HOW THE CSB WAS TRANSLATED
The CSB was translated using a methodology called Optimal Equivalence, which balances contemporary English readability with linguistic precision to the original languages. In the many places throughout Scripture where a word-for-word rendering is clearly 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 main problem is the presupposition which undergirds their philosophy of translation. The main responsibility of a translator is to translate the original language into the language of the target audience without doing any violence to the original language. I'm wondering as I chuckle to myself, if these 'moderns' would dynamically translate the Bible using Ebonics if the target audience was Detroit?
Far too many modern translations destroy the original text for the sake of an arbitrary "clarity" in order to make the Bible more "readable" for modern readers.
- The English language has been so bastardized that I suspect that even those living 100 years ago wouldn't recognize it. Proper English has been gradually replaced with slang and profanity.
- I have no doubt the majority of people in the USA would have great difficulty reading the KJV, ASV or even the NASB. But that is no reason to abandon the sanctity of God's inspired written Word by using any form of "dynamic equivalence" to translate it.
- This type of thinking, which is certainly not new nor novel is also guilty of ignoring the authority, responsibility and importance of the visible Church, i.e., the Church's main responsibility is to preach/teach the Word. It is to bring true believer's (as God's appointed instrument) to maturity (Eph 4:11ff; Col 1:28; 1Thess 5:11-14; 2Tim 3:16,17, 4:1,2ff; Heb 13:17; et al). And, secondarily to call sinners to repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Christ unto salvation.
- Ironically, in most every case where an alleged (obscurity) [obscure to whom?] occurs in the original language and it is dynamically translated, the meaning is either obscured far worse and even lost completely.
Enough said, at least in my estimation
... and to be honest, I would not bother with the CSB translation version of the Bible. Haven't people learned from any of these projects, e.g., the NIV, MEV, TLB, GNB, etc., etc., ad nauseam?
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