Stay away from the TNIV

[TPJCatholic]

WASHINGTON — A new Bible translation, aimed at younger readers, is drawing fire from some scholars.

Today’s New International Version ([search](javascript:siteSearch(‘Today’s New International Version’)), or TNIV, has just been published in complete form by Zondervan Publishing. It’s meant for the prime-time demographic: adults 18 to 34 years old.

In this new translation, some masculine references are made more gender-neutral.

Genesis 1:27, “so God created man in his own image” in the more traditional New International Version, is changed in the TNIV to “so God created human beings in his own image.”

“In situations in the Bible where it is very clear from the original language, and also from the context, that the writer or the speaker was talking to men and women, that is simply provided accurately and specifically in the TNIV,” explains Paul Caminiti of Zondervan, which is owned by the parent company of FOX News.

foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146153,00.html

Stay away from that version of the Bible. First it does not contain all of the books in the offical Canon of Scriptire. Second, the translators have neutered God’s Holy Word. Please pass on the news to stay away from this version to anyone that might be considering purchasing a Bible.

A much better alternative would be the RSV-CE (Revised Standard Version–Catholic Edition).

I suspect that most people here would not touch that version, but I thought it prudent to let you know.

 

[Timidity]

TPJCatholic:

Genesis 1:27, “so God created man in his own image” in the more traditional New International Version, is changed in the TNIV to “so God created human beings in his own image.”

Isn’t that more accurate in this case?

The Vulgate uses the word “hominem” here. Hominem is almost always translated as “person” or “human being”, isn’t it?

“et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam ad imaginem Dei creavit illum masculum et feminam creavit eos”

Genesis 1:27
​

 

[mommy]

I saw this on the news this morning, and thought this is the very reason why we shouldn’t ‘change’ things in the Bible. Once we update it, for ‘our’ times, we change the meaning. Especially since many of us really look to the Bible to refute anti-Catholic sentiments. Or to show foreshadowing in the OT for the NT. I really feel some of these changes just are PC gone amuck.

 

[wabrams]

Timidity:

Isn’t that more accurate in this case?

The Vulgate uses the word “hominem” here. Hominem is almost always translated as “person” or “human being”, isn’t it?

“et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam ad imaginem Dei creavit illum masculum et feminam creavit eos”

Genesis 1:27

​

More importantly, what was the original meaning in Aramaic, since this is the language the OT was written in.

 

[Jadesfire20]

Timidity:

Isn’t that more accurate in this case?

The Vulgate uses the word “hominem” here. Hominem is almost always translated as “person” or “human being”, isn’t it?

“et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam ad imaginem Dei creavit illum masculum et feminam creavit eos”

Genesis 1:27
​

​

It can be translated that way…it depends on the context, but in my experiences with latin translation you generally assume the masculine if the gender is not specified. “Homo” is also a masculine noun.

 

[Timidity]

Jadesfire20:

It can be translated that way…it depends on the context, but in my experiences with latin translation you generally assume the masculine if the gender is not specified. “Homo” is also a masculine noun.

And the context here is clearly gender neutral, given the rest of the verse (“masculum et feminam”).

 

[Timidity]

wabrams:

More importantly, what was the original meaning in Aramaic, since this is the language the OT was written in.

That would be Hebrew. Only portions of the OT were originally in Aramaic, if I remeber correctly from my religion classes in college.

In any case, I trust that St. Jerome gave an inspired translation! (well, that, and I ca’t read the Hebrew alphabet!)

 

[TPJCatholic]

Norms for the Translation of Biblical Texts for Use in the Liturgy

1. The Church must always seek to convey accurately in translation the texts she has inherited from the biblical, liturgical, and patristic tradition and instruct the faithful in their proper meaning.
2. The first principle with respect to biblical texts is that of fidelity, maximum possible fidelity to the words of the text. Biblical translations should be faithful to the original language and to the internal truth of the inspired text, in such a way as to respect the language used by the human author in order to be understood by his intended reader. Every concept in the original text should be translated in its context. Above all, translations must be faithful to the sense of Sacred Scripture understood as a unity and totality, which finds its center in Christ, the Son of God incarnate (cf. Dei Verbum III and IV), as confessed in the Creeds of the Church.
3. The translation of Scripture should faithfully reflect the Word of God in the original human languages. It must be listened to in its time-conditioned, at times even inelegant, mode of human expression without “correction” or “improvement” in service of modern sensitivities.

a) In liturgical translations or readings where the text is very uncertain or in which the meaning is very much disputed, the translation should be made with due regard to the Neo-Vulgate.

b) If explanations are deemed to be pastorally necessary or appropriate, they should be given in editorial notes, commentaries, homilies, etc.

4/1. The natural gender of personae in the Bible, including the human author of various texts where evident, must not be changed insofar as this is possible in the receptor language.

4/2. The grammatical gender of God, pagan deities, and angels according to the original texts must not be changed insofar as this is possible in the receptor language.

4/3. In fidelity to the inspired Word of God, the traditional biblical usage for naming the persons of the Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is to be retained.

4/4. Similarly, in keeping with the Church’s tradition, the feminine and neuter pronouns are not to be used to refer to the person of the Holy Spirit.

4/5. There shall be no systematic substitution of the masculine pronoun or possessive adjective to refer to God in correspondence to the original text.

4/6. Kinship terms that are clearly gender specific, as indicated by the context, should be respected in translation.

1. Grammatical number and person of the original texts ordinarily should be maintained.

6/1. Translation should strive to preserve the connotations as well as the denotations of words or expressions in the original and thus not preclude possible layers of meaning.

6/2. For example, where the New Testament or the Church’s tradition have interpreted certain texts of the Old Testament in a Christological fashion, special care should be observed in the translation of these texts so that a Christological meaning is not precluded.

6/3. Thus, the word “man” in English should as a rule translate adam and anthropos, since there is no one synonym which effectively conveys the play between the individual, the collectivity and the unity of the human family so important, for example, to expression of Christian doctrine and anthropology.