Should We Trust The New International Version?

This tract is also published in paperback and titled "The Great News"
Reviewed by E. L. Bynum

"The New International Version" of the New Testament is now widely being heralded as a reliable and trustworthy version by evangelicals. (We shall.. hereafter refer to this version as NIV and the "King James Version" by KJV). We do not agree that it is trustworthy and reliable. In some respects it is, better than the Revised Standard Version, The New English Bible, 'Good News for Modern Man and the Living Bible. But in the end it may be more dangerous than any of these because "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (I Corinthians 5:6). Many who would not accept the RSV and others may be led into accepting NIV which is contaminated with the same kind of leaven as the others. We will set forth our reasons for not trusting this version and let our readers make up their own mind.

NIV Omits Too Much Of The Bible!

The omission of one word or one letter is too, much, but the NIV goes much further than this and omits many complete verses. Please note some of these examples:

KJV Matthew 17:21, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." NIV omits this verse froi*ithe text and places it in small print at the bottom of the page. The footnote says; "Some MSS add verse 21." (MSS is the abbreviation for manuscripts).

KJV Matthew 18:11, "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." NIV omits this verse from the text and places it in the footnote and says "some MSS add verse 11."

KJV Matthew 23:14, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." NIV omits this verse in the same manner as above.

KJV Mark 7:16, "If any man have ears to hear, let him i hear." NIV omits this verse and says, "Some early MSS add verse 16."

KJV Mark 9:44, "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." NIV omits this verse and does not even put it in the footnote.

KJV Mark 9:46, "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." NIV omits this verse.

KJV Mark 11:26, "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." NIV omits this verse from the text.

KJV Mark 15:28, "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors." NIV omits this verse. Of course this is a blow at Christ since this refers to His fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12.

KJV Luke 17:36, "Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." NIV omits this verse that refers to His Second Coming.

KJV Luke 23:17, "(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)" NIV omits this verse.

KJV John 6:3,4 ". . . waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had." NIV omits all of this which is part of verse 3 and all of verse 4.

KJV Acts 8:37, "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." NIV omits this verse, even though the eunuch's question is recorded in verse 36 and is translated as follows: "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" Philips answer in verse 37 is omitted, and he baptizes him with no confession of faith if we are to believe NIV. This is a very serious matter involving the salvation of the soul and we believe it is a serious error to tamper with God's word in this way.

KJV Acts 15:34, "Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still." NIV omits this verse.

KJV Acts 24:7, "But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands." NIV omits verse 7 as well as a part of verses 6 and 8.

KJV Acts 28:29, "And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves." NIV omits this verse. KJV Romans 16:24, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." NIV omits this verse and places it in the footnote also.

Above we have listed 16 whole verses that NIV has omitted. This writer believes that it would be deadly and dangerous to accept such a version as the Word of God. We believe that the New York Bible Society and the translators of NIV need to read and believe Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18, 19.

This tract contains several more pages with important information regarding this corrupted version which has become the "sweetheart" of so many professing Christians. You can order this tract (Tract #A-217) from:

Tabernacle Baptist Church
1911 34th Street, P. O. Box 3100
Lubbock, TX 79452