Almost 50 years after the vision was cast—and more than 450 million copies later–the New International Version (NIV) is the most widely read Bible translation in contemporary English. That’s because the NIV delivers the very best combination of accuracy and readability. It’s true to God’s Word and true to the reader.

 Getting the Words Right

Getting the words right means being true to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic of the Bible. But it also means being true to the reader—capturing the Bible’s original meaning in natural, everyday English. That’s what sets the NIV Bible apart. It doesn’t sacrifice precision for clarity or the other way around. It delivers both, all in a Bible translation you’ll love to read.

The NIV Bible is…

Accurate.

The NIV translators are united by their conviction that the Bible is God’s inspired Word. That, along with their years of studying biblical languages, helps them to capture subtle nuances and the depth of meaning in the Bible.

Clear.

If the first recipients understood God’s Word when they heard it, so should you. That’s the driving force behind the NIV’s commitment to clarity. The Bible should be every bit as clear to you as it was to its original audience.

Beautiful.

Bible reading isn’t just a solo exercise; it’s meant to be a shared experience. That’s why the NIV translators prioritize literary beauty, resulting in a Bible translation that’s suitable for public reading and use in churches.

Trustworthy.

The NIV is translated by an independent, self-governing team of Bible scholars. No publisher, commercial or otherwise (not even us!), can tell them how to translate God’s Word. The translators come from dozens of denominations and churches, and they can only make changes to the text if 70% of the committee agrees — safeguarding against theological bias.