Avoid the NIV for Doctrinal Studies

We understand that Martin Luther was thoroughly disgusted with the Roman Catholic idolatric traditions as well as their empty ceremonial traditions, and papal interpretations trumping the Word of God even through obvious contradictions and even clear condemnations from Scripture of their practices. However, Luther's mistake which trickled down to the present reformed-leaning and evangelical churches was a swing to the other side of the pendulum: Sola Scriptura at the expense of PRE-Schism Universal Church Traditions.

John Wesley who came from the hyper-Reformed Church of England of his time, most probably due to his God-seeking and God-pleasing desires and preoccupations, was able to think outside the box, looked at the life and doctrines not only of the Moravian Brethren but that of the Eastern Fathers and formed his "quadrilateral" formula (formalized by Albert Outler) as a basis of interpreting Scripture: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. In short, Bible exegesis starts from Scripture and Tradition, then these are synthesized by Reason and verified or confirmed by Experience. 

Quite unfortunately, there is a subtle but almost demonic corruption in the Reformed and Evangelical tradition due to their Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura doctrines which tend to ignore or completely eliminate pre-Schism Church Tradition.

There are many exegetical proofs we can give but the most blatant example of Scripture twisting comes from the Sola Scriptura doctrine which the NIV translators seem to consciously and intentionally implement in their translation especially of the following verse.

The NIV translators intentionally mistranslate 2 Thessalonians 2:15 in exactly the same way that the New World Translation of the Jehovah's witness intentionally mistranslated John 1:1, JUST TO PROTECT THEIR Reformed-Evangelical DOCTRINE!

Let us compare the NIV (a paraphrase) to the NASB which translates the Greek as literally as possible. Note that this passage squarely contradicts Sola Scriptura, a cherished Reformed doctrine.

NASB: So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

NIV: So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Now, let's take a look at the interlinear Greek from biblehub.com: The Greek noun, paradoseis, is CORRECTLY translated as tradition (literally, "passed on") and the Greek verb, edidachthete,  in the adverbial phrase is CORRECTLY translated as taught.

The NIV dishonestly mistranslates by converting the noun, paradoseis, into a verb ,"passed on", and then converting the verb, edidachthete, into a noun, "teaching", and then reversing the order so as to look like a "good" translation instead of a COMPLETE distortion of Scripture. It is amazing that the translators (maybe not all of them) do not fear the divine curse from adding or deleting from Scripture in Revelations 22:18-19:

18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.

or from Paul:

Galatians 1:7

not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

2 Timothy 3:8

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.

or from Christ

Matthew 5:19

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

or from Moses

Deuteronomy 4:2

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:32

“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

The NIV did not delete or add but created a statement that is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of the TRUTH, making it even worse.

May I remind those who are ignorant of Apostolic Tradition that Jesus Christ is the founder of the Church NOT the New Testament. In fact, it was this Church that created the New Testament and NOT the other way around, hence the necessity of including early church Tradition (with a capital T) into any Bible exegesis. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Irish Catholic Communion have known this principle since the Apostles and any one who claims to be Wesleyan should conform to this principle. John Wesley did.

After all, it is the faulty practice of Sola Scriptura that created the cults, including the Mormons, the Jehovah's Witness, the Prosperity gospel, King James Only cult, the social gospel, even hyper-Calvism, etc, etc, ad nauseum, just because they ignored or are ignorant of Tradition (teaching of the Apostle's, early church councils).