NIV: How this Bible Saved My Life! 

i am new to God and just bought a NIV bible because i can understand it. I looked for a "teenager" level bible. I don't have any background in religion at all but i have no idea what happened to me 3 weeks ago but i just "had" to buy a bible and learn about God and Jesus. I hope this is ok. I mean I know nothing. I know God reached out to me or I woke up and finally heard him I don't know. But I HAVE TO LEARN! i feel it.

I have a 1984 NIV that I bought from the American Bible Society for me and my husband. The teacher in our Sunday School class(also a Pastor) , was one of the people who worked on this translation. It’s not a fancy Bible , but it’s special to me since it was ours. My husband went to be with Lord in 2012. But I do prefer the the NKJV. I grew up with the KJV, but have always had problems with understanding it. Thank you for this video. I will be holding on to this old 1984 version.

Thanks for sharing brother! What a precious story of God manifesting His glory through your redemption!

I was born again while reading the Living Bible ( paraphrase) Changed my life forever and that was 30 years ago. Still in love with Jesus. So … not irrelevant.

Thank you for your testimony! I wish you and your family a merry Christmas!

One third of Christians never read the Bible.I’d be thrilled if they read an NIV or any translation for that matter

I became discipled as a new Christian on the NIV. It served a purpose for bringing me into the fold. I gradually went to the NASB then to the KJV. I was trained to believe the Critical Text. However with much prayer & struggle I felt a witness in my spirit to stick with the KJV. However, I would never want to be stumbling block to a new believer. God is Sovereign & He can work thru any translation. I think that translations all have degrees of purity and have to be discerned & studied with God's help & mercy.

Thank you for sharing - great review!

Thank for sharing Matthew have a blessed Christmas.

Great testimony, Pastor. I was saved half by the RSV then the NIV. Loved the testimony of you and your sister too!!! 🙏

While I have standardized on the ESV I still have my 1984 NIV. I consult it occasionally and at times a passage will come to life for me . The Holy Spirit works through all faithful translations as you say.

The NIV is my preference because of it's accuracy and readability. I think it is most suitable for beginners and especially readers whose first language is not English. My special thanks to the Translators

I had the NIV in college in the late 70s. So probably when it first came out. It was easy to read and gave me a greater understanding of God's big picture. That was more important to me than the details of the words. That's just me. Thank you for you testimony and work.

Thank you Matthew for this precious testimony!

Excellent explanation of differences! Great video, thankyou for sharing.

I love the NIV - the perfect medium between literal and paraphrase versions

Wow and yes- I had a 1998 chuck swindol niv bible and though it was limited in scope- God used this translation to walk me away from sever depression and into the light of salvation.

I use the NASB and the ESV but do love the King James and the NKJ especially when reading the Psalms. Thank you for sharing Sir! Truly enjoyed this video and hearing your story.

Glad I watched to the end to hear your personal story. You have strong opinions but you remain kind and wise. Humility is an important leadership quality.

I really enjoyed hearing your testimony about the NIV Bible. Thank you

You and I have a similar history in translations. Starting with the 1984 NIV, now ESV and NKJV… have a blessed Christmas Matthew! Jeff.

I just wanted to offer some pushback, and you can consider me a (relatively) unbiased source. The ESV is my preferred translation, but I am a Bible study leader in a parachurch organization and I am required to use the NIV as my base translation (I can break from it as I see fit from the Greek and Hebrew, etc.). I didn’t like it at first because I to prefer the translation philosophy of the ESV. However, it has grown on me because of how easy it is to understand. I think as Bible nerds we can easily lose our perspective on the fact that the English of a formal equivalence translation is more difficult than the NIV’s; as such I’ve actually shifted and begun doing our family Bible readings from the NIV rather than the ESV, because I have small children at home and it is easier for them to understand. Our church uses the ESV as its base translation so they still get that from church and Sunday school. And then would like to offer some pushback on the gender inclusive language as well, because it’s often portrayed that it’s all watered down and there’s no gender exclusion at all. This is not the case. I have not researched this extensively to be clear, but I have found that in every case where it is specifically talking to a masculine source, such as fathers and specifically not to women, or referring to the ministry, it will use explicitly masculine terms. I feel that this is often overlooked, but it’s important to point out. It seems to me that the NIV is faithful to be gender exclusive when it matters, but also wanting the audience to understand that women are not excluded from a command where it is addressed to adelphoi. It totally makes sense to not like that as a preference thing. I just wanted to clarify because in our day and age, when you start throwing around the term “gender inclusive” people quickly get a very specific idea and start thinking that the NIV is presenting God as a woman or something. It does no such thing. And as a firm complementarian who prefers the ESV to the NIV, I have not found a location yet where the NIV’s use of gender inclusive language was unfaithful to the actual text of scripture. That’s not to say it does not exist, only to say that in my experience teaching from it extensively for the last several years while preferring the ESV personally, I have not encountered a single instance where it was the case. Love the channel, and SDG.

Thanks! I just started using a NIV Halley’s study Bible to augment my Great Adventure Bible RSV-2CE for my Bible-in-a-Year Challenge. A group of us are about to start again Jan 1. I think the key is to become familiar and use as many different versions as we dare. Compare the verses as we gain scriptural competence.

Jesus saved my life on the cross over two thousand years ago.

Such good insight on Bible translations. I have been intrigued by the "which translation is the better" saga, and I have been reading up on a few books etc. I came to the conclusion that the Lord meets everyone where they are in this world. For some people, the KJV is a lot to take on and may cause a person to give up before they even begin. But to others, picking up the NIV or other translations is just the right level of complexity to hold him in God's word. The more a person studies, the more they will grow. I am a KJV person myself, but I believe that picking up the Bible and reading it is an excellent start and better than nothing. The Holy Spirit will lead the study process and growth.

Watching from Accra Ghana

I also had a renewal of sorts in my thirties with an NIV Life application Bible. It helped me to love the scriptures again and I read it from cover to cover, so I totally get how you feel, even though neither of us currently use it much anymore.

Me also. The 84 NIV was one of if not the one that The Holy Spirit used to speak to me through first. I've long moved on to using other translaions, but the NIV will always have a soft spot for me.

I think TONS of people got saved/started with the NIV 84 and for all the abuse it takes it still has a special place in many hearts.

Thank you Pastor Matt. I am a new believer as of February 2022 and my first and only Bible so far has been the NIV, but I have recently been reading and loving the NKJV online. So, that fact, combined with this video……and I am ordering myself an NKJV today. All year long I have been referring to my NIV Study Bible as my “training wheels Bible”. It has served me well and I feel I have really learned a lot and matured this year, but it’s time to take the next step in my journey with our Lord. As with you, the NIV will always hold a special place in my heart since it was part of my first step towards God, but the points you made in this don’t sit well with me either. Thank you for this video. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I recieved a NLT bible for my 11th birthday that served me well the past 10 years. It was an excellent introductory easy to read/understand translation. As I got older and transitioned into high school I started using KJV more often but the NLT was still very comfortable and familiar to me. Now that bible well worn and filled with notes is falling apart to the point of no longer being usable and it just stays on my shelf to be revisited for nostalgia. I just got a Zippered Schuyler NKJV for Christmas and it’s my daily reader from now on. The perfect go between in my opinion. I love it!

I was all about the CSB but now I have a NLT life application study Bible. I also love my NKJV. Of course I have a KJV and an ESV.

Thanks for all your information in this view Matt. I hope you have a blessed Christmas. The NIV info was the best I have every heard. Do you or anyone, know if those word choice issues are in the Newest NIV study bible or just the TNIV. I was thinking about buying an NIV for a reading challenge. would love your thoughts and info Thanks for all you do.

Your story shows that what the translators of the KJV said about translations is true. They said that even the "meanest"(weakest) translation of the Bible not only contained the word of God, but that it is the word of God. I grew up with the KJV, and still prefer it, but I love the ESV, and I have a 1978 and a 1984 NIV, and I agree that they are the word of God as well.

Matt, thanks for your honesty about the NIV. I accepted Christ as well with it as my primary translation back in 1986. And I too have been disappointed with the fact that when the 2011 version came out, they stopped selling the 1984 version. I still read the 1984 version, and fortunately have many 1984 Bibles. That said, my children, who have accepted Christ, have done so with the 2011 NIV. I read a number of different translations, especially the 95 NASB, but not being a pastor, I'm not as critical about criticisms of different translations. In fact, not accounting for translations that are paraphrased in exaggerated ways, I call these arguments "Translation Wars". And frankly think they are hurting, rather than helping young Christians especially. If you have accepted Christ, have a relationship with Christ, listen to the Holy Spirit, and try to live a life in reverence for Christ, then the important thing is to read the Bible, whichever reliable translation it is. Have a great week and God Bless you!! Thank you for your channel, which has been a blessing for so many!!

I love your conclusion I’m this video brother.

I have a little zipper NIV84 I carry everywhere and use for casual reading and evangelism. I study the ESV, and I've found a rare few blatant and obvious translation errors in the NIV (specifically in the Pentateuch) but overall it has served me really well for both getting a rapid, broad overview of passages before studying them in a formal translation and breaking things down for new believers/unbelievers in an accessible way

Great final point about the Lord using various translations.

Thank you Matthew for bringing light to the corrupt translation of the newer NIV translations. We are blessed that God has preserved His Word and the devil cannot erase or get rid of it. Thanks for taking us back to your Christian babe years. God has blessed you much and we are blessed to have your mature Christian council and preaching from God’s Word. God is faithful! Love your book Souls btw! Do animals have souls that live on after death?

Hey Preacher Matt , what are your thoughts on the NLT translation ? I've been reading it here lately and just wanted your input Thank you .

I remember becoming a Christian later in life and although I read KJV or NASB mostly now I’m thankful for the NIV 1984 when I first started. Wow, I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like without it.

I just discovered your videos and like them a lot. In the early 1980s my church leaders switched over to NIV, and I, by peer pressure, wanted to get on board. So my wife picked up a hardback copy at Meijer Thrifty Acres, similar to Walmart. Instead of the six or eight printed sections glued into the binding, it had six or eight copies of the same one section. So she took it back-hahaha-and the customer service lady was puzzled, and started flipping through, “Let’s see, there’s Genesis, and oh, there’s Exodus, this is interesting…(flipping through),”. Eventually my wife showed her that there was a lot of stuff that was missing (how do you know before you read it?). We got a good copy and I lived with it for years. The 1971 NASB is the version that I fell in love with, and currently use the McArthur ESV Study Bible.

The 1977 edition was my Christmas present in 1978. My first cover to cover read through the bible. I still have it. It looks like yours, except for the year.

I came to Jesus thru NLT and I wouldn't personally use it now but like you said God can make any translation work. Interesting video.

I love the niv

My first read through of the Bible was the NIV and it was great for a first read. I think I like the NKJV better but my go to Study Bible is the big ESV Study Bible. It’s very interesting seeing the differences between translations.

For to me to live is CHRIST; HE is the joy of my life; if CHRIST were gone, my life would be death to me.

In 2006 i was reborn on the NIV '84 & its close to my heart. You have 3 Bibles I have 5 1. NLT 2. NIV 3. CSB 4. KJV 5. NKJV. I'm not really a KJV Christian I may read it sometimes but not my everyday Bible NLT is. With the KJV that we don't talk that way no more & I won't preach from the KJV & I have a ESV study Bible but never really got into it.

The King James Bible is the word of Almighty God.

What are your thoughts on the NLT THRIVE Devotional Bible for Women, I have not purchased it yet but thought it might be a good bible to study from. I also have the NKJV and read and study from it as well.

I became a Christian in 1985. I also read the 1984 NIV translation and still do. I really don’t understand why they took it out of print and off of some websites. Doesn’t seem right to me.

I didn’t use to touch the NIV. But, I did find an NIV84 at a bookstore once and picked it up. It’s actually nice to consult but for VBV preaching I don’t think I’d use it. I’m a NKJV / NASB95 guy.

The best translation is the one you read. God will take it from there.

My first Bible was Nueva Vesión Internacional 1999 (Spanish). And I had good memories, but I end up with a more literal versión like Nueva Biblia de las Americas (or Biblia Latinoamericana para Hoy, I have the one with the old name) Lockman Foundation. I don't like gender neutral languange neither, so thanks for the video, thankfully in Spanish is not that bad.

Shalom lekha achi. What do you think of the Darby translation, which is a literal word for word, and which is based on majority text ? Kol Tuv.

I was saved on an NIV 13 years ago in an Episcopal church of all places. It too has a special place in my heart. At this point I could not recommend it but His Word will not return void

Thank you for your testimony pastor.

I’m confused,…what is wrong with more gender-inclusive language? Is it wrong to show that women were present in that day and age? What is the actual issue with this? Help! Thanks! ☺️

Could do a video to help us understand the difference between the masoretic text, textus receptus and the majority text

Pretty much any Bible will save your life. We're so fortunate as English speakers to have such an array to choose from. They're everywhere. Literally in every hotel room. There's not a famine for the Bible, but the hearing and understanding of the Gospel. Now, Wycliffe Translators have their work cut out for them, and they are nearly alone in their task of translating the scriptures into every known tongue on planet Earth.

After I was saved in 1995 the first translation I used was the NKJV. That’s what my church used. It’s funny to think now but I didn’t know anything about translations at the time so I thought that this was the only translation. I didn’t understand why it was called the New King James Version. So I was like wait so there was an old King James Version. So I got into KJV but once I discovered NASB I was in love. It’s my go to translation but I will always have a place in my heart for NKJV

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the NIV and its use of gender inclusiveness. I share many of the points you have given. Most of my peers use the NIV 84 as their primary bible and it has been an influence in my reading. When I first read the NIV 2011, I was taken aback by the blatant use of "brothers and sisters." My view on that point has moderated. The ESV has become a primary translation for me as has the NASB. Thank you as well for sharing your conversion experience.

I love people who say a version is based on the TR, as I ask, "Which one?" and at that they usually can't answer my question because they erroneously think there is only one! I had one guy years ago that did answer my question, he said, "The one that the KJV is based on......" :)

I’ve been a hardline formal-equivalence-only guy for awhile, but I’ve come around to the CSB as the most readably accurate translation (of the critical text). I think their optimal equivalence philosophy was implemented remarkably well.

Hmmnn....any info on the CSB? Much appreciated

I have always loved the RSV. I use it every day and love it very much. It uses words like shall and behold. It is my favorite because it is a mix of nice modern English, but it holds some of the older words from the KJV.

I just checked all my NIV bibles copyright dates. They are all 1984 or earlier. As a child I read the KJV, because that was all we had. It also made me feek like I was reading something really important. As a young adult, I read the NIV because it was easier to understand. Now, as an older adult, I mainly read the ESV.

Which majority text?

I love my NIV because like many others, it brought me to God. I’m attached to my NIV but I’m not so sure it’s the actual translation, I think it’s the actual Bible because of my sentimental and spiritual attachment to it. I have both the 1984 and the newer version but am starting to transition to the ESV, my other version of choice.

This is precious. Thank you for sharing with us. I use the NET Bible for daily reading because it is so easy to understand, but the translators also use "ancestors" 277 times and "fathers" 96 times. To be honest, I never really took too much notice of it, but I will now 😄 I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and Blessed 2023.

NAS is a great word for word translation

Did you have Dr. Helgesen for a New Testament professor at Malone? You said you read through the 1984 NIV 12 times. Didn’t it mess with your scripture memory to switch over to another translation? I’ve been reading the 1984 NIV since 1985, I’ve got so much of it internalized that it’s difficult for me to switch even if I wanted to.

English Majority Text Version (EMTV), don’t think it is print but available in e-Sword.

I just want to understand what I read. So I got an ESV bible which was easy for me. But I felt a little out of place when I would read along the verses my pastor would read since his were worded a bit differently. I believe based off trying to compare what he read I believe it is the NIV. Please help a new bible reader figure out if I’m going the right route with my choice or a better and easier recommendation

I've been using the NIV since, 1989. The NIV translation philosophy was to target modern English to an 8th grader level. I'm personal used to hearing "man" as the whole of mankind (άνθρωποι in Greek), but that language is changing, as the language changes and an 8th grader may not understand that usage of the word as mankind, or worse think its biased only to boys (yes I've heard of young teen girls saying this), because they don't use that phrasing. None of the core teachings of repentance, obedience, faithfulness have changed, it's just easier for todays 8th graders from all around the world, including those speaking English as a second language to understand.

I started out with the NIV back in 1987 or so. In fact, I still have it after all these years. I wanted nothing to do with the 'new' NIV. My 'go to' is usually the ESV Study Bible. I have other translations that I compare it with.

I love how the niv says Jesus is God

We still use the 1984 NIV as our pew bible in our church and they're looking well worn now. I really don't want to replace them with the 2011 NIV for the reasons you stated. We also looked into the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), which marketed itself as a 2011 NIV alternative when it came out because they explicitly did't want to use 'gender inclusive' language. Unfortunately, the HCSB also uses Yahweh in the OT instead of LORD, which makes the connections between LORD and Lord in the New Testament much less obvious. Then they introduced the Christian Standard Bible to replace the HCSB, but the CSB also uses gender inclusive language. So, we'll stick with our 1984 NIVs for now and I guess eventually we'll replace them with the ESV.

Back in the 90’s we nicknamed the NIV the nearly infallible version due to its popularity

I appreciate your message. I believe the unease in saying brothers and sisters has possibly to do with the OT themes of Redeemed and First Born, etc. To "separate" sons/brothers with/from sisters is to actually eliminate sisters from the promise of these things. It has been a while since I looked into that, but I believe it is not good for it might be exactly opposite of what was intended by the translators. Also, we must consider that for now we are all called brethren, but one day the "Bride" of Christ. I have spent some time in the 1978 edition of the NIV, and I do love it for verses and footnote found in Lev. 6, pertaining to the grain offering and the sin offering, that whoever/whatever touches it shall become holy. I believe this to be true because when the Lord Jesus touched the Leper, the Lord was not declared unclean but in fact the Leper was healed. Also, I love Hebrews 10:10. But there are things about this NIV and other translations--are the removal of verses. The new NIV edition actually completely removed Matthew 18:11 and no trace of a footnote for it. My complaint is that it is actually vital to the text per the double Deity statements, which includes this verse, that the Lord Jesus makes in that Chapter. And even that never translated word in Matt 18:14, which means "in front of". I have pondered on it for sometime, and when I had chances to ask scholars online about it, I often was met with silence. That is, placement of this Greek word not before "will" but before or at Father, being the Father in front of you and Who is in Heaven, type of phrase. Strange, I was always met with silence. But I believe it fits in with the double Deity statements prior and after that verse. Anyway, I also have issues with added words such as in John 12:44-45. Take that added word away, and it has a whole different meaning about the Deity of the Lord. Also, many newer translations have really messed with John Chapter One. Changing by to through and in verse 18 taking out bosom, change it to near or side, bypassing Greek, call this verse an idiom, redefine it for you, and still call it a word-for-word equivalent. I do not agree with this course of reasoning. I know that in John 14:10, the Lord Jesus says HE is in the Father and the Father is in HIM. But add Col 2:9, and we can ask is The Son in the Godhead or is the Godhead in The Son? Both are True and quite amazing. Also, per translations, I can not help but notice per the Lord's Prayer in Matt Chapter Six, that the last verse in that Prayer is disappearing in some translations. And I could not help but wonder if it has to do with the word Kingdom. But you see, in the KJV if one looked at Col 1:13 we can see another aspect of Kingdom, but in various new renderings, no one would even have a clue what I was saying or exclaiming because it has changed so much in other translations--it does not even resemble whatsoever that verse in the KJB. Truly, I have an unease about continual updates on translations, because I see a demotion of the Son. Because so long ago, I was surrounded with a forced radical (very radical) view of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus helped me to see so much about this. Thanks for your video. God bless you in Jesus' Name.

Who made that worn down NIV that you’re holding? Looks like a hardback.

Interestingly, there is a Majority Text based translation out there: the WEB translation (World English Bible.) Unfortunately, while its availability in electronic format is plenteous, the physical formats that it is available in are limited, low quality and expensive given the quality.

I had a similar “life saving” experience with a small Catholic book called “My Daily Bread”. Catholic haters just take a deep breath, it gets better. Anyway, at age 17, locked behind an atheist curtain in a progressive college town, it literally filled me with the Holy Spirit. My grandmother handed it to me and I initially looked at it with disdain. So I took it to my bedroom and looked at it- ready to pitch it into the trash. But I was curious. What’s in this book?? And why should I care?? So I read the first page. Then the second page. Hmm, interesting. So I read the next 50 pages and could NOT.PUT.IT.DOWN. I was like an empty sponge soaking up vast wisdom straight from the angels. Then I started applying my new knowledge to my life and incredible things started happening. End of Part 1. Part 2…

Thank you for your opinion. I just have never liked the NIV, but if a person accepts Christ through this version, so be it.

Thank you for sharing this with us. I would be interested in your take on the CSB as well, as it utilizes 'brothers and sisters' quite frequently throughout it's pages. My preferred translations are LSB, NASB95, and NKJV...but I do read others from time to time. My wife and I are going to read through the ESV together this year...we read through the NKJV in 2022 and the NASB95 in 2021.

I got saved with the 1984 NiV…

if you work with 2 languages for a long time... you will see that word for word isn't possible nor it is a good way to translate. You should work as a interpreter to see how far you can word for word anything if at all.

On December 28, 1999, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I was reading the NIV 84. I still enjoy reading the NIV 84 for devotional purposes. But tend to lean more toward the KJV, NKJV, and NASB. I feel like the CSB reads a lot the NIV 84. I really do not like NIV 2011. You can go to a used bookstore and find some old copies of the NIV 84. Good video.

Aw… I was looking for some grand adventure story where the Bible stopped a bullet or something. Hehe.

It was a very Elderly (Printed in the 1830's) Authorised Version (Oxford KJV, (A little Church History for anyone who read this and may not know why it was called AV and not KJV: the 1830's was back, obviously, when most of the CofE still believed the Bible, and had yet not Apostatized into first Arminianism (there was some Arminians on the Fringe Sidings, but they were not the Mainline like they are now), then Papal Ecumenicalism, then Egalitarianism, and then Finally into blessing Arsenokoitai, and following Wesleyan "Holiness" Voodun Pentecostalism (false tongues, false prophecies, sinless perfectionism etc), and into the Cult it, Tragically, has now become, and the KJV was the only Version that was, at the Time, Permitted for use in the Church as per the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, hence "Authorised" Version rather than "KJV" for its Official Title, now you know!) that has been in My Family for Generations that God, in His love and mercy, used to bring me to Christ and to Salvation. I still have it, but, Sadly, it is falling apart and needs rebinding, so I have replaced it with a Cambridge KJV, a 2021 Print. The Holy Text is the exact Same thankfully, but, sadly, it does not have the Oxford Study notes or the Cross-References of the old 1830's version.

Jesus saved me before I even read the word!

THE NEW NIV CHANGES THE WORDS TO BE GENDER NUETRAL INSTEAD OF USING HE, NIV USES HIM, THEY, THEM, THEIR

i have the 1984 niv text in the bible i have Matt

Hi Matt, When I was saved back in 1985 I was using the original KJV for a few years supplementing with the Spiros Zodiahates Hebrew Greek Study Bible, but switched to the Scofield NIV Reference Bible and the NIV Study Bible. Coming out of the Catholic church I had a huge hunger to know the truth more reading the Bible regularly and memorizing many verses. Most of my memory verses are from the 1984 NIV version. I do not like the newer versions of the NIV for all the reasons you stated nor do I like the NASB versions that came after the 1995 NASB. I was not aware that Zondervan stopped publishing the 1984 version. I always felt Zondervan was in it more for the money than to spread the Word. I moved my reading the monthly plan for reading Psalms and a Proverb to the NKJV. I wish the publishers of the NKJV would have published before the NIV then there would have been no need for the NIV. Thank you for taking the time to share all that you did! God Bless and Happy New Year, Matt!

I tried using the nkjv. I found the Christian standard easier for me. The NIV seems more words than other bibles. Maybe its how I'm perceiving it

Can I ask why you seem to be so fixated on the Tyndale translation? I mean yes, he used Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for sure, but he also relied heavily on the Latin Vulgate? And he did not have access to nearly the number of manuscripts that later editions did. I mean we have access to a lot more early manuscripts than Tyndale did 700 years ago? Which to me, makes the later translations better than earlier. I mean even the KJV relied heavily on Tyndale, right? I mean 90% of Tyndale's work is in the KJV. And the Bishops Bible. Why do earlier translations based on less manuscript evidence hold so much sway with you? Just curious.

Actually......the NKJV, because of its numerous notes showing the various textual readings is considered a Majority Text translation. My 1985 Nelson NKJV, double column, center column reference is my go to bible. Even though I have numerous bible versions. My 1901 ASV in my second favorite. I actually have a 1984 NIV that I do like. And a 1995 NASB. And a bunch others, NRSV etc. But that old NKJV keeps calling my name. Those references are great!!

I tried the NIV in the mid 1980s (in my mid-20s), but couldn't enjoy it. At that time, I used the KJV, the NKJV, the NASB 77, and the RSV with Apocrypha. The only newer translation I use is the ESV with Apocrypha. The new NIV I will never recommend. I won't use the CSB, the NRSV, and etc. I'm too old and set in my ways to use try new translations, though I might buy a Legacy Standard Bible.

I really appreciate the discussion. Gender is a complex issue and likely always has been. As an English speaker who also teaches English, and has studied linguistics and learned other languages, it seems a lesser important detail in the context of the overall message. Some languages will genderize pronouns strongly in favor of the masculine form, and others will neutralize gender even more than English. I really appreciate the thoughtful commentary as I'm pondering which translaton to shift to as a main reader - greatly appreciate your open approach to the topic.

I personally find myself always returning to the NIV. While I have tried to train myself to pick up my KJV, NKJV, ESV and NASB… and became annoyed with the politics around the ditching of the NIV 84 for the 2011 version… I have found that I can gloss over the ‘gender neutral’ wording, in favour of the actual readability of the over all language of the text. Thankfully I still have my old NIV (84) Thompsons… but have finally purchased a 2011 version within the past month, after using it within my electronic library for the past year: along side of all my other translations of course.