividly and tangibly seen through the story He has written. This story moves from the creation of the world and all that is in it to the ultimate recreation of the world in the end. It’s the greatest story the world has ever heard.

Yet the Bible is an intimidating book. For one, the Bible is big. It’s filled with words, names, and places that are uncommon to most readers. The type of writing varies as well. Certain authors describe God’s work using stories; others do so with poems or songs. Those who set out on the journey to read and understand God’s story can easily become frustrated and give up when they encounter these obstacles along the way.

When people get past the intimidation factor, they discover that the Bible isn’t nearly as complex as they thought. Of course, they are reading the story of the God of the universe, whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Is 55:9), so they should expect it to be challenging at times. In fact, the best thinkers in all the world will never understand everything there is to know about God. But God did something amazing by giving humanity the Bible: He took His character and His work in the world and put them in words. God gave us a book to show us what He is like, how people can know Him, and what they are to do with their lives. People would be foolish to take such a gracious gift and assume they can’t understand it.

Contained in the pages of the Bible is the story of God’s work throughout all human history with a focus on how He will save sinners and fix the broken world through Jesus Christ. This is certainly not a story that can be captured in a few brief pages. To grasp the totality of God’s story, it’s helpful to view the Bible as one united story made up of a series of chapters that build on one another.

Chapter 1: Creation — God’s design for the world and for the people He creates in His image

Chapter 2: Fall — God’s response to the rebellion of His people and the consequences of their sin to humans and the world

Chapter 3: Plan — God’s initiative to save a group of people, commissioning them to represent His greatness in the world

Chapter 4: People — God’s work among this people to demonstrate His character, reveal His law, and make it possible for sinners to worship Him through sacrifice

Chapter 5: Kingdom — God’s care for His people through human leaders who consistently fall short of God’s intentions and point forward to a permanent solution for the problem of human sin

Chapter 6: Judgment — God’s wrath demonstrated to His people due to their consistent rebellion from His love

Chapter 7: Jesus — God’s grace to sinners displayed through His sending of Jesus to reflect God’s image perfectly, to die to pay the price for human sin, and to conquer Satan and death by rising again on the third day

Chapter 8: Church — God’s salvation offered to fallen sinners by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and His work to gather them into a family in a local church

Chapter 9: Eternity — God’s faithfulness to finish the work and fulfill His promise to save sinners and fix the world

God’s story progresses through each of these chapters, though it’s common for various biblical authors to comment on these chapters at various times and places in their writing. For example, the apostle Paul, writing in the chapter about the church, will often point back to God’s creation or forward to God’s work in eternity. These main divisions, or chapters, allow a reader to categorize and organize all the details in God’s story.

There’s one other necessary skill that makes the Bible accessible to any reader, whether this is your first time reading God’s Word or you’ve tried before and given up. You’ve got to know how to read each small story or paragraph in the Bible and understand how it fits into God’s overall story to save sinners and fix the world. The seven arrows of Bible reading are designed with that goal in mind.

It’s critical that a reader has a way to make sense of God’s intention in any passage of Scripture, whether it’s a story about human sin in the chapter on the fall or a poem about God’s love in the chapter on God’s plan. There’s a reason why God chose each word contained in the Bible. He certainly could have written more—after all, the Bible is the great story of God and His work throughout all of history—so there’s a reason He chose the words He did, and it’s up to the reader to grasp why. The arrows, and the corresponding question that accompanies each, are a tool that any reader can use to examine, understand, and apply the treasure of God’s Word.

Arrow 1—What does the passage say?

The first step is to summarize the passage in your own words. Basically, you want to restate the main point of the section of Scripture in a simple sentence or two. Don’t worry about interpreting what the passage means at this point. Simply strive to understand the words the author uses, and summarize the big idea in a way that captures the essence of what’s being said.

Arrow 2—What did the passage mean to its original audience?

Long before readers try to apply the Bible to their lives, time should be spent investigating what the passage meant to those who experienced the stories of the Bible firsthand. It’s easy to feel bogged down by this question and think that you must be an expert on the people and places of the Bible to answer it, but that’s not often the case. It might be helpful to read the introduction to the book, consult a solid commentary, or take a look at some study notes in your Bible, but you can often answer this question just by putting yourself in the scene and asking what you’d imagine those in the story would have thought or felt.

Arrow 3—What does the passage tell us about God?

Every story in the Bible is about God. This third arrow is designed to make Him the focus, protecting the reader from becoming the main character of the Bible. Though the Bible certainly addresses human problems, needs, and struggles, it is first and foremost the story of God’s character and of His plan to save sinners and fix the world. Sinful people are the recipients of this good work. A proper understanding of God provides the motivation and power to obey anything we might read in the Bible. There will be times when the Bible will come right out and tell you something about God, such as His compassion, grace, faithfulness, or love. Other times the answer to this question will require you to reflect on the story and come to your own conclusion. Because God exists in three persons these observations may be about God the Father, or God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. Each truth you discover will build a robust understanding of who the God of the Bible really is.

Arrow 4—What does the passage tell us about man?

The fourth question shifts the focus to sinful people. This question is probably the easiest for a reader of the Bible to answer because it’s personal. The stories of the Bible depict people who sin and need Jesus just like everyone who reads the Bible today. We read stories of people who make bad decisions, question God’s love, and struggle to obey Him consistently. Others model a heart that loves God, striving to follow Him, repent of sin, and pursue the life He designed for them. God’s story demonstrates His work to save all people from their sin.

Arrow 5—What does this passage demand of me?

The final three arrows are action oriented, asking readers to apply the truth seen in arrows 1–4. This progression is intentional. All application should be based on who God is and what He is doing to save sinners and fix the world. Obedience follows as a response to who God is and what He has done. There will be times when the Bible comes right out to say what form obedience should take: love others, guard your heart, serve the poor, pray, share the good news, and so on. Other times, the reader might need to reflect on the passage in a bit more detail to see the application clearly. This is why the first four arrows are so important; they help make the application clear even when the Bible doesn’t exactly say how we should obey each passage. It’s also important to remember that sometimes the application will be something the reader does, while other times the application might be toward what the reader thinks or feels. For example, a passage might challenge the reader to trust God for their needs and not worry about tomorrow. This may not seem like an action, but these steps of obedience are just as important as other actions that might be easier to see externally.

Arrow 6—How does this passage change the way I relate to people?

Arrow six requires the reader to apply the passage to the various relationships in their lives. Throughout the Bible, a close connection is demonstrated between love for God and love for those who are made in His image. Thought should be given to how each type of love is shown after reading and understanding any biblical text. This love might be demonstrated by seeking forgiveness, speaking a word of encouragement, walking with someone through pain, sharing the gospel with someone far from God, or serving someone in their need. These tangible actions of love for others are evidence of a love for God.

Arrow 7—What does this passage prompt me to pray?

The final arrow challenges the reader to talk to God about what they’ve read. Prayer should be a response to God for the ways that He has spoken to us through His Word. There are times when the Bible will cause you to praise God for His glorious character; other times it might make you weep over your sin. These responses are rightly directed to God in prayer. All genuine and lasting change demands His help. Prayer places the reader in a position of dependence where they ask God to give them the ability to act on what they’ve just read. God’s kindness and grace can be seen as the answers to these prayers are recorded.

These seven arrows are meant to be a simple and memorable way to help anyone read the Bible well. The more one can practice reading the Bible this way, the more they will train their minds and hearts to enjoy the treasure of God’s Word.

The Bible you hold in your hands is meant to guide you through this process. Inside you’ll notice four tools to help you use the seven arrows.

Bible Book Introductions—Each book of the Bible contains a simple introduction that describes the main details you’ll need to know to understand the book well. These introductions are written to connect every book to the overall story of God’s work to save sinners and fix the world.

Seven Arrow Examples—Key passages of Scripture pose an example of how the seven arrows might be used to understand that text. These models are meant to help readers understand these critical stories and provide a guide for how to use the arrows in other similar passages.

Single Arrow Examples—Various arrows fill the Bible to show how the answers to these questions help the reader understand and apply what they’ve read. The arrows have been chosen based on important elements from the selected passage and provide examples for readers to see how each arrow can and should be used.

Bible Reading Guide—An approach to reading the Bible is provided to guide the reader through selected passages of Scripture.

The Seven Arrows Bible aims to train Bible readers to enjoy God’s Word for the rest of their lives. It’s astounding to think that humanity has been given access to the great story of God’s work to save sinners and fix the world. By His grace, people can spend the rest of their lives experiencing His story for themselves.

bible reading guide

creation

Week 1

Day 1: Genesis 1:1-2

Day 2: Genesis 1:3-19

Day 3: Genesis 1:20-25

Day 4: Genesis 1:26-31

Day 5: Colossians 1:15-18

Week 2

Day 1: Genesis 1:26-27

Day 2: Genesis 1:28-31

Day 3: Genesis 2:1-3

Day 4: Genesis 2:5-9

Day 5: Hebrews 1:1-3

Week 3

Day 1: Genesis 2:15-17

Day 2: Genesis 2:18-22

Day 3: Genesis 2:24-25

Day 4: Isaiah 43:1-7

Day 5: John 17:1-5

Week 4

Day 1: Psalm 19:1-6

Day 2: Psalm 139:13-16

Day 3: Acts 17:22-34

Day 4: Revelation 4:1-11

Day 5: John 1:1-18

FALL

Week 5

Day 1: Genesis 3:1-5

Day 2: Genesis 3:6-7

Day 3: Genesis 3:8-13

Day 4: Genesis 3:14-19

Day 5: Romans 5:12-21

Week 6

Day 1: Genesis 3:20-21

Day 2: Genesis 3:22-24

Day 3: Ephesians 2:1-3

Day 4: Romans 8:18-23

Day 5: Romans 3:21-25

Week 7

Day 1: Romans 1:18-23

Day 2: Matthew 12:33-35

Day 3: Romans 1:24-32

Day 4: James 1:12-15

Day 5: Romans 6:15-23

PLAN

Week 8

Day 1: Genesis 4:1-16

Day 2: Genesis 6:1-8

Day 3: Genesis 6:9-22

Day 4: Genesis 8:13–9:7

Day 5: Romans 5:6-11

Week 9

Day 1: Genesis 11:1-9

Day 2: Genesis 12:1-3

Day 3: Genesis 15

Day 4: Genesis 17

Day 5: Romans 4

Week 10

Day 1: Genesis 22:1-19

Day 2: Genesis 25:19-34

Day 3: Genesis 39

Day 4: Genesis 50:15-26

Day 5: Romans 8:28-30

Week 11

Day 1: Exodus 2:23-25

Day 2: Exodus 3

Day 3: Exodus 6:1-13

Day 4: Exodus 12

Day 5: Luke 22:14-23

Week 12

Day 1: Exodus 14

Day 2: Exodus 19:1-6

Day 3: Exodus 20:1-21

Day 4: Exodus 32

Day 5: Ephesians 2:4-10

Week 13

Day 1: Leviticus 1

Day 2: Leviticus 6:8-30

Day 3: Leviticus 16

Day 4: Leviticus 19:1-8

Day 5: Hebrews 10:1-14

Week 14

Day 1: Numbers 1:1-19

Day 2: Numbers 6:1-21

Day 3: Numbers 9:15-23

Day 4: Numbers 11:1-15

Day 5: John 6:22-59

Week 15

Day 1: Numbers 13:25-14:1

Day 2: Numbers 14:13-38

Day 3: Numbers 20:1-13

Day 4: Numbers 21:4-9

Day 5: John 3:1-21

Week 16

Day 1: Deuteronomy 2:1-25

Day 2: Deuteronomy 4:1-14

Day 3: Deuteronomy 6:1-15

Day 4: Deuteronomy 8

Day 5: Matthew 4:1-17

Week 17

Day 1: Deuteronomy 9:1-5

Day 2: Deuteronomy 11:26-32

Day 3: Deuteronomy 21:22-23

Day 4: Deuteronomy 30

Day 5: Hebrews 3

PEOPLE

Week 18

Day 1: Joshua 1:1-9

Day 2: Joshua 3:9-17

Day 3: Joshua 6

Day 4: Joshua 8:30-35

Day 5: Ephesians 6:10-20

Week 19

Day 1: Joshua 13:1-7

Day 2: Joshua 21:43-45

Day 3: Joshua 24:14-28

Day 4: Judges 1:27-36

Day 5: Hebrews 4:1-13

Week 20

Day 1: Judges 2:6-10

Day 2: Judges 2:11-23

Day 3: Judges 10:6-18

Day 4: Judges 16

Day 5: Luke 4:16-22

Week 21

Day 1: Ruth 1

Day 2: Ruth 2

Day 3: Ruth 3

Day 4: Ruth 4

Day 5: Matthew 1:1-6

KINGDOM

Week 22

Day 1: 1 Samuel 3

Day 2: 1 Samuel 4:1-10

Day 3: 1 Samuel 5

Day 4: 1 Samuel 8

Day 5: Matthew 27:27-31

Week 23

Day 1: 1 Samuel 10:17-27

Day 2: 1 Samuel 15:10-35

Day 3: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Day 4: 1 Samuel 17

Day 5: Mark 10:46-52

Week 24

Day 1: 1 Samuel 18:6-16

Day 2: 1 Samuel 24

Day 3: 2 Samuel 5:1-10

Day 4: 1 Chronicles 15:25-29

Day 5: Psalm 95

Week 25

Day 1: 1 Chronicles 16:8-36

Day 2: 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Day 3: 2 Samuel 9

Day 4: 2 Samuel 11

Day 5: Psalm 51

Week 26

Day 1: 2 Samuel 15:1-6

Day 2: Psalm 3

Day 3: 1 Chronicles 22:6-19

Day 4: 1 Kings 3:3-15

Day 5: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Week 27

Day 1: 1 Kings 4:20-34

Day 2: Proverbs 1:1-17

Day 3: 1 Kings 6

Day 4: 2 Chronicles 5:2-14

Day 5: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Week 28

Day 1: 1 Kings 9:1-9

Day 2: 1 Kings 11:1-8

Day 3: 2 Chronicles 10

Day 4: 1 Kings 17

Day 5: Matthew 17:1-13

Week 29

Day 1: 1 Kings 18:1-40

Day 2: 1 Kings 19:9-18

Day 3: 2 Kings 2

Day 4: 2 Kings 5:1-14

Day 5: 1 John 1:5-10

JUDGMENT

Week 30

Day 1: Isaiah 1

Day 2: Jeremiah 2:4-13

Day 3: Jeremiah 31:31-34

Day 4: Jeremiah 32:36-44

Day 5: Isaiah 53

Week 31

Day 1: Micah 5

Day 2: Amos 3

Day 3: Jonah 1

Day 4: Habakkuk 3:17-19

Day 5: Hosea 3

Week 32

Day 1: 2 Kings 17:6-23

Day 2: 2 Kings 22:8-20

Day 3: 2 Kings 23

Day 4: 2 Kings 24:10-17

Day 5: John 2:13-25

Week 33

Day 1: Daniel 1

Day 2: Daniel 6

Day 3: Ezekiel 36:22-38

Day 4: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Day 5: John 11:38-44

Week 34

Day 1: Nehemiah 1

Day 2: Nehemiah 8:1-8

Day 3: Haggai 1

Day 4: Malachi 1:6-14

Day 5: Luke 15:11-32

JESUS

Week 35

Day 1: Matthew 1:6-17

Day 2: Luke 1:67-80

Day 3: Luke 2:1-21

Day 4: Matthew 2

Day 5: Galatians 4:1-7

Week 36

Day 1: Matthew 4:12-22

Day 2: Mark 3:13-19

Day 3: Matthew 16:24-28

Day 4: John 1:35-51

Day 5: Romans 1:1-7

Week 37

Day 1: Matthew 5:1-12

Day 2: Matthew 5:17-20

Day 3: Mark 4:1-20

Day 4: Mark 6:1-6

Day 5: Galatians 2:15–3:14

Week 38

Day 1: Mark 2:1-12

Day 2: Luke 8:26-39

Day 3: John 9

Day 4: Luke 7:1-17

Day 5: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Week 39

Day 1: John 3:1-21

Day 2: John 4:1-30

Day 3: Luke 9:10-17

Day 4: John 10:1-21

Day 5: Psalm 23

Week 40

Day 1: John 1:29-34

Day 2: John 10:22-42

Day 3: Matthew 8:23-27

Day 4: Matthew 12:1-8

Day 5: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Week 41

Day 1: Matthew 16:13-23

Day 2: Matthew 23:1-15

Day 3: John 11:45-57

Day 4: Luke 19:28-40

Day 5: Hebrews 12:1-2

Week 42

Day 1: Matthew 26:17-29

Day 2: Luke 22:39-62

Day 3: Luke 23:18-56

Day 4: Matthew 27:45-66

Day 5: Philippians 2:4-11

Week 43

Day 1: Matthew 28:1-10

Day 2: Luke 24:13-35

Day 3: Luke 24:36-53

Day 4: John 21:15-19

Day 5: 1 Corinthians 15:1-19

CHURCH

Week 44

Day 1: Matthew 28:18-20

Day 2: Acts 2:14-41

Day 3: Acts 2:42-47

Day 4: Acts 5:12-42

Day 5: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Week 45

Day 1: Acts 7:54-8:3

Day 2: Acts 9:1-22

Day 3: Acts 11:1-18

Day 4: Acts 13

Day 5: Revelation 7:9–12

Week 46

Day 1: Romans 12

Day 2: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Day 3: 1 Corinthians 12

Day 4: 1 Corinthians 13

Day 5: Ephesians 5:22-33

Week 47

Day 1: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Day 2: Galatians 5:16–6:10

Day 3: Ephesians 2:11-22

Day 4: Ephesians 4:1-16

Day 5: 1 Peter 5:1-11

Week 48

Day 1: Colossians 3:1-17

Day 2: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Day 3: 1 Timothy 4:6-16

Day 4: 1 Timothy 6:1-10

Day 5: 1 Timothy 6:11-21

Week 49

Day 1: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Day 2: Philemon 1

Day 3: Hebrews 10:19-25

Day 4: Hebrews 11

Day 5: 2 Timothy 2:1-13

Week 50

Day 1: James 1:19-27

Day 2: 1 Peter 2:1-12

Day 3: 1 John 3:11-24

Day 4: 1 John 5:1-5

Day 5: Jude 1:17-25

ETERNITY

Week 51

Day 1: 2 Peter 3:1-13

Day 2: Luke 12:35-48

Day 3: Luke 14:12-24

Day 4: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11

Day 5: Revelation 1:1-8

Week 52

Day 1: Revelation 3:14-22

Day 2: Revelation 5

Day 3: Revelation 7:9-17

Day 4: Revelation 21:1-8

Day 5: Revelation 22:1-5

Introduction to the Christian Standard Bible®

The Bible is God’s revelation to humanity. It is our only source for completely reliable information about God, what happens when we die, and where history is headed. The Bible reveals these things because it is God’s inspired Word, inerrant in the original manuscripts. Bible translation brings God’s Word from the ancient languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) into today’s world. In dependence on God’s Spirit to accomplish this sacred task, the CSB Translation Oversight Committee and Holman Bible Publishers present the Christian Standard Bible.

Textual Base of the CSB

The textual base for the New Testament (NT) is the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th edition, and the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament, 5th corrected edition. The text for the Old Testament (OT) is the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 5th edition.

Where there are significant differences among Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek manuscripts, the translators follow what they believe is the original reading and indicate the main alternative(s) in footnotes. The CSB uses the traditional verse divisions found in most Protestant Bibles.

Goals of This Translation

• Provide English-speaking people worldwide with an accurate translation in contemporary English.

• Provide an accurate translation for personal study, sermon preparation, private devotions, and memorization.

• Provide a text that is clear and understandable, suitable for public reading, and shareable so that all may access its life-giving message.

• Affirm the authority of Scripture and champion its absolute truth against skeptical viewpoints.

Translation Philosophy of the CSB

Most discussions of Bible translations speak of two opposite approaches: formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence. This terminology is meaningful, but Bible translations cannot be neatly sorted into these two categories. There is room for another category of translation philosophy that capitalizes on the strengths of the other two.

1. Formal Equivalence:

Often called word-for-word (or literal) trans­la­tion, the principle of formal equivalence seeks as nearly as possible to preserve the structure of the original language. It seeks to represent each word of the original text with an exact equivalent word in the translation so that the reader can see word for word what the original human author wrote. The merits of this approach include its consistency with the conviction that the Holy Spirit did inspire the very words of Scripture in the original manuscripts. It also provides the English Bible student some access to the structure of the text in the original language. Formal equivalence can achieve accuracy to the degree that English has an exact equivalent for each word and that the grammatical patterns of the original language can be reproduced in understandable English. However, it can sometimes result in awkward, if not incomprehensible, English or in a misunderstanding of the author’s intent. The literal rendering of ancient idioms is especially difficult.

2. Dynamic or Functional Equivalence:

Often called thought-for-thought translation, the principle of dynamic equivalence rejects as misguided the attempt to preserve the structure of the original language. It proceeds by extracting the meaning of a text from its form and then translating that meaning so that it makes the same impact on modern readers that the ancient text made on its original readers. Strengths of this approach include a high degree of clarity and readability, especially in places where the original is difficult to render word for word. It also acknowledges that accurate and effective translation may require interpretation. However, the meaning of a text cannot always be neatly separated from its form, nor can it always be precisely determined. A biblical author may have intended multiple meanings, but these may be lost with the elimination of normal structures. In striving for readability, dynamic equivalence also sometimes overlooks and loses some of the less prominent elements of meaning. Furthermore, lack of formal correspondence to the original makes it difficult to verify accuracy and thus can affect the usefulness of the translation for in-depth Bible study.

3. Optimal Equivalence:

In practice, translations are seldom if ever purely formal or dynamic but favor one theory of Bible translation or the other to varying degrees. Optimal equivalence as a translation philosophy recognizes that form cannot always be neatly separated from meaning and should not be changed unless comprehension demands it. The primary goal of translation is to convey the sense of the original with as much clarity as the original text and the translation language permit. Optimal equivalence appreciates the goals of formal equivalence but also recognizes its limitations.

Optimal equivalence starts with an exhaustive analysis of the text at every level (word, phrase, clause, sentence, discourse) in the original language to determine its original meaning and intention (or purpose). Then, relying on the latest and best language tools and experts, the nearest corresponding semantic and linguistic equivalents are used to convey as much of the information and intention of the original text with as much clarity and readability as possible. This process assures the maximum transfer of both the words and the thoughts contained in the original.

The CSB uses optimal equivalence as its translation philosophy. In the many places throughout the Bible where a word-for-word rendering is understandable, a literal translation is used. When a word-for-word rendering might obscure the meaning for a modern audience, a more dynamic translation is used. The Christian Standard Bible places equal value on fidelity to the original and readability for a modern audience, resulting in a translation that achieves both goals.

The Gender Language Usage in Bible Translation

The goal of the translators of the Christian Standard Bible has not been to promote a cultural ideology but to translate the Bible faithfully. Recognizing modern usage of English, the CSB regularly translates the plural of the Greek word ανθρωπος (man) as people instead of men, and occasionally the singular as one, someone, or everyone, when the supporting pronouns in the original languages validate such a translation. While the CSB avoids using he or him unnecessarily, the translation does not restructure sentences to avoid them when they are in the text.

History of the CSB

After several years of preliminary development, Holman Bible Publishers, the oldest Bible publisher in North America, assembled an international, interdenominational team of 100 scholars, editors, stylists, and proofreaders, all of whom were committed to biblical inerrancy. Outside consultants and reviewers contributed valuable suggestions from their areas of expertise. Working with the original languages, an executive team of translators edited, polished, and reviewed the final manuscript, which was first published as the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) in 2004.

A standing committee was also formed to maintain the HCSB translation and look for ways to improve readability without compromising accuracy. As with the original translation team, the committee that prepared this revision of the HCSB, renamed the Christian Standard Bible, is international and interdenominational, comprising evangelical scholars who honor the inspiration and authority of God’s written Word.

Traditional Features Found in the CSB

In keeping with a long line of Bible publications, the CSB has retained a number of features found in traditional Bibles:

1. Traditional theological vocabulary (for example, justification, sanctification, redemption) has been retained since such terms have no other translation equivalent that adequately communicates their exact meaning.

2. Traditional spellings of names and places found in most Bibles have been used to make the CSB compatible with most Bible study tools.

3. Some editions of the CSB will print the words of Christ in red letters to help readers easily locate the spoken words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Descriptive headings, printed above each section of Scripture, help readers quickly identify the contents of that section.

5. OT passages quoted in the NT are indicated. In the CSB, they are set in boldface type.

Abbreviations in CSB Bibles

AD In the year of our Lord

BC before Christ

c. century

ca circa

chap(s). chapter(s)

cp. compare

DSS Dead Sea Scrolls

e.g. for example

Eng English

etc. et cetera

Gk Greek

Hb Hebrew

i.e. that is

Lat Latin

lit literal(ly)

LXX Septuagint—an ancient translation

of the Old Testament into Greek

MT Masoretic Text

NT New Testament

ms(s) manuscript(s)

OT Old Testament

pl. plural

Ps(s) Psalm(s)

Sam Samaritan Pentateuch

sg. singular

Sym Symmachus

Syr Syriac

Tg Targum

Theod Theodotian

v./vv. verse, verses

Vg Vulgate—an ancient translation of

the Bible into Latin

vol(s). volume(s)

the old

testament

introduction to

genesis

Genesis is a book of beginnings. The opening words set the stage for all that will follow: In the beginning God . . . . God is the main character of the story, and the book of Genesis describes His majestic plan to fill the earth with His glory. God speaks all things into existence, creating a perfect world that shows off His greatness. He also places image-bearers, men and women, in this world to reflect His image and fill the earth.

The beautiful scene in the garden of Eden does not last long, however, as Satan tempts the first couple to doubt God’s love and disobey His commands. The first sin twists and distorts God’s grand design, ushering in the chaos and death that result from sin. The remainder of the book describes God’s plan to save sinners and fix the world broken by sin. God pledges to send a child, an offspring of Eve, who will one day crush the head of Satan, sin, and death forever (Gn 3:15). He even hints at the way that sin will be forgiven, as He offers a sacrifice to cover for the sins of Adam and Eve (Gn 3:21).

The primary focus of this story is on the call of Abraham and the emergence of God’s people—the nation of Israel—who would serve as the recipients of God’s promises and from whom would come the One who would make all things right once more. The stories throughout the book trace God’s faithfulness to His promises in spite of the sin of the people. God makes a covenant with the people, pledging to love them, save them, and dwell among them.

It is thought that Moses was the author of Genesis—probably writing it along with Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy while in the wilderness of Sinai. This writing would serve to formalize a unified record of God’s character and actions. Moses was best positioned to write these words because of the central role he played in leading God’s people and the authority that came with his position.

The Creation

1In the beginning a God created the heavens and the earth. A , b

² Now the earth was formless and empty, a darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. b ³ Then God said, Let there be light, a and there was light. ⁴ God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

⁶ Then God said, Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water. a ⁷ So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. a And it was so. ⁸ God called the expanse sky. A Evening came and then morning: the second day.

⁹ Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, a and let the dry land appear." And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the water he called seas. And God saw that it was good. ¹¹ Then God said, Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. a And it was so. ¹² The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ Evening came and then morning: the third day.

¹⁴ Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs a for seasons A and for days and years. b ¹⁵ They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth." And it was so. ¹⁶ God made the two great lights — the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night — as well as the stars. a ¹⁷ God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, ¹⁸ to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. a And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ Evening came and then morning: the fourth day.

²⁰ Then God said, "Let the water swarm with A living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." ²¹ So God created the large sea-creatures A and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, a according to their kinds. He also created every winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ²² God blessed them: Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth. a ²³ Evening came and then morning: the fifth day.

²⁴ Then God said, Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. ²⁵ So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, "Let us a make man A in B our image, according to our likeness. b They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, C and the creatures that crawl D on the earth." c

²⁷ So God created man in his own image;

he created him in A the image of God;

he created them male and female. a

²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, a and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls A on the earth." ²⁹ God also said, "Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, a ³⁰ for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth — everything having the breath of life in it — I have given A every green plant for food." a And it was so. ³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. a Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

genesis 1:26-28

What does this passage say?

God completes His work of creation by designing a man and woman who reflect His image.

What did this passage mean to its original audience?

Adam and Eve, and all those who heard or read about God’s creation after them, know the value and mission of men and women. Because the hand of God fashioned and intimately formed them, Adam and Eve grasp their worth in God’s eyes. Since they were given God’s image and sent to reflect that image in the world, they would sense a God-given purpose for their lives. Knowing their value and their involvement in God’s mission would produce rightful worship to God.

What does this passage tell us about God?

God wants to be known and worshiped. He created men and women to share in a relationship with Him and to show off His greatness throughout all the world. He did not have to create, but He chose to design people and task them with representing Him to the world. Creation would never have happened were it not for God’s desire to reveal Himself and His glory.

What does this passage tell us about man?

Men and women alike are created in the image of God. Though they may reflect His image differently, both men and women are God’s creations and have meaningful roles to play in His mission.

What does this passage demand of me?

I do not have to question whether or not I matter to God or live in a constant panic over the perceptions of other people. As a child of God, I have worth and value because He made me and He loves me. Nothing anyone else says about me changes the fact that I matter to God and that He continually pursues me with His love. He gives purpose and meaning to my life as I reflect Him to the world.

How does this passage change the way I relate to people?

I should treat other people with love and respect because all people are created in the image of God. Even though people may look, act, or talk differently than I do, they are no less valuable to God. He created all people to reflect His image, and I should love everyone.

How does this passage prompt me to pray to God?

I praise God for His power. He spoke all things into creation, including every person who has ever lived. I should thank Him for creating me and giving me the privilege of reflecting His image through my life. I should ask God to help me love others who are made in His image and to live a life that shows others the greatness of God.

2So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. a ² On the seventh A day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested B on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. a ³ God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested a from all his work of creation. A , b

Man and Woman in the Garden

⁴ These are the records a of the heavens and the earth, concerning their creation. At the time A that the

Lord

God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ no shrub of the field a had yet grown on the land, A and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the

Lord

God had not made it rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground. ⁶ But mist would come up from the earth and water all the ground. ⁷ Then the

Lord

God formed the man out of the dust from the ground a and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, b and the man became a living being. c

⁸ The

Lord

God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, a and there he placed the man he had formed. ⁹ The

Lord

God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, a as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. b

¹⁰ A river went A out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers. B ¹¹ The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah, A , a where there is gold. ¹² Gold from that land is pure; A bdellium B and onyx C are also there. ¹³ The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush. ¹⁴ The name of the third river is Tigris, a which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. b

¹⁵ The

Lord

God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. ¹⁶ And the

Lord

God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, a ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die." a ¹⁸ Then the

Lord

God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding a to him." ¹⁹ The

Lord

God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. a And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man A no helper was found corresponding to him. ²¹ So the

Lord

God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, a and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. ²² Then the

Lord

God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. a ²³ And the man said:

This one, at last, is bone of my bone

and flesh of my flesh;

this one will be called woman,

for she was taken from man. a

²⁴ This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. a ²⁵ Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

The Temptation and the Fall

3Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the

Lord

God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’? a

² The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. ³ But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’ " a

⁴ No! You will not die, the serpent said to the woman. a ⁵ In fact, God knows that when A you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, B knowing good and evil. ⁶ The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. a ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Sin’s Consequences

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the

Lord

God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, A and they hid from the

Lord

God among the trees of the garden. a ⁹ So the

Lord

God called out to the man and said to him, Where are you?

¹⁰ And he said, "I heard you A in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid."

¹¹ Then he asked, Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?

¹² The man replied, a The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.

¹³ So the

Lord

God asked the woman, What is this you have done?

And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. a

¹⁴ So the

Lord

God said to the serpent:

Because you have done this,

you are cursed more than any livestock

and more than any wild animal.

You will move on your belly

and eat dust all the days of your life. a

¹⁵ I will put hostility between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring.

He will strike your head,

and you will strike his heel. a

¹⁶ He said to the woman:

I will intensify your labor pains;

you will bear children with painful effort. a

Your desire b will be for your husband,

yet he will rule over you.

¹⁷ And he said to the man, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’:

The ground is cursed because of you. a

You will eat from it by means of painful labor A

all the days of your life.

¹⁸ It will produce thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat the plants of the field. a

¹⁹ You will eat bread A by the sweat of your brow

until you return to the ground, a

since you were taken from it.

For you are dust,

and you will return to dust."

²⁰ The man named his wife Eve A because she was the mother of all the living. ²¹ The

Lord

God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.

²² The

Lord

God said, Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever. a ²³ So the

Lord

God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life. a

Cain Murders Abel

4The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the

Lord

’s help." A ² She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. ³ In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the

Lord

. a ⁴ And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. a The

Lord

had regard for Abel and his offering, b ⁵ but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. A

⁶ Then the

Lord

said to Cain, "Why are you furious? a And why do you look despondent? A ⁷ If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." a

⁸ Cain said to his brother Abel, Let’s go out to the field. A And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. a

⁹ Then the

Lord

said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel?

I don’t know, he replied. Am I my brother’s guardian?

¹⁰ Then he said, "What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! a ¹¹ So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. A ¹² If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." a

¹³ But Cain answered the

Lord

, "My punishment A is too great to bear! ¹⁴ Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me." a

¹⁵ Then the

Lord

replied to him, "In that case, A whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." B And he placed a mark a on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. ¹⁶ Then Cain went out from the

Lord

’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

The Line of Cain

¹⁷ Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. ¹⁸ Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. ¹⁹ Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. ²⁰ Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. A ²¹ His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. ²² Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³ Lamech said to his wives:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words.

For I killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

²⁴ If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,

then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!

²⁵ Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, "God has given A me another child B in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." ²⁶ A son was born to Seth a also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the

Lord

. b

The Line of Seth

5This is the document containing the family A records a of Adam. B On the day that God created man, C he made him in the likeness of God; ² he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and called them mankind. A

³ Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. ⁴ Adam lived 800 years after he fathered Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁵ So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.

⁶ Seth was 105 years old when he fathered Enosh. ⁷ Seth lived 807 years after he fathered Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁸ So Seth’s life lasted 912 years; then he died.

⁹ Enosh was 90 years old when he fathered Kenan. ¹⁰ Enosh lived 815 years after he fathered Kenan, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹¹ So Enosh’s life lasted 905 years; then he died.

¹² Kenan was 70 years old when he fathered Mahalalel. ¹³ Kenan lived 840 years after he fathered Mahalalel, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ So Kenan’s life lasted 910 years; then he died.

¹⁵ Mahalalel was 65 years old when he fathered Jared. ¹⁶ Mahalalel lived 830 years after he fathered Jared, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹⁷ So Mahalalel’s life lasted 895 years; then he died.

¹⁸ Jared was 162 years old when he fathered Enoch. ¹⁹