Intriguing changes to the new NIV #4
Here’s number 4 in the list of the most intriguing changes in the new edition of the NIV (from Bible Gateway)
Psalm 23 is a majestic Psalm of beautiful language and comfort ever since it was penned!
Older versions conveyed its’ beauty with lyrical, rhythmic phrasing like the “valley of the shadow of death,” which the original NIV kept and my current favourite word for word translation, the ESV, uses.
The new NIV has gone with other modern dynamic equivalents and gone for “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
In doing so it widens our comprehension (by doing some interpreting as well as translating) and has used a simpler more modern phrase – darkest valley.
The beauty of Psalm 23 is that no matter who dark it gets – God is with us. We don’t have to fear evil because He is with us and will comfort us!
Next time we’ll look at how the new NIV is translating sarx – flesh/sinful nature!