Changes In The NIV
In this article, I’ll look at some examples of bible verses changed in the NIV. The NIV changes the meaning of key Bible verses about Jesus, God’s judgment, hell and other important Christian beliefs. Compared to old translations like the King James, some of their wording tweaks reshape core theological ideas in subtle ways.
As Christians, it helps us to be aware of how recent Bible versions can alter the words on the page, sometimes shifting their meaning without us even noticing. The NIV team wanted to make Scripture feel contemporary and natural, which is fine up to a point. But maintaining the true meaning of God’s Word should be the priority, not just style.
It’s important to compare versions so we can make informed choices for our own spiritual growth and teaching ministry. It matters that we recognize some translations may not fully capture the unchanging essence of the original inspired texts.
Let’s take a thoughtful look together at some specific verses changed in the NIV.
BIBLE VERSES CHANGED IN THE NIV
Matt. 1:25 - Removed “Firstborn”
Matt. 5:22 - Removed “without a cause”
Matt. 5:44 - Partial Verse Removed “bless them that curse you…”
Matt. 6:13 - Partial Verse Removed (For thine is the kingdom…)
Matt. 6:27 - Changed “cubit to his stature” TO “hour to his life” et. al.
Matt. 6:33 - Removed “of God”
Matt. 8:29 - Removed “Jesus”
Matt. 9:13 - Removed “to repentance” (see also Mark 2:17)
Matt. 11:23 - Removed hell
Matt. 12:6 - Removed “one greater” TO “something greater”
Matt. 12:35 - Removed “of the heart”
Matt. 12:40 - Changed “whale” TO “fish”, sea monster
Matt. 12:47 - Completely Removed
Matt. 13:51 - Removed “Lord”
Matt. 15:8 - Removed “draweth nigh unto me with their mouth”
Matt. 16:3 - Removed “o ye hypocrites”
Matt. 16:18 - Removed hell
Matt. 16:20 - Removed “Jesus”
Matt. 17:21 - Completely Removed
Matt. 18:11 - Completely Removed (key verse)
Matt. 18:26 - Removed and worshipped him (for Jesus)
Matt. 19:9 - Partial Verse Removed
Matt. 19:17 - Changed “Why callest thou me good” TO “Why do you ask me about what is good”
Matt. 19:17 - Removed “God”
Matt. 20:7 - Removed “and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive”
Matt. 20:16 - Removed “for many be called but few chosen”
Matt. 20:20 - Changed “worshipping him” TO “kneeling down”
Matt. 20:22 - Partial Verse Removed “baptized with Christ’s baptism”
Matt. 21:44 - Completely Removed
Matt. 23:14 - Completely Removed
Matt. 23:33 - Changed damnation TO condemn, et. al.
Matt. 24:36 - ADD “nor the Son”
Matt. 24:36 - Changed “my Father” TO “the Father”
Matt. 25:13 - Removed “wherein the Son of man cometh”
Matt. 27:35 - Partial Verse Removed
Matt. 27:54 - Changed “the Son of God” TO “a son of God”
Matt. 28:2 - Removed “from the door”
Matt. 28:9 - Removed “And as they went to tell his disciples”
Mark 1:1 - Removed the Son of God
Mark 1:2 - Changed “prophets” TO “Isaiah” (blatant LIE)
Mark 1:14 - Removed “of the kingdom” (gospel … of God)
Mark 1:31 - Removed “immediately”
Mark 2:17 - Removed “to repentance”
Mark 3:29 - Changed “eternal damnation” TO “eternal sin”, et al.
Mark 6:11 - Partial Verse Removed
Mark 7:8 - Partial Verse Removed
Mark 7:16 - Completely Removed
Mark 9:24 - Removed “Lord” (refers to Jesus)
Mark 9:44 - Completely Removed (about hell)
Mark 9:46 - Completely Removed (about hell)
Mark 9:49 - Removed “and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt”
Mark 10:21 - Removed “take up the cross”
Mark 10:24 - Removed “for them that trust in riches”
Mark 11:10 - Removed “that cometh in the name of the Lord
Mark 11:26 - Completely Removed
Mark 12:23 - Removed “when they shall rise”
Mark 12:40 - Changed greater damnation TO punished most severely”, greater condemnation”
Mark 13:6 - Changed I am Christ TO I am He, the One
Mark 13:14 - Removed “spoken of by Daniel the prophet”
Mark 13:33 - Removed “and pray”
Mark 14:68 - Removed “and the cock crew”
Mark 15:28 - Completely Removed
Mark 16:9-20 - Removed ENTIRE LAST 12 VERSES of Mark 16!
Luke 1:28 - Removed “blessed art thou among women”
Luke 2:14 - Changed good will toward men TO to men on whom his favor rests” et al
Luke 2:22 - Changed “her” TO “their” (makes Jesus a sinner)
Luke 2:33 - Changed “Joseph” TO “his father” (attacks virgin birth)
Luke 2:43 - Changed “Joseph and his mother” TO “parents”
Luke 4:4 - Removed “but by every word of God”
Luke 4:8 - Removed “get thee behind me, Satan”
Luke 4:18 - Removed 8 WORDS “he hath sent me to heal…”
Luke 4:41 - Removed “Christ”
Luke 6:48 - Changed “founded upon a rock” TO “well built”
Luke 9:54 - Removed “even as Elijah did”
Luke 9:55 - Partial Verse Removed “ye know not what manner of spirit…”
Luke 9:56 - Partial Verse Removed “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
Luke 9:57 - Removed Lord
Luke 10:15 - Removed hell
Luke 11:2 - Removed 15 WORDS from Lords prayer
Luke 11:4 - Removed but deliver us from evil (Lord’s prayer)
Luke 11:29 - Removed “the prophet”
Luke 16:23 - Removed “hell”
Luke 17:36 - Completely Removed
Luke 21:4 - Removed “cast in unto the offerings of God”
Luke 21:8 - Changed I am Christ TO I am He, the One
Luke 22:64 - Removed “they struck him on the face”
Luke 23:17 - Completely Removed
Luke 23:38 - Removed “letters of Greek,Latin, Hebrew”
Luke 23:42 - Removed “Lord” (thief on the cross – getting saved!)
Luke 24:6 - Removed “He is not here, but is risen”
Luke 24:49 - Removed “of Jerusalem”
John 1:14, 18 - Removed “begotten”(refers to Jesus)
John 1:27 - Removed “is preferred before me”
John 3:13 - Removed “which is in heaven” (refers to Jesus)
John 3:15 - Removed “should not perish” (believeth in him…)
John 3:16 - Removed “begotten”
John 3:18 - Removed “begotten”
John 4:24 - Changed God is a Spirit TO God is Spirit
John 4:42 - Removed “the Christ”
John 5:3 - Partial Verse Removed
John 5:4 - Completely Removed
John 5:16 - Removed “and sought to slay him”
John 5:29 - Changed damnation TO condemn, judgement
John 6:47 - Removed “on Me” (He that believeth…)
John 6:69 - Changed “Christ, the Son of the living God” TO “Holy One of God”
John 7:53-8:11 - Removed VERSES 7:53 – 8:11
John 8;9 - Removed “being convicted by their own conscience”
John 8:47 - Removed “heareth God’s words” TO “hears what God says”
John 8:59 - Partial Verse Removed “going through the midst…
John 9:4 - Changed “I must work the works” TO “We must work the works”
John 9:35 - Changed “Son of God” TO Son of Man , Messiah
John 11:41 - Removed “For the place where the dead was laid”
John 14:2 - Changed “mansions” TO “rooms”, “dwelling places”
John 14:16 - Changed Comforter TO Helper, Counselor, et. al.
John 16:16 - Removed “because I go to the Father”
John 17:12 - Removed “in the world”
Acts 1:3 - Changed “infallible” TO “convincing” et al.
Acts 2:30 - Removed “he would raise up Christ
Acts 2:31 - Removed “hell”
Acts 2:38 - Changed Removedission of sins TO forgiveness of sins
Acts 4:27,30 - Changed “holy child” TO “holy servant” (attacks deity)
Acts 7:30 - Removed “of the Lord” (angel of the Lord)
Acts 7:37 - Removed “Him shall ye hear”
Acts 8:37 - Completely Removed (major salvation verse)
Acts 9:5 - Removed “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks
Acts 10:6 - Removed “he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do”
Acts 15:11 - Removed “Christ”
Acts 15:18 - Changed beginning of the world TO …eternity, …ages
Acts 15:34 - Completely Removed
Acts 16:31 - Removed “Christ” (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ)
Acts 17:16 - Changed “stirred” TO “provoked”, distressed et al.
Acts 17:22 - Changed “Mars Hill” TO” Areopagus”
Acts 17:22 - Removed “superstitious” TO “religious”
Acts 17:26 - Removed “blood”
Acts 17:29 - Changed Godhead TO Divine Nature , divine being
Acts 19:35 - Removed worshipper
Acts 20:21 - Removed Christ
Acts 20:24 - Removed “none of these things move me. . .”
Acts 20:25 - Removed “of God”
Acts 23:9 - Removed “let us not fight against God”
Acts 24:7 - Completely Removed
Acts 24:14 - Changed heresy TO sect
Acts 24:15 - Removed “of the dead” (Resurrection)
Acts 28:16 - Partial Verse Removed
Acts 28:29 - Completely Removed
Romans 1:3 - Removed “Jesus Christ our Lord”
Romans 1:16 - Removed “of Christ” (gospel of Christ)
Romans 1:18 - Changed “hold the truth” TO “suppress the truth”
Romans 1:25 - Changed “changed the truth” TO “exchanged the truth”
Romans 1:29 - Removed “fornication”
Romans 5:8 - Changed commendeth to demonstrates , et al.
Romans 6:8 - Changed we be dead TO we died
Romans 6:11 - Removed our Lord
Romans 8:1 - Partial Verse Removed
Romans 9:28 - Removed “in righteousness”
Romans 10:15 - Partial Verse Removed
Romans 10:17 - Changed “word of God” TO word of Christ
Romans 11:6 - Partial Verse Removed
Romans 13:2 - Changed damnation TO judgment et al.
Romans 13:9 - Removed “Thou shall not bear false witness”
Romans 14:6 - Partial Verse Removed
Romans 14:10 - Changed “the judgement seat of Christ” TO “God’s judgment seat” et al.
Romans 14:21 - Removed “or is offended, or is made weak”
Romans 14:23 - Changed damned TO condemned
Romans 15:8 - Removed Jesus
Romans 15:19 - Removed “of God”
Romans 15:29 - Removed “of the gospel”
Romans 16:18 - Changed good words and fair speeches TO smooth talk and flattery
Romans 16:24 - Completely Removed
I Cor. 1:21 - Changed “foolishness of preaching” TO “foolishness of the message preached”
I Cor. 1:22 - Removed “require” TO “request”, ask (Jews require a sign)
I Cor. 5:4 - Removed “Christ” (TWICE)
I Cor. 5:7 - Removed “for us” (Christ sacrificed)
I Cor. 6:9 - Changed effeminate TO male prostitutes et al.
I Cor. 6:20 - Removed “and in your spirit, which are God’s”
I Cor. 7:5 - Removed “fasting” (with prayer)
I Cor. 7:39 - Removed “by the law” (The wife is bound)
I Cor. 9:1 - Removed “Christ”
I Cor. 9:27 - Changed “I keep my body” TO “I beat my body” et al.
I Cor. 9:27 - Changed “castaway” TO “disqualified” et al.
I Cor. 10:28 - Partial Verse Removed (“the earth is the Lord’s…”)
I Cor. 11:11 - Removed “in the Lord”
I Cor. 11:24 - Removed “take eat . . . broken…” (Lord’s Supper)
I Cor. 11:29 - Changed damnation TO judgment (Lord s Supper)
I Cor. 11:29 - Removed “unworthily”
I Cor. 14:33 - Changed “author of confusion” TO “a God of disorder” et al.
I Cor. 15:47 - Changed Lord from heaven TO man from heaven
I Cor. 15:55 - Changed “grave” TO “Hades”, death
I Cor. 16:22 - Removed “Jesus Christ”
I Cor. 16:23 - Removed “Christ”
2 Cor. 2:10 - Changed “person of Christ” TO “presence of Christ”
2 Cor. 2:17 - Changed “corrupt” TO “peddle”, sell (word of God)
2 Cor. 4:6 - Removed “Jesus”
2 Cor. 4:10 - Removed “the Lord”
2 Cor. 5:17 - Changed “creature” TO “creation”
2 Cor. 5:18 - Removed “Jesus”
2 Cor.10:5 - Changed “Casting down imaginations” TO “We demolish arguments” et al.
2 Cor.11:6 - Changed rude in speech TO untrained in speech
2 Cor.11:31 - Removed “Christ”
Gal. 2:20 - Removed “nevertheless I LBe”
Gal. 3:1 - Removed that ye should not obey the truth
Gal.3:17 - Removed “in Christ” (confirmed…of God in Christ)
Gal. 4:7 - Removed “through Christ” (heir of God through Christ)
Gal. 5:4 - Changed “no effect” TO “estranged from”, alienated
Gal. 6:15 - Removed “For in Christ Jesus”
Gal. 6:17 - Removed “the Lord”
Ephesians 1:6 - Removed “accepted in the beloved”
Ephesians 3:9 - Removed “by Jesus Christ” (who created all things by)
Ephesians 3:14 - Removed “of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Ephesians 5:9 - Changed fruit of the Spirit TO fruit of the light
Ephesians 5:30 - Removed “of his flesh, and of his bones”
Philippians 2:6 - Changed “thought it not robbery to be equal with God TO did not consider equality with God something to be grasped et al.
Philippians 2:7 - Changed “made” TO “emptied”
Philippians 3:8 - Changed dung TO rubbish , trash
Philippians 3:16 - Partial Verse Removed
Philippians 4:13 - Changed through Christ TO through him
Colossians 1:2 - Removed “and the Lord Jesus Christ”
Colossians 1:14 - Removed “through His blood” (redemption through…)
Colossians 1:28 - Removed “Jesus”
Colossians 3:6 - Removed “on the children of disobedience”
1 Thess. 1:1 - Partial Verse Removed (from God our father…)
1 Thess. 2:19 - Removed “Christ”
1 Thess. 3:11 - Removed “Christ”
1 Thess. 3:13 - Removed “Christ”
1 Thess. 5:22 - Changed “all appearance of evil” TO “every form of evil”
2 Thess. 1:8 - Removed “Christ”
2 Thess. 1:12 - Removed Christ
1 Timothy 1:1 - Removed Lord
1 Timothy 1:17 - Removed “wise” (the only wise God)
1 Timothy 2:7 - Removed “in Christ” (…the truth in Christ)
1 Timothy 3:16 - Changed “God” TO “he” (God manifest in the flesh)
1 Timothy 4:12 - Removed “in spirit”
1 Timothy 5:21 - Removed Lord
1 Timothy 6:1 - Changed blasphemed TO spoken against et al.
1 Timothy 6:5 - Changed gain is godliness TO godliness is a means of gain et al.
1 Timothy 6:5 - Removed “from such withdraw thyself”
1 Timothy 6:10 - Changed “root of all evil” TO “root of all kinds of evil”
1 Timothy 6:19 - Changed “eternal life” TO “the life that is truly life”
1 Timothy 6:20 - Changed “science” TO “knowledge”
2 Timothy 1:11 - Removed “of the gentiles”
2 Timothy 2:15 - Removed “study” (only command to study the word)
2 Timothy 3:3 - Changed of those that are good TO good
2 Timothy 4:1 - Removed “the Lord”
2 Timothy 4:22 - Removed “Jesus Christ”
Hebrews 1:3 - Changed “by himself purged our sins” TO “provided purification for sins”
Hebrews 2:7 - Partial Verse Removed (and didst set him over the works…)
Hebrews 3:1 - Removed “Christ Jesus” (High Priest of our…)
Hebrews 7:21 - Removed “after the order of Melchisedec”
Hebrews 10:34 - Removed “in heaven” (ye have in heaven a better)
Hebrews 11:11 - Removed “was delivered of a child”
James 5:16 - Changed “faults” TO “sins”
1 Peter 1:22 - Removed “through the Spirit”
1 Peter 2:2 - Removed “of the word” (sincere milk of the word)
1 Peter 2:2 - Changed “grow thereby” TO “grow up in your salvation”
1 Peter 3:15 - Changed the Lord God TO Christ as Lord et al.
1 Peter 4:1 - Removed “for us” (Christ hath suffered for us)
1 Peter 4:14 - Partial Verse Removed
1 Peter 5:10 - Removed “Jesus”
1 Peter 5:11 - Removed “glory (to Him be glory and dominion)
1 Peter 5:14 - Removed Jesus
2 Peter 2:1 - Changed damnable TO destructive
2 Peter 2:17 - Removed “for ever” (darkness is reserved for ever)
2 Peter 3:9 - Removed “us” TO “you”
1 John 1:7 - Removed “Christ”
1 John 3:16 - Removed “of God” (love of God)
1 John 4:3 - Removed “Christ is come in the flesh” (antichrist)
1 John 4:9 - Removed “begotten”
1 John 4:19 - Removed him (We love him, because he first…)
1 John 5:7 - Partial Verse Removed
1 John 5:8 - Partial Verse Removed
1 John 5:13 - Partial Verse Removed
1 John 5:13 - ADD continue to (denys eternal security)
2 John 1:3 - Removed the Lord
Jude 1:25 - Removed “wise” (Referring to God)
Rev. 1:8 - Removed “the beginning and the ending”
Rev. 1:9 - Removed Christ (TWICE)
Rev. 1:11 - Removed “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last .
Rev. 1:18 - Removed hell
Rev. 2:13 - Changed Satan’s seat TO Satan s throne
Rev. 2:15 - Removed “which thing I hate”
Rev. 5:14 - Removed “Him that liveth for ever and ever”
Rev. 6:8 - Removed Hell
Rev. 6:17 - Changed his wrath TO their wrath
Rev. 8:13 - Changed “angel” TO “eagle”
Rev. 11:15 - Changed “kingdoms” TO “kingdom”
Rev. 11:17 - Removed “and art to come”
Rev. 12:12 - Removed “inhabiters of”
Rev. 12:17 - Removed “Christ”
Rev. 14:5 - Removed “before the throne of God”
Rev. 15:3 - Changed King of saints TO King of the ages et al.
Rev. 16:5 - Removed and shalt be (refers to deity of Jesus)
Rev. 16:7 - Changed And I heard another out of the altar say TO And I heard the altar respond
Rev. 16:17 - Removed “of heaven”
Rev. 20:9 - Removed “from God out of”
Rev. 20:12 - Changed “God” TO “throne”
Rev. 20:13 - Removed hell
Rev. 20:14 - Removed hell
Rev. 21:24 - Removed “of them which are saved”
Rev. 22:14 - Changed “do his commandments” TO “wash their robes”
Rev. 22:21 - Removed Christ
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Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
- The Christian King
