Today's New International Version
Encyclopedia
Today's New International Version (TNIV) is an English
translation
of the Bible
developed by the Committee on Bible Translation. The CBT also developed the New International Version
in the 1970s. The TNIV is based on the NIV. It is explicitly Protestant like its predecessor; the deuterocanonical books
are not part of the translation. The TNIV New Testament was published March 2002. The complete Bible was published February 2005. The rights to the text are owned by Biblica
. Zondervan
publishes the TNIV in North America. Hodder & Stoughton
publish the TNIV in the UK and European Union.
The translation took more than ten years to complete. Thirteen evangelical scholars were dedicated to doing the translation; Ronald F. Youngblood
, Kenneth L. Barker
, John H. Stek
, Donald H. Madvig
, R. T. France
, Gordon Fee
, Karen H. Jobes, Walter Liefeld, Douglas J. Moo
, Bruce K. Waltke, Larry L. Walker, Herbert M. Wolf
and Martin Selman. Forty other scholars, many of them experts on specific books of the Bible, reviewed the translations teams' work. They came from a range of Evangelical denominational
backgrounds.
On September 1, 2009, it was announced that development of a new revision of the NIV is in progress, and that once it is released both the TNIV and the 1984 NIV would be discontinued. Keith Danby, president and chief executive officer of Biblica, once known as the International Bible Society, said they erred in presenting past updates, failed to convince people revisions were needed and "underestimated" readers' loyalty to the 1984 NIV.
. The Committee on Bible Translation wanted to build a new version on the heritage of the NIV and like its predecessor create a balanced mediating version, one that would fall in-between the most literal translation and the most free; word-for-word (Formal Equivalence
) and thought-for-thought (Dynamic Equivalence
).
For translation a wide range of manuscripts were reviewed. The Masoretic text
, the Dead Sea Scrolls
, the Samaritan Pentateuch
, the Greek Septuagint or (LXX), the Aquila
, Symmachus
and Theodotion
, the Latin Vulgate, the Syriac Peshitta, the Aramaic Targums, and for the Psalms the Juxta Hebraica
of Jerome were all consulted for the Old Testament
. The Dead Sea Scrolls
were occasionally followed where the Masoretic Text seemed inconsistent. The United Bible Societies Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament
text was used for the New Testament
.
has stated that the majority of changes are, "based on advances in biblical scholarship, linguistics, and archaeology".
In Matthew 1:18, where the NIV says that Mary was “with child”, the TNIV simply says Mary was “pregnant”.
In Luke 12:38, the phrase “second or third watch of the night” employed in the NIV is changed to “middle of the night or toward daybreak” in the TNIV.
The TNIV translators have, at times, opted for more traditional Anglo-Saxon or poetic renderings than those found in the NIV. For example, “the heavens” is sometimes chosen to replace the “the sky”, as is the case in Isaiah 50:3: "I clothe the heavens with darkness and make sackcloth its covering."
At times the TNIV offers a different or nuanced understanding of a passage. For example, in the NIV, Psalm 26:3 reads, “For your love is ever before me, / and I walk continually in your truth.” The TNIV reads, “for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love / and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.” There are a number of changes in this one verse, but of special note is the TNIV’s translation of the Hebrew word ’emet. The TNIV translators took this word to mean more than simple honesty in Psalm 26:3, referring more specifically to reliability or trustworthiness.
Examples of other changes are “truly I tell you” becomes “I tell you the truth”; “fellow workers” becomes “coworkers”; “the Jews”, particularly in John's Gospel, often becomes “Jewish leaders” when the context makes it apparent what the statement's real meaning is; and “miracles”, especially in John, become the more literal “signs”, “miraculous signs”, or “works”. The word for “Spirit”, where there is a good chance it means the Holy Spirit, is now capitalized. “Peter” is now rendered “Cephas” when the Greek merely transliterates the Hebrew name.
Other notable changes are that “Christ” has regularly been rendered as “Messiah”, “saints” has often been replaced with terms such as “God's people” or “believers”.
to refer to people. Confessional terms for this kind of language are such as gender-inclusive. Two examples of this kind of translation decision are found in Genesis and Matthew. Genesis 1:27 reads: "So God created human beings in his own image." Older translations use the word "man" to translate the word ’adam employed in the Hebrew language, the same word used as the proper name of the first man married to the first woman, Eve
. Matthew 5:9 reads: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Here, the Greek word huioi is translated "children" rather than "sons" as found in other modern English translations such as the New American Standard Bible
and the Amplified Bible
. However, the 1611 Authorized King James Version also renders this passage as "children" rather than "sons". Masculine references to God
, such as "Father" and "Son", are not modified from the literal translation in the TNIV.
Opponents of this approach point out that many of the terms in question carry male denotations and connotations in the original Hebrew and Greek. Some Bible translators argue that, while there are passages in the text that lend themselves to inclusive language, other changes are unfaithful to the original Hebrew and Greek. Critics of inclusive language claim that inclusive language can provide incorrect translations in various instances. Three examples of the kind of observations made by the critics come from Psalm 1, John's Gospel, and Revelation.
The original Hebrew of Psalm 1:1 has the word ’ish (man). This is translated in the TNIV: "Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers." The singular in the original highlights the struggle of the individual against the wicked masses. The TNIV renders Revelation 3:20: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me." The use of them and they in the TNIV appears to be plural to some English readers. John 6:44 in the TNIV reads: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." The masculine singular in the original depicts Father and Son drawing and raising each individual personally, rather than dealing with people as a group.
The two main arguments in favor of inclusive language are:
Less than 30% of the changes in the TNIV involve the use of inclusive language.
The TNIV's approach to gender inclusive language is similar to the New International Version Inclusive Language Edition
, New Revised Standard Version
, the New Living Translation
, the New Century Version
, and the Contemporary English Version
.
(literally, the Jews), are changed from the original English translation of "the Jews" to "Jewish leaders", or simply "they" (e.g. John 18:36). This change has been called for by Jewish leaders as a way of avoiding misunderstanding in the Gospel of John. A number of evangelical scholars agree with this change. The TNIV is not alone among English Bible versions in following recent biblical scholarship on this matter.
(CRC), which officially endorsed the TNIV as an acceptable translation for use, the Evangelical Covenant Church
and the Free Methodist Church of North America. Scholars from the Free Methodist Church of North America had a varied response from it "constitutes no threat" to "most accurate ever".
Evangelical scholars and pastoral leaders supportive of the project include Mark L. Strauss
, Tremper Longman
, John Ortberg
, Adam Hamilton
, Craig Blomberg
, Darrell Bock
, Don Carson
, Peter Furler
, Bill Hybels
, Ben Witherington III
, Lee Strobel
, John Stott
, Philip Yancey
, Dan Kimball
, Terri Blackstock
, Erwin McManus, Ted Haggard
and others.
In June 2002, over 100 evangelical leaders signed a 'Statement of Concern' opposing the TNIV. The Presbyterian Church in America
and the Southern Baptist Convention
passed resolutions opposing the TNIV and other inclusive language translations.
Evangelical scholars and pastoral leaders critical of inclusive language translations include John F. MacArthur
, J. I. Packer
, Jack T. Chick, Gail Riplinger
, James Dobson
, Jerry Falwell
, Texe Marrs
, Wayne Grudem
, Peter Ruckman
, D. James Kennedy, Josh McDowell
, R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
, John Piper
, Pat Robertson
, R.C. Sproul, and Joni Eareckson Tada
.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
developed by the Committee on Bible Translation. The CBT also developed the New International Version
New International Version
The New International Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. Published by Zondervan in the United States and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, it has become one of the most popular modern translations in history.-History:...
in the 1970s. The TNIV is based on the NIV. It is explicitly Protestant like its predecessor; the deuterocanonical books
Deuterocanonical books
Deuterocanonical books is a term used since the sixteenth century in the Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity to describe certain books and passages of the Christian Old Testament that are not part of the Hebrew Bible. The term is used in contrast to the protocanonical books, which are...
are not part of the translation. The TNIV New Testament was published March 2002. The complete Bible was published February 2005. The rights to the text are owned by Biblica
International Bible Society
Biblica, formerly named named IBS-STL Biblica, formerly named named IBS-STL Biblica, formerly named named IBS-STL (from a merger of International Bible Society (IBS) and Send the Light (STL), has its headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is a nonprofit Christian organization that...
. Zondervan
Zondervan
Zondervan is an international Christian media and publishing company located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan is a founding member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association .- History :...
publishes the TNIV in North America. Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
publish the TNIV in the UK and European Union.
The translation took more than ten years to complete. Thirteen evangelical scholars were dedicated to doing the translation; Ronald F. Youngblood
Ronald F. Youngblood
Ronald F. Youngblood is an American Biblical scholar and professor of Old Testament. In addition to being one of the original translators of the New International Version of the Bible, he was the general editor for Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, and on the editorial team for the...
, Kenneth L. Barker
Kenneth L. Barker
Kenneth Lee Barker is an American Biblical scholar and professor of Old Testament and Hebrew. In addition to writing several books, he was also one of the original translators of the New American Standard Bible and the New International Version of the Bible....
, John H. Stek
John H. Stek
John Henry Stek was an American pastor, Biblical scholar and translator, and Old Testament professor.-Background and education:Stek was born was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to William and Gertie Stek...
, Donald H. Madvig
Donald H. Madvig
Donald Harold Madvig is a retired American minister, Biblical scholar and professor.Madvig earned his B.A. and B.Div. from Bethel College and Seminary, his Th.M. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary , and his M.A. and Ph.D...
, R. T. France
R. T. France
Richard Thomas France is a New Testament scholar and Anglican cleric. He was Principal of Wycliffe Hall Oxford from 1989 to 1995. He has also worked for the London School of Theology.-Biography:...
, Gordon Fee
Gordon Fee
Gordon Donald Fee is an American-Canadian Christian theologian and an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God . He currently serves as Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada.-Biography:...
, Karen H. Jobes, Walter Liefeld, Douglas J. Moo
Douglas J. Moo
Douglas J. Moo is a New Testament scholar who, after teaching for more than twenty years at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, has served as Blanchard Professor of New Testament at the Wheaton College Graduate School since 2000. He received his Ph.D. at the University of St. Andrews,...
, Bruce K. Waltke, Larry L. Walker, Herbert M. Wolf
Herbert M. Wolf
Herbert Martin Wolf was an American Biblical scholar and professor of Old Testament.-Background and education:...
and Martin Selman. Forty other scholars, many of them experts on specific books of the Bible, reviewed the translations teams' work. They came from a range of Evangelical denominational
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
backgrounds.
On September 1, 2009, it was announced that development of a new revision of the NIV is in progress, and that once it is released both the TNIV and the 1984 NIV would be discontinued. Keith Danby, president and chief executive officer of Biblica, once known as the International Bible Society, said they erred in presenting past updates, failed to convince people revisions were needed and "underestimated" readers' loyalty to the 1984 NIV.
Translation Philosophy
The intent of the TNIV translators was to produce an accurate and readable translation in contemporary EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The Committee on Bible Translation wanted to build a new version on the heritage of the NIV and like its predecessor create a balanced mediating version, one that would fall in-between the most literal translation and the most free; word-for-word (Formal Equivalence
Dynamic and formal equivalence
In Bible translation dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence are two approaches to translation. The terms are not found in general linguistics or translation theory but were coined by Eugene Nida...
) and thought-for-thought (Dynamic Equivalence
Dynamic and formal equivalence
In Bible translation dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence are two approaches to translation. The terms are not found in general linguistics or translation theory but were coined by Eugene Nida...
).
For translation a wide range of manuscripts were reviewed. The Masoretic text
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
, the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
, the Samaritan Pentateuch
Samaritan Pentateuch
The Samaritan Pentateuch, sometimes called Samaritan Torah, , is a version of the Hebrew language Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, used by the Samaritans....
, the Greek Septuagint or (LXX), the Aquila
Aquila of Sinope
Aquila of Sinope was a 2nd Century CE native of Pontus in Anatolia known for producing an exceedingly literal translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek around 130 CE. He was a proselyte to Judaism and a disciple of Rabbi Akiba...
, Symmachus
Symmachus the Ebionite
Symmachus was the author of one of the Greek versions of the Old Testament. It was included by Origen in his Hexapla and Tetrapla, which compared various versions of the Old Testament side by side with the Septuagint...
and Theodotion
Theodotion
Theodotion was a Hellenistic Jewish scholar,, perhaps working in Ephesus who in ca. AD 150 translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek. Whether he was revising the Septuagint, or was working from Hebrew manuscripts that represented a parallel tradition that has not survived, is debated...
, the Latin Vulgate, the Syriac Peshitta, the Aramaic Targums, and for the Psalms the Juxta Hebraica
Latin Psalters
The Latin Psalters are the translations of the Book of Psalms into the Latin language. They are the premier liturgical resource used in the Liturgy of the Hours of the Latin Rites of the Roman Catholic Church...
of Jerome were all consulted for the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
. The Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
were occasionally followed where the Masoretic Text seemed inconsistent. The United Bible Societies Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament
Novum Testamentum Graece
Novum Testamentum Graece is the Latin name editions of the original Greek-language version of the New Testament.The first printed edition was the Complutensian Polyglot Bible by Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, printed in 1514, but not published until 1520...
text was used for the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
TNIV Differences
There are a number of changes in the TNIV. Craig Blomberg stated in a 2003 paper titled "The Untold Story of a Good Translation" that 70% of the changes in the TNIV move in a "more literal direction three times more often than not". Mark L. StraussMark L. Strauss
Mark L. Strauss is an American Biblical scholar and professor of the New Testament at Bethel Seminary San Diego, of Bethel University.-Background and education:...
has stated that the majority of changes are, "based on advances in biblical scholarship, linguistics, and archaeology".
In Matthew 1:18, where the NIV says that Mary was “with child”, the TNIV simply says Mary was “pregnant”.
In Luke 12:38, the phrase “second or third watch of the night” employed in the NIV is changed to “middle of the night or toward daybreak” in the TNIV.
The TNIV translators have, at times, opted for more traditional Anglo-Saxon or poetic renderings than those found in the NIV. For example, “the heavens” is sometimes chosen to replace the “the sky”, as is the case in Isaiah 50:3: "I clothe the heavens with darkness and make sackcloth its covering."
At times the TNIV offers a different or nuanced understanding of a passage. For example, in the NIV, Psalm 26:3 reads, “For your love is ever before me, / and I walk continually in your truth.” The TNIV reads, “for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love / and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.” There are a number of changes in this one verse, but of special note is the TNIV’s translation of the Hebrew word ’emet. The TNIV translators took this word to mean more than simple honesty in Psalm 26:3, referring more specifically to reliability or trustworthiness.
Examples of other changes are “truly I tell you” becomes “I tell you the truth”; “fellow workers” becomes “coworkers”; “the Jews”, particularly in John's Gospel, often becomes “Jewish leaders” when the context makes it apparent what the statement's real meaning is; and “miracles”, especially in John, become the more literal “signs”, “miraculous signs”, or “works”. The word for “Spirit”, where there is a good chance it means the Holy Spirit, is now capitalized. “Peter” is now rendered “Cephas” when the Greek merely transliterates the Hebrew name.
Other notable changes are that “Christ” has regularly been rendered as “Messiah”, “saints” has often been replaced with terms such as “God's people” or “believers”.
Gender language and the TNIV
Among other differences from the NIV, the TNIV uses gender-neutral languageGender-neutral language
Gender-neutral language, gender-inclusive language, inclusive language, or gender neutrality is linguistic prescriptivism that aims to eliminate reference to gender in terms that describe people...
to refer to people. Confessional terms for this kind of language are such as gender-inclusive. Two examples of this kind of translation decision are found in Genesis and Matthew. Genesis 1:27 reads: "So God created human beings in his own image." Older translations use the word "man" to translate the word ’adam employed in the Hebrew language, the same word used as the proper name of the first man married to the first woman, Eve
Eve
Eve is the first woman created by God in the Book of Genesis.Eve may also refer to:-People:*Eve , a common given name and surname*Eve , American recording artist and actress-Places:...
. Matthew 5:9 reads: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Here, the Greek word huioi is translated "children" rather than "sons" as found in other modern English translations such as the New American Standard Bible
New American Standard Bible
The New American Standard Bible , also informally called New American Standard Version , is an English translation of the Bible....
and the Amplified Bible
Amplified Bible
The Amplified Bible is an English translation of the Bible produced jointly by The Zondervan Corporation and The Lockman Foundation. The first edition was published in 1965. It is largely a revision of the American Standard Version of 1901, with reference made to various texts in the original...
. However, the 1611 Authorized King James Version also renders this passage as "children" rather than "sons". Masculine references to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, such as "Father" and "Son", are not modified from the literal translation in the TNIV.
Opponents of this approach point out that many of the terms in question carry male denotations and connotations in the original Hebrew and Greek. Some Bible translators argue that, while there are passages in the text that lend themselves to inclusive language, other changes are unfaithful to the original Hebrew and Greek. Critics of inclusive language claim that inclusive language can provide incorrect translations in various instances. Three examples of the kind of observations made by the critics come from Psalm 1, John's Gospel, and Revelation.
The original Hebrew of Psalm 1:1 has the word ’ish (man). This is translated in the TNIV: "Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers." The singular in the original highlights the struggle of the individual against the wicked masses. The TNIV renders Revelation 3:20: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me." The use of them and they in the TNIV appears to be plural to some English readers. John 6:44 in the TNIV reads: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." The masculine singular in the original depicts Father and Son drawing and raising each individual personally, rather than dealing with people as a group.
The two main arguments in favor of inclusive language are:
- Some believe that male nuances are not attached to words in various passages; therefore translations like the TNIV could be more accurately communicate the meaning of the text. For example, words like adelphoi, often translated "brothers", was understood in some Greek contexts in a gender inclusive way. With the shift of time and customs, "brothers" in English is thought by many to be an inappropriate word to denote a mixed-sex group. On this view, a large number of passages would be better using "brothers and sisters" to avoid miscommunication.
- Traditional forms of English, in which words like man and he applied to both genders, are falling out of everyday use and are likely to be misinterpreted, especially by younger readers. Also, it is argued, that use of what is termed the "singular" theySingular theySingular they is the use of they to refer to an entity that is not plural, or not necessarily plural. Though singular they is widespread in everyday English and has a long history of usage, debate continues about its acceptability...
does not obscure the individual application of passages like Revelation 3:20, because such use is increasingly common in the English language and is understood by most readers.
Less than 30% of the changes in the TNIV involve the use of inclusive language.
The TNIV's approach to gender inclusive language is similar to the New International Version Inclusive Language Edition
New International Version Inclusive Language Edition (NIVI)
The New International Version Inclusive Language Edition of the Christian Bible was an inclusive language version of the New International Version...
, New Revised Standard Version
New Revised Standard Version
The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is an English translation of the Bible released in 1989 in the USA. It is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version .There are three editions of the NRSV:...
, the New Living Translation
New Living Translation
The New Living Translation is a translation of the Bible into modern English. Originally starting out as an effort to revise The Living Bible, the project evolved into a new English translation from Hebrew and Greek texts...
, the New Century Version
New Century Version
The New Century Version of the Bible is a revision of the International Children's Bible. The ICB was aimed at young readers and those with low reading skills/limited vocabulary in English. It is written at a 3rd grade level and is both conservative and evangelical in tone. The New Testament was...
, and the Contemporary English Version
Contemporary English Version
The Contemporary English Version or CEV is a translation of the Bible into English,published by the American Bible Society...
.
The TNIV and hoi ioudaioi
In the TNIV some original Greek text references to hoi ioudaioiIoudaioi
Ioudaioi is an ancient Greek term used frequently in classical and biblical literature to refer to a group of people that is most often translated in English as either as "the Jews" or "the Judeans".In its...
(literally, the Jews), are changed from the original English translation of "the Jews" to "Jewish leaders", or simply "they" (e.g. John 18:36). This change has been called for by Jewish leaders as a way of avoiding misunderstanding in the Gospel of John. A number of evangelical scholars agree with this change. The TNIV is not alone among English Bible versions in following recent biblical scholarship on this matter.
Circulation
- In 2002, Zondervan published the TNIV New Testament.
- In 2005, the TNIV New Testament Audio Bible was published by Hodder & Stoughton. It features an Anglicised Version of the Today's New International Version read by a cast including Tyler Butterworth, Susan Sheridan, Joan Walker, Daniel Philpott and Anna Bentinck. Available in CD and MP3 format. A downloadable mp3 format can also be found at voxbiblia.com http://voxbiblia.com.
- In 2005, Zondervan planned to advertise the TNIV in Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
as part of its campaign to launch the full TNIV Bible to “spiritually intrigued 18 to 34 year olds.” Just weeks before the ad’s scheduled run date, Rolling Stone pulled the ad, citing a policy against religious advertisements in its magazine. Beginning with a story in USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, media frenzy ensued and two weeks later, Rolling Stone reversed its position and published the ad.
- In 2006, Zondervan announced the production of The Bible ExperienceThe Bible ExperienceInspired by...The Bible Experience is an audio version of the Bible published by Zondervan. The script used is the Today's New International Version Bible translation. The re-enactment was performed by a cast of more than 200 African-American actors, musicians, personalities, and clergy, including...
, an audio recording of the TNIV featuring performances by Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Blair Underwood, Denzel Washington and several other leading celebrities. The Bible Experience New Testament was released in October 2006. It has since become a best seller.
- In 2006, Zondervan launched the TNIV Study Bible with study notes and a 700 page topical index.
- In 2007, the International Bible Society released The Books of the Bible, which makes several changes in formatting the text. The TNIV text is used without chapter and verse divisions. Section headings are removed and footnotes are moved to the end of each book. The books are presented in an alternate order, and longer works that were divided over time are restored to their original unity. (Example: 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings were originally a single book. They are recombined in The Books of the Bible as Samuel-Kings.)
- Also in 2007, a mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
version of the TNIV was released. It was created by British/Nigerian artist Ajibayo AkinsikuSiku (comics)Siku is the pseudonym of British/Nigerian artist and writer Ajibayo Akinsiku, best known for his work in 2000 AD.-Biography:Siku studied design and printing at the Yaba’s School of Art, and theology at the London School of Theology....
who goes by the pseudonym Siku.
- In 2008, Zondervan released the TNIV Reference Bible. University teacher Rick Mansfield stated in an online review of a preview copy that it's, “the edition of the TNIV I wish I had been using from the very beginning.”
Supporters and Critics
Denominations supportive of the TNIV include the Christian Reformed ChurchChristian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
(CRC), which officially endorsed the TNIV as an acceptable translation for use, the Evangelical Covenant Church
Evangelical Covenant Church
The Evangelical Covenant Church is an evangelical Christian denomination of more than 800 congregations and an average worship attendance of 179,000 people in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continents. Founded in 1885 by Swedish immigrants, the church is now one of the most...
and the Free Methodist Church of North America. Scholars from the Free Methodist Church of North America had a varied response from it "constitutes no threat" to "most accurate ever".
Evangelical scholars and pastoral leaders supportive of the project include Mark L. Strauss
Mark L. Strauss
Mark L. Strauss is an American Biblical scholar and professor of the New Testament at Bethel Seminary San Diego, of Bethel University.-Background and education:...
, Tremper Longman
Tremper Longman
Tremper Longman, III is an Old Testament theologian, professor and author of several books, including 2009 ECPA Christian Book Award winner Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings. He serves as Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara,...
, John Ortberg
John Ortberg
John Ortberg, Jr. is an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California, an evangelical church with more than 4,000 members...
, Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton (pastor)
Rev. Adam Hamilton is the senior pastor of the 18,000 member United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. It is the largest United Methodist congregation in the United States, measured by weekend attendance. The congregation has recently expanded to multiple sites in the Kansas...
, Craig Blomberg
Craig Blomberg
Craig L. Blomberg is an American New Testament scholar. Since 1986 he has been Distinguished Professor of the New Testament at Denver Seminary in Colorado.-Life:...
, Darrell Bock
Darrell Bock
Darrell L. Bock is a New Testament scholar and research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas, United States...
, Don Carson
Don Carson
Donald Arthur Carson is a Canadian-born evangelical theologian and professor of New Testament.-Background and education:...
, Peter Furler
Peter Furler
Peter Andrew Furler is an Australian musician, songwriter, producer, and record executive but is best known as the former lead singer for the Christian rock band Newsboys.-Biography:...
, Bill Hybels
Bill Hybels
William Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, one of the most attended churches in North America, with an average attendance of nearly 24,000 as of 2011...
, Ben Witherington III
Ben Witherington III
Ben Witherington III is an American evangelical Biblical scholar, and professor of New Testament Studies.Witherington is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.-Education:...
, Lee Strobel
Lee Strobel
Lee Patrick Strobel is a writer, creationist, former journalist and former megachurch pastor. He is the author of several books, including four which received ECPA Christian Book Awards and a series which addresses challenges to a Biblically inerrant view of Christianity...
, John Stott
John Stott
John Robert Walmsley Stott CBE was an English Christian leader and Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical movement. He was one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974...
, Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey is an American Christian author. Fourteen million of his books have been sold worldwide, making him one of the best-selling evangelical Christian authors. Two of his books have won the ECPA's Christian Book of the Year Award: The Jesus I Never Knew in 1996, What's So Amazing About...
, Dan Kimball
Dan Kimball
Dan Kimball is a pastor, author and was a leading voice in the beginning years of the Emerging Church movement in the USA. Kimball's writings focus on encouraging churches and Christians to creatively make any changes needed in order to break the negative stereotypes of church and Christianity that...
, Terri Blackstock
Terri Blackstock
Terri Blackstock is a Christian fiction writer. Blackstock is known for her numerous published novels spanning across genre from Christian romances to Christian mystery/suspense. Terri Blackstock’s books have sold six million copies worldwide. Her suspense novels often grab a spot on the ECPA and...
, Erwin McManus, Ted Haggard
Ted Haggard
Ted Arthur Haggard is an American evangelical pastor. Known as Pastor Ted to the congregation he served, he was the founder and former pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a founder of the Association of Life-Giving Churches; and was leader of the National Association of...
and others.
In June 2002, over 100 evangelical leaders signed a 'Statement of Concern' opposing the TNIV. The Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church . The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education...
and the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
passed resolutions opposing the TNIV and other inclusive language translations.
Evangelical scholars and pastoral leaders critical of inclusive language translations include John F. MacArthur
John F. MacArthur
John Fullerton MacArthur, Jr. is a United States evangelical writer and minister noted for his internationally known and broadcast radio program titled Grace to You...
, J. I. Packer
J. I. Packer
James Innell Packer is a British-born Canadian Christian theologian in the low church Anglican and Reformed traditions. He currently serves as the Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia...
, Jack T. Chick, Gail Riplinger
Gail Riplinger
Gail Riplinger is an American author and speaker well-known for her support of the King-James-Only movement.-Bible comparisons:In 1993, Riplinger wrote a comparison of modern Bible translations to the King James Version...
, James Dobson
James Dobson
James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder in 1977 of Focus on the Family , which he led until 2003. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influential spokesman for conservative social positions in American public life...
, Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
, Texe Marrs
Texe Marrs
Texe W. Marrs is an American conspiracy theorist, who runs a Christian ministry called Living Truth Ministries, based in Austin, Texas.He was previously an officer in the United States Air Force and a faculty member at the University of Texas....
, Wayne Grudem
Wayne Grudem
Wayne A. Grudem is a Protestant theologian and author. He was born in 1948 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and married Margaret White on June 6, 1969 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin...
, Peter Ruckman
Peter Ruckman
Peter Sturges Ruckman is an Independent Baptist pastor, teacher, writer, and founder of Pensacola Bible Institute, an unaccredited school in Pensacola, Florida...
, D. James Kennedy, Josh McDowell
Josh McDowell
Joslin "Josh" McDowell is a Christian apologist, evangelist, and writer. He is within the Evangelical tradition of Protestant Christianity, and is the author or co-author of some 77 books. His best-known book is Evidence That Demands a Verdict, which was ranked 13th in Christianity Today's list of...
, R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Mohler's approach to Muslims is driven by his belief in the relevance of the Christian Gospel to all people.-Media appearances:Mohler appeared on MSNBC's Donahue on August 20, 2002. The subject was Christian evangelization of Jews...
, John Piper
John Piper (theologian)
John Stephen Piper is a Christian preacher and author, currently serving as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
, Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, R.C. Sproul, and Joni Eareckson Tada
Joni Eareckson Tada
Joni Eareckson Tada is an evangelical Christian author, radio host, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization "accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community." "Joni" is pronounced as if it were spelled "Johnny" as she was named after her father.-Biography:As a teenager, Joni...
.
External links
- Official TNIV website
- Zondervan's TNIV website
- TNIV Truth Blog
- Today's New International Version (TNIV) Timeline, by the Council on Biblical Manhood and WomanhoodCouncil on Biblical Manhood and WomanhoodThe Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is an evangelical Christian organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr...
- BBC news story on the launch of the TNIV New Testament
- USA Today story on the TNIV
- Free Methodist Church of North America Response
- What About the “Gender Accurate” TNIV?
- TNIV: The Untold Story of a Good Translation by Craig BlombergCraig BlombergCraig L. Blomberg is an American New Testament scholar. Since 1986 he has been Distinguished Professor of the New Testament at Denver Seminary in Colorado.-Life:...
- TNIV manga version
- The Debate Over Gender-Inclusive Language by D.A. CarsonDon CarsonDonald Arthur Carson is a Canadian-born evangelical theologian and professor of New Testament.-Background and education:...