Quick thoughts on the NIV (latest revision)
February 23, 2012 17 Comments
Recently there has been some dust kicked up in the translation wars. It all started when it was announced that a rather famous, and godly, pastor would have his study Bible published with the new NIV. You would think he denied the Trinity!
I happen to like the new NIV. I think, by and large, the changes (including the gender accurate ones) to it were positive. I live and work in an area where the generic “male” is almost completely extinct. I understand that some people do not share my experience and hearing gender accurate language in the NIV causes a reaction in them similar to fingernails on a chalkboard.
Regardless of our experiences and preferences, it seems to me that we do harm to the church when we impugn the character of the NIV translators. There are differences of opinion regarding the use of gender accurate nouns and pronouns. That’s an in-house debate. Let’s act like it.
To call the NIV the equivalent of the Great Satan sounds a bit too much like the KJV-Only crowd. It is not becoming of the children of God.
About Stan McCullars
I used it for 20 years, starting about 8 years after it came out. Not that it matters but I was very familiar with it, having a lot memorized. When the TNIV came out, every change that they made looked to me to be an improvement, not even counting the gender stuff, some of which was a little awkward and could have been better crafted. I’m not familiar with changes in the new NIV in that regard. Some were so fixated on that, they didn’t see the improvements. Language changes and so did they, without compromising the message. Philemon :6 is one of my favorites, with the word “share” confusing the meaning, and also Philippians 4:13.
Some girls think they are excluded from many of the things we have in Christ. Should we have to explain both Hebrew/Greek and how English has changed, or just give them a translation that translates the meaning? I got bored with the NIV for some reason, but if I had to go back to it, that wouldn’t be such an awful thing.
Jeff
You’re right about the other improvements to the NIV. They seem to have been missed.
I mostly use the ESV and the HCSB but refer to the NIV from time to time. I would use it more it the navigation were easier in the Kindle version. It would also be nice if I could download it for free in one of my Bible apps. Perhaps I should pay for a download once I pick a favorite app. Knowing me that will take at least a year or two.
What amuses me a little is that the man who has announced he will be making a study Bible using the new NIV is one who said some terrible things about the TNIV some time ago.
Ah, well…
I was quite surprised when I saw the news. Hopefully he has mellowed a bit. Regardless, people will benefit from his notes I’m sure.
Are you done reading through the NLT already? I wouldn’t be surprised.
HCSB was my fave for a year of evaluation and almost a year of using it until I finally realized it really is a “souped up NIV” like so many said. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Jeff
That was in the wrong spot.
I can’t tell on my phone. ;)
No. The year is still young. I have the One Year Bible in NLT on my Kindle and I’m just following the daily readings.
We’re just plain lucky that we have notes to keep the text straight! And thank goodness that we have godly pastors that never err.
Rick Mang
What version are you using these days my brother?
I’m most pleased with a NASBy.
I’m splitting time between the ESV and the HCSB with a little NASB and NIV thrown in for good measure.
I’ve stated before I am just not a fan of the new NIV. In regards to translations….I don’t have a “home” translation I am reading from. I mean I love the 84, but it’s going out of print. I like the NLT and ESV but one gets to soft in language at times, the other way to clunky. The NIV’84 was a great balance. The NIV 2011 is awkward…..it can’t make up it’s mind…..if it’s a word for word or thought for thought. I genuinely don’t get it…..the NIV’84 was number 1, people loved it! Specifically the overall evangelical community. The new NIV seems to be catering to politics, pressure, competition with other successful translations, and egalitarians. Not to provide a healthy translation for God’s people. The reason why I don’t feel the same way about the NLT….is because the NLT is designed to reach a certain audience…by men and women I feel who want people to be in God’s word.
SirSaint,
That’s an unhelpful comment. You don’t like the NIV. Fine.
However, you ” impugn the character of the NIV translators” when you state that you “feel” the NLT translators “want people to be in God’s word” implying the NIV translators don’t want the same.
I’ve thought it strange that people seemingly can get into the heads of a translation committee by reading the translation. I don’t think gender neutrality or accuracy can be automatically judged as a political thing. The other changes I’ve seen in the TNIV and NIV look very good/healthy to me. I’m sure you can find some older NIVs around and buy them so they’ll last a lifetime.
Also, the NIV has always been a ‘tweener, between dynamic (thought for thought) and formal (literal). The minor changes don’t change the whole translation philosophy.
I’m also puzzled as to why people think they’re catering to egalitarians or politics and the NLT isn’t.
Jeff, neutral on the NIV
Well said my brother.
I wanted to back you up for once, and politely add some hopefully relevant thoughts.
Jeff