A Gospel preacher, and one that does not claim to be a Scholar of the Greek, Hebrew, or Arabian languages, writes this article to try and instruct those that use it of the many dangers that are within this translation.  This article is not out to define all errors in the NIV but rather to simply show how deadly it could be.  Brother Curtis Cates had the right observation about the NIV.  He stated that it was the HIV.  It has infected the Church of our Lord just as HIV would in a human, destruction follows.

     A Background – Produced a New Testament Version in 1971-1972.  The complete version was published in 1978.  The work to produce this version started in 1965 when several noted Bible scholars met and reviewed the original Greek and Hebrew text.  These scholars were from several denominational backgrounds so that there would be not references to sects.  While they claim to have provided a clear and exact text they admit in their preface that some words have been supplied to make clearer as to Modern English.  In the preface the NIV states and that it is a completely new translation of the Holy Bible made by over a hundred scholars working directly from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.  The preface also states that when the committee began in 1965 after several years of exploratory study by committees and the Christian Reformed Church, and the National Association of the evangelist saw the need for a new translation of the bible in contemporary English. 

     Matthew 1:1 The NIV states A record this is incorrect because the original Greek word is Biblos properly translated to the book; not Bible, as the dictionary would indicate but book, because of the cellular substance of the stem of papyrus (paper).  This translation is used to indicate the books of the Scriptures.

     Three contradictions that are in reference to the each other: Matthew 5:17, Ephesians 2:15, and Hebrews 10:9.  In Matthew they have Jesus Christ state " to not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them ". And Ephesians 2:15 " and by abolishing in his flesh and with its commandments and regulations.  An his purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”  This obvious contradiction also occurs in Hebrews 10:9.  They have Christ saying I did not abolish, then I did abolish.

     John 3:16 there are two errors contained in this verse; the first that is contained in the this passage is his only son.  The second error contained in the Scripture is shall not perish.  The first is an error because the Greek word used in the original text is (Monogenes), which means unoriginated relationship.  This indicates that Christ being a direct transcendent of God being of his nature, being, and being everlasting.  This contradicts the fact that we are all the children of God (Galatians 3:26)  “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” 
 

The second error contained is “shall”.  The word here must be should seeing as how the original word was pistevo as an aux. Verb.  Being this tense by Greek grammatical rules would not make it possible to be shall.  Thus the NIV translation of this verse is in a direct conflict with Revelations 22:18-19 simply stating not to add to or take away from the word’s in the Bible.  For argument’s sake consider the fact that if the proper translation was shall, then all you would need to do is believe in Christ and you would be saved.  That would make this verse the sole verse in regard’s to salvation unless you added their errors in Romans 10:10 and Ephesians 1:13.  The NIV did its very best to provide Calvinistic views in their translation.  They have Romans 10:10 read as: for it is with your heart you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth you confess and are saved.  Then they follow later in Ephesians 1:13: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promise of the Holy Spirit.”  The problem with Romans 10:10 is that Justified was not in the text and they conveniently forgot the unto’s that so make the verse.  The problem with Ephesians 1:13 is they changed this verse to be non-conditional salvation.  We are indeed saved by faith however not by faith alone James 2:24.  The NT also gives many weapons to destroy this faith only argument. Mark 16:15-16 (which the NIV puts into brackets to claim that these verses are without true claim and are indeed suggestions and not scriptures). The verses that all faith only experts hate James 2:19 which states that even the devils believe and tremble followed by verse 24 that informs that we are not saved by faith alone.  Let’s not flood the Church with this false doctrine let’s keep the word pure. 

       Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9.  The word porneia is incorrectly translated to marital unfaithfulness.  The correct translation is Fornication.  Marital unfaithfulness would include things in its definition that would not be included as fornication or porneia such as: beating, verbal abuse, and not be financially supportive (etc.).  Faithfulness would mean having been full of faith, marital is in the marriage = being in full faith of all aspects of a marriage.  Fornication deals with prostitution, adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality.  Therefore, this verse is in error.

     In concluding the term Monogenes  (the only begotten Son) the other misuses of this translation I could find included John 1:14, John 1:18, John 3:18, and I John 4:19.  The NIV refers in all of these verses to only son, and one and only son.

     Sarx, is the Greek word for flesh, the NIV decided to rip apart some of the book of Romans by incorrectly translating flesh to natural selves and to sinful nature.  This occurred with natural selves in Romans 6:19 and with sinful nature in Romans 8:3, Romans 8:8, Romans 8:9, Romans 8:12, and Romans 13:14.  The scholars could not decide obviously what they liked best that is why they contradicted themselves with the same simple word of Sarx.

     Psallo – used in Ephesians 5:19 means singing and making melody.  The NIV translates Ephesians 5:19 to read: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.”  The word music in Greek is Sumphonia and appears not in Ephesians 5:19.  The word music means an art and science of combining vocal OR instrumental sounds or tones in varying melody.  This leaves the door wide open for a nice big Victorian Piano. 

     I Corinthians 13:10 – the NIV translates this verse as follows: “but when perfection appears, the imperfect disappears.”  Two major problems within this verse exist.  The first is that Perfection could be easily argued to be Christ.  Seeing that he has yet to return and many folks do believe that their ministers or whatever they call them have the ability to perform 1st Century miracles.  Secondly, saying that the imperfect disappears leaves room for argument that all miracles are not imperfect and that miracles have disappeared but can return since they did not vanish away.  They could argue they still exist but are in storage or you simply can’t see them.

     In Matthew 24:21 and Revelation 7:14 the word thlipsis prefixed with polus should be translated tribulation.  The NIV translates this great distress.  This would be a supporting argument to pre-millennialism.

     As we have come to the end of this study of the New International Version I hope that an understanding has been reached that this translation contains many fatal errors and should not be used.  We studied only partial errors seeing that it was not fully in depth and did not include the Old Testament, yet with what we found I believe there is no further study needed.  This version is incorrect and it shames me to see members of the Church endorsing it and using it.  It also breaks my heart that a member of the Lord’s Church let himself be part of translating this perverted book.  Continue fighting the good fight and keep the faithful versions of the KJV and the ASV 1901 handy, as you will need them to be sharpened and in hand to defend the truth. 
 
 
 

Copyright 2000 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.