« | Job 33 | » |
1 "But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say.
2 I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me.
6 I am the same as you in God's sight; I too am a piece of clay.
7 No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy on you.
8 "But you have said in my hearing� I heard the very words�
9 'I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin.
10 Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy.
11 He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.'
12 "But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one's words ?
14 For God does speak�now one way, now another� though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.
19 "Or they may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones,
20 so that their bodies find food repulsive and their souls loathe the choicest meal.
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out.
22 They draw near to the pit, and their lives to the messengers of death.
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright,
24 and he is gracious to them and says to God, 'Spare them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them�
25 let their flesh be renewed like a child's; let them be restored as in the days of their youth'�
26 then they can pray to God and find favor with him, they will see God's face and shout for joy; he will restore them to full well-being.
27 And they will go to others and say, 'We have sinned, we have perverted what is right, but we did not get what we deserved.
28 God has delivered us from going down to the pit, and we shall live to enjoy the light of life.'
29 "God does all these things to people� twice, even three times�
30 to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.
31 "Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you.
33 But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."
Today’s New International Version (TNIV)
Today’s New International Version (TNIV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that was first published in its complete form in 2005 by the International Bible Society, now known as Biblica. The TNIV is a revision of the New International Version (NIV), which was initially released in 1978. The primary goal of the TNIV was to update the language and address gender inclusivity while maintaining the readability and accuracy that made the NIV popular. The translation aimed to reflect contemporary English usage and to be accessible to a broad audience, including both men and women.
One of the key features of the TNIV is its commitment to gender-inclusive language. The translators sought to avoid gender-specific terms where the original texts did not explicitly require them, thereby making the text more inclusive and reflective of modern linguistic sensibilities. For example, where the original Greek or Hebrew text used terms that referred to both men and women, the TNIV translated them in a gender-neutral manner. This approach aimed to make the Bible more accessible and relatable to all readers, ensuring that no one felt excluded by the language used.
The TNIV also made several other updates to enhance clarity and readability. The translators incorporated the latest biblical scholarship and linguistic research to ensure that the translation accurately conveyed the meaning of the original texts. They aimed to strike a balance between maintaining the formal equivalence of the original languages and using dynamic equivalence to make the text more understandable for contemporary readers. This involved updating archaic words and phrases, improving sentence structures, and clarifying ambiguous passages without losing the essence of the original scriptures.
Despite its strengths, the TNIV faced significant controversy and criticism, particularly from conservative Christian groups and scholars. Critics argued that the gender-inclusive language could potentially distort the intended meaning of the biblical texts and that the changes were driven more by cultural trends than by faithful adherence to the original manuscripts. The debate over the TNIV’s translation choices led to its eventual discontinuation, with Biblica deciding to focus on updating the NIV instead. However, the TNIV’s influence can still be seen in subsequent revisions of the NIV, which have incorporated some of the gender-inclusive principles and linguistic updates introduced by the TNIV.