John 3 NIV red letters

Christian Alexander
Christian Alexander Member Posts: 3,008 ✭✭
edited November 21 in English Forum

In the NIV I'm not seeing John 3:16–21 in red letters. They are red however in the ESV and other translations. I know the printed versions of each translation have red letters for that passage. Any ideas?

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  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) Member, MVP Posts: 36,472 ✭✭✭

    The "red letters" are a translation feature indicating "the words of Jesus." Which words are his? That is a matter of interpretation. 

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  • Graham Criddle
    Graham Criddle Member, MVP Posts: 32,452 ✭✭✭

    I know the printed versions of each translation have red letters for that passage

    Are you saying you have a print version of the NIV that shows John 3:16-21 in red letters?

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith Member, MVP Posts: 53,089 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The red letters should correspond to the printed edition. Check that the edition of the print copy matches that of the electronic version and report it as a data bug i.e. have the heading of your post start with "Data bug."  However, there is no reason to look at other translations or editions. Different translations make different choices as to what is a direct quotation ... the text is often ambiguous.

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  • Christian Alexander
    Christian Alexander Member Posts: 3,008 ✭✭

    It is an old NIV before the times of the 1984 version. 

  • Christian Alexander
    Christian Alexander Member Posts: 3,008 ✭✭

    Are you saying you have a print version of the NIV that shows John 3:16-21 in red letters?

    Yes

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) Member, MVP Posts: 36,472 ✭✭✭

    It is an old NIV before the times of the 1984 version. 

    NIV (pre 84) ≠ NIV84 ≠ NIV11

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  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith Member, MVP Posts: 53,089 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It is an old NIV before the times of the 1984 version. 

    You're saying it doesn't meet this criteria:

    Check that the edition of the print copy matches that of the electronic version

    So you have no evidence either way whether or not the electronic version should be coded for red letters.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) Member, MVP Posts: 36,472 ✭✭✭

    I have checked another online vendor and the NIV on that platform matches Logos. This question comes up from time to time. It appears that the publishers are more conservative with which passages they assign the red letters to. 

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  • David Thomas
    David Thomas Member Posts: 3,242 ✭✭✭

    I have checked another online vendor and the NIV on that platform matches Logos.

    Later scholarship leans toward Jesus' words to Nicodemus ending earlier in the chapter and John's comments about Jesus' dialogue starting before v. 16. Any technical commentary from the last 15 years should address this question and why Doug Moo et al went with the shorter quote in NIV2011.

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