Every Word

Gender-Neutral Bible Draws Criticism

Translates some pronouns to include both men and women.

When did the Bible get so politically correct? The 2011 translation of the New International Version, or NIV, makes a few changes: In instances where “he” or “man” is used to mean all people, some gender-neutral pronouns have been swapped in. For instance, in the old translation, John the Baptist says “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar.” The NIV instead says “If anyone says ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar.” Over the years, NIV has been steadily trying to make the Bible more inclusive, including the previous translation in 2005 that changed many references from “he” to “they.” In the past, the NIV has drawn the ire of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, which still sells the 1984 version in stores. They have not yet weighed in on the new version—which has not yet hit stores—but the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood has already denounced it.