Today's New International Version - Differences

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. Strauss 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 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 TNIVs 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 the statement's real meaning apparent; 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," and "saints" has often been replaced with terms such as "God's people" or "believers."