This Just In: the NIV to Be Updated as "NIV 2011"; TNIV to Be Discontinued

This entry was originally posted on September 1, 2009 at the original This Lamp website. It has been relocated here.

Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society) has just announced that the 1984 NIV Bible will be updated in terms of both language and scholarship as the "NIV 2011."

From the press release:

The global board of Biblica today announced its intention to update the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, the first time it has been revised since 1984. The Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), the independent body of global biblical scholars solely responsible for the translation of the world’s most popular Bible, is slated to finish its revision late next year, with publication in 2011. The announcement was made at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill., the site of the historic first meeting of the CBT in 1965.

I watched the announcement this morning live via webcast. Presentations were made by Keith Danby, CEO-Biblica (former IBS-STL Global); Professor Doug Moo, Committee on Bible Translation and Moe Girkins, President and CEO, Zondervan.

Above: Douglas Moo speaking about the new NIV 2011

During the Q&A, Moe Girkins announced that the TNIV would be discontinued and there would be no more TNIV products released. More specifically, she stated that after the release of the 2011 NIV, no new 1984 NIV will be published either. To be clear, in the longterm, Zondervan plans to eventually discontinue publishing both the 1984 NIV and the 2005 TNIV, but how long of a transition between the current NIV and TNIV remains to be seen.

Also during the Q&A, Girkins confirmed that the 2011 NIV will simply be called the "NIV."

The second question responded to during the Q&A was submitted by myself. I wanted to know the relationship of the TNIV to the new 2011 NIV as I had understood that the TNIV was the update to the NIV. Doug Moo fielded the question. The relationships between the NIV and the TNIV aren't exactly clear currently as the entire 2011 NIV Bible is under revew.

For more infomation, see the NIV Bible 2011 website.

Comments

[R. Mansfield]

Below are the original comments from this post. Please continue any further discussion here.

the bible experience
I think every time we update the bible we rum the risk of making mistakes and changing the whole bible experience for the next generation
January 24, 2010, 5:07:20 PM EST – Like – Reply

sdonahue
I have never used the NIV until recently. My history is RSV-NKJV with a smattering of other versions. I had absolutely no appreciation for the TNIV as I am not a proponent of inclusive language; ergo, I never wasted money on it. I am open to the 2011 revision; however, if it turns out to be another inclusive language wonder, then I have no interest whatsoever. I am very impressed by the HCSB, and just may stick with that as my main translation.
September 8, 2009, 10:16:00 AM EDT – Like – Reply

Kevin Grady
See Rick? Kit is doing just what I thought people would. This is Coke and New Coke all over again.
I was reading on some other blogs that some people are saying if the NIV because more like TNIV and there is ANY gender inclusive, they are going to DUMP the NIV and go to something else. Talk is going around about people going to the HCSB or the ESV. People say even though the ESV is a word for word it is very choppy and uses outdated wording. However some are talking about the HCSB as the best choice. So what do you think Rick? And I read the HCSB has just been updated to a 2nd edition.
September 3, 2009, 9:35:31 AM EDT – Like – Reply

R. Mansfield
Haven't heard anything like that, Art. I don't know why they'd pull the TNIV right now anymore than pulling the current NIV.
September 3, 2009, 9:15:14 AM EDT – Like – Reply

Art
See, that's why we should all stick with the tried and true... the KJV!

Just kidding!!! I wonder if the TNIV will be pulled from sites like YouVersion.com and Bible.Logos.com?

Any input about that???
September 3, 2009, 8:42:53 AM EDT – Like – Reply

Kit
What I don't see anyone mention is the attachment people have to particular translations. I used the NIV for so many years, that when I partially switched to a different version, I'm still only able to look up stuff in the NIV, because it is the NIV wording that has stuck in my mind. So for me, the NIV will be, or rather would have been a life long part of how I read the bible. Except now it looks like that rug is going to get yanked from under me. If they do what the NLT folks did, they will even yank the electronic versions. 1984 style down the memory hole.

When Jerome wrote his Vulgate, people didn't want it. Some hundreds of years later it became popular. Then it was in use for maybe a millenium.

Now publishers have a planned 20 year life cycle instead of a 1500 year life cycle. It's annoying and its insanity. It doesn't matter to me if the new NIV is good, bad or indifferent. I want the NIV. I've got tons of translations on my shelf. I don't need another one. What I need is the one I was weaned on.

I remember hearing a Catholic apologist speak once. Even though being a Catholic there were many reasons for him not to use the NIV, he frankly admitted that he could not leave the NIV because it is the one he had used for so long. That's what happens when you have a successful product. Part of the success is simply because of its past success. You can't get that back by making a better product, even assuming it is better.

Sorry Biblica, I'm going to be boycotting this effort. Not because I hate new translations, but because you won't be giving me the product I want, which is the NIV. If the people come out of the woodwork to trash your effort again, I'll be cheering for them this time, even though I didn't care much last time, because last time you left us our NIV. Last time you damaged yourself with the TNIV, this time I think it will be a mortal wound.
September 2, 2009, 7:57:33 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Curt Parton
Hopefully they've learned some important lessons after the terrible handling of the TNIV. As others have mentioned, they're going to have to bite the bullet and completely phase out the 1984 NIV at the proper time, or they'll kill another new version. And if they retain the updates from the TNIV, they need to be ready for the inevitable renewed attacks---and they need to decide now to weather the storm without ditching the NIV 2011.

Unfortunately, we're already hearing the weariness of many at the thought of another new translation. I think the New Coke comparison is apt, not in the sense of the products themselves but in how the marketing was handled by the respective companies. And many churches have moved on to the NLT. We're one of them. And I just don't see us moving back to an NIV-family text.

This is a potentially positive decision (the way they should have handled the TNIV originally), but for at least this church, it's too little, too late. But I wish them well and will be interested in seeing the results.
September 2, 2009, 5:44:56 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Ben Martin
I suppose that this was inevitable, given the unfair reception the TNIV was given. Still, very disappointing.
September 2, 2009, 11:41:07 AM EDT – Like – Reply

Chris
I for one have got new version exhaustion. They should put a 100 year moratorium on new versions.
September 2, 2009, 6:07:26 AM EDT – Like – Reply

TC ROBINSON
Someone actually sent me an email.
September 1, 2009, 8:15:12 PM EDT – Like – Reply

TC Robinson
Someone actually sent my an email.
September 1, 2009, 8:14:19 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Jay Davis
Check out Moo's statement in this video about 47 seconds into the stream...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTA4tbCrFjc
September 1, 2009, 6:05:00 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Jerry B
Fantastic news! Looks like the publishing folks have listened to those saying (I'm in this group) that it was time for a reboot on the TNIV. Great translation, horrible market execution. The commitment to stop publishing a 25 year old version is also wonderful news. Now I hope they don't buckle and take a step back in translation and exclude over half the population of the world.

I love the translation and will continue to use it until I get a chance to see the NIV 2011. Truth is I love buying new Bibles anyhow.
September 1, 2009, 5:52:35 PM EDT – Like – Reply

RS Rogers
I'm with Link. When I returned to the Bible as an adult, the TNIV was my go-to translation. (Thanks to Rick's series on his favorite translations.) Depending on my mood, the content of the book I'm reading, and the purpose for which I'm reading it, I may prefer The Message or the NRSV or even the Hawaiian Pidgin NT for a few chapters. But the TNIV is the "reference" translation I return to, and it's a TNIV where I keep my study notes. That will not change in the near future, and if anything the disappearance of the TNIV from store shelves will only make it feel more valuable to me.

Of course, I don't need others to be able to follow my reading or study, so I have the luxury of sticking with a "dead" translation until the TruTone wears out whereas those in ministry do not. And I'm already turning to NLT and HCSB more frequently for reading that I used to do in the TNIV, so perhaps I'm already phasing it out on my own.

And Rick is absolutely right. Congress has been trying to get Americans to switch to dollar coins for 40 years without success, for the simple reason that it refuses to let the government stop printing dollar bills. Nobody will use dollar coins until bills disappear; if they stopped printing dollar bills tomorrow, we'd all be using dollar coins by next Friday. Same with the NIV: No successor edition will gain widespread use until and unless the 1984 edition goes out of print.
September 1, 2009, 5:03:01 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Link McGinnis
I may be thinking exactly opposite of some of the posters here. I think my money on the TNIV has been well spent. I like the translation and will be happy to be able to read/reference it long after they are removed from the shelves.

Maybe it's just the retailer in me but I would think people may want to scarf them up while they can.
September 1, 2009, 4:36:04 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Jay Davis
This is very interesting. It would be nice if it is similar to the TNIV with brothers and sisters (or friends) but some of the TNIV could be updated like weights and measures to English (like NLT). A hybrid of TNIV & NLT would be workable - but frankly - pretty soon Zondervan needs to commit and stop dating two or three girls...

I am basically using NLT 2007 for preaching and teaching. I will also be interested in the NIV as an updated 2011 version.
September 1, 2009, 4:23:32 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Clay Knick
I see this as a very positive step in the right direction.
September 1, 2009, 3:59:05 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Kevin Grady
Well one thing for sure is going to hurt them... there are people who will not buy current NIV or TNIV and will wait till the new one comes out or buy something else. Remember how they updated the Study Bible and then released a Anniversary NIV Study Bible only to release the NEW NIV Study Bible with the new updates from the TNIV study bible. There are stores that still have the old Study Bibles sitting on their shelves gathering dust. So what we will see is a major decrease in NIV and TNIV sales for the next year or so... until the New 2011 comes out. Sad thing is, I bought the Top of the Line leather for the TNIV as well as the TNIV study Bible and have a couple of other TNIVs. Even got the software from Zondervan for it. Pretty much feel I wasted my money.
September 1, 2009, 3:49:48 PM EDT – Like – Reply

R. Mansfield
This will only be successful if both Zondervan and Biblica can discipline themselves to pull the 1984 NIV off the market. They simply couldn't do that before and it cost them.
September 1, 2009, 3:42:39 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Kevin Grady
Well, it is like I said on Facebook. This is the same problem they had with Coke, when they changed their drink and made the NEW Coke. So many people got mad they created a Classic Coke. Later the New Coke was faded out. What bothers me is the money I have spent on TNIVs to only find out this is going to be a dead Translation. Just like the KJV and the New KJV, you are going to have people that will not want any changes done at all... and will reject the NEW NIV as they have done TNIV. Man this is just crazy. Maybe I need to start selling my NIVs and TNIVs on Ebay.
September 1, 2009, 3:24:58 PM EDT – Like – Reply

John Lussier
I cancelled the above group after some more thought.
September 1, 2009, 3:21:23 PM EDT – Like – Reply

R. Mansfield
Link, to be clear, that was my paraphrase. It should probably say "updated in terms of both language and scholarship" meaning that the 1984 NIV will be updated to reflect more contemporary English as well as more recent scholarship in regard to translation.

I can reword the sentence for the sake of clarity, but it will take a while. The software that I use, RapidWeaver is so slow, that it took three hours to post because it had to upload over 1,000 files. I'm already uploading one other change as we speak.
September 1, 2009, 3:05:15 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Link McGinnis
What does "updated in both language and scholarship" mean?
September 1, 2009, 2:55:58 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Eddie
Two thousand languages spoken by two hundred million people have no Scriptures and we get to have yet another translation in English. It seems to me that our priorities are all messed up. I don't suppose that the fact that lots of people will end up buying new Bibles and spending lots of money has played a part in this decision.
September 1, 2009, 2:38:02 PM EDT – Like – Reply

John Lussier
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=139587007840&ref=nf

I am starting a group on Facebook to discuss Boycotting Biblica for this decision.
September 1, 2009, 2:32:12 PM EDT – Like – Reply