I was just going through the Inclusive Bible New Testament(Cross Cultural Productions) and I had noticed some disturbing changes. In this Bible "Son of Man" became "Son of Humanity", "Heavenly Father" became "Heavenly Parent" and so on. So I went to check on the net for more Inclusive Language Bibles and I came across the International Standard Version which claims to be an idiomatic and literal translation of the Bible. This Bible does not change the gender of titles like the above mentioned when it comes to Jesus or God, but it will do so anywhere else it deems necessary. For instance, in Matthew 4:4 says,"A person must not live on bread alone" instead of the usual, "Man must not live on bread alone".

I should mention that since the writing of this letter, I have educated myself concerning the original languages in relation to gender. Books like The Inclusive Language Debate by D.A. Carson can help someone get a better understanding of gender-inclusiveness. I am no longer as hostile to this tendency in modern versions, but there is still no need for alot of it, and this has also been endorsed by many others who are scholarly (cf. http://www.cbmw.org/resources/articles/genderneutral.html ) However, rather than lovingly answering my query on this issue, like the World English Bible people concerning my questioning their use of the Majority Text), they immediately condemned me for daring to question them. This lack of humility should be a red flag to anyone who picks up this New Testament version.

"Your caustic comments are way, way out of line.

In regards to the "inclusive" language policy of the ISV, you have jumped to
a conclusion without having read the ISV.  The policy on inclusive language
is reproducted below from the Introduction tot he ISV, page xliv.

The plain fact of the matter is that the words "antropoi" does not always
mean "men" -- in fact, the Greek word "aner" is used when the gender of the
persons referred to are male as opposed to female. The term "anthropoi"
often means "people" -- i.e., without reference to any specific gender.
When Jesus says that He will call "all men" to Himself to be saved, if
"anthropoi" does not mean people, then women cannot be saved because the
wrod translated "men" is "anthropoi."
You can read their policy statement on their web-site.

In regards to your puerile insistence on the "Divine Name" -- I have news
for you. The ISV is in English, not Hebrew. If you want to use the "Divine
Name" -- whatever you may think that it is (how DO you pronouce JHWH, or is
the Divine Name KYRIOS, or is it Lord, lord,  LORD, L-rd, L-RD, God, G-d,
G-D?) -- go right ahead and spend two million dollars to prepare your own
English language base translation of the Bible like we did. You can call God
anything you want to, mistranslate "anthropoi" to fit your own uninformed
prejudices, and do whatever you want to do with the text, all with your own
petty baseless religious superstitions and prejudices, but with no real
substantive scholarship behind it, just some silly superstitious religious
nonsense which you presume to be more spiritual than our work.

Your ridiculous letter has earned a place of hallowed presence in the Learn
Foundation's "tartarus" page at http://isv.org/tartarus.htm (where all the
baseless comments are posted). I shall request that your letter be posted
there, together with our response.

I'm tired of people like you (and people like the woefully ignorant "King
James Only" and "Textus Receptus" crowd) taking pot shots at our work.
Please do not buy the ISV or any of our publications. Just shut up and leave
us alone and don't bother to waste my time with any more email messages.

Charles Welty, Publisher
ISV New Testament

Wow...is that scary or what? Ladies and Gentlemen(or people and people) this is the Bible Translator in the 90's.
First, while antropoi can be used as "human being" as well as "man" in Matthew 4:4, it has a literal meaning of "man-faced". This scripture is taken from Deuteronomy 8:3, where it uses the hebrew word adama, which can also be used to translate "human being,person" as well as "man", but I want you to think about it....was Adam, who this word is translated from, a man or a woman. He was first and foremost a man. So it does not make sense to change the word mankind or man to appease Gloria Steinem.
In a proper translation, John 11: 25, where Jesus is speaking to
Martha, he uses the generic "he." "He that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live."
The Inclusive Bible renders this as " ... those who believe in me will live
even though they die..." Was Martha here confused. Was she aghast that she was not included in this promise because Martha was a "she". How do I know that Jesus actually said "He?" Look at Jeremiah 44:24,25 "Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of Jehovah, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:  Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it." Jeremiah called all the people and all the women, but when Jehovah addressed Israel it was YOU(Ye) and your wives. The Men are directly addressed. So if it was they way talked back in Biblical times, why is there a need to change it now? Let's not forget, political correctness was not an issue in the first century. Antropoi, like Adama, meant all of mankind here...and mankind means all human beings. Jesus is the Son of Man, not the Son of People or the Son of Human Beings...or even the Son of Humanity. "Man" is all-encompassing.
For more on this debate see Wayne Grudem's article at:
http://www.cbmw.org/html/whatswrongwith.html
But the Biggest Problem is the Slippery Slope.
What about future revisions to the International Standard Version? How far will they go to bow to social and political pressures. What am I talking about? Most of you have heard of the New Revised Standard Version. It also has some inclusive language when not referring to "deity". Here is a quote(and this is scary), "The NRSV, based on the latest biblical scholarship, has gone a long way toward greater specificity in regard to human gender." Where is this quote from? It is from THE NEW TESTAMENT AND PSALMS...AN INCLUSIVE VERSION by the Oxford University Press. They have made an entirely inclusive Bible based on the NRSV. And it is "Used by Permission". This version has "Father-Mother" when referring to God. Christ is the "Child" or the "Human One". That should concern us all.
"The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." 1 Corinthians 3:19
Now About My "Peurile Insistence on the Divine Name!"
"I have news for you. The ISV is in English." Yes, all english Bible translations are in....english. But they are translated from the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. By the tone of that sentence, I would expect "Jehoshophat" or "Jehoram" to be translated "Man". The fact is, it is the divine name Jehovah or Yahweh that has been excluded,  and only that name. It is that name that is mentioned more often than any other name in the Bible, including Jesus,which incidentally, has a different Hebrew and Greek equivalent-Yeshua and Iesous. Perhaps we should remove his name from English ISV.
As for Kyrios and God, it is not a name, it is a title. This is stated in 1 Corinthians 8:5, "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords(kyrios) many."
The American Standard Version says at Exodus 3:15,16"And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."
So let me introduce you to other peurile(childish,juvenile) Bible translators who have petty baseless religious superstitions and prejudices, but with no real substantive scholarship behind it.
The Jerusalem Bible(Yahweh 6823 times)
The Darby Translation(Jehovah 6823 times)
Youngs Literal Translation(Jehovah 6823 times)
American Standard Version(Jehovah 6823 times)
New World Translation(Jehovah 6961 times)
New Jerusalem Bible(Yahweh 6823 times)
Rotherham Bible(Yahweh 6823 times)
Sharpe's Translation(Jehovah 6823 times)
Boothroyd's Translation(Jehovah 6823 times)
The Bible in Living English-Byington(Jehovah 6823 times)
A Literal Translation of the Bible-Jay P. Green(Jehovah 5500 times)
Even the Inclusive Language New Testament includes Yahweh at Matthew 3:3, Mark 12:29, 30, 36 and 11 other places.
To see more Bible Translations with the Divine Name click here.
As it says in Psalms 74:10, "How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?"(ASV)
Did anyone else notice the bad spelling in the letter?

The Vicious Letter II- Welty's Revenge
Since I have posted my original letter, a kind Mr. Bradley O. Browne has come to my defense and has also had correspondence with the publishers of the International Standard Version Bible. But for his efforts, he was also placed on the ISV Tartarus page. The ISV is threatening Hell on us...but interestingly enough, while it may translate Tartarus(2 Peter 2:4) as "Hell", this same Bible also translates the greek word Gehenna(Matthew 5:22) as "Hell" and the greek word hades(Matthew 16:18) as "Hell". Obviously, the translators of the ISV will translate any word as "Hell" that they see fit. NOT a very useful version is it? You can download the ISV for free at
http://isv.org/isvi.htm
That should save you some money right there.
Bradley O. Browne
Senior Network Coordinator
C.B.I.
Milwaukee, WI  53202 wrote: "I've seen your picture, so you are a mature man physically, I would recommend you grow up socially."
The ISV wrote:
             You've seen my picture on our web site, have you? Too
                  bad I'm not the person who wrote the flame. You have
                  slandered me by this statement, and by your entire email.
                  You are the one who needs to grow up, Mr. Browne. I
                  suggest you respond in a mature fashion to the writer of
                  the response to the email. Here's his email address:
                  mailto:crwelty@ffia.net.

                  Now, speaking of being grown up, are you grown up
                  enough to apologize to me for your ad hominum remark?
                  If so, I'll publish your apology as an addendum to your
                  original email and my comments thereto, since both are
                  going to take center stage at the Tartarus page of the ISV.
                  If anyone's email has deserved publication, it's yours.

                  William P. Welty, M.Div.
                  Executive Director
                  The Learn Foundation
To read more...just go to http://isv.org/Flames%20of%20Tartarus/bradley_o_browne.htm

This link and the one where the fires of hell have been placed besides my name have since disappeared, thanks to Mr. Bradley's efforts.

Another Addendum
Recently I received this letter from a Mr. Martin who wrote the ISV concerning the above:
 

                 Mr. Martin wrote:

                 > I find this letter highly offensive and out of line for those who are
                 to
                 > translate the Holy Word. Did you write this letter?

                 No. It was written by Davidson Press, one of the publishers of the ISV.
                 The people who posted the original comments, along with the reply comments by
                 that publisher, seem to have confused the differences between us as producers
                 of the translation and the publisher.

                 > If so, why?  Why the rudeness? Why the lack of love?
                 > Why the unchristlike character displayed therein?

                 I have no idea why the people who wrote those misguided attacks on the
                 ISV would display such rudeness, lack of love, unchristlike character, etc.
                 as to falsely suggest we're liberal and all of the other things they said.
                 Perhaps you could ask them. I was puzzled with the Davidson Press response, but
                 given the rudeness, lack of love, etc. (your words) displayed by those who
                 attacked the ISV, I do think I can understand his frustration.

                 Regards,
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                 /            William P. Welty, M.Div., Director
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