New International Version

From Textus Receptus

Revision as of 08:56, 10 June 2009

The New International Version (NT 1973, Entire Bible 1978) is Published by Zondervan, and it became one of the most popular modern translations made in the twentieth century, being the most used version of the bible amoungst evangelical pastors.

History

In 1965 a Committe of Bible Translation (15 Scholars from different denominations) met in Palos Heights, Illinois to discuss a new version. The traslation was backed by the Christian Reformed Church and the National Association of Evangelicals.

The New York Bible Society (now the Colorado Springs-based International Bible Society) was selected to do the translation. The New Testament was released in 1973 and the full Bible in 1978. It underwent minor revision in 1984.

The NIV does not include the Apocrypha.

Old Testament

The Preface to the NIV states that "the latest editions of the Biblia Hebratica" were used. Other ancient texts consulted were the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion, the Latin Vulgate, the Syriac Peshitta, the Aramaic Targums, and for the Psalms the Juxta Hebraica of Jerome.

New Testament

The NIV preface states that an Eclectic Greek text was used claiming "the best current printed texts of the Greek New Testament."

Reception

According to Zondervan, publisher of the NIV, the translation has become the most popular modern English translation of the Bible, having sold more than 215 million copies worldwide.

The Translators

The NIV Committee on Bible Translation (CBT) is a "continuing committee of fifteen" formed in 1965 for the purpose of creating and revising the NIV. From 1965 to 1983 the members of the CBT were:

• E. Leslie Carlson, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. (Carlson died in 1967 and was replaced by Larry Walker.)
• Edmund P. Clowney, Westminster Theological Seminary.(Clowney resigned in 1968 and was replaced by Robert Preus.)
• Ralph Earle, Nazarene Theological Seminary
• Burton L. Goddard, Gordon Divinity School
• R. Laird Harris, Covenant Theological Seminary
• Earl S. Kalland, Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary (Denver)
• Kenneth S. Kantzer, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.(Kantzer resigned in 1969 and was replaced by Richard Longenecker.)
• Robert Mounce, Bethel College (St. Paul).(Mounce resigned in 1967 and was replaced by Youngve Kindberg.)(Kindberg resigned in 1983 and was replaced by Donald Wiseman.)
• Stephen W. Paine, Houghton College
• Charles F. Pfeiffer, Central Michigan University

In 1974 the "long-inactive" Pfeiffer was replaced by

• Kenneth L. Barker
• Charles C. Ryrie, Dallas Theological Seminary. (Ryrie resigned in 1977 and was replaced by Ronald Youngblood (appointed 1979).)
• Francis R. Steele, North Africa Mission. (Steele resigned in 1969 and was replaced by William J. Martin.)(Martin died in 1980 and was replaced by Bruce Waltke.)
• John H. Stek, Calvin Theological Seminary
• John C. Wenger, Goshen Biblical Seminary
• Marten H. Woudstra, Calvin Theological Seminary

During 1976-1978 there was "an expansion of the CBT for editing purposes" in which the following six scholars served as de facto members of the committee: Elmer Smick, Bruce Waltke, Herbert Wolf, Ronald Youngblood, Gleason Archer, and Roy Hayden.

In January 2002 the fifteen-member CBT included the persons listed below. Nine of these (marked with an ampersand) had not been involved in the making of the original NIV (1978) or of its revision in 1983. This is the committee that produced the revision of the NIV known as the TNIV (2005).

• John Stek, Chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation. Calvin Theological Seminary, Part-time Professor of Old Testament; Denominational Affiliation: Christian Reformed Church
• Donald H. Madvig,& Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation. Retired Pastor and Professor of Biblical Studies; Denominational Affiliation: Evangelical Covenant
• Kenneth L. Barker, Secretary of the Committee on Bible Translation. Dallas Theological Seminary, Adjunct Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Studies; Denominational Affiliation: Southern Baptist
• Gordon Fee& Regent College, Professor of New Testament Studies. Denominational Affiliation: Assemblies of God
• Richard T. France& Parish Minister, England and Wales; Denominational Affiliation: Church of England
• Karen H. Jobes& Westmont College, Associate Professor of New Testament. Denominational Affiliation: Presbyterian Church of America.
• Walter Liefeld& Tyndale Theological Seminary, The Netherlands, Interim President; Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Professor Emeritus of New Testament Denominational Affiliation: Independent
• I. Howard Marshall& University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Professor of New Testament Exegesis. Denominational Affiliation: Methodist
• Alan R. Millard& University of Liverpool, England. Professor of Hebrew and Ancient Semitic Languages. Denominational Affiliation: Christian Brethren (Open Brethren)
• Douglas Moo& Wheaton College Graduate School, Professor of New Testament Wheaton College, PhD Coordinator in Biblical and Theological Studies;Denominational Affiliation: Independent
• Martin J. Selman&, Spurgeon's College, London, Deputy Principal; Denominational Affiliation: Baptist
• Larry L. Walker, Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, Visiting Professor. Denominational Affiliation: Southern Baptist
• Bruce K. Waltke, Regent College, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament Studies Reformed Theological Seminary, Professor of Old Testament; Denominational affiliation: Baptist
• Herbert M. Wolf, Wheaton College Graduate School; Denominational Affiliation: Independent Baptist
• Ronald F. Youngblood, Chairman of the Board of Directors, International Bible Society; Bethel Seminary San Diego, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and Hebrew; Denominational Affiliation: Baptist General Conference

NIV Translators and Editors, and their Institutional and Church Affiliations

The following list of NIV translators and editors is reproduced from the list sent to me by the International Bible Society in September 1993. The list does not always give the church affiliation of the persons listed. In a few cases there is no institutional affiliation given, but only a city of residence. Presumably, the names listed are all those who participated in the translation of the original NIV (1973-1978) or of the revision of 1984. Many of the people listed here are known to have had only a very minor role in the translation. -- M.D.M

• Robert L. Alden. Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary. Conservative Baptist.
• Gleason L. Archer, Jr. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Evangelical Free.
• Glenn W. Barker. Fuller Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Kenneth L. Barker. Capital Bible Seminary. Evangelical Free.
• James R. Battenfield. Grace Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• S. Herbert Bess. Grace Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Harvey J.S. Blaney. Asbury Theological Seminary. Nazarene.
• W. Gordon Brown. Central Baptist Seminary, Toronto. No church affiliation given.
• Donald W. Burdick. Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary. Conservative Baptist.
• Frederick W. Bush. Fuller Theological Seminary. Presbyterian.
• E. Leslie Carlson. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Southern Baptist.
• Philip S. Clapp. Western Evangelical Seminary. United Methodist.
• Edmund Clowney. Westminster Theological Seminary. Presbyterian.
• Ralph R. Covell. Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary. Conservative Baptist.
• John J. Davis. Grace Theological Seminary. Grace Brethren.
• Wilber T. Dayton. Wesley Biblical Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Raymond B. Dillard. Westminster Theological Seminary. Orthodox Presbyterian.
• Ralph Earle. Nazarene Theological Seminary. Nazarene.
• David Engelhard. Calvin Theological Seminary. Christian Reformed.
• Milton C. Fisher. Reformed Episcopal Theological Seminary. Reformed Episcopal.
• Lewis A. Foster. Cincinnati Bible Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Francis Foulkes. Bible College of New Zealand. Church of England.
• Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. Westminster Theological Seminary. Orthodox Presbyterian.
• Wesley L. Gerig. Fort Wayne Bible College. No church affiliation given.
• Donald R. Glenn. Dallas Theological Seminary. Independent.
• Burton L. Goddard. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Orthodox Presbyterian.
• Louis Goldberg. Moody Bible Institute. Baptist.
• David Gooding. The Queens College, Belfast, Ireland. No church affiliation given.
• J. Kenneth Grider. Nazarene Theological Seminary. Nazarene.
• Clarence B. Hale. Wheaton College. No church affiliation given.
• Murray J. Harris. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Open Brethren.
• R. Laird Harris. Covenant Theological Seminary. Reformed Presbyterian.
• Everett F. Harrison. Fuller Theological Seminary. United Presbyterian.
• Roland K. Harrison. Wycliffe College, Toronto. No church affiliation given.
• Gerald F. Hawthorne. Wheaton College. Plymouth Brethren.
• Roy E. Hayden. Oral Roberts University. United Methodist.
• William Hendriksen. Boca Raton, Florida. Christian Reformed.
• D. Edmond Hiebert. Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. Mennonite Brethren.
• Mark E. Hillmer. Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. Lutheran, Missouri Synod.
• F. B. Huey. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Southern Baptist.
• John C. Jeske. Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Lutheran, Wisconsin Evangelical Synod.
• S. Lewis Johnson. Dallas, Texas. Independent.
• Walter C. Kaiser. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Evangelical Free.
• Earl S. Kalland. Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary. Conservative Baptist.
• Kenneth S. Kantzer. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Evangelical Free.
• Homer A. Kent. Grace Theological Seminary. Grace Brethren.
• F. Derek Kidner. Tyndale House, Cambridge, England. Church of England.
• Y. R. Kindberg. International Bible Society. Christian and Missionary Alliance.
• Simon Kistemaker. Reformed Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Meredith G. Kline. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Fred C. Kuehner. Reformed Episcopal Seminary. Reformed Episcopal.
• William L. Lane. Western Kentucky University. No church affiliation given.
• G. Irvin Lehman. Eastern Mennonite College. Mennonite.
• Paul E. Leonard. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Brethren.
• Arthur H. Lewis. Bethel College. Baptist.
• Jack P. Lewis. Harding Graduate School of Religion. Church of Christ.
• Walter L. Liefeld. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Plymouth Brethren.
• G. Herbert Livingston. Asbury Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Richard N. Longenecker. Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. Baptist.
• Allan A. MacRae. Biblical School of Theology. Bible Presbyterian.
• Donald H. Madvig. Bethel Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• W. Harold Mare. Covenant Theological Seminary. Presbyterian.
• William J. Martin. Regent College, Vancouver. Christian Brethren.
• Thomas E. McComiskey. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Evangelical Free.
• J. Ramsey Michaels. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Alan R. Millard. University of Liverpool, England. Christian Brethren.
• Leon Morris. Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia. No church affiliation given.
• Robert Mounce. Western Kentucky University. No church affiliation given.
• Roger Nicole. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. American Baptist.
• John N. Oswalt. Asbury Theological Seminary. United Methodist.
• Stephen W. Paine. Houghton College. Wesleyan Methodist.
• Edwin H. Palmer. Executive Secretary, NIV Committee on Bible Translation. Christian Reformed.
• J. Burton Payne. Covenant Theological Seminary. Presbyterian.
• Charles F. Pfeiffer. Central Michigan University. Reformed Presbyterian.
• Robert D. Preus. Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne. Lutheran, Missouri Synod.
• Stephen M. Reynolds. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Orthodox Presbyterian.
• Robert P. Roth. Northwestern Lutheran Seminary. Lutheran.
• Charles C. Ryrie. Dallas Theological Seminary. Baptist.
• Jack B. Scott. Reformed Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Elmer B. Smick. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Francis Steele. Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. No church affiliation given.
• John H. Stek. Calvin Theological Seminary. Christian Reformed.
• Harold C. Stigers. Covenant Theological Seminary. Presbyterian.
• Marvin E. Tate. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Southern Baptist.
• G. Aiken Taylor. Ashville, North Carolina. No church affiliation given.
• Merrill C. Tenney. Wheaton College. No church affiliation given.
• Gerard Van Gronigen. Reformed Theological Seminary. Christian Reformed.
• Larry L. Walker. Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Southern Baptist.
• Wilber B. Wallis. Covenant Theological Seminary. Presbyterian.
• Bruce K. Waltke. Regent College, Vancouver. Baptist.
• Rowland Ward. Ulvestone, Australia. No church affiliation given.
• G. Henry Waterman. Wheaton College. Christian and Missionary Alliance.
• J. C. Wenger. Goshen Biblical Seminary. Mennonite.
• John R. Werner. International Linuistics Center. Reformed Presbyterian.
• Walter W. Wessel. Bethel Theological Seminary, West Campus. Baptist.
• David John Williams. Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia. Church of England.
• William C. Williams. Southern California College. No church affiliation given.
• Marvin R. Wilson. Gordon College. Conservative Baptist.
• Donald J. Wiseman. University of London, England. No church affiliation given.
• Herbert M. Wolf. Wheaton College Graduate School. Independent.
• Leon J. Wood. Grand Rapids Baptist Bible Seminary. Baptist.
• Marten H. Woudstra. Calvin Theological Seminary. Christian Reformed.
• Ronald Youngblood. Bethel Theological Seminary, West Campus. Baptist.
• John M. Zinkand. Dordt College. No church affiliation given.

Literary Critics and Other Consultants

• Edward M. Blaiklock. University of Auckland, New Zealand. No church affiliation given.
• Frank E. Gaebelein. Headmaster Emeritus, The Stony Brook School. Reformed Episcopal.
• Charles E. Hummel. Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. Baptist.
• Elisabeth Elliot Leitch. Writer. Episcopal.
• Calvin Linton. The George Washington University. No church affiliation given.
• Kathryn R. Ludwigson. Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College. No church affiliation given.
• Alvin Martin. Fuller Theological Seminary. Christian and Missionary Alliance.
• Virginia Mollenkott. William Paterson College. No church affiliation given.
• Margaret Nicholson. Author-Editor. No church affiliation given.
• W. T. Purkiser. Kansas City, Missouri. No church affiliation given.
• Walter R. Roehrs. Concordia Theological Seminary. No church affiliation given.
• Samuel J. Schultz. Wheaton College. Baptist.
• John T. Timmerman. Calvin College. No church affiliation given.
• Richard F. Wevers. Calvin College. Christian Reformed.

Concerns

Some folk consider that the NIV changes many places in the Word that deals with the virgin birth of Christ, the deity of Christ, the infallibility of the Bible, salvation by faith, the Trinity, and many other areas of importance to the Christian Faith. They also believe that NIV also use corrupt Greek and Hebrew texts. Only a few Christians accept these arguments.

Links

• The official New Intenational Version site

Critical

• New International Version: What today's Christian needs to know about the NIV by the Trinitarian Bible Society
• N.I.V. Infection Scripture Comparison with King James Version.
• The NIV Bible: Apostasy in Print by Pastor Joseph Chambers of Paw Creek Ministries
• The NIV Bible and Jesuit Priest: The Catholic Connection by Pastor Joseph Chambers of Paw Creek Ministries

Are Modern versions corrupt.

• Is the NIV corrupt?