No. Zondervan was never questioned by WORLD prior to the publishing of this article, which attempts to convey a conspiracy of evangelical Bible translation with radical social feminism. As far as Zondervan is concerned as the publisher of the NIV, and International Bible Society as the copyright holder of the NIV, nothing could be further from the truth. For 188 years IBS, and for 66 years Zondervan, have faithfully communicated the richness of God's revelation.

"IS ZONDERVAN PLANNING TO PUBLISH AN 'INCLUSIVE-LANGUAGE' OR 'GENDER-NEUTRAL' BIBLE?"

Terms such as "inclusive language," "unisex language," and "gender-neutral" are seen by many as negative and politically-charged. We object to being put in these camps in the WORLD article; we intend in no way to advance a particular social agenda or stray from the original biblical texts. We don't identify with these names. Our focus is strictly on maintaining the accuracy to the original biblical texts and readability of the translation of those texts. Whenever the original texts can be rendered more clearly in the English language, it is our commitment to do that.

"DOES ZONDERVAN PLAN ON REVISING THE NIV?"

Yes, as we have done throughout the NIV's existence. Zondervan and International Bible Society (the copyright holder of the NIV) are completely committed to the accuracy, beauty, clarity, and dignity of the NIV translation. Since 1978, the NIV has been revised twice, reflecting new archeological findings, current biblical scholarship, and shifts in linguistic styling. Those revisions never have, and future ones never will, reflect any social or political agenda. All revisions, past and future, are done for the sole purpose of increasing the accuracy and readability of the English rendering of what the original text says.

"WHY DOES WORLD MAGAZINE ACCUSE ZONDERVAN OF TRYING TO HIDE NIV REVISIONS?"

We don't know. That is simply not the case. From the start, when the complete NIV was published in 1978, the translators specifically and publicly stated that revisions would continue in three areas: 1) as more ancient manuscripts are found which could affect the underlying Hebrew or Greek text, 2) as new linguistic insights into the ancient languages clarify presently obscure words or idioms, and 3) as words change their meaning. The Preface to every NIV Bible speaks to this revision process.

"WILL REVISIONS AFFECT THE MASCULINE TENSE OF GOD?"

Absolutely not. God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit will remain in the masculine tense, as will any other word specifically referred to in that tense in the original biblical languages.

"WILL REVISIONS BLUR GOD'S INTENDED UNIQUENESS OF MEN AND WOMEN?"

Absolutely not.

"HAS A REVISED NIV BEEN PUBLISHED?"

No, not since 1983. Any future revisions probably won't be considered for publishing for another three or four years. During this time we are consulting with scholars and church leaders seeking their informed opinion about the necessity for such revisions. We are proceeding slowly and responsibly.

"WHAT'S THE A-B-C-D OF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION?"

The NIV translation is undertaken using the following formula: *

Accuracy  The translation remains accurate and true to the original biblical texts. *

Beauty The translation is rendered with attention to sentence cadence and poetic styling; to attractiveness of aural presentation *

Clarity  The translation is readable and understandable by today's English linguistic style. *

Dignity  The translation is appropriate for both private study and public worship, embracing a reverent tone and not using English slang or vernacular.

"WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF CBT, IBS, and ZPH?"

CBT  The Committee on Bible Translation is a completely independent, self-governing group of 15 biblical scholars charged as guardians of the New International Version translation. While members have been replaced through retirement or death, this committee has overseen the NIV translation since its inception. CBT continually reviews the NIV in relation to new archaeological discoveries, current biblical scholarship, and shifts in linguistic styling. IBS  International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the copyright holder of the NIV. Founded in 1809, IBS is a nonprofit ministry dedicated to serving the church in evangelism and discipleship by providing God's Word so that people around the WORLD may come to faith and life in Jesus Christ.

ZPH  Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich., has exclusive commercial publishing rights to the NIV. Founded in 1931, ZPH publishes and internationally distributes bestselling and award-winning Bibles, books, audio, video, multimedia, and gift products. CBT, IBS, and ZPH, together, take seriously the responsibility of being accountable caretakers over the NIV, this rich treasure that God has given the church. As partners, our commitment is to foundational accuracy, then readability.

"WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF THE NIV?"

In 1955, businessman Howard Long, sharing his Christian faith, read from his King James Version Bible to a business associate who laughed out loud and was disinterested because of the Bible's old English. Mr. Long proposed to his denomination, the Christian Reformed Church, that a contemporary English translation be undertaken. A committee was formed, in association with the National Association of Evangelicals, and 12 years later translation work began with International Bible Society funding the project. As the project was underway, Zondervan Publishing House stepped in to assist in the funding and was named commercial publisher of the NIV. The NIV is based on the most reliable Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. A translation team of more than 100 evangelical Bible scholars from many different denominations, using four levels of committee review, worked for 13 years before the complete Bible was released in 1978. These scholars came from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Operating from the conviction that the Bible is the inspired and wholly reliable Word of God, the translators wanted to faithfully reproduce what the original Scripture writers wrote, in language that people could read and understand without difficulty. They were - and are - committed to the authority and infallibility of the Bible. The NIV has become the bestselling translation of the Bible, with more than 100 million copies in print. Maximum care has been  and continues to be  taken throughout the NIV translation process to produce a thorough, precise, accurate, reliable, and reverent translation with disregard to any social agenda.

"HOW WIDELY ACCEPTED IS THE NIV?"