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59-656: Silas is traditionally assumed to be the same as the Silvanus mentioned in four epistles. Some translations, including the New International Version , call him "Silas" in the epistles. Paul, Silas, and Timothy are listed as co-authors of the two New Testament letters to the Thessalonians, though the authorship is disputed . The Second Epistle to the Corinthians mentions Silas as having preached with Paul and Timothy to

118-578: A Syriac translation and no Syriac author shows any awareness of the Shepherd . It was always more popular in the Western Roman Empire and in Alexandria than in the rest of the east. There was a Middle Persian translation made for a Manichaean readership which survives in a single fragmentary manuscript found at Turfan in what is now China. The book consists of five visions granted to Hermas ,

177-454: A few scholars disagree with this dating), may be the earliest known canon of New Testament writings. It identifies Hermas , the author of The Shepherd , as the brother of Pius I , bishop of Rome: But Hermas wrote The Shepherd very recently, in our times, in the city of Rome, while bishop Pius, his brother, was occupying the chair of the church of the city of Rome. And therefore it ought indeed to be read; but it cannot be read publicly to

236-494: A former slave. This is followed by twelve mandates or commandments, and ten similitudes (aka parables ). It commences abruptly in the first person: "He who brought me up sold me to a certain Rhode , who was at Rome. After many years I met her again, and began to love her as a sister." As Hermas is on the road to Cumae , he has a vision of Rhoda. She tells him that she is now his accuser in heaven, on account of unchaste and impure thoughts

295-459: A glorious Bride. This allegorical language continues through the other parts of the work. In the second vision she gives Hermas a book, which she later takes back in order to add to it. The fifth vision, which is represented as taking place 20 days after the fourth, introduces "the Angel (Messenger) of repentance" in the guise of a shepherd, from whom the whole work takes its name. He delivers to Hermas

354-470: A scholar in biblical languages , criticized as "indefensible" the footnote provided in the NIV for 1 Corinthians 11:4–7 , which replaced multiple instances of "head covering" with "long hair" to "harmonize this passage with modern habits of dress." Church historian David Bercot , whose focus is early Christianity, likewise deemed the footnote a "fanciful interpretation" that "is in no way an alternate translation of

413-399: A series of precepts ( mandata , entolai ), which form an interesting development of early Christian ethics . One point which deserves special mention is the instruction of a Christian husband's obligation to forgive and take back an adulterous wife upon her repentance. The eleventh mandate, on humility , is concerned with false prophets who desire to occupy the primary, or best seats (that

472-709: A translation in the common language of the American people and a project of the National Association of Evangelicals in 1957. In 1964, a joint committee of representatives from the Christian Reformed Church and National Association of Evangelicals issued invitations to a translation conference, which met in August 1965 at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois , and made two key decisions. The first

531-654: A translation or equivalent nickname, or whether some references are to different persons with equivalent names. He is consistently called "Silas" in the Acts of the Apostles , but the Roman name Silvanus (which means "of the forest ") is always used by Paul and in the First Epistle of Peter ( 5:12 ); it may be that "Silvanus" is the Romanized version of the original "Silas", or that "Silas"

590-486: Is a Christian literary work of the late first half of the second century, considered a valuable book by many Christians, and considered canonical scripture by some of the early Church fathers such as Irenaeus . The Shepherd was popular among Christians in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries. It is found in the Codex Sinaiticus . The Muratorian fragment identifies the author of The Shepherd as Hermas ,

649-540: Is a balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought or literal and phrase-by-phrase translations. Recent archaeological and linguistic discoveries helped in understanding passages that have traditionally been difficult to translate. Familiar spellings of traditional translations were generally retained. According to the Association for Christian Retail (CBA), the New International Version has become

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708-412: Is that Clement, it would suggest a date c. 90 for at least the historicised setting of the first two visions. Since Paul sent greetings to a Hermas, a Christian of Rome ( Romans  16:14), a minority have followed Origen of Alexandria 's opinion that he was the author of this religious allegory . Three ancient witnesses claim to identify the author of this writing. These authorities may be citing

767-757: Is the Greek nickname for "Silvanus". Silas is thus often identified with Silvanus of the Seventy . Catholic theologian Joseph Fitzmyer further points out that Silas is the Greek rendition of the Aramaic Seila ( שְׁאִילָא ), a version of the Hebrew Saul ( שָׁאוּל ‎), which is attested in Palmyrene inscriptions. Silas is first mentioned in Acts 15:22 , where he and Judas Barsabbas (known often as 'Judas') were selected by

826-733: Is the best-selling translation in the United States. In 1955, businessman Howard Long was convinced of the need for a contemporary English translation of the Bible while sharing the gospel with a business associate. He was unhappy with the King James Version that he used to communicate the gospel and was frustrated with its archaic language. He thought, "Everywhere I go, in Canada, the U.S., anywhere, there are people who would like to read their Bible to their children at night. And they don't have something

885-404: Is to say, among the presbyters ). Some have seen here a reference to Marcion , who came to Rome c.   140 and desired to be admitted among the priests (or possibly even to become bishop of Rome ). After the mandates come ten similitudes ( parabolai ) in the form of visions, which are explained by the angel. The longest of these (Similitude 9) is an elaboration of the parable of

944-469: The Themelios Journal review of the NIV 2011: By taking a mediating position between formal and functional equivalence (though tending, I think, closer to the formal end of the spectrum), the NIV has been able to produce a text that is clearer than many translations, especially those weighted more heavily with formal equivalence   ... If we are serious about making the word of God a vital tool in

1003-1085: The Dead Sea Scrolls , the Septuagint , the Samaritan Pentateuch , the Aquila , Symmachus and Theodotion , the Latin Vulgate , the Syriac Peshitta , the Aramaic Targum , and for the Psalms the Juxta Hebraica of Jerome. The manuscript base for the New Testament was the Koine Greek language editions of the United Bible Societies and of Nestle-Aland . The deuterocanonical books are not included in

1062-695: The books of the Bible ), for he replies: "I would admit your argument, if the writing of The Shepherd had deserved to be included in the Divine Instrument, and if it were not judged by every council of the Churches, even of your own Churches, among the apocryphal." And again, he says that the Epistle of Barnabas , which is Tertullian's name for the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews , is "more received among

1121-593: The (now) married narrator once had regarding her. He is to repent and pray for forgiveness, for himself and all his house. He is consoled by a vision of the Church in the form of an aged woman, weak and helpless from the sins of her unfaithful children, who tells him to bear fruits of repentance and to correct the sins of his children. Subsequently, after his repentance he sees her made younger, yet still wrinkled and with white hair; then again, later she appears as quite young but still with white hair; and lastly, she shows herself as

1180-422: The 1984 edition. Nevertheless, both supportive and adversarial critics agree that the 1997 and 2005 steering committees deserve credit for their leading role in pioneering the inclusive language movement at a time when the modern trans rights movement had not yet gained widespread acceptance in broader society. An easier to read version, New International Reader's Version (NIrV), was published in 1996. It

1239-623: The 2005 revision. Southern Baptist publisher LifeWay declined the Southern Baptist Convention's censor request to remove the NIV from its stores. While the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod rejected its use, some in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) believe many of the translations changes are right and defensible. Professor of New Testament Studies Rodney J. Decker wrote in

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1298-497: The 2011 update and called it "a well-thought out translation, with checks and balances through rigorous testing, overlapping committees to ensure consistency and accuracy, and a publisher willing to commit significant resources to make this Bible appealing to the Christian reader." The Southern Baptist Convention rejected the 2011 update because of gender-neutral language although the update had dropped some gender-neutral language of

1357-453: The Christology of Hermas "an amalgam of binitarianism and adoptionism. Hermas has a synergist understanding of soteriology , where both works and faith are needed to be saved. For Hermas baptism is necessary to be saved and warns those who undergo baptism by the danger of postbaptismal sins. Shepherd of Hermas possibly supports delaying baptism for practical reasons which is because of

1416-525: The Churches than the apocryphal epistle of the Shepherd". The Greek text is edited by Gebhardt and Harnack (Leipzig, 1877), by Funk (Tübingen, 1901), and, with its English translation, by Lightfoot , Apostolic Fathers , edited by Harmon (London, 1893); the Codex Sinaiticus of Hermas was edited by Lake (Oxford, 1911). The English translation by William Wake (Archbishop of Canterbury 1716–1737)

1475-586: The Eastern Orthodox Church on July 30 along with the Apostles Silvanus , Crescens , Epenetus , and Andronicus and on January 4 where he is venerated with all the apostles. New International Version Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. The New International Version ( NIV ) is a translation of the Bible into contemporary English . Published by Biblica , the complete NIV

1534-520: The Greek text." Others have also criticized the NIV. In Genesis 2:19, a translation such as the New Revised Standard Version uses "formed" in the simple past tense : "So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal." Some have questioned the NIV's choice to use the pluperfect : "Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals" to try to make it appear that

1593-537: The NIV was released, with both the 1984 version and the TNIV being discontinued. The update modified and dropped some of the gender-neutral language compared to TNIV, which included going back to using "mankind" and "man," rather than "human beings" and "people." Keith Danby, the president and chief executive officer of Biblica, speaking of the TNIV, said that they had failed to convince people that revisions were needed and that they had underestimated their readers' loyalty to

1652-426: The Shepherd of Hermas. Some have argued that Hermas is the first example of pre-tribulational rapture . Though Hermas does not mention a rapture, he writes of believers that "have escaped from great tribulation on account of [their] faith" and that others could also escape "the great tribulation that is coming". Tertullian implies that Pope Callixtus I had quoted it as an authority (though evidently not as one of

1711-559: The US because of opposition from conservative evangelical groups there to gender-neutral language . A further edition with minor edits was published in 1999. A revised English edition, Today's New International Version (TNIV), again used gender-neutral language and was released as a New Testament in March 2002, with the complete Bible being published in February 2005. In 2011, an updated version of

1770-635: The Wesleyan revision, Reflecting God Study Bible , as well as the Life Application Study Bible . In 2009, the New Testament scholar N. T. Wright wrote that the NIV obscured what Paul the Apostle was saying and ensured that Paul's words conformed to Protestant and Evangelical tradition. He claimed, "if a church only, or mainly, relies on the NIV it will, quite simply, never understand what Paul

1829-445: The animals had already been created. Theologian John Sailhamer stated, "Not only is such a translation   [...] hardly possible   [...] but it misses the very point of the narrative, namely, that the animals were created in response to God's declaration that it was not good that the man should be alone." Biblical scholar Bruce M. Metzger criticized the NIV 1984 edition for the addition of "just" into Jeremiah 7:22 in which

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1888-576: The brother of Pius I . The book was originally written in Rome in Koine Greek . A first Latin translation, the Vulgata (common language), was made very shortly afterwards. A second Latin translation, the Palatina , was made at the beginning of the fifth century. Of the Greek version, the last fifth or so is missing . The Vulgata is therefore the earliest translation and the most complete witness. The Shepherd

1947-494: The building of a tower, which had formed the matter of the third vision. The tower is the Church, and the stones of which it is built are the faithful. In the third vision it looks as though only the holy are a part of the true Church; in Similitude ;9 it is clearly pointed out that all the baptized are included, though they may be cast out for grave sins, and can be readmitted only after repentance . Textual criticism ,

2006-744: The caravan of the Three Kings . Saint Silas is celebrated in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and that of the Episcopal Church (United States) with a Lesser Feast on January 26 with Timothy and Titus , and separately on July 13 by the Roman Catholic Church and February 10 by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod . Saint Silas is also venerated by

2065-561: The chapter no longer apply to the 2011 revision of the NIV, which moreover offers "the faithfulness of Jesus Christ" as an alternative translation to "faith in Jesus Christ" in Romans 3:22. Mark Given, a professor of religious studies at Missouri State University , criticized the NIV for "several inaccurate and misleading translations" since many sentences and clauses are paraphrased, rather than translated from Hebrew and Greek. Michael Marlowe,

2124-462: The children can grasp." He shared the frustration with his pastor, Reverend Peter DeJong. Inspired by the need for a Bible in contemporary English, the two men petitioned their denomination, Christian Reformed Church (CRC) . After initial rejection and deferral, the CRC endorsed a committee to investigate the issue in 1957. The NIV began with the formation of a small committee to study the value of producing

2183-592: The church elders to return with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch following the Jerusalem Council. Silas and Judas are mentioned as being leaders among the brothers, prophets and encouraging speakers. Silas was selected by Paul to accompany him on his second mission after Paul and Barnabas split over an argument involving Mark's participation. It was during the second mission that he and Paul were imprisoned briefly in Philippi , where an earthquake broke their chains and opened

2242-504: The church in Corinth ( 1:19 ), and the First Epistle of Peter describes Silas as a "faithful brother" ( 5:12 ). There is some disagreement over the original or "proper" form of his name: "Silas", "Silvanus", "Seila", and "Saul" seem to be treated at the time as equivalent versions of the same name in different languages, and it is not clear which is the original name of "Silas", and which is

2301-752: The committee on Bible translation headed by Drs. René Padilla and Luciano Jaramillo conducted a translation of both testaments from the historic manuscripts directly into Spanish, bypassed English altogether, and produced a complete Spanish NVI Bible in 1999. In 2001, the Nova Versão Internacional in Portuguese was published. The manuscript base for the Old Testament was the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Masoretic Hebrew Text . Other ancient texts consulted were

2360-478: The conclusion of 1 Peter at 5:12, and is perhaps the amanuensis. Peter says he regards Silas as "a faithful brother". Anne Catherine Emmerich recounts in her visions that Silas' original name was Sela, and that he was one of the three "secret disciples," along with Hermas , who had later accompanied Jesus on his trip to the Three Kings' homeland near Ur , and thence to Heliopolis , and whose parents had come with

2419-543: The fear of post-baptismal sins. According to Hermas, those who fall into sin after baptism, have only one chance of penance . The book has a high emphasis on morals and the work is an indication of Jewish Christianity —still keeping the Law of Moses . Hermas has some similarities to Montanism , such as a support of a belief in prophetic gifts and disciplinarian rigorism, however a direct connection does not exist. The principles which Novatian formulated have their origin in

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2478-747: The lives of English-speaking Christians, then we must aim for a translation that communicates clearly in the language of the average English-speaking person. It is here that the NIV excels. It not only communicates the meaning of God's revelation accurately, but does so in English that is easily understood by a wide range of English speakers. It is as well-suited for expository preaching as it is for public reading and use in Bible classes and children's ministries. The Shepherd of Hermas#Authorship and date The Shepherd of Hermas ( Greek : Ποιμὴν τοῦ Ἑρμᾶ , romanized :  Poimēn tou Herma ; Latin : Pastor Hermae ), sometimes just called The Shepherd ,

2537-687: The most popular selling English translation of the Bible in CBA bookstores, having sold more than 450 million copies worldwide. There are numerous study Bibles available with extensive notes on the text and background information to make the Biblical stories more comprehensible. Among these are the NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible , Concordia Study Bible , the Zondervan published NIV Study Bible ,

2596-446: The nature of the theology, and the author's apparent familiarity with the Book of Revelation and other Johannine texts are thought to set the date of composition in the 2nd century. However, several ancient witnesses support an early dating and there is internal evidence for the place and date of this work in the language and theology of the work. The reference to an unknown Clement is presumed by some to be Clement of Rome ; if this

2655-437: The other being that he pre-existed as the Word ( Logos ) or only-begotten Son of God and is to be identified as such from his conception; Christ's identity as the Logos (Jn 1:1), in which the Logos is further understood to be uncreated and coessentially divine with God (that is, the Father), was affirmed in 325 at the First Council of Nicaea . Bogdan G. Bucur says the document was widely accepted among orthodox Christians, yet

2714-438: The people in church either among the Prophets, whose number is complete, or among the Apostles, for it is after their time. In parable 5, the author mentions a Son of God , as a virtuous man filled with a holy " pre-existent spirit" and adopted as the Son. In the 2nd century, adoptionism (the view that Jesus Christ was, at least initially, only a mortal man) was one of two competing doctrines about Jesus's true nature,

2773-507: The prison door. Silas is thus sometimes depicted in art carrying broken chains. Acts 16:25-37 . According to Acts 17–18 , Silas and Timothy travelled with Paul from Philippi to Thessalonica , where they were treated with hostility in the synagogues . The harassers followed the trio to Berea , threatening Paul's safety, and causing Paul to separate from Silas and Timothy. Paul travelled to Athens , and Silas and Timothy later joined him in Corinth . These events can be dated to around AD 50:

2832-491: The project and hired a team of 15 scholars from various Evangelical Christian denominations and from various countries. The initial "Committee on Bible Translation" consisted of Leslie Carlson, Edmund Clowney , Ralph Earle, Jr. , Burton L. Goddard, R. Laird Harris , Earl S. Kalland, Kenneth Kantzer , Robert H. Mounce , Charles F. Pfeiffer, Charles Caldwell Ryrie , Francis R. Steele, John H. Stek , J. C. Wenger , Stephen W. Paine , and Marten Woudstra . The New Testament

2891-482: The reference in Acts 18:12 to Proconsul Gallio helps ascertain this date (cf. Gallio inscription ). According to Acts 18:6–7 , Paul ceased to attend the synagogue in Corinth as a result of hostility, Silas is not mentioned thereafter in the Acts narrative. He appears in the salutation of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and is referred to in 2 Corinthians 1:19. This is as expected, as we read of his involvement in Paul's mission when these cities were visited. He also appears in

2950-472: The same source, perhaps Hegesippus , whose lost history of the early Church provided material for Eusebius of Caesarea . The witnesses are the Muratorian fragment , the Liberian Catalogue of Popes (a record that was later used in the writing of the Liber Pontificalis ) and a poem written by " Pseudo-Tertullian " against Marcion in the 3rd or 4th century AD. The Muratorian fragment , generally considered to have been written c. 170 AD (although

3009-585: The translation. The core translation group consisted of fifteen Biblical scholars using Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts whose goal was to produce a more modern English language text than the King James Version . The translation took ten years and involved a team of over 100 scholars from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The range of those participating included many different denominations such as Anglican , Catholic , Assemblies of God , Baptist , Christian Reformed , Lutheran and Presbyterian . The NIV

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3068-456: The verse becomes "For when I brought your forefathers/ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices." Metzger also criticized the addition of "your" into Matthew 13:32, which becomes "Though it [ the mustard seed ] is the smallest of all your seeds." The word your was removed from that verse in the 2011 revision. Professor of New Testament Studies Daniel B. Wallace praised

3127-413: Was also translated at least twice into the Coptic (Egyptian) language and fragments of translations in both the Sahidic and Akhmimic dialects survive. Three translations into Ge'ez (Ethiopic) were also made, but none survives complete. The sole surviving Georgian translation seems to have been made from an Arabic version, but no Arabic translation has been preserved. There does not appear to have been

3186-458: Was not criticized for apparently exhibiting an adoptionistic Christology. He says that the passage in question should be understood as Jesus making his dwelling within those who submit to his spirit, so that the adoption that takes place is not of Jesus, but of his followers. Some believe that Hermas has a binitarian understanding of God, as it calls the Holy Spirit the Son of God. Not all, however agree that Hermas has binitarianism. Kelly calls

3245-416: Was released in 1973 and the full Bible in 1978. A UK version was also released to accommodate differences between American English and British English . The NIV underwent a minor revision in 1984. In 1995, a new version of the New Testament and Psalms was published in the UK, and the full Bible followed in 1996 as the New International Version Inclusive Language Edition , but it was not published in

3304-399: Was released on October 27, 1978 with a minor revision in 1984 and a major revision in 2011. The NIV relies on recently-published critical editions of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Biblica claims that "the NIV delivers the very best combination of accuracy and readability." As of March 2013, over 450 million printed copies of the translation had been distributed. The NIV

3363-455: Was talking about," especially in Galatians and Romans . In support of that claim, Wright specifically mentioned several verses of Romans 3 , which he suggested not to convey how "righteousness" refers to the covenant faithfulness of God or reflect his own thinking about the pistis Christou debate . All editions of the NIV have given "God's Faithfulness" as the heading for Romans 3:1–8. Wright's specific objections concerning verses later in

3422-470: Was that "a contemporary English translation of the Bible should be undertaken as a collegiate endeavor of evangelical scholars." The second was that a "continuing committee of fifteen" should be established to move the work forward. The "committee of fifteen" was ultimately named the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), and the "Contemporary English Translation" became the NIV. In 1967, the New York Bible Society (now called Biblica ) took responsibility for

3481-409: Was written at a third-grade reading level, to enable those with limited English literacy levels, the ability to read the Bible. In 1979, the decision was made to produce a version of the New Testament in Spanish with the title La Santa Biblia, Nueva Versión Internacional (often abbreviated NVI), but that version was based only on the former English translation of the historic manuscripts. In 1990,

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