SBC's new translation also uses some gender-neutral language

April 1, 2002

SBC's new translation also uses
some gender-neutral language
___By Tony Cartledge
___N.C. Biblical Recorder
___NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP)--Southern Baptist critics of Today's New International Version might be surprised to learn that LifeWay Christian Resource's new Holman Christian Standard Bible also uses considerably more gender-inclusive language than both the traditional King James Version and the modern New International Version.
___Introduced in 1999 by the Southern Baptist Convention's publishing arm, the new Holman Bible is being marketed as a more accurate and readable Bible translation that preserves the integrity of Scripture.
___"Up until now, every English translation of the Bible has been a tradeoff between accuracy and readability. The more accurate it was, the harder it was to read, and the more reader-friendly it was, the more it drifted from a precise translation of the original text," Broadman & Holman President Kenneth Stephens said in an article distributed through Baptist Press. "With our Bible, we've eliminated the tradeoff."
___David Shepherd, vice president for Bible publishing, said the new translation would not follow the path of political correctness, however.
___"Some recent translations have reinterpreted the Bible to make it consistent with current trends and their own way of thinking," he said. "Current trends in Bible translation have been a real wake-up call for everybody who's concerned about preserving the integrity of Scripture. The Holman Christian Standard Bible will be under the stewardship of Christians who believe we should conform our lives and culture to the Bible--not the other way around."
___This vision, however, did not prevent translators from adopting a far more gender-neutral approach to language than the KJV and the NIV, according to a North Carolina pastor who has compared the translations.
___David Stratton, pastor of Brunswick Islands Baptist Church in Supply, N.C., said he had noticed gender-neutral language in the Holman Christian Standard Bible and became curious when he saw the extensive criticism being leveled at the TNIV. So he set out to see for himself.
___He chose a sample of seven books in the New Testament--Mark, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, James and Revelation. Then he read each book in the KJV, the NIV, the TNIV and the Holman Christian Standard Bible versions. The Old Testament is not yet available for either the Holman or the TNIV.
___Stratton first used the KJV as a baseline to flag gender language and compared it to the other versions. He then read the same books a second time, using the NIV as the baseline for gender language.
___In those seven books, he found 339 verses in which the SBC-produced Bible is more gender-neutral than the KJV and/or the NIV, and 194 verses in which the SBC version is more gender-neutral than the NIV alone.
___For example, in Mark 4:9, the KJV has, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." The NIV has, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." The TNIV, which has been denounced by SBC leaders, renders the phrase, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." The SBC's own translation, however, reads, "Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!"
___In Romans 2:16, Paul says God will judge the "secrets of men" (KJV). The NIV translates the phrase as "men's secrets," while the TNIV renders it "everyone's secrets" and the Holman Bible renders it "what people have kept secret."
___For the familiar passage in James 5:16, the KJV refers to the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man." The NIV also has "righteous man." The TNIV translates as "a righteous person," while the Holman Bible avoids any gender reference with "the righteous."
___In passages dealing with addresses to church leadership, however, the SBC version is more careful to preserve male terminology. For example, in Acts 20:30, where Paul addresses the elders of the church at Ephesus, the KJV says, "Also of your own selves shall men arise." The NIV renders it, "Even from your own number men will arise." The TNIV says "some" will arise, but the Holman has "men from among yourselves will rise up."
___Both the Holman Bible and the TNIV are careful to retain male pronouns like "he" and "him" that refer to God. However, the Holman is more likely than the TNIV to translate masculine participles that refer to God in a gender-neutral manner.
___For example, Revelation 1:4 speaks of "him which is, and which was, and which is to come" (KJV). The NIV translates "him who is, and who was, and who is to come," and the TNIV keeps the same reading. The Holman translation, however, has "the One who is, who was, and who is coming."
___Likewise, in a reference to God in Romans 9:12, both the NIV and TNIV translate "him who calls." The Holman uses the gender-neutral "the One who calls." Similar translations can be found in Acts 22:9 and a number of texts in Revelation, including 2:1, 8, 12; 3:1,7; 4:9,10; 5:1, 7, 13 and several others.

___Mark 4:9
___KJV: —"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
___NIV: —"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
___TNIV: —"Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."
___HCSB: —"Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!"

___Romans 2:16
___KJV: —God will judge the "secrets of men."
___NIV: —God will judge "men's secrets."
___TNIV: —God will judge "everyone's secrets."
___HCSB: —God will judge "what people have kept secret."

___James 5:16
___KJV: —"... the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man."
___NIV: —"... righteous man."
___TNIV:—"... a righteous person."
___HCSB:—"... the righteous."

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