A First Grade question: How many people does it take to be “they?”
Gutenberg Bible, photo: Raul654, Wikimedia
This humble writer’s comments today to BibleGateway.com, who are mainly using the recently revised (New) New International Version, a copy also sent to Zondervan.
“…his….”
“…forfeit his soul” (in your verse of the day). Not “their.” “His.”
This is in reference to Mark 8:36 (NIV) “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
Last I checked fundamental mathematics, “one person” does not equal “them,” our “sin sick souls” notwithstanding “their [sic] soul.”
There is nothing, repeat nothing wrong with the neutral masculine singular, man. If you change that, perhaps you would like to change the history of the way God named “man” and “woman,” recorded in Genesis.
Please pass that along to whatever feminist revisionists within publisher, The Zondervan Corporation, its parent company, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., and its parent company, NewsCorp. Please also inform them that the feminist movement is an offshoot of anti-Christ Marxism and related atheistic philosophies stemming from “the enlightenment.” Historical revisionism and political correctness are signatures of this. So unfortunate about the NIV, now.
I am holding out hope for my present favorite translation to stay just (and I won’t even tell you what that is, no offense).
Thank you for your online publishing of numerous translations of The Bible in ways so helpful to access.
A humble Christian lover of mankind and adorer of women, who are very obviously and according to the Scripture (as originally penned) the ontological equals of men,
Arlen Williams
The mark of integrity in translation is not to add more to it, take anything away from it, nor change anything from the simple conveyance of the meanings originally given.
Happy for the authentic rights of women. Not pleased with the corruption inherent in America’s historical feminist movement.
Thank you, Mr. Williams! This a pet peeve of mine, grammatically speaking. Pronouns must agree with antecedent nouns in number, person, and gender. This is not rocket science.
I am appalled that Zondervan would sanction this corruption of scripture, and show itself to be so poorly educated in basic grammar. For God’s sake, doesn’t anyone know how to use commas, grammar, punctuation, pronouns, or paragraphs anymore? I had these rules of English mastered by the time I graduated from 8th grade, as did everyone in my class.