The New International Version (NIV) is one of the most popular English translations in the world. Efforts to produce this version began in the mid 1960's. Sadly, it is one of the most dangerous versions available today. It is
dangerous because it used by so many people and has so much error in it. The NIV is very popular with man-made churches. Many members of the Lord's church have also selected the NIV for their main study Bible. In
the Preface to the 1973 edition of the NIV, the translators state they "have striven for more than a word for word translation." This shows the attitude of those who produced the NIV.

It is not possible to deal with all the problem passages in the New International Version in a short article. We will discuss only a few to show the dangers in this version.

                                                                               Psalm 51:5

The New King James Version correctly translates this passage: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." However, the NIV translates it differently: "Surely, I was sinful at
birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."

The NIV teaches the false doctrine of original sin. This doctrine says a person is a sinner from birth. The Bible does not teach this doctrine. We are not born in sin. Babies and little children do not have sin. Jesus said: "Let
the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven " (Matthew 19:14). Every person is re sponsible for his own sins. Ezekiel said: "The soul who sins shall die. The
son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself ”
(Ezekiel 18:20).

Not only does the NIV teach the false doctrine of original sin in the Old Testament, but it does the same in the New Testament. In many passages, the NIV speaks of man's "sinful nature" (Romans 7:18; 8:3,4; 13:14;
Galatians 5:13). Man is not born in sin, but becomes a sinner when he breaks God's law (Romans 3:23; 1 John 3:4).

                                                                     Matthew 5:17 and Ephesians 2:15

The NIV has a contradiction between these two passages. In Matthew 5:17, it has Jesus saying, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets." Then in Ephesians 2:15, it has Paul saying, "by
abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations." Christ did not come to destroy the Law, but He did abolish it when He died on the cross. To use "abolish" in both passages makes a
contradiction. God's inspired Word does not contradict itself. This is another reason the NIV is not a reliable and trustworthy translation.

                                                                              Romans 1:17

"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith' " (NKJV).

"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The just will live by faith' " (NIV).

Many denominations (man-made churches) were unable to prove by using reliable versions of the Bible the doctrine of "salvation by faith alone," so they have included it in the text of some of the modern translations. In
faithful translations, the only place that mentions "faith only" is in James 2:24. James says: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only."

Even though the New International Version has become one of the most popular translations being sold today, this does not mean that it is an accurate and trustworthy version of God's Word. The wise man said: "There is
a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death " (Proverbs 14:12). Please be sure you are using a translation of the Bible that is correct and will not lead you away from the truth.