In response to widespread misunderstanding of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, especially its newest edition (released 2011), I have written a series of posts designed to help the average person understand what is at stake in an English Bible translation. If you don't know the languages in which the Bible was originally written—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—it can be difficult to assess the accuracy of an English translation. I hope that this series is a helpful orientation to this topic.
I first blogged about the new NIV in 2011, when I bought my own copy, brand spankin' new. You can find that post here. It's a much briefer version of what you'll find in the 7-part series.
Without further ado, here are the links to each post in the 7-part series:
Does the New NIV Distort the Scriptures?
Part 1 - Why update the NIV?
Part 2 - An example from Psalm 1 of the need for an updated translation
Part 3 - The role of ancient languages
Part 4 - The role of the publisher and the issue of "missing words"
Part 5 - The issue of "missing verses"
Part 6 - The issue of gender neutral language
Part 7 - The missional reasons for a new NIV
Still looking for more? If you'd like to read the perspective of a conservative Evangelical male pastor (who identifies himself as a complementarian) on controversy relating to the new NIV, click here and here. His posts are thorough and balanced, with a helpful survey of church history.
A disclaimer: I have not been asked to write this series, nor am I receiving any benefit from Zondervan or Biblica for doing so. Though I know several members of the NIV translation committee personally (the Committee on Bible Translation), the same is also true of the NLT, the HCSB, the ESV, and the NET Bible. You might be surprised to see how much cross-pollination there is between translation committees. My own doctoral advisor, Dr. Daniel Block, participated in the NLT translation committee and served as a consultant for the early stages of the ESV. Dr. Gene Green, a good friend, helped with the ESV and the HCSB.
Evaluation of the NIV
Dr. Carmen Imes is the Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University in La Mirada, CA, and serves the broader church through teaching, speaking, writing, and creating YouTube videos. She earned a PhD in Biblical Theology (Old Testament) from Wheaton College under Dr. Daniel Block, an MA in Biblical Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Charlotte), and a BA in Bible and Theology from Multnomah University. She and her husband, Daniel, served as missionaries with SIM 15 years. They have three children: Ana, Emma, and Easton.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Carmen, I joined a Bible study group as they discussed the last chapter of being God's image. The discussion took me to my upbringing where my parents raised me as a Jehovahs witness. So i had to read the book for myself. Witnesses base their belief on a paradise Earth and humans being restored to perfection. This is the first time I've ever came across this concept outside of their belief.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Yes, Jehovah's Witnesses get some things right (and some major things wrong).
Delete