« | Psalm 136 | » |
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
7 who made the great lights�
8 the sun to govern the day,
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
11 and brought Israel out from among them
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;
17 to him who struck down great kings,
18 and killed mighty kings�
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
20 and Og king of Bashan�
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.
23 He remembered us in our low estate
24 and freed us from our enemies.
25 He gives food to every creature.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
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.