Holman Christian Standard Bible is a great translation in that it balances the word-for-word/thought-for-thought natures really well. Complete word-for-word translations (eg. ESV, NASB) are very accurate but they are also rather rigid and often don't flow well. Thought-for-thought translations (eg. The Message, The Voice) are poetic and easy to read but often sacrifice accuracy to do so. All are the Word of God, but some do a better job of revealing His Word than others.