February 8, 2019
Another Bible Translation?

This past weekend we announced a big change we’re making at Riv; we’re switching our default Bible translation from the ESV to the CSB.
You may be asking yourself (as were we), why there needed to be another translation of the Bible. The fact is, the english language changes. Just look at these two questions:
“Dost thou desire some vessel replete with refreshment?”
“You finna grab a drink?”
One sounds like complete nonsense and the other is something your friend might text you.
Check out this video of Pastor Noel describing a bit more why we’ve switched translations:
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and common Greek, and seeing as most of us don’t speak or read these languages, it has to be translated into English. When translating Scripture, the translators need to prioritize both accuracy and readability, which can be a moving target as our current language keeps changing.
The CSB
The Christian Standard Bible, or CSB, is a newish translation that we’ve found to be a really good blend of accuracy and readability. Because it’s a blend, the CSB is very easy to read and understand . As one pastor wrote in a review of various translations, the best Bible is the one people will actually read. The CSB is written with a unique voice that allows it to be easily understood across the wide spectrum of readers we have at our church from kids to adults.
[quote] For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
– Romans 15:4 CSB [/quote]
Over the last year and a half, the Riv pastors have been evaluating the CSB translation and unanimously decided that we are going to start using it as our default translation. This doesn’t mean that we still won’t occasionally use other translations in teaching where appropriate or helpful, but our primary version will be the CSB.
Get A Physical Bible
We’d encourage you to get a physical copy of the Bible from which to read. A recent study point out that 91% of those that read the Bible on a regular basis do so from a physical copy.
- Grab a free copy of the CSB at the Info Center at any of our venues
- Purchase One on Amazon
Listen To The Bible
If making time to read is difficult in your schedule, check out some audio Bibles to listen while working out, driving, cooking or whatever.
Mobile Apps
There are tons of Bible apps our there and everyone has their own preference for design, features, or even the icon color. We’d encourage you to first, find an app that you’ll actually use, but also try and find one in which you can take notes. Here are a couple of apps we’d recommend:
Quick Links
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