What is the best bible translation?

Whoa,… I own a copy of the “NIV Study Bible”. From what I can tell the translation is extremely similar to the King James Version - only this one has notes where translations can get more explanations in footnotes. However, considering some of the original text were written in Early Roman and Greek… I have done a little looking into those languages and if you read any old “translated” manuscripts (short of the bible) you will find words that scholars will leave in their original form rather than translating them because they have not been ever properly translated. The politics around the bible will not allow such a lack of knowledge so I just have to wonder if the bible really had a 100% translation rather than the 80-90% that occurs in other tomes of the era. You can think for yourself… do you think that some clergy many hundreds of years ago might have fudged a few words here or there? And wouldn’t that be a good way to add a little extra power to the church as a political body? Remember where the Christian savior said that the real church was located.

For me - The King James Version (KJV).

King James version supposedly, but here’s something to remember, none of the bibles were written in the same language that Jesus spoke keep that in mind.

Dear teachel, The KJV tells me that God, Christ the son, and the Holy Spirit are one in the way they think and that is their image. They are three seperate enities–“Let us make man in our image after our likeness … .” GEN 1:27 KJV

I do not know! I was raised with the KJV and have compared the later translations and I think that they are tampering with the words to make the bible read the way they want it to read. When rightfully dividing the word, there are no conflicts–one cannot take one verse without taking other related verses while keeping in the context of the message. Those who study only one book of the bible and ignore the other books are not dividing the word and searching the scriptures.

OK, Genesis 1:27 NIV “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Neither is exalted and neither is depreciated. Genesis 1:28 …to rule over? That would be that the earth and everything on and in it is ours to be responsible over and not be careless how we take care of it.

IS THE BIBLE YOU ARE REFERRING THE ORIGINAL VERSION? THEN CHECK OUT. Which Bible verses did the NIV delete? Several readers have asked me this question so I thought it worthwhile to include my response here. Please note that these are only WHOLE verses that the NIV deletes. This list does not include the many words and phrases that were completely deleted from the NIV–it deletes over 64,000 words including words like mercyseat, Jehovah, and Godhead. It removes meaningful, well-known Bible words like Calvary, Lucifer, new testament, regeneration, etc. Most of the modern Bibles line up very closely with the NIV–and so does the New World Translation–the Bible of the Jehovah’s Witnesses which predates the NIV! When you read below where I say that a verse is COMPLETELY deleted, I mean clean/bald-headed/gone/vanished deleted. For instance, if you search for Acts 8:37 in the NIV you will read, 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38And he ordered the chariot to stop. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. Verse 37 is CLEAN, BALD-HEADED, GONE, VANISHED, MY FRIENDS (and it is a powerful verse)! Some foolish people have written me saying, “But it says something in the footnotes.” I have three responses. (1) When you are reading your Bible do you look at the footnotes after every verse? Do you say “I am reading verse 3 so let me look below and see if something in verse 3 is missing.”? Even if you did do that (which you don’t) the footnotes say that the “best manuscripts” don’t have the verse–will you then agree with them that the verse doesn’t belong? If not, then why are you reading an NIV? (2) Not all the word deletions are found in the footnotes of the NIV so don’t think for a second that they are letting you know all the changes they made. (3) The next logical step will be for the NIV to omit the footnotes and just reorder everthing. In the example above verse 38 would become verse 37 so it wouldn’t look funny. Look at the J.B. Phillips translation–that heretick didn’t number the individual verses so you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s paragraph style. The NIV may go that way too. They are desensitizing you to the changing of the very words of God. In summary, they’ll either renumber or go to that paragraph format. Wait a minute, hold the presses! I got the following from Bill W. one of our dear readers: “I was in the Christian Book store today. I saw some thing that shocked me. I look through the Bibles often. I looked at the CHILDREN’S NIV. I looked up the missing verses and there was something I could not believe. I looked up Matt 17:21 and of course it is missing BUT in this Children’s Bible it was typed out like this 20/21 and the 21st verse was still missing. They make you think that you read the 21st verse but it still is just the 20th verse! Can you believe it??!! If you want to look for yourself find the CHILDREN’S NIrV BIBLE, and see for yourself. I did look in the other NIV’s to see if they did the same thing. They DID NOT do that, BUT how long before they do??!” They are already sneaking the deletions into the children’s Bibles! This is the second time that I’ve heard of those foxes pulling one over on little helpless children. The other thing I’ve seen them do is retranslate the kids’ and prisoners’ Bibles to make them gender neutral. Of course those foxes didn’t market them that way, they just snuck in the gender inclusivity. See this article for details. Another update! I just opened the JW “Bible”, the New World Translation (1961 ed.), and looked up all the verses that the NIV completely deletes. THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESS BIBLE DELETES THE EXACT SAME ONES!! I mean ALL of ‘em! The only difference between the NIV and the New World Translation deletions is that the JW Bible does not include any footnotes! Isn’t that what I said above, that the NIV would eventually delete the footnotes? To learn more about the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their damnable doctrines go to our article on cults. Our illiterate, lazy culture has spilled over to many professing Christians who have embraced the ways of the sluggard (and their want shall come upon them as an armed man). They are willing to read a Satanic “Bible” version missing what God says so they can be lazy and not do their due diligence. Your modern Bible perversion was written by men using dynamic equivalence. In other words, they are telling you their interpretation and their doctrine–NOT what the manuscripts really say. Don’t believe me? Look at the article on the NIV using gender inclusive language. Gender inclusivity wasn’t in the “originals”–it is a modern, feminist concept born of REBELLION. A number of brothers and sisters, after examining the facts, have said, “I’m getting a King James!” Many have shared what a blessing the King James Bible has been to them and their spiritual life. The King James isn’t hard. I’ve seen one and two year olds quoting it and I am not exaggerating. I’ve taught it to people who cannot read and to children whose second language is English. I actually find the modern Bibles more difficult to read than the King James. If you read a modern Bible, don’t let your pride get in the way of really looking at this information. Some people get hostile because I’m sharing these facts. Look up the verses and see that what you call the Bible is not the Bible. Get a real Bible. The King James conformable to the edition of 1611–NOT the New King James or the KJ21, etc. they are not King James Bibles. WHOLE Bible verses deleted in the NIV The following WHOLE verses have been removed in the NIV–whether in the text or footnotes..over 40 IN ALL!! Matthew 12:47 – removed in the footnotes Matthew 17:21 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 18:11 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 21:44 – removed in the footnotes Matthew 23:14 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” Mark 7:16 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 9:44 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Mark 9:46 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Mark 11:26 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 15:28 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.” Mark 16:9-20 (all 12 verses) – There is a line separating the last 12 verses of Mark from the main text. Right under the line it says: [The two most reliable early manuscripts do not have Mark 16:9-20] (NIV, 1978 ed.) The Jehovah’s Witness “Bible” also places the last 12 verses of Mark as an appendix of sorts. Luke 17:36 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Luke 22:44 – removed in the footnotes Luke 22:43 – removed in the footnotes Luke 23:17 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)” John 5:4 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” John 7:53-8:11 – removed in the footnotes Acts 8:37 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. It’s deletion makes one think that people can be baptized and saved without believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Sounds Catholic. What are you NIV readers missing? “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Acts 15:34 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.” Acts 24:7 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,” Acts 28:29 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.” Romans 16:24 – COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. What are you NIV readers missing? “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” I John 5:7 – Vitally important phrase COMPLETELY removed [also deleted from the Jehovah’s Witness “Bible”]. In the NIV it says, “For there are three that testify:” Compare the NIV reading with the following Jehovah’s Witness reading– “For there are three witness bearers,” What are you NIV readers missing? What does the real Bible say? “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” This is one of the GREATEST verses testifying of the trinity. That is why the Jehovah’s Witnesses leave it out. They do not believe in the trinity and they do not believe that Jesus is God. Why does the NIV leave it out..? Whole books have been written on the manuscript evidence that supports inclusion of this verse in the Bible. Reader, do you believe in the triunity of God? If so, then this deletion should offend you. People are playing around with the Bible and it ain’t funny. – NIV Reader: Do you have enough confidence in the NIV to.. tell God, OUT LOUD, that these verses do not belong in the Bible? If not, you need to get a King James so you can have some confidence. – He said, I said One writer said to me, “You [do not] talk about the large section of Mark [referring to Mark 16:9-20] which was INCLUDED with the provison that the earliest reliable manuscripts did not include that section.” I said to him, That “provisional” statement is, at best, casting doubt on the word of God and at worst deleting the information in the footnotes. You say that the NIV says, the MOST RELIABLE manuscripts don’t have it. That is as good as saying, “If you accept this rendering you are accepting an inferior, unreliable manuscript.” What they DON’T tell you is that those same “reliable” manuscripts DON’T EVEN INCLUDE THE WHOLE BOOK OF REVELATION!! If the manuscript is so reliable, then why didn’t they take out the WHOLE book of Revelation? Mmm? Selective deletion? Why not be true to what they say are the earliest and most reliable manuscripts? I have no respect for this. As I receive further information, I will upate this page. This is a fight for the word of God, the product of the Reformation, the Authorized King James Version of 1611.

ALSO GO THROUGH-MODERN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS UNMASKED By Colin & Russel Standish,Hartland Publications,Rapidan,VA.USA

The King James Version hands down. I don’t care what you say jenasayqua

jenasayqua said: “Read your KJV’s if it makes you feel more holy, but remember… you’re still an icky rotten sinner, maybe more so because of your vanity and Pharisee-ical pride issues. LOL”

The King James Version was published in 1611 and if you try to read it you won’t get very far. A lot of the j’s are printed as f’s and u’s are v’s ( as in God we trvst that is on some of our older our money. What’s called the original KJV was printed around 1797 (? not sure of the exact date). So if you want a Bible you can read and understand probably the NIV. Remember a virgin as in the KJV will be referred to as a young girl as a young girl with child would be married or stoned to death.

King James Version

(what’s with all the long posts, which should be a simple answer?)

Orion, keep searching the KJV and leave the others alone. You will see the truth about how to live as as Christian and what is required to obtain eternal life in heaven, but only thru the door that Jesus the Christ opens for you. You do not need another set of rules that are not in the bible. The Holy Spirit had the writers to tell us in written words, not verbal words that are repeated and changed to meet the way a person wants it to read. Comparing the KJV with another one will give the wrong meaning some of the time. Search out what the scriptures state that is required to be a Christian and leave it up to God thru Jesus the Christ. The bible tells me that I must pray in Jesus’ name. I do not find that I am to pray thru any other name. If I am a righteous Christian, God will hear. I did not say God will not hear the unrighteous. Remember that the goal is to get to heaven. I assume that you have rear the entire New Taestament and know where to find the topics that I have mentioned. If you cannot find the context (not just a verse), I’ll be glad to tell you, but nI will not tell you the meaning which is up to you.

King James Version.

Don’t let people tell you that you can’t understand it. If you have a high school reading level or above there should be no problem.

Readability?? Give me a break. It is not a romance novel that you are suppose to tear through in a day or so. It is a sacred document that you come to love, pouring over it again and again gleaning fresh truth from it to answer all of life’s questions.

But the modern translations are better. Baloney. The modern translations have been dumbed down in the name of scholarship and readability. But the truth is they publish new Bibles to get the people who already have bibles to buy new ones. Zondervan isn’t a spiritual organization, it is a publishing company. Do you see?

But they are better aren’t they? No. Very rarely is there a rendering of a verse that is more powerful, poetic, or memorable than the 1611 KJV.

Example, NIV: Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:16-18

KJV:Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:16-18

See where they left out the word WISE ?

I hope you find a version you love. God bless your search in Jesus Name. Amen

The new world translation bibles don’t delete any scriptures…the bible’s like king james and other ones add scriptures because they were only written not that long ago…

If you heart is truly receptive, and you sincerely ask for God’s holy spirit to help you, then any Bible will lead you to the truth.

However, the English language Bibles that remain closest to the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek manuscripts are the 1) The American Standard Version and 2) The New World Translation.

This whole version thing scares me, so I’ll stick to the KJV. I’ve read several versions and it’s true, some of them change the meanings of words which in turn changes the outcome. We don’t want to be “dumbed-down” about our LORD. I pray for understanding and God has been gracious.

they are all they same and say the same thing. It’s just that others have older words

First of all… I’m sitting here with an NIV in my hands and those verses listed above are here. In the text, not in footnotes. Nice cut and paste propaganda, but inaccurate. I can’t find a “missing verse.”

IMO, Christians should learn Greek and Hebrew. That’s the best solution. If I were choosing an English language version, I would choose New American Standard, hands down. NIV is a phrase by phrase translation, while NASB is word by word.

But no Christian should read without a copy of Strong’s until they’ve got a good grasp of Greek and Hebrew. NIV is not evil, people are just uber-insane about tradition. Read your KJV’s if it makes you feel more holy, but remember… you’re still an icky rotten sinner, maybe more so because of your vanity and Pharisee-ical pride issues. LOL

It depends on what you want to use the translation for. For scholarly work, if the original language texts are not available (most of us do not read Aramaic, or even Koine Greek!), one of the better ones is the RSV (Revised Standard Version) or the NRSV (New RSV). Any of the modern translations are reasonably accurate, so the quality of the footnotes becomes a factor. I personally like the NJB (New Jerusalem Bible), but I will even take several different translations (RSV, NRSV, NJB, RNAB (Revised New American Bible), NIV, NEB, others) and compare them to get a better idea of what the original text might mean.

I would suggest that the original King James is the best. Because man have added to and taken away when they rewrote the bible. I had a problem understanding the word. When I got saved. So I used the Revised the new King James Version. So I started praying and asking the Lord to give me wisdom, knowledge, understanding before I started to have my bible study and he did just that so know I read the King James version and I have better understanding know at times I have to go back and say Lord open up my understanding to your word

The King James Version is based upon the least corrupted text. However it can be hard reading for some because of the difference in English. It is however grammatcially the best you are going to get. (English professors often site the King James Version to support grammatical points).

But one easy read and yet fairly accurate is the NIRV (New Internationa Readers Version) but get hte backpackers bible. I have enjoyed reading it. It is very readable!

Probably the one easiest for you to read and understand…so if King James English is not your everyday speech…you may not find the King James to be the best one for you. I like NIV, because it’s easy for me to understand as an American native English speaker. It’s one of the good ones. If you do not understand Greek, I would not suggest trying to read a Greek bible as your best translation to start out with. Try lots of versions and see what reads easiest for you. It might be a few different ones, not just one. That’s normal.

The original King James version is the most accurate widely accepted version, but not perfect. The organizer of the religion I am active in translated the Bible through direct revelation from God, so I consider that version perfect, of course. It is extremely similar to the original King James version, so that is what I would recommend unless you’re interested in the other version I mentioned above (which I doubt) :-/

NIV is evil it is harder to understand cause of the changes. I am doing well in My King James Bible. The one God wants us to have is KJV (King James Version.) Ask a Preacher to help you and ask God to help you understand it, but he will not answer right away sometimes and you will still have problems. But, this will help. God is real!=] I hope you all take this advice. I hope you find Jesus and God and The Holy Ghost which are one. (Look that up in the Bible to figure it out. KJV!) I hope you all find them all. They all love you and I love them all, too! God Bless You!

The KING JAMES and NON OTHER THAN THAT! The new Bible they are coming out with now can completely change the meaning that a passage of scripture is trying to tell us! stick with the KJV!

What ever one you feel lead to readi I read two NIV an King james and I like both

i heard it is the King James Version cuz other translations r missing sum versus and KJV has everything

The best for me has been the NIV. It is written in common, everyday language.

Definitely not the Jehovah Witness’, they add only one letter “a” which corrupts. In John, …”a” God… May God have mercy on them.

NIV does not have all the Thees and Thous of the KJV: Easier read. Still powerful!

I think the best translation is the one that you will actually read, understand and study.

kingtutt: What is required to obtain eternal life in heaven?

It is good to read a couple versions to get a better meaning of some of the Greek. NIV/RSV, KJV/NKJV/NAS, etc.

According to a Resource research I’ve conducted. On a Google search Keyword- “Zondervan” New International Version (NIV)

Rights & Reserves all to their respective owners, I Benjamin have conducted my own personal research, within guidelines to accommodate law appropriate, and to prevent any negative litigations. Please let it be know, I am only referencing the source of information. (Excerpt:): Translation:

“We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you.

2 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) Reading Level: 7.80 Readbility: A highly accurate and smooth-reading version in modern English. Reference Support Material: High Number of Translators:

115 Translation Philosophy/Format: The best balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought. Endorsements:

“The two most important characteristics of a Bible translation are accuracy and readability. After 30 years of researching the English Bible in light of the original languages, I have found the New International Version to be the best combination of accuracy and readability of any English Bible ever done. [Optional] That is why I have committed most of my career to producing reference books that help other scholars and laypeople better understand God’s word using the NIV.”

John R. Kohlenberger III

Editor, The Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament

Co-editor, The Exhaustive Concordance to the Greek New Testament

“The NIV is virtually the only translation I use in my writing. I can depend on its accuracy, and don’t need to explain what it says to my readers. It speaks for itself, with power.”

Philip Yancey

“Nothing has impacted my life and writing more than the 30 or so minutes I spend each morning in Scripture. And that Scripture is the NIV.”

Bill Myers

“The NIV is my study Bible. Easy to read. Convicting. Terrifying. Edifying. Encouraging. Never fails to(are there words missing??) (It) give(s) me a fresh glimpse of Jesus and always makes me hungry for more.”

(??Should this say, “The Late”??)Michael Yaconelli Owner-Youth Specialties

“The NIV is trustworthy, accessible, fresh, and compelling; it’s a gift to all who love God’s Word.”

John Ortberg

“I rely on the NIV all the time – for devotions, study, research, and teaching. And because of its accuracy and readability, it’s also the Bible I give (it) to spiritual seekers – many of whom are now followers of Jesus after meeting Him through the pages of the NIV.”

Lee Strobel

“Accurate, clear, beautiful, and fresh. I love sharing God’s word from the NIV.”

Jim Cymbala

“The NIV has achieved that hard-to-reach balance of accuracy and engagement with the reader. I use it daily.”

Dr. John Townsend

“I’m one of 160 million people that owns and loves the NIV. It’s where I find answers for life.”

Dr. Henry Cloud

“A few years ago, after subjecting myself to almost two decades of spiritual famine, I began to get hungry for God’s Word. The NIV was able to fill that hunger, because it put the scriptures in my everyday language, and literally brought the Word to life for me.”

Terri Blackstock, Author of Cape Refuge, and The Newpointe 911 Series

“I find the NIV easy to read and comprehend, refreshing to review and apprehend, and accurate to study and share.”

Walter L. Larimore, MD Vice President of Medical Outreach Focus on the Family

“I bought my first NIV 30 years ago, and it’s been my primary teaching Bible ever since.”

Rick Warren

“Articulate and accurate, clear-cut, and straightforward. That’s the NIV. And that’s the Bible I use in my personal study.”

Joni Eareckson Tada, President, Joni and Friends

“The NIV is the perfect marriage of beauty, accuracy, and clarity. No wonder it’s the bestselling Bible translation in the world.”

Les & Leslie Parrott

“I use the NIV both for study and preaching and find it to be clear, understandable, and powerful.”

Charles W. Colson

Chairman

“The NIV is wonderfully accurate according to the manuscripts of the Scriptures. It is reliable. And because it is accurate, it holds up under close scrutiny. It clearly is the Bible of choice for English speaking and reading people around the world.”

Charles Swindoll, President, Dallas Theological Seminary

“Different translations of Scripture have difference excellences. For vivid clarity, the NIV leads the field.”

J. I. Packer, Sangoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology, Regeny College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

“The NIV has . . . a very high level of confidence and acceptance among evangelical Christians.”

Morris H. Chapman, President, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee

“The NIV is my favorite Bible translation. It is contemporary, yet just formal enough to convey the grandeur of language that is God’s Word.”

Cal Thomas, Syndicated Columnist

“I read the Greek Testament as easily as I read a translation of it, and I can claim, after teaching Greek for half a century, that I can sense some of the same impact of its words as the first readers of the Gospels and the Epistles would have felt. The NIV gives me the same direct impression. It is simple and austere. Accuracy is notable.”

E. M. Blaiklock. O.B.E., Litt. D., Emeritus Professor of Classics, University of Auckland. New Zealand

“Nothing is more tragic than failing to see life in the Bible. The NIV has helped me avoid that tragedy. In new ways, it has revealed the richness, clarity, and excitement of God’s love.”

Lawrence J. Crabb. Jr. Ph.D.

“I am grateful for the clarity and beauty of the NIV translation.”

Steve Green, recording artist

“The NIV stands as a scholarly work done by a host of evangelicals and is used in the worship services of thousands of churches. It is a readable translation and will still be used for decades to come. The church has benefited immeasurably by this splendid work.”

Harold Lindsell, Ph.D., Editor emeritus, Christianity Today

“The NIV brings clarity and freshness to the book that has guided my life for decades.”

Tom Landry, former coach of the Dallas Cowboys

“As I read the NIV Bible, God’s peace and comfort have been brought to life.”

Dave Dravecky

“I have found the NIV to be the clearest, most accurate translation of God’s Holy Word published. I read from it daily, and the NIV, of all translations, meets my needs better than any other.”

Ted W. Engstrom, Th.D., LL.D., Litt.D., President Emeritus, World Vision

“I find the dignity of the NIV’s language, the emphasis of the evangelical position on biblical inerrancy, and the modern phrasing extremely helpful.”

A. Wetherell Johnson. Bible Studv Fellowship

“The NIV is the best overall translation for accuracy and clarity. I confidently recommend the NIV to you. When the question is asked ‘which Bible [translation] is best?’ I believe we finally have an answer. The New International Version.”

Lawrence O. Richards

“The popularity of the NIV translation is well-deserved and a credit to the church. As a scholar of the Hebrew Old Testament I have found that the translators were true to the best of biblical scholarship. They paid careful attention to the meaning of the text in its original language and context, and then translated that meaning into the closest corresponding modern idiomatic English rendering. The NIV has rightly become a landmark in the history of English Bible translations.”

Richard E. Averbeck, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL

“After twenty years, the NIV remains the finest English translation of the Scriptures available. Its faithfulness to the original languages makes it useful for serious study. Its readability makes it accessible to a wide range of people and appropriate for use in a variety of settings. I have used it in the pulpit and in both college and seminary classes for years, and it remains the first translation I mention when someone asks for a recommendation.”

Frank Thielman, Presbyterian Associate Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

“The NIV has served the church well in its first 20 years as an exemplary translation, presenting the Word of God to the church with accuracy and clarity. This beloved version, released when I began my technical study of Greek in the 70s, rates among the top of modern translations. It is a version that can be regarded as faithful to the revelatory message of God, a worthy witness to the gospel.”

Dr. Darrell L. Bock, Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

“I regularly use the NIV both in teaching and in private devotions. As one who has engaged in translation work, I am constantly struck by how well the NIV combines faithfulness to the original with clarity of English style. I happily recommend the NIV for personal study and public worship.”

Philip E. Satterthwaite, Research Fellow in Hebrew and Aramaic, Tyndale House, Cambridge, Affiliated Lecturer, Faculty of Oriental Studies, Cambridge

“I consider the NIV to be the best English translation of the Bible that has been produced so far.”

Dr. Robert C. Newman, Professor of New Testament, Director of the Interdisciplinary Biblical Research Institute, Biblical Theological Seminary, Hatfield, PA

“Those of us who study Scripture in the original languages recognize that no single translation catches all the nuances of the ancient languages and cultures of the Bible. Nevertheless, of the more accurate translations, the NIV is the most readable, and among the most readable translations, it is one of the most accurate. Especially in the narratives of the Bible, the NIV brings to life the accounts the way they were originally meant to be read.”

Craig Keener, Visiting Professor of Biblical Studies, Eastern Seminary, Eastern, PA

“Reliability and readability are twin pillars of the New International Version. Faithful to the words of the original texts of the Scriptures and eminently lucid in its presentation, the NIV has justifiably earned its place as the trusted Bible of the evangelical community.”

Richard D. Patterson, Distinguished Emeritus Professor, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

“Some time back one of the larger churches in our city invited me, a seminary teacher familiar with Biblical languages, to help them select a Bible version for a pew Bible. At the end of the series the leaders made a choice: the NIV.”

Elmer A. Martens, Ph.D., Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, CA

“A distinctive and scholarly contribution to contemporary translations of the Bible, the NIV is attractive for its conservative stance on matters of interpretation, concern for literary fluency, and clarity of meaning. The range of different editions offers key resources to serious students of the text. When used alongside other translations it sheds fresh light on familiar passages. The 20th anniversary of the NIV is an indication of its popularity amongst readers of the Bible.”

Canon Rosemary A. Nixon, B.D., M.A., M.Th., Principal of the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK (Old Testament teacher for Episcopalian ordinands)

“As a young minister 20 years ago I took pre-publication orders for the first cloth editions of the NIV. The decision was well rewarded, as the NIV has become the translation of choice in the church and classroom in the following decades. As an exegete and translator I have found the interpretation of the NIV to be both reliable and readable; it is almost always the text from which I preach and teach.”

Dr. A. H. Konkel, Providence Seminary, Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada

“The New International Version is a masterful combination of scholarship, style, faithfulness, and readability. This landmark translation has for two decades shaped a generation of evangelicals and will no doubt be hailed as a milestone among Bible translations for years to come.”

David S. Dockery, President, Union University, Jackson, TN

“In my opinion the NIV is to be considered as one of the most important translations of the Holy Bible in this century. Using the NIV regularly during my courses of exegesis, I know by experience that its accuracy and reliability are beyond doubt and its language is up-to-date.”

Prof. Dr. H.G.L. Peels, Professor of Old Testament, Theological University of the Christian Reformed Churches, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

“In a relatively short time the NIV has become a translation you can trust! After spending more that 40 years working with the biblical languages, and having lived in a foreign country using a second language for over 30 years, I am keenly aware of the pitfalls of translation. Those who produced the NIV have in a very unique way solved many of these difficulties and have given us a version which is true to the text without being ‘wooden;’ with excellent English which is understandable, but not ‘slang;’ and a Bible translation true to biblical theology! The NIV is truly a trustworthy translation!”

Cleon Rogers, Jr., Th.D., The German Theological Seminary, and Bible Seminar Bonn, Weidenhausen, Germany,

“Reading and teaching from the NIV is a joy. More importantly, the text consistently communicates the message of the original languages of both the Old and New Testaments with vital accuracy. It is, at this time, clearly the best translation available in English for the scholar and serious student of the Bible.”

Eugene E. Carpenter, Ph.D., Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages, Bethel College, Mishawaka, IN

“As a specialist in the Hebrew language, I find the NIV thoughtfully attentive to the meaning of the original text. It blends accuracy and expression without being slavish or trendy. It’s my Bible—I use it for daily reading, teaching, and preaching.”

Robert C. Stallman, Assistant Professor of Bible & Theology, Central Bible College, Springfield, MO

“When involved in commentary writing and in translation projects to do with the Old Testament, it has been a common experience of my colleagues and myself that we have worked through to a ‘best possible’ rendering of a difficult text only to find that NIV had got there first.”

Robert P. Gordon, Religious Professor of Hebrew, University of Cambridge, UK

“The NIV faithfully bridges the gap between Christ’s day and our own. It reads like a story— the story of God’s care for his people—without sacrificing the original meaning of the Hebrew and Greek texts. A translation for the 21st century.”

Terry C. Muck, Ph.D., Professor of Religion, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Austin, TX, General Editor, NIV Application Commentary

“The NIV remarkably maintains both readability and accuracy in translation without sacrificing one over the other, as all too often happens. That an ever-growing number of believers around the world are embracing the NIV attests to its power to communicate the wonders of God’s timeless Word.”

Dr. Nobuyoshi Kiuchi, Associate Professor in Old Testament, Tokyo Christian University, Japan

“For readers with a high view of Scripture, the NIV is probably the best all-round English version available today. It combines accuracy and readability with dignity and literary polish. As someone involved in Bible translation myself, I can recommend it.”

Al Wolters, Professor of Biblical Studies, Redeemer College, Ancaster, Ontario

“I appreciate both the accuracy and the readability of the New International Version, which I am happy to use as my primary translation. In teaching large surveys of Western Civilization at a state university, I assign the NIV as a required text. I also award NIV Study Bibles annually to the outstanding leaders of religious organizations on campus.”

Edwin Yamauchi, Professor, History Department, Miami University, Oxford, OH

“One of the things I appreciate most about the NIV is the clarity of its English while still accurately reflecting the intent of the original languages. I also appreciate the fact that it maintains an atmosphere of reverence, avoiding the slang expressions so often found in modern translations.”

Hermann J. Austel, Ph.D., Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, Northwest Baptist Seminary, Tacoma, WA

“The NIV is the English Bible I use in my personal devotions, my personal study, and when I preach in English, because it gives the gist of the original meaning without becoming wooden. The language flows smoothly and is thus easy to read in private and public.”

Ajith Fernando, Th.M., D.D., National Director, Youth for Christ; Lecturer in New Testament, Colombo Theological Seminary

“The NIV continues to be one of the most readable translations in English. I recommend it highly for those who wish to gain a general knowledge of the Bible or of biblical books.”

David R. Bauer, Ralph W. Beeson Professor of English Bible, Chair, Division of Biblical Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY Notes:

The bestselling translation, widely accepted by evangelical Christians. Purpose in translation was to “produce an accurate translation, suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing, and liturgical use.” Published in 1978. Most read, most trusted. The New International Version (NIV) is a translation made by more than one hundred scholars working from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. It was conceived in 1965 when, after several years of study by committees from the Christian Reformed Church and the National Association of Evangelicals, a transdenominational and international group of scholars met at Palos Heights, Illinois, and agreed on the need for a new translation in contemporary English. Their conclusion was endorsed by a large number of church leaders who met in Chicago in 1966. Responsibility for the version was delegated to a self-governing body of fifteen Biblical scholars, the Committee on Bible Translation, and in 1967, the New York Bible Society (now International Bible Society) generously undertook the financial sponsorship of the project.

The translation of each book was assigned to a team of scholars, and the work was thoroughly reviewed and revised at various stages by three separate committees. The Committee submitted the developing version to stylistic consultants who made invaluable suggestions. Samples of the translation were tested for clarity and ease of reading by various groups of people. In short, perhaps no other translation has been made by a more thorough process of review and revision.

The Committee held to certain goals for the NIV: that it be an accurate, beautiful, clear, and dignified translation suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing, and liturgical use. The translators were united in their commitment to the authority and infallibility of the Bible as God’s Word in written form. They agreed that faithful communication of the meaning of the original writers demands frequent modifications in sentence structure (resulting in a “thought-for-thought” translation) and constant regard for the contextual meanings of words.

In 1973 the New Testament was published. The Committee carefully reviewed suggestions for revisions and adopted a number of them, which they incorporated into the first printing of the entire Bible in 1978. Additional changes were made in 1983.

Change a Life. Every NIV and TNIV Zondervan Bible you purchase helps International Bible Society translate and give Bibles to people in need around the world. This of which is about 97.9% Accuracy, there are only about 7 word in this version that are not exactly in order. However, if you look into the (King James Version) - KJV. This is probably about an 80 Percentile.

How does a later version than the King James (KJV) help you understand GEN 1:28 ?

23 PSALM

Regarding The King James Version 1611, have you ever wondered why no other bible contains the comma Johannem or the “GREATEST Scripture that verifies the trinity” Why is that when jesus was baptised that god spoke from heaven to jesus while the holy spirit descended upon him, yes all three were there but clearly seperate beings.

If jesus is part of a triune godhead, explain when jesus was tempted, why did he ask to do an act of worship, why would satan need to tempt jesus if jesus was almighty and not just mighty. Clearly, Jesus is not god, for he said “It is to god alone you should render Sacred Service (worship).” Did Jesus worship himself, did he not say “The father is greater than I am” He also said “No one comes to the father except through me.” This would mean that Jesus is not almighty, as The father was greater than I am.” This also brings into question the fact that jesus said “before you were born I am” referring to moses conversation with god. The context would be the same as I am but if the father is greater than I am then this means that I am (Jesus) is not equal to god. Have you actually pondered what the holy spirit is. The holy spirit is the personal force of God. Think of it as God’s Remote Control.

warmheart, You did not answer my question,but I’ll attempt to answer yours. Knowing what existed between GEN 1:1 and 1:3 does not help me know what I need to know to get to heaven. I think that it might help the person/s who do not believe that a God exists–the God that created all things including the Laws of Nature.

Now when I hear/read Abou God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and if I believe that they exist, that the Holy Bible contains the record of how people lived, and how I should live my life, then I must repent (change my mind about what I believed).

Then I must confess, before people, that I believe that Jesus the Christ (the Messiah that the Jews are still waiting to appear} is the son of God.

Then I must be buried (as though the old person has died) in a water grave and rise (as though I am born again) up out of the water a new person (a Christian).

Then I must try to live the life that is described in the New Testament ( search the scriptures to find out).

The commandments of Christ are scattered in the NT–find them. —King Tutt

The Message Bible no doubt! It’s soo much easier to read, and it makes soo much more sense. It get’s rid of all the ‘thees, thous, etc etc’ and reads in everyday language. I highly highly recommend it.

the only bible that has not been tampered with.. for instance the “shall and thy and thus and GOD, GOD, GOD” in the New Translation of the Holy Scriptures. It doesnt all the time say god this god that god is my savior. it uses his name and has not been changed by priests.