Lesson #21--So
Which Translation Should I Use? (Part 6)
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
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
