From NIV to NIVi to TNIV to the NIV 2011

Tuesday September 1, 2009

Categories: Bible, Translations

From Christianity Today .... [Added: I'm confident, as I look over the CT piece now that it has been expanded, that the NIV Committee for Bible Translation will not squash the TNIV into history but will improve the NIV in light of gains from the TNIV. I have every reason to think the new NIV will be the Bible I carry to class for years. Added Two: Did CT perhaps sensationalize this story a bit? See comments below.]

In announcing a major revision of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible ... CEO Keith Danby said decisions surrounding the release of the NIV inclusive language edition and the 2002's revision, Today's New International Version (TNIV), were mistakes."

In 1997, IBS announced that it was forgoing all plans to publish an updated NIV following criticism of the NIV inclusive language edition (NIVi) published in the United Kingdom. Quite frankly, some of the criticism was justified and we need to be brutally honest about the mistakes that were made," Danby said. "We failed to make the case for revisions and we made some important errors in the way we brought the translation to publication. We also underestimated the scale of the public affection for the NIV and failed to communicate the rationale for change in a manner that reflected that affection."

Danby said it was also a mistake to stop revisions on the NIV. "We shackled the NIV to the language and scholarship of a quarter century ago, thus limiting its value as a tool for ongoing outreach throughout the world," he said.

"Whatever its strengths were, the TNIV divided the evangelical Christian community," said Zondervan president Moe Girkins. "So as we launch this new NIV [in 2011], we will discontinue putting out new products with the TNIV."

"We are correcting the mistakes in the past," Girkins said. "Being as transparent as possible is part of that. This decision was made by the board was made in the last 10 days." She said the transparency is part of an effort to overhaul the NIV "in a way that unifies evangelicalism."
"The first mistake was the NIVi," Danby said. "The second was freezing the NIV. The third was the process of handling the TNIV."

Comments (40)

Filed Under: NIV, TNIV

posted by Scot McKnight @ 6:26pm Permalink email icon

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Comments

Jonathan Wilson

September 2, 2009 1:21 PM

Yes, CT slightly sensationalized the story. Yes, Zondervan seems to be retrenching. We'll have to wait for the NIV 2011 or further clarification to know how to respond to the new version. I admire them for going ahead with the TNIV. I regret the state of internal evangelical politics that has shaped so much of this story. I'll resist the urge to rant and ask an immediately pressing question for me. I am in the midst of writing the volume on Hosea-Obadiah for the Brazos Theological Commentary series. Authors are free to choose their own translation. I have been using TNIV. Should I switch to NRSV? What about other projects similar to mine?

Peter Passchier

September 3, 2009 12:59 AM

@Jonathan Wilson:
I think you should use the ESV, which is based on the NRSV, but moved closer to the source. I think a lot of Christian studies should use the ESV.

Mark Baker-Wright

September 3, 2009 11:54 AM

http://transformingseminarian.blogspot.com

#37,

That's a matter of opinion. A lot of those behind the TNIV would argue exactly on the point of whether the ESV is closer the original intentions of the biblical authors. I personally think the TNIV more accurately conveys those intentions to a modern audience, but we could go around the bend on this question and never come any closer to agreement, I expect.

Darryl Rowe

September 8, 2009 7:19 PM

Just a minor point: I read Leland Ryken's book on the ESV "Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation" and gave it a real shot from 2003 up to now in 2009. I found that I more often referred to the New American Standard '95 Update instead. The church I go to is basically an NIV church, so the TNIV was very welcome when I got my copy and I've been using it ever since...finally retiring my '84 NIV. If the ESV hadn't been a worse read than the NASB it might have stood a chance at replacing my NIV...a job which fell to the TNIV in the end.

Thanks, and make it a great day!

Crystal Badgley

December 7, 2009 12:22 PM

Hi. I'm just wondering, since I just invested in an expensive, TNIV study Bible, will there be any compensation from Zondervan. Or could I trade it in for the new NIV 2011? In a few years I'll be the only one around with my discontinued TNIV!

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Scot McKnight is a widely-recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University (Chicago, Illinois). A popular and witty speaker, Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly asked to speak in local churches and educational events. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986). Click to continue reading Scot McKnight's Bio...

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