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Editorial Reviews
The Bible is the bestselling book in history, and the New International Version (NIV) Bible is the bestselling version year after year.This bestselling modern English Bible has sold more than 400 million copies since its first full publication in 1978. It is also the bestselling modern English Bible eBook, and now it's completely redesigned for an intuitive user experience.The font is crisp and clear, and readability is great on both E-Ink screens and color screens. With quicker page turns and a numbered footnoting system that allows you to easily jump from Bible text to footnote and back again, this NIV eBook is faster and more robust than ever before. And with a new 'How to Use This Bible' page included, navigating the Bible has never been easier.Read the Bible on your device just as if you were reading a physical book. Make the NIV eBook one of your favorite reads today.NIV 2011 The New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible is the world's most popular modern English Bible -- easy to understand, yet rich with the detail found in the original languages.
Related Reviews
Updated NIV is surprisingly good
Great for reading, the best NIV I've found for the Kindle
The NIV is my favorite version of the Bible. I am not rating the content of the Bible, but the ebook format. I bought this for my Kindle in the hope of quickly navigating to the scriptures in church or Bible study. For this purpose, it is not very good. I have to go back to the Table of Contents each time, trudge down the list of books of the Bible to find the book I'm looking for and then chapter and verse. If I had my regular print Bible with me I'd be at the verse much faster.
If your goal in getting the NIV is for actually reading through it, instead of quickly locating a verse, I would highly recommend this version. It is great for reading, just not great for quick reference. I do wish they would come out with an NIV Bible that showed Book and Chapter at the top or side of each page...
If your goal in getting the NIV is for actually reading through it, instead of quickly locating a verse, I would highly recommend this version. It is great for reading, just not great for quick reference. I do wish they would come out with an NIV Bible that showed Book and Chapter at the top or side of each page...
I have looked at other NIV Kindle versions and found them difficult when it comes to navigation and formatting. This new edition has improved the ability to navigate through the Bible and the formatting is good. For instance, it would be nice to have the Psalms closer to the left margin.
All in all a good addition for Kindle Bibles.
All in all a good addition for Kindle Bibles.
I am very pleased with this NIV bible for the Kindle. I am now using only my Kindle for my personal bible devotions. Navigation seemed slow at first, but as I became more skilled at navigating with the Kindle 3, I was able to find verses faster. To find a verse, you use the Table of Contents (TOC), which has links to the books and chapters. I am now spending more time in the Word because of this NIV Kindle product. Reading and meditating on scripture has now become a wonderful joy and blessing!
This version of the NIV is the 2010 update, which uses gender inclusive language. Where the older NIV says "brothers", the wording has been changed to "brothers and sisters". Be reassured that God is still referred to as Father and that where the original Greek or Hebrew specifically refers to men only, the reference to men is retained. You can go to [...] to search the complete text of the updated New International Version, 2010.
Zondervan, who publishes the NIV in America, is determined to gain acceptance for this update. They are calling it the NIV and not the NIV 2010. Previous attempts to gain acceptance for inclusive language versions of the NIV such as the TNIV and the NIVI failed to gain widespread acceptance. Zondervan admits that these were mistakes. They also admit to making a mistake by freezing the text of the NIV with the 1984 version. The language has changed in the past 25 years and there have been new advances in bible scholarship.
I highly recommend this NIV Bible for your Kindle. It is not perfect, but is the best available at this time (February 15, 2011). Do not expect to get a free copy of the NIV because this translation is still under copyright. It is well worth the money.
This version of the NIV is the 2010 update, which uses gender inclusive language. Where the older NIV says "brothers", the wording has been changed to "brothers and sisters". Be reassured that God is still referred to as Father and that where the original Greek or Hebrew specifically refers to men only, the reference to men is retained. You can go to [...] to search the complete text of the updated New International Version, 2010.
Zondervan, who publishes the NIV in America, is determined to gain acceptance for this update. They are calling it the NIV and not the NIV 2010. Previous attempts to gain acceptance for inclusive language versions of the NIV such as the TNIV and the NIVI failed to gain widespread acceptance. Zondervan admits that these were mistakes. They also admit to making a mistake by freezing the text of the NIV with the 1984 version. The language has changed in the past 25 years and there have been new advances in bible scholarship.
I highly recommend this NIV Bible for your Kindle. It is not perfect, but is the best available at this time (February 15, 2011). Do not expect to get a free copy of the NIV because this translation is still under copyright. It is well worth the money.
The NIV Bible for the Kindle is good reading of course but searching for a particular verse is hard to do. It will lead you to the Old and New Testament ok and to the particular Chapter but not the verses - say if you want to go to Genesis 1:15 it will bring you to Genesis 1 but then you have to go page by page to get to 15 - ugh! Other than that, it's great reading! The TNIV Bible for the Kindle is much better for finding your Chapters and Verses - You can get to exactly what you want by the menus.
I wish I could type in the scripture reference I am looking for and it would pop up, but this format of the NIV Bible doesn't work that way. You have to go all the way back to the Table of Contents and scroll through the long list of books until you find the one you want. Then you have to scroll through the long list of chapters until you find the one you want. For at church or in a Bible study setting, this version is terrible. It would be faster to flip through an actual printed Bible to find the scripture you're looking for. If you are specifically looking for a quick-look-up-type Bible, this is not the one you want.
A Truly Accurate, Modern Translation
I This fresh version of the NIV is the only translation to use modern linguistic research and Greek/Hebrew lexical analysis in order to provide the most accurate translation that's also the most readable in the English language. They actually commissioned the first-of-its-kind statistical linguistic analysis of the way English is spoken and written. This research combined with the careful attention to the original language of the Text has enabled the translators to translate the original manuscripts in a way that incarnates the original intent of the text in the 21st century English language, which is the whole point of a Bible translation to begin with!
Not to mention, unlike other translations, it is translated by a committee that has no ties to the copyright holder (Biblica) or publisher (Zondervan), ensuring an agenda-free translation. This is a big one for me. The CBT (Committee on Bible Translation) is an entirely independent translation committee that chooses its members outside any direction from Biblica or Zondervan. Neither Zondervan nor Biblica make translation decisions nor control the outcome of the translation. Changes in translations require a supermajority vote--something like 70% or more--from the translation committee members, a committee that is diverse in gender, denominational affiliation, ethnicity, and nationality. This gives me great confidence that it is as agenda-free as possible.
If you've been waiting for a translation that is the optimum combination of accuracy and readability, the wait is over. The new NIV is here.
(In the interest of full disclosure, my wife works for Zondervan Bibles, though my analysis is independent as a pastor and theologian)
Not to mention, unlike other translations, it is translated by a committee that has no ties to the copyright holder (Biblica) or publisher (Zondervan), ensuring an agenda-free translation. This is a big one for me. The CBT (Committee on Bible Translation) is an entirely independent translation committee that chooses its members outside any direction from Biblica or Zondervan. Neither Zondervan nor Biblica make translation decisions nor control the outcome of the translation. Changes in translations require a supermajority vote--something like 70% or more--from the translation committee members, a committee that is diverse in gender, denominational affiliation, ethnicity, and nationality. This gives me great confidence that it is as agenda-free as possible.
If you've been waiting for a translation that is the optimum combination of accuracy and readability, the wait is over. The new NIV is here.
(In the interest of full disclosure, my wife works for Zondervan Bibles, though my analysis is independent as a pastor and theologian)
I am very happy with the NIV bible for my Kindle. Unlike some reviews I have read, I found this bible easy to navigate. If you bookmark the "Books of the Bible in alphabetical order" you will easily find the book you want. And, yes, you can type a book, chapter, verse anytime and press find and you will be taken to a page where you can select what you need. I find the NIV a great version to read anytime. (FYI...I had downloaded the ASV formatted for Amazon Kindle. Do NOT like this version at all.) I highly recommend the NIV version for Kindle. For studying purposes, however, I will still use my NKJV study (book) bible.
There are many good translations of the Bible available in English, but for an optimum balance of readability and accuracy, none exceeds the NIV, in my opinion. This Kindle edition is the 2010 revision of the NIV translation. I look forward to having a print copy of the revised NIV and plan to use it for devotional reading, memorization, and preaching.
NOTE: I received a free review copy of this digital text from Zondervan.
NOTE: I received a free review copy of this digital text from Zondervan.
This uses the recently updated NIV text. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's what you want. I wanted the previous version and wish the product description had been more clear -- that's why I'm giving it just four stars.
The Psalmist declared: "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth" (Psalm 36:6) and in the new NIV (a moderate BGL) one finds a more gender-neutral language Bible that "is drawing criticism from some conservatives who argue the changes can alter the theological message." In past English translations, the old translation John declares: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar." In the new NIV Bible it reads: "brother or sister."
Herein is a new translation of the New International Version Bible (NIV) that does not alter pronouns that denote God (God remains "He" and "the Father"). But it aspires to avoid using "he" or "him" as the fallback position to unspecified people.
I usually use the NKJV and the ESV in combination with the Greek text, and I think this is the best way to read, ponder, and apply God's word.
"But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:25).
Some examples from the Gospels of changes to gender language between the New International Version Bible's 1984 translation and the 2011 translation (AP; 4-2-11)):
Matthew 6:24
NIV 1984 -- No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
NIV 2011 -- No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Mark 1:17
NIV 1984 -- "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
NIV 2011 -- "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."
Luke 21:16
NIV 1984 -- You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
NIV 2011 -- You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
John 3:5
NIV 1984 -- Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."
NIV 2011 -- Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit."
At issue is how to translate pronouns that apply to both genders in the ancient Greek and Hebrew texts but have traditionally been translated using masculine forms in English.
An example from the translator's notes for Mark 4:25 shows how the NIV's translation of these words has evolved over the past quarter-century.
The widely distributed 1984 version of the NIV quotes Jesus: "Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."
The more recent incarnation of the NIV from 2005, called Today's New International Version, changed that to: "Those who have will be given more; as for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them."
The CBMW had complained in 2005 that making the subject of a verse plural to convey that it could refer equally to a man or a woman "potentially obscured an important aspect of biblical thought -- that of the personal relationship between an individual and God."
The NIV 2011 seems to have taken that criticism into account and come up with a compromise: "Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.'"
Randy Stinson (president CBMW) and dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the changes are especially important to evangelicals. 'Evangelicals believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of scripture. We believe every word is inspired by God, not just the broad thought.'"
The Bible contains: "a divinely guaranteed and wholly trustworthy account of God's redemptive revelation, and the course of his gracious dealings with his people; or as merely a mass of more or less trustworthy materials, out of which we are to sift the facts in order to put together a trustworthy account of God's redemptive revelation and the course of his dealings with his people" (B.B. Warfield).
Thus I would advise readers to:
1. Use NT Greek
A). There are Free Greek sites on the net
B). Learn the Greek alphabet
C). Learn basic Greek vocabulary (maybe some simple grammar)
2. Use multiple English translations (I prefer the NKJV and ESV).
3. Pray as you read scripture and especially pray for understanding
4. Study to discover how the NT is linked to the OT
5. Read good commentaries.
All this may sound like too much effort, but it really is not inasmuch as there are many easy-access online resources; besides this is God's word one is reading.
"For we must always remember that ...we are not dealing with a doctrine about God, with an abstract concept, or with a scientific proposition about the nature of Divinity. We are not dealing with a human construction which we ourselves or which others have put upon the facts, and which we now try to analyze and logically to dismember. Rather, in treating of the Trinity, we are dealing with God Himself, with the one and true God, who has revealed Himself as such in His Word" (Herman Bavinck: Our Reasonable Faith, p. 143).
see new book:
Truth, Knowledge and the Reason for God: The Defense of the Rational Assurance of Christianity
Herein is a new translation of the New International Version Bible (NIV) that does not alter pronouns that denote God (God remains "He" and "the Father"). But it aspires to avoid using "he" or "him" as the fallback position to unspecified people.
I usually use the NKJV and the ESV in combination with the Greek text, and I think this is the best way to read, ponder, and apply God's word.
"But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:25).
Some examples from the Gospels of changes to gender language between the New International Version Bible's 1984 translation and the 2011 translation (AP; 4-2-11)):
Matthew 6:24
NIV 1984 -- No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
NIV 2011 -- No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Mark 1:17
NIV 1984 -- "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
NIV 2011 -- "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."
Luke 21:16
NIV 1984 -- You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
NIV 2011 -- You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
John 3:5
NIV 1984 -- Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."
NIV 2011 -- Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit."
At issue is how to translate pronouns that apply to both genders in the ancient Greek and Hebrew texts but have traditionally been translated using masculine forms in English.
An example from the translator's notes for Mark 4:25 shows how the NIV's translation of these words has evolved over the past quarter-century.
The widely distributed 1984 version of the NIV quotes Jesus: "Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."
The more recent incarnation of the NIV from 2005, called Today's New International Version, changed that to: "Those who have will be given more; as for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them."
The CBMW had complained in 2005 that making the subject of a verse plural to convey that it could refer equally to a man or a woman "potentially obscured an important aspect of biblical thought -- that of the personal relationship between an individual and God."
The NIV 2011 seems to have taken that criticism into account and come up with a compromise: "Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.'"
Randy Stinson (president CBMW) and dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the changes are especially important to evangelicals. 'Evangelicals believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of scripture. We believe every word is inspired by God, not just the broad thought.'"
The Bible contains: "a divinely guaranteed and wholly trustworthy account of God's redemptive revelation, and the course of his gracious dealings with his people; or as merely a mass of more or less trustworthy materials, out of which we are to sift the facts in order to put together a trustworthy account of God's redemptive revelation and the course of his dealings with his people" (B.B. Warfield).
Thus I would advise readers to:
1. Use NT Greek
A). There are Free Greek sites on the net
B). Learn the Greek alphabet
C). Learn basic Greek vocabulary (maybe some simple grammar)
2. Use multiple English translations (I prefer the NKJV and ESV).
3. Pray as you read scripture and especially pray for understanding
4. Study to discover how the NT is linked to the OT
5. Read good commentaries.
All this may sound like too much effort, but it really is not inasmuch as there are many easy-access online resources; besides this is God's word one is reading.
"For we must always remember that ...we are not dealing with a doctrine about God, with an abstract concept, or with a scientific proposition about the nature of Divinity. We are not dealing with a human construction which we ourselves or which others have put upon the facts, and which we now try to analyze and logically to dismember. Rather, in treating of the Trinity, we are dealing with God Himself, with the one and true God, who has revealed Himself as such in His Word" (Herman Bavinck: Our Reasonable Faith, p. 143).
see new book:
Truth, Knowledge and the Reason for God: The Defense of the Rational Assurance of Christianity
This book is AWESOME! The author (or authors, I should say) of this book knew how to write a book that would appeal to everyone. There's history, drama, action, adventure, horror, comedy, and romance. It's like a Ryan Reynolds movie, except older... and the characters aren't as sexy. Well, I'm sure some are, but there aren't pictures.
But Jesus... man, that guy is awesome. He's an all around awesome guy, and he knows how to treat the ladies. Remember in Pretty Woman how Richard Gere took a prostitute and made her beautiful? Yeah, Jesus totally does that. Basically, Jesus can make ANYONE beautiful. He like... looks past all the dirt and grime and STDs and says, "You know what? I love you just the way you are! BUT I love you too much to let you stay gross, so I'll just clean you up... for free." This guy is a hero if I've ever seen one.
Seriously, though... this book is A++. It's lengthy, but a worthwhile read. I will definitely be reading this again.
Oh, and SPOILER ALERT. The hero dies. But there's an AMAZING twist, so don't just get mad and throw the book down when you read that part. Keep reading all the way to the end.
But Jesus... man, that guy is awesome. He's an all around awesome guy, and he knows how to treat the ladies. Remember in Pretty Woman how Richard Gere took a prostitute and made her beautiful? Yeah, Jesus totally does that. Basically, Jesus can make ANYONE beautiful. He like... looks past all the dirt and grime and STDs and says, "You know what? I love you just the way you are! BUT I love you too much to let you stay gross, so I'll just clean you up... for free." This guy is a hero if I've ever seen one.
Seriously, though... this book is A++. It's lengthy, but a worthwhile read. I will definitely be reading this again.
Oh, and SPOILER ALERT. The hero dies. But there's an AMAZING twist, so don't just get mad and throw the book down when you read that part. Keep reading all the way to the end.
I downloaded this Bible to my Kindle to use while on vacation. I wanted to keep up on my Bible Study while I was gone, but didn't want to take my Bible. This worked out great, I found the easiest way to use it was to use the Alphabetical listing.
I am very surprised to see reviews for the Kindle version of this publication here. My review concerns the bonded leather thumb index version.
In particular I wish to address the finishing of this book. It is abominable. The spine is glued and not sewn, so getting the book to lay is just about impossible. Even when opened in the middle it will not lay flat. The quality of the bonded leather covers is worse than it used to be. Already the paper lining has signs of cracking - the book has been opened but a couple of times.
The book is printed (and most probably bound) in China. Let us hope that the working conditions at the factory are as good as those required in Western Europe. No slave labour.
Maybe Zondervan can learn a lesson or two about making book from those at Crossway, for instance. At Crossway, even the imitation leather bibles are far superior to Zondervan's offerings.
Last point: why are there no maps in this edition? Not that I use them (I use the superior Oxford maps). A bible without maps doens't feel complete.
In particular I wish to address the finishing of this book. It is abominable. The spine is glued and not sewn, so getting the book to lay is just about impossible. Even when opened in the middle it will not lay flat. The quality of the bonded leather covers is worse than it used to be. Already the paper lining has signs of cracking - the book has been opened but a couple of times.
The book is printed (and most probably bound) in China. Let us hope that the working conditions at the factory are as good as those required in Western Europe. No slave labour.
Maybe Zondervan can learn a lesson or two about making book from those at Crossway, for instance. At Crossway, even the imitation leather bibles are far superior to Zondervan's offerings.
Last point: why are there no maps in this edition? Not that I use them (I use the superior Oxford maps). A bible without maps doens't feel complete.
If you want to go to a specific verse, forget it. If you want to quickly move to another chapter, forget it. You must navigate back to the Table of Contents, move your "cursor" down (good grief) and then choose the book - unless it's listed on another page, then you need to move to that page first. You can't just Go To the book. Love the NIV. Don't love the NIV Kindle version.
Great Bible, Love the clarity!
When I first received the new NIV Bible I immediately went to some key and familiar
passages or verses. And wow the clarity is fantastic...love the modern English.
I have started in Genesis and plan to read through the whole Bible. I highly
recommend this new Bible. Don't believe the skeptics...get a copy and find out
for yourself just how beautiful this Bible is. Nice leather cover and red letter
also. A great Bargain at Amazon prices.
passages or verses. And wow the clarity is fantastic...love the modern English.
I have started in Genesis and plan to read through the whole Bible. I highly
recommend this new Bible. Don't believe the skeptics...get a copy and find out
for yourself just how beautiful this Bible is. Nice leather cover and red letter
also. A great Bargain at Amazon prices.
Is a very nice bible and i didn't even know that it had the tabs that make it real easy to use.
I was very happy when the folks at Zondervan announced that they were coming out with a 2011 revision of the NIV Bible.
It's a very easy to read translation that strikes a good balance between "word for word" and "thought for thought". For daily reading and devotions, it's great. I think it would also make a good pew Bible for seeker sensitive type churches. However, for in-depth study I would recommend a more literal translation like the ESV, NASB or NRSV.
The "Kindleness" of this version is what I'll be reviewing from here on though.
The typeset and formatting, in general, are very good. It's much "cleaner" than the ESV Kindle Bible (which is free, but horribly formatted). However, the table of contents is oddly spaced and slow to navigate through, which is very unfortunate considering you cannot look up verses using the search feature (i.e. typing in "Isaiah 24:5" into search).
So, if you want a Bible for Bible studies or following sermons with (basically, anything you have to do a bit of book jumping), you'll be better served by an indexed version or a good old paper book version. But if you just want to read the Bible and don't really need to jump from book to book (verse to verse) frequently, it will serve you well. And at $9.99 it's cheaper than a paper version, and you'll save some trees.
I really hope this version gets an indexed update soon. The lack of a verse searching feature keeps this from getting 5 stars.
It's a very easy to read translation that strikes a good balance between "word for word" and "thought for thought". For daily reading and devotions, it's great. I think it would also make a good pew Bible for seeker sensitive type churches. However, for in-depth study I would recommend a more literal translation like the ESV, NASB or NRSV.
The "Kindleness" of this version is what I'll be reviewing from here on though.
The typeset and formatting, in general, are very good. It's much "cleaner" than the ESV Kindle Bible (which is free, but horribly formatted). However, the table of contents is oddly spaced and slow to navigate through, which is very unfortunate considering you cannot look up verses using the search feature (i.e. typing in "Isaiah 24:5" into search).
So, if you want a Bible for Bible studies or following sermons with (basically, anything you have to do a bit of book jumping), you'll be better served by an indexed version or a good old paper book version. But if you just want to read the Bible and don't really need to jump from book to book (verse to verse) frequently, it will serve you well. And at $9.99 it's cheaper than a paper version, and you'll save some trees.
I really hope this version gets an indexed update soon. The lack of a verse searching feature keeps this from getting 5 stars.
Not too excited about this one....
For those of you who don't know, the NIV 2011 was released this fall. It's the first major update of the NIV since 1984. One of the first editions released with the updated text is the NIV Thinline Bible by Zondervan. The first thing I noticed when I got this bible was that nowhere on the box does it say anything about 2011. I had to open it up and check out the copyright page to be sure.
This particular edition has a black imitation leather cover. It is fairly nice for imitation leather. Unfortunately, it is lined with a rather stiff paper liner. That makes the cover quite stiff. It does have a sewn binding. The box claims that the bible will lie flat which is only true when opened to the middle. It definitely will need some breaking in. The paper itself is average for a bible these days. There is a bit of ghosting (text showing through), but the thin, light font is the biggest hindrance to reading. You will need good eyes and plenty of lighting to read this one for extended periods of time. The words of Christ in red are particularly difficult to read.
Overall, this is an average bible as far as construction goes. The font is thin and light which makes it hard to read, which is the most important thing about a bible. Also, without getting into details, the 2011 NIV is a big downgrade from the 1984 NIV.
FYI: Thanks to Zondervan for providing me with a free review copy. I was not required to provide a positive review.
This particular edition has a black imitation leather cover. It is fairly nice for imitation leather. Unfortunately, it is lined with a rather stiff paper liner. That makes the cover quite stiff. It does have a sewn binding. The box claims that the bible will lie flat which is only true when opened to the middle. It definitely will need some breaking in. The paper itself is average for a bible these days. There is a bit of ghosting (text showing through), but the thin, light font is the biggest hindrance to reading. You will need good eyes and plenty of lighting to read this one for extended periods of time. The words of Christ in red are particularly difficult to read.
Overall, this is an average bible as far as construction goes. The font is thin and light which makes it hard to read, which is the most important thing about a bible. Also, without getting into details, the 2011 NIV is a big downgrade from the 1984 NIV.
FYI: Thanks to Zondervan for providing me with a free review copy. I was not required to provide a positive review.
The ESV bible with its index makes searching verses far easier than this NIV version of the bible. I was disappointed that this one is so difficult to navigate in comparison.
I have an ipad and had the bible on ibooks. It was slow and would freeze up. Then I added the kindle application to my ipad because I liked the whisper sync for keeping my bible notes consistent on my pc and ipad. (i plan to get a kindle soon too, for outside reading and for bringing to church). This bible is so fast to navigate through on my ipad, using the kindle application. I know there have been some views that it is slow, and since I don't own a kindle I can't speak to that; but on the ipad it is extremely fast. I think the kindle might be slower to navigate because you need to scroll down, whereas the ipad has the touch screen. I still plan to get the kindle because I would be uncomfortable using the ipad in church because of the brightness of the screen.
I read several of the prior reviews and almost didn't get the NIV. So glad I did anyway, because I quickly realized that most of the NIV Kindle reviews are from those using the Kindle Reader. I use Kindle on my IPhone and it works great - maybe because it of the touch-screen technology. I'm currently on a daily Bible Reading schedule so I needed to get to the places I left off quickly. The Kindle on IPhone works differently than on the actual Kindle reader obviously. I can dog-ear the pages by tapping the right top corner of the IPhone. I can highlight passages just like in my paper Bible (I use yellow, but there may be other colors available). I can even write notes right at the passages. I can quickly get to the table of contents. I know I haven't used all the features that are unique to the Kindle on IPhone but I'm using the feature that I need on a daily basis. All and all I'm extremely pleased.
I ordered this bible because my church uses the NIV but it was very hard or next to impossible to navigate to a specific verse. If you were at church or a bible study, everyone else would be 10 minutes ahead of you by the time you got what you were looking for which defeats the purpose of having the bible on Kindle. I've heard that the "Kindle Bible" is very easy to navigate, so I will be trying that.
Others here have commented on the 2011 text of the NIV, so I won't do that here. I WILL offer a few thoughts on the Thinline edition of the revised text, however, in case someone might find those comments helpful.
The packaging for the Bible was VERY cool, sporting a "box within a box" design, and promising the updated text, standard print, and "lay-flat" bindings. The Bible is thin and lightweight, and can easily be held in one hand. This is a sturdy Bible, folks; it feels substantial when you hold it, and from top to bottom, it seems to be of good quality. The text is easy to read (but not as easy as the HCSB Ultrathin Bible, which sports a larger font). This is not the reference edition, so no references or concordance (fail); only a small table of weights and measures in the back. This is a bare-bones, no-nonsense reader's Bible, but it feels like quality to me.
However...
The binding and the covers are REALLY stiff. I mean REALLY, REALLY stiff. I can get the Bible to lay flat, but only if I open it to the middle first and let the pages settle, THEN turn toward the front and back. Even then, the covers will lift off of the surface of a table. I know, I know...I've only had the Bible a few days, and I have to wait a while for the covers to become supple enough to lay flat. But my HCSB Ultrathin Bible was already laying flat by now, and the covers are far more flexible than this new edition of the NIV. So I don't know what to make of that. Also, this is a red-letter edition, which I don't like, but I knew about it before I ordered it, so I've no one to blame but myself for that. The pages are thin, too, but it's a THINline Bible, so I expected that. The paper is nice, though.
Would I recommend it? If you're a fan of the NIV, you don't need references or frills, and you don't mind being patient with the stiff covers for a while, sure. This is a very fine Bible for people who want a nice copy of the Scriptures to read. But if any of those things is not true, I would wait for future editions, or find myself a new translation.
Text: 4 stars
Product: 3 1/2 stars
Price: 4 stars
Big Picture: 4 stars (it's a quality Bible in an accurate translation with a few flaws that make it a "good" rather than "great" purchase).
The packaging for the Bible was VERY cool, sporting a "box within a box" design, and promising the updated text, standard print, and "lay-flat" bindings. The Bible is thin and lightweight, and can easily be held in one hand. This is a sturdy Bible, folks; it feels substantial when you hold it, and from top to bottom, it seems to be of good quality. The text is easy to read (but not as easy as the HCSB Ultrathin Bible, which sports a larger font). This is not the reference edition, so no references or concordance (fail); only a small table of weights and measures in the back. This is a bare-bones, no-nonsense reader's Bible, but it feels like quality to me.
However...
The binding and the covers are REALLY stiff. I mean REALLY, REALLY stiff. I can get the Bible to lay flat, but only if I open it to the middle first and let the pages settle, THEN turn toward the front and back. Even then, the covers will lift off of the surface of a table. I know, I know...I've only had the Bible a few days, and I have to wait a while for the covers to become supple enough to lay flat. But my HCSB Ultrathin Bible was already laying flat by now, and the covers are far more flexible than this new edition of the NIV. So I don't know what to make of that. Also, this is a red-letter edition, which I don't like, but I knew about it before I ordered it, so I've no one to blame but myself for that. The pages are thin, too, but it's a THINline Bible, so I expected that. The paper is nice, though.
Would I recommend it? If you're a fan of the NIV, you don't need references or frills, and you don't mind being patient with the stiff covers for a while, sure. This is a very fine Bible for people who want a nice copy of the Scriptures to read. But if any of those things is not true, I would wait for future editions, or find myself a new translation.
Text: 4 stars
Product: 3 1/2 stars
Price: 4 stars
Big Picture: 4 stars (it's a quality Bible in an accurate translation with a few flaws that make it a "good" rather than "great" purchase).
My church uses the NIV Bible, but some of the poor reviews concerned me enough to also buy the NASB version of the Bible for my iPhone 3GS. After attempting to use the SEARCH option (which takes forever on the iPhone 3GS), I then tried the LOCATION icon and used the table of contents to find the verse. I don't understand what the complaints are about. On the iPhone, using the table of contents to find book/chapter and then flipping a few pages to find the verse is both quick and easy. My only complaint is I tried to see what the footnote would do at the end of a verse and then couldn't easily find my way back with out going back to the table of contents. However, overall I think this Bible works as one would expect and would highly recommend it to anyone using one of Apple's mobile devices.
NIV is the a great translation. It is like reading a novel. I read all the others, King James, New American Standard, Jerusalem, Duo Remy (spelling???) Amplified, Good News for Modern Man and many more and this is by far the very Best version. Buy it, enjoy it and if you can, Live it.
I appreciate many of the changes that have been made
I'm currently reading through the 2011 NIV each day in place of the 1984 version I've used for years. The gender-neutral changes that have been made generally don't bother me other than the fact that it makes for some awkward english at times. Many of the other changes I've noticed are very positive, addressing many of the "pet peeves" I've had about the NIV even though it is the translation that I prefer.
Holy Bible NIV - Kindle version
this is a great Bible! I look forward to being able to read my Bible every day and enjoy God's word for me!!! I have not been able to read my Bible because I am not able to hold a book in my hands for more than a couple of minutes due to constant pain and permanent nerve damage in my neck and arms! This is a God-send and thanks to my sister, Patty, I got this as a gift!
Don't like the way this new version was pushed out...
I purchased the older NIV version and had to exchange my Kindle out. Went to download the old version again and could not. The only similar version was this one. Amazon DID refund the old one and gave me a 6 dollar Kindle editions credit....which I could not use to help fund the purchase of this due to it being distributed by Zondervan eBooks.
That is why I gave a lower rating than I normally would. I felt it was just wrong how this recent update was handled. I hope I don't have to repurchase this again next year and have to lose ALL my notes and highlights!
As for the NIV, it's good. Just beware when dealing with reference texts on the Amazon Kindle.
That is why I gave a lower rating than I normally would. I felt it was just wrong how this recent update was handled. I hope I don't have to repurchase this again next year and have to lose ALL my notes and highlights!
As for the NIV, it's good. Just beware when dealing with reference texts on the Amazon Kindle.
I edited my review of this bible because my opinion has changed since I've had it a while. At first, I hated it because of the ultra-thin pages that stuck together and seemed like they'd rip when turning them.
Actually, this bible is sturdier than I previously thought. I wouldn't recommend this bible to people who have a hard time reading very small print, though. But it is indeed a good bible to keep on you.
Actually, this bible is sturdier than I previously thought. I wouldn't recommend this bible to people who have a hard time reading very small print, though. But it is indeed a good bible to keep on you.
Why not available in Europe or Azia?
I don't understand why I can't buy this Bible. I want a NIV bible, but it's not available when you live outside the U.S. Does somebody now who I could buy this one?
Why is this version called the International Version when it is not available outside the United States? Surely this is a misnomer.
Come on Hodder & Stoughton, share the ebook publishing rights with Zondervan.
Come on Hodder & Stoughton, share the ebook publishing rights with Zondervan.
Beware, this is the new NIV translation even though it is not clearly marked as such. Major parts of it have changed and many well known verses will not be as you remembered them.
It is unacceptable for Zondervan to force this new translation on everyone and quit selling the older one. They should have marked the new one as say the 'NNIV'. Instead they are completely ending the old one and forcing you to accept their updated 'opinion' on what the Bible means.
It is unacceptable for Zondervan to force this new translation on everyone and quit selling the older one. They should have marked the new one as say the 'NNIV'. Instead they are completely ending the old one and forcing you to accept their updated 'opinion' on what the Bible means.
I meant to purchase the original NIV translation and bought this one unaware that it was a revision. It should have been more clearly marked. It was a gift and the recipient was unhappy with it.
Those outside the USA cannot buy it....
I wish I could write a review for the Kindle version of the NIV. It cannot be. Zondervan, or whoever is in charge, has decided that I am not allowed to get a copy of the text because I live abroad.
This version of the NIV IS different from the 1984 edition.
It will be up to you which one you use. Before you decide, look at both
editions side by side and see if the differences matter to you.
They did to me.
gm
I agree with Scott why is the Holy Bible $9.99 why can`t it be free!!! I am sure that God would like it to be free
Whoever reads this book, their lives will be changed! It is a book about honor and truth. With a man named Jesus. He is also called The Son of God!
I'm pretty sure the BIBLE is old enough to be in the public domain. Shouldn't this be FREE??? $9.99??? WTH??
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As a pastor who did not like the over-reaching political correctness of the Today's New International Version (TNIV, copyright 2002), I was concerned when I heard that the NIV itself was going to be revised. But after studying the digital early release version in numerous passages, I have been pleasantly surprised. The revision is more accurate than the 1984 NIV, while maintaining the readability that has made the NIV the most popular modern translation of the Bible.
The new NIV retains 95% of the words of the 1984 edition, but where there are changes, it communicates the original meaning better to modern readers and more accurately than before.
Let me address several issues: gender-neutral language, omission of words, and accurate translation of words.
First, the most controversial issue of the TNIV (the earlier failed attempt to revise the NIV) was its gender-neutral language. Where the text often used the male plural "brothers" to refer to all Christians, the TNIV had "brothers and sisters." But it went even farther in Hebrews 12, where scripture speaks of God disciplining us like a father. The TNIV changed "father" to "parent." This was highly controversial, as it implied that God was a gender-neutral "parent" rather than our "heavenly Father." I'm glad to report that the new NIV has "father," just as the 1984 edition had. However, the new NIV, like the TNIV, does use gender-neutral "brothers and sisters" when the context clearly means all believers. Since modern English speakers use both genders, "brothers and sisters," when addressing all believers, not just the masculine "brothers," it makes sense that the Bible they are reading do the same. However, this may not be acceptable to all readers, particularly in passages like Psalm 1, where the masculine pronoun is often associated with a reference to manhood. In the 1984 NIV, Psalm 1 says, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked... He is like a tree planted by streams of water..." but the 2011 NIV renders it, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked...That person is like a tree planted by steams of water..."
The revised NIV also continues to say "sons" in Romans 8:14 and "sonship" in Romans 8:15 in a discussion of spiritual adoption which refers to the male heir. Thus it does not use gender-neutral language in places where it would impact theology. The revised NIV also continues to maintain clear sexual distinctions between the genders in passages like Genesis 1:27, which reads, "So God created mankind in his own image...male and female he created them."
The second translation issue is the omission of words. One of the biggest criticisms of the 1984 NIV was that sometimes words in the Greek text simply were not translated. The most notorious example was the Gospel of Mark, which makes frequent use of the Greek word euthus, "immediately." For some reason, there were many verses in the 1984 NIV that simply ignored this word. But the 2011 NIV is careful to translate it as "immediately" or "as soon" etc. in every place where it is used. I have been doing a verse-by-verse study of Romans in the Greek, and comparing the old and new versions of the NIV, I found that where the old NIV omitted the word "or" at the beginning of Romans 3:29, the new NIV restored the word. And in Romans 4:1, the old NIV omitted the words "according to the flesh," but the new NIV put the phrase back in.
The third translation issue is the accurate translation of words. In an attempt to be easy to read, the NIV has been less precise in translating words and phrases. It's a difficult balance for any translation, but sometimes the NIV went too far, by paraphrasing in places that caused the reader to miss the technical point that the Biblical writer was making. For example, the 1984 NIV translates Romans 3:28, "observing the law." But the 2011 NIV translates it, "works of the law." The Greek phrase is literally, "works of the law."
In Romans chapter 8, Paul uses the word "flesh" as a metaphor for the sinful nature. The 1984 NIV translates it "sinful nature," which gets the idea across, but thereby obscures the deliberate play on words in Romans 8:3 when Paul says that when we were weakened by the flesh, God sent Jesus in the flesh. The 1984 NIV has "sinful nature" in these verses, but the 2011 NIV uses the literal word "flesh."
In Romans 8:4, the 1984 NIV says that Jesus' sacrifice satisfied the "righteous requirements" of the law. However, the Greek word translated "requirements" is singular. The 2011 NIV changes it to the singular "requirement." This might seem a minor distinction, but theologically the singular implies that God covers the entirety of our sin, not just some sins.
In Romans 10:4, the 1984 NIV reads, "Christ is the end of the law..." The Greek word translated "end" is telos, which means completion. Paul does not mean the law will stop, but that it will be fulfilled. Thus the 2011 NIV reads,"Christ is the culmination of the law..."
Another example is Galatians 5:22, where the 1984 NIV lists "patience" among the fruit of the Spirit. The problem is, that there are two Greek words for patience: one word means patience with circumstances, and one word means patience with people. The word used in Galatians 5:22 means patience with people, so the 2011 NIV translates it "forbearance."
Different readers will have different opinions about the appropriateness of gender-neutral language in the revised NIV. Some will like it, and others will not. It is unfortunate that this issue may cloud the discussion of this revision, which is otherwise more accurate than before. People who love the NIV and do not object to saying "brothers and sisters" should embrace this revision with even more confidence in its accuracy, and people who have preferred more literal translations like the NASB and ESV may want to give the revised NIV a new look.
NOTE ON THE KINDLE EDITION: Navigating to the books of the Bible may seem slow in the Kindle edition, but I have found a faster way than going back to the Table of Contents. If you click on the Menu button and then click on "Search this Book," you can enter the title of the book, followed by the chapter number, and when you hit "find" you can go directly to the beginning of that chapter.