11-01-2010, 10:05 AM
As some may or may not know, the NIV translation has just been updated. They released the text of the new update online today.
You can read the updated NIV online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/
Here are the translator's notes: http://www.biblegateway.com/niv/Translators-Notes.pdf
Some of the biggest changes:
Most occurrences of ‟sinful nature†have become ‟flesh.†Especially in Paul, sarx can mean either part or all of the human body or the human being under the power of sin. In an effort to capture this latter sense of the word, the original NIV often rendered sarx as ‟sinful nature.†But this expression can mislead readers into thinking the human person is made up of various compartments, one of which is sarx, whereas the biblical writers’ point is that humans can choose to yield themselves to a variety of influences or powers, one of which is the sin-producing sarx. The updated NIV uses ‟flesh†as the translation in many places where it is important for readers to decide for themselves from the context whether one or both of these uses of sarx is present.
Translations that leave open important scholarly options have often been chosen. Thus, for instance, ‟righteousness from God†in Romans 1:17 and related passages has been changed to ‟righteousness of God,†and ‟observing the law†(erga nomou) has been changed to works of the law.â€
There aren’t nearly as many ‟Oâ€s but a number of additional ‟forâ€s. The interjection ‟O†used in a vocative sense (‟O God, help me!â€) is not nearly as common in spoken or written English as it once was. Where the context suggests that it adds nothing of substance to the text, the updated NIV has left it implied by other vocative nouns rather than separately translated. But it remains in many other contexts. On the other hand, for the sake of smoothness of style and facility of reading, a number of uses of the connective gar (‟for†or ‟becauseâ€) were left untranslated in the 1984 NIV. A select number of these have been restored where they seem particularly crucial to preserving the flow of thought.
I am actually quite happy with the changes, I think the NIV has become a better translation. Print editions will be out in the spring.
You can read the updated NIV online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/
Here are the translator's notes: http://www.biblegateway.com/niv/Translators-Notes.pdf
Some of the biggest changes:
Most occurrences of ‟sinful nature†have become ‟flesh.†Especially in Paul, sarx can mean either part or all of the human body or the human being under the power of sin. In an effort to capture this latter sense of the word, the original NIV often rendered sarx as ‟sinful nature.†But this expression can mislead readers into thinking the human person is made up of various compartments, one of which is sarx, whereas the biblical writers’ point is that humans can choose to yield themselves to a variety of influences or powers, one of which is the sin-producing sarx. The updated NIV uses ‟flesh†as the translation in many places where it is important for readers to decide for themselves from the context whether one or both of these uses of sarx is present.
Translations that leave open important scholarly options have often been chosen. Thus, for instance, ‟righteousness from God†in Romans 1:17 and related passages has been changed to ‟righteousness of God,†and ‟observing the law†(erga nomou) has been changed to works of the law.â€
There aren’t nearly as many ‟Oâ€s but a number of additional ‟forâ€s. The interjection ‟O†used in a vocative sense (‟O God, help me!â€) is not nearly as common in spoken or written English as it once was. Where the context suggests that it adds nothing of substance to the text, the updated NIV has left it implied by other vocative nouns rather than separately translated. But it remains in many other contexts. On the other hand, for the sake of smoothness of style and facility of reading, a number of uses of the connective gar (‟for†or ‟becauseâ€) were left untranslated in the 1984 NIV. A select number of these have been restored where they seem particularly crucial to preserving the flow of thought.
I am actually quite happy with the changes, I think the NIV has become a better translation. Print editions will be out in the spring.