News came from Zondervan yesterday that they will be stopping production of the TNIV (Today’s New International Version), my translation of choice. But, that’s not all; they also announced that in doing so they will be making revisions to the overwhelmingly popular NIV (New International Version) in order “to refresh the text by going back to the original Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew and translate God’s unchanging word using today’s most contemporary English.”
Along with the announcement came a sort of apology for the production of the TNIV. Moe Girkins, president of Zondervan, called the TNIV “divisive” and claiming the responsibility to “undo the damage” the TNIV has caused. The aim now is to revise the 1984 updated version of the NIV and publish the 2011 version (NIVBible2011.com).
This affects me, personally, as I have just become comfortable with the TNIV in my daily bible reading and scholarly work (the TNIV is the only version to translate Mark 1.41 correctly). I do, however, have faith in the Committee on Bible Translation that they will produce an even better version than the TNIV.
The bad news today is that the division between egalitarians and complementarians will be even more deep. With the praise of Zondervan’s apology from the likes of Ligon Duncan, president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, I’m sure the egalitarian blood will begin to boil and we won’t be rid of controversy, but will see more to come.
18 For I consider that the present suffering is not worthy of comparison to the future glory that will be revealed in us.
19For the Creation is eagerly awaiting the revelation of the sons of God. 20For the Creation was subject to futility, not by its on choice (but by the choice of the One who subjected it), but through subjection in hope 21that the Creation itself will be set free from the bondage of decay to the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that all Creation is groaning with birth pangs until now.
23But not it alone, but we ourselves, having the firstfruits of the Harvest – the Spirit, groan inwardly, anxiously awaiting our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what they see? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we patiently await for it through endurance.
26In the same way, also, the Spirit gives us assistance in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself makes intercession [for us] with unutterable groanings. 27And the One who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, that according to the plan of God [the Spirit makes this intercession] for the saints.
28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his plan. 29For those he foreknow, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, for him to become the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined, these he also called. And those he called, these he also justified. And those he justified, these he also glorified.
