Okay, maybe I need to just chill-out and not post until I’ve had time to think things through, but right now, I just don’t want to do that. I’ve got a bad headache, and am going to have to quick studying and reading (including online) to let my mind and eyes rest, but what I read today made me mad!
I’m a fan of the TNIV. I like several translations, and I’ve switched back and forth many times, but after initially not trusting the TNIV, I’ve studied it out and discovered it is a very good translation, in my opinion the best on the market.
Many ministers and scholars that I admire don’t like it and have even attacked it. No problem. They have their opinion; I have mine. I can’t help if their opinion is wrong 🙂 !
Well, there is news today that the people that produced the NIV family of Bibles (NIV, TNIV, NIRV) are producing a new NIV for 2011. When it comes out, they will discontinue the TNIV (I wonder what they will do with the NIRV???)
Here is a quote that is made from the article in USA Today:
The T-NIV is very divisive. It’s not a unifying translation. And it was poorly handled in the marketplace. We need to undo the damage,” says Maureen (Moe ) Girkins, president of Zondervan.
The T-NIV will be taken off the market when the new Bible is released.
For the 2011 edition, more than a dozen scholars will “review every single gender-related decision we have made and make sure we are putting God’s unchanging word into English people are actually using,” says Douglas Moo, chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation.
Gender issues aren’t the only areas for re-examination, says Moo. “In the 1984 NIV when Paul says (in 2 Corinthians 11:25) ‘I was stoned,’ we changed it to ‘pelted with stones’ to avoid the laughter in the junior high row of the church.”
While the committee has always called on scholars from numerous faiths and disciplines, they’re also now calling for input from the general public at a special new website, NIVBible2011.com.
“I can’t predict what will happen with gender usage. My guess would be we made a lot of the right decisions for the T-NIV but every one of those is open for consideration. We may even be returning to what we had in the 1984 NIV,” says Moo.
I’m not sure what I will do yet: go back to the ESV, or NLT, NET, or just stay with the TNIV and wait till the 2011 NIV comes out.
I’m sure I will settle down once I sleep on it. I just like reading something not as wooden as the ESV but not at liberal in its translation as the NLT. I’d go with the NET, but it also has a problem with circulation.
decisions, decisions, decisions.
Hi Darrin,
I prefer and read solely the KJV myself (which is quickly becoming UNpopular in these last days). I know it may not be as easy to understand, but to me, I’ve never had a problem with it because the Holy Spirit always reveals something I don’t understand, in His time. I know the writers of the new versions translated them to fit our current day’s lingo making it easier to understand, but were they being led by the Holy Spirit when they translated? Or was it done just because they decided to make the bible easier to read? My question boils down to this: Are the new versions inspired by God, or just translated by man’s own limited knowledge (thinking) which is no comparison to God’s knowledge.? This is why I am so cautious to accept any other version than the one that has been around for so long. Believe me, I’ve tried, but keep going back to KJV because the other versions read so different. In some translations the word ‘pride’ is used as something good to have, in the KJV it is something that God abhors in us. There are also verses missing from the NIV (i.e.Matt. 17:21). This is critical scripture because there are particular demons that only come out by FASTING (my upper case for emphasis) and prayer, but the NIV translaters removed this scripture! Many bibles have removed Jesus Christ and replace it with “him”. “Him” could be anybody. I know they were assuming Jesus Christ when they re-wrote the text, but why take it out in the first place? There are many other discrepancies that I’ve seen (too many to count) but that is why I personally have a problem reading other versions.
Darrin, my comment is not meant to make you more mad, but I am just trying to understand why so many are reading the new versions being produced in these last days and why there was a need to change the old version when God can and wants to reveal His Word to us? One more question, I’m wondering, do they have as many translations of the Bible in Israel as we do in America?
Let me know what you think. Thanks.
Sincerely in Christ, Christine Tovar
Thanks for responding Christine, not trying to start a fight here, but I do want to respond to a few things that you might want to consider.
One, are the new translators led by the Holy Spirit? Well, let’s ask the same question, were the KJV translators led by the Holy Spirit? Have you ever read their introduction? In their original introduction, they prayed that the Holy Spirit would lead them, but they admitted that there was no divine inspiration in their writings – none. In fact, they admit they made mistakes in the translation.
Two, which KJV version to you read? Do you know that their are several out their today? I can garantee you that you do not use the original 1611 version, probably the 1789 version, but which version do you use of it. Do you use the Cambridge version, or the Oxford version. There are differences between the two in translation. A lot of people don’t know that. Those are the two most popular versions of the KJV but their are a not of others, including the NKJV.
Next, concerning the translators. I cannot speak for all of them obviously, don’t know them. But there are a few I know that are deeply committed men of God. Searching for the truth of God’s word. Men like Daniel Wallace, James White, Gordon Fee, and Wayne Grudem. These guys are true men of God. By the way, are you aware that not all KJV translators were even Christians, some were just have knowledge of Hebrew and Greek.
Here is something to consider that many people are not aware of: You question the agenda of the new translations. Nothing wrong with that. We should all study and question these things. But have the considered what the agenda of the KJV being translated was? It wasn’t to get out a new translation, but to stop the popularity of the Geneva Bible, whose study notes said somethings against the King of England.
Also, do you know that King James was not a Christian? He was a pedophile/homosexual? That is one reason I would love for them to change the name of the Bible.
Let’s talk about the leading of the Holy Spirit when reading it. It is good to pray that, don’t get me wrong, and I do believe that the Lord can speak to you through the KJV, just like he can through any translation that is committed to the truth of God’s Word. But the problem is again…700 words have changed meaning. So the KJV has a changing doctrine and tradition. I can prove this by one point: All major cults and false Christian beliefs have their start in the KJV. Every one of them. Why because they can take the meanings of words that have changed and go with something else.
Anyway, the Bible states that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth, but we are not to just set back and rely on His leading. The Bible also states that we should study to show ourselves approved unto God.
Sorry so long by the way.
Let’s talk about the verses missing in NIV. How do you know that verses are missing? Because the KJV has them and the NIV doesn’t? Do you know the reason why? Let me state that I believe that not one word for the NIV that was originally in God’s Word is missing. Now a lot of people can call me a heretic for believing that, but until I see the evidence, I hold to it. The reason is this: KJV was translated primarily from a 16th century Greek and Hebrew text. NIV was translated from a bunch of Greek and Hebrew text, some as early as 4 century. And you know what? These earlier texts DID NOT have those verses. Meaning only one possible thing: They were added to the text! So in my opinion the KJV has done a dangerous thing, they have added to the text what God did not intend to originally be there! Now they did it ignorantly because they didn’t have the earlier documents.
Some of the New Translations now use even earlier Greek texts than the NIV did, like the ESV and the TNIV. Why? Well, the earlier the manuscript, the closer you can get to what was orginally written in Scripture. I for one, actually want in my hands what the Holy Spirit inspired to be written, not whether or not a word or verse I happen to like is left out our not. There still is a doctrine of fasting in Scripture. No offense, but the reason it was taking out when Jesus supposedly said it is because it wasn’t actually said by Him! It was added centuries later to the text. I’m sure this will get your blood boiling and probably don’t won’t to have anything to do with me. Not my intention, but I do want to speak the truth in love.
Don’t know about the pride thing. I will have to see that for myself before I can comment.
Back to fasting, why is it critical to Demons coming out? Not really as issue to me. It is the power of fasting, but the power of Christ that causes demons to flee, so whether I fast or not (which I do from time to time by the way) that is not what I stand on in dealing with demonic issues. I stand on Christ and Him crucified and the power of His resurrection – so I have nothing to fear other than my Lord and Savior.
Again, Jesus wasn’t replaced in the NIV with HIM. The earlier Greek text have Him in the Greek. How do we know which Him it is talking about? Simple readings into the text will reveal that.
By the way, they didn’t rewrite the text. Translations like the KJV 21, KJVer, Comfortable KJV, and a few others do. They have translated from the Hebrew and Greek text, and didn’t use the KJV as the standard. Which by the way is biblical. The KJV is not our standard, nor is any other translation. It is the Hebrew and Greek text, and ALL translations, no matter how much we like them, and have been moved by them, but be judged by the Hebrew and Greek text because that is the text God gave the Scriptures through.
I could go on, but I will stop with just commenting about Bibles and Israel. Don’t understand the question. Who cares if they do or don’t have as many translations. Israel as a nation, while being God’s chosen, are lost and without Christ, and if they don’t repent and turn to Him, are headed toward judgment just like any other nation or person.
They do have a number of them as well though. I have in my hands the New Jewish Publication Society Old Testament right now, they also have the old Jewish Publication Society Old Testament, the Hebrew Names version, but a few others that I’m aware of. Doesn’t really support your argument though because whether they have one or a 1000 is not an issue, the issue is are they following God though their Messiah – Jesus of Nazareth. Which they are not.
I’m not much of a supporter of the NIV anymore. Because it is a 30 year old translation, and words have changed meaning, plus there are now older text that need to be translated from that the NIV didn’t have when they first translated.
Neither am I against the KJV, but I want people study the issue out for themselves, without the KJV only cult and their tools, because they lie. But if someone feels the Lord use KJV, then read the KJV, but be careful about knocking all translations, because many of them are good and being used of God just like the KJV is.
The best translation for anyone is the one that they read and understand. So God bless you in your reading of the KJV.