A few weeks ago the on line Bible I often use unceremoniously switched from the NIV (1984) to the revised 2011 version as their default English Bible. They since added notification, and have the older version(s) of the NIV available [note, I have an update at the end of the post].
I “grew up” on the NIV as a young Christian. I use a variety of translations for my personal devotions, but have consistently preached from the NIV except when using my own rough translation. Like many people, I did not approve of the earlier attempt to make the NIV gender inclusive. There were times when they used inclusive language when they should not have used it. While translating “brothers” as “brothers and sisters” is no big deal, there were some instances I consider a big deal in light of the context- historical & cultural.
So, I wonder what they new, updated NIV 2011 does with some of those very important texts. Looking at the Big Picture, John Dyer has put out a graph. It is helpful to see an overall consistency. But the problem of particular texts remains. We must examine the trees to see how healthy the forest really is. Dyer and Robert Slowley have ALL the changes. Here are some I find important with regard to complementarianism.
| Passage | 1984 | tNIV | 2011 |
| John 1:5 | 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. | 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. | 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. |
| Romans 8 | 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. … 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. | 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. …19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. | 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. … 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
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| 9 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. | 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. | 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. | |
| Ephesians 1 | In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— | In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— | In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will… |
| 1 Timothy 2 | 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. | 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. | 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. |
The first passage has nothing to do with complementarianism. I use it to show that not all of the changes are bad. The tNIV and NIV 2011 get that right. But I struggle with the changes in Romans 8 because the context of inheritance. I think the changes are unwarranted and misleading when we look at the cultural background.
I have an even harder time with 1 Timothy 2. They have weakened the sense of the text greatly (Kevin DeYoung addresses this). In the next chapter, regarding officers, the newer versions maintain the masculine with regard to the elders. They use the ambiguous ‘women’ rather than reading ‘their wives’ into the text.
Looking at the various changes takes time. Just because something is unfamiliar to you does not mean it is wrong. But if it distorts the context, you end up with a bad translation of a particular text. We don’t need knee jerk responses. We do need thoughtful ones, and those will take time. The NIV 2011 will make many of us uncomfortable. The real question is if it is rightly translating God’s Word. In some places, I think there are significant changes that can mislead us.
Update: The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood has released a statement about the updates. They commend the Committee for responding to many of the criticisms made of the TNiv, and the process they had used. However, they still see some significant issues that make the NIV(2011) less accurate and open to egalitarian mis-interpretations.
It’s not 2011 yet, are Bible year numbers like automobiles?
It is currently only available online. It will be released in stores in 2011. I guess that is why. I guess it has to be copyrighted in 2010, which has led to some confusion.
So 1 Tim 2.12 has in place of ‘have’, ‘assume’ and in place of ‘silent’, ‘quiet’. I suspect you aren’t disturbed by silent/quiet since they’re synonyms (but maybe I’m wrong). But it seems that have/assume isn’t that much of a difference in meaning.
Please illume me.
The common Egalitarian theory behind their attempt to evade this verse is that some women in Ephesus, which had female clerics in the cult of Diana, had ‘assumed’ leadership rather than being granted leadership. So, the problem was not women in authority, but women who usurped authority (which is a problem regardless of sex).
Ah, that makes sense. I wasn’t aware of the history of that word.