Three Amazing Uses of the Verb “Evangelize” in the HCSB

The editors, translators, and publisher of the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) are to be congratulated for their pioneering spirit as concerns the translation of the verb “evangelize” in the HCSB.

The HCSB is the only English language translation to use the English verb “evangelize” more than twice since John Wycliffe’s first edition of 1382. It is truly a phenomenal breakthrough worthy to be celebrated.

In Wycliffe’s first edition, Wycliffe translated 36 of the 43 Latin uses of evangelizo as “evangelize” in English. In actuality, the Greek New Testament (NT) used at that time had 55 uses of the verb evangelize—an exact transliteration of evangelizo.

After Wycliffe died in 1384, another version was given his name, the “Wycliffe” second edition of 1388. In this second edition uses of the verb “evangelize” were reduced to only 3 uses. After the Protestant Reformation, when William Tyndale translated the NT from the Greek as the original (Wycliffe translated from the Latin), Tyndale used a variety of verbs to translate “evangelize” from the Greek. He primarily used “preach,” but he also used “preach the gospel”, “show”, “bring tidings”, “bring glad tidings”, and “declare”. Tyndale did not ever use the verb “evangelize.” Other Reformation era translations continued in this practice: the Bishops, the English Geneva, and then the King James Version.

Tyndale’s decision, not to use the verb evangelize, has continued to influence all English translations up until the HCSB. The HCSB includes the verb seven times in its 2009 edition. When I first held the HCSB NT in my hands at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary I was elated to see the verb “evangelize”! The following are three of my favorite uses of this verb to give a small taste of its importance in translation work.

“After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.” (Acts 16:10)

One of the classic uses of the verb “evangelize” in the NT has to be Paul’s Macedonian call. In Acts 16:6-8 Paul and his team were seeking God’s will for their mission trip—with closed doors, road blocks, and no permission to preach the word. Then came a vision in the night, a man from Macedonia asking for help. And, in a classic statement off the pen of Luke, Paul concluded from this vision that “God has called us to evangelize them!” The HCSB provides Christians a powerful statement of Paul’s view of mission by translating this verb as “evangelize.”

“My aim is to evangelize where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else's foundation.” (Rom 15:20)

Here at the close of the Book of Romans, Paul continued to describe his sense of mission. His aim was literally to “Go where no man had ever gone before” with the gospel. He did not want only to go with the gospel, but to verbally proclaim it. His aim was “to evangelize” where the Christ’s name had never been uttered or heard. That evangelizing should be at the heart of Christian world missions is infused in this text by the excellent translation work of the HCSB.

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.” (1 Cor 1:17)

A third amazing use of “evangelize” in the HCSB is found in 1 Corinthians 1:17. In this verse Paul places evangelism above the first ordinance of Christ, which is Baptism. Paul makes a statement of priority. In his mind, evangelizing was more of a priority than Baptism. This statement then begs for definition. What is evangelizing in relation to Baptism? Evangelizing is the proclamation of the gospel leading to the first hearing of faith of the person being evangelized. Or, in the order of Matthew’s Great Commission, evangelizing is found between the “going” and the “making of a disciple.” After a disciple is made, then the decision is made public through Baptism.

Three amazing uses of “evangelize” in the HCSB. This translation has pioneered a new era in English language translation by unearthing a term that was effectively buried since the 1388. 619 years of English Bible translation history were altered when the HCSB used the English verb “evangelize” seven times*—Amen!

*The seven uses are: Acts 8:25, 40; 14:21; 16:10; Rom 15:20; and 1 Cor 1:17.