VI. The New International Version
(1978)--A GENTLE WARNING!
A. More than 110 scholars participated in the
completion of this translation, with an expense of $2,500,000. Translators represented 94 different religious
groups from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, and
New Zealand. The first printing of the NIV was the
largest ever done for an English Bible, and advance sales reached 1,200,000 copies. Recent surveys conclude that the NIV is
now the #1 selling translation in America, outpacing the 1611 KJV. Most
religious bookstores devote more shelf space to the NIV than to any other
version.
B. The NIV's preface mentions that the translators were
transdenominational in character.
Regrettably, the church of Christ is listed as one of the denominations which
participated in the work. Brother Jack P. Lewis is
the member who contributed to the work.
C. The introductory remarks are somewhat puzzling in their nature: "The first concern of the translators has been the accuracy of the translation and its fidelity to the thought of the biblical writers. They have weighed the significance of the lexical and grammatical details of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. At the same time, they have striven for more than a word-for-word translation." In an article for the Jan.'95 Faith and Facts, Ben Vick raises this question: "if the translators' number-one concern was to be accurate in translating the thoughts of the Bible writers, why did they strive for 'more than a word-for-word translation'?" See Matt. 4:4 and Prov. 90:5. Vick adds this thought: "it is understood that, in translating the Greek into English, it might take two or three words in the English to translate one Greek word; but we should strive for the exact equivalent, whether it be one, two, or three words. No one has the right to modify the word of God by adding or subtracting from it" (Rev. 22:18-19, Deut. 4:1-2).
D. Strengths, The NIV is widely available. Just about any store which carries Bibles will have a copy of this translation. Also, this version is easily read and comprehended.
E. Weaknesses: Sadly, in some verses the NIV is more a commentary on the scholars' theology than an accurate translation. Because of this fact, it must be used with caution. Here am a few examples: The NIV translates Psalm 51:5 as follows, "Surely I have been sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." Thus, it teaches the Calvinistic doctrine that man is born a sinner. The doctrine of faith only is suggested by Rom. 1:17: "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. ..." Some phrases and passages which our most accurate translations agree should be there, are mysteriously missing from the NIV. For example, Matt. 27:95 is missing altogether. Finally, the NIV's rendering of II Pet. 9:10 has a decidedly premillenial bent: "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." Overwhelming textual evidence supports "burned up."