The Narrow Path Ministries

I'm curious for feedback from the forum regarding the NIV.

If you use it, why?

If you don't like it or find it objectional, why?

I attend a Calvary Chapel where they teach out of the NKJV and most of the congregation uses it. I often bring my NIV to church and find it humorous that when the pastor needs to amplify a difficult word or phrase in the NKJV, he often uses the word that the NIV uses or restates a phrase in a similar fashion to the NIV.

When doing in depth study, I use several translations, but find the NIV very readable in devotions, etc. In my estimation so far, the translation in the NIV seems very solid.

I think the NIV is a very good translation, especially for lengthier reading sessions. I also use it when teaching b/c it seems to be the best balance b/w accuracy and understandablity.

In private use, I enjoy NKJV, NASB & NIV

I would agree with one caveat. With any dynamic translation, there is some degree of interpretation involved in the translation which may or may not be faithful to the original meaning of the text. It can very easily misrepresent the meaning of an entire thought of the author.

Compare Eph 4:24 for example:

Eph 4:24
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
NKJV


Eph 4:24
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
NIV


Is Paul telling us to put on our new nature, or put on Christ, the new Adam?

The greek word is anthropos (man or human being), not some imaginary thing called self.

Sometimes it's just better to get the word for word translations and figure it out ourselves. But for the most part, we get the general meaning of most of the passages from the NIV.