There are two questions for which you appear to be seeking answers.
Question 1) Is what you quote from the New International Readers Version (NIrV) correct:
The Bible is translated by people, who will always sway to the left or the right of the meanings of words, but they will also have to adhere to the inherent generics of the written symbols—which make up the thoughts expressed; be it Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, or whatever. If the generic meaning of the words, the phrases, sentences or paragraphs are not incorporated in the text, even free expression is the equivalent of inventing fairies and devoting one’s life to their exaltation above the truth and the Creator of the Universe. The NIrV is readable and conveys the intended message; probably better than some versions translated into languages other than English.
Just to assist our thinking processes, when writing to Timothy, the Apostle Paul informed him of the purpose of the Scriptures. When Jesus was talking to the Jews, He informed them also of the purpose of the Scriptures. Below are three English translations which tell us the purpose of the Scriptures. Which one conveys the meaning the best?
- You have known the Holy Scriptures ever since you were a little child. They are able to teach you how to be saved by believing in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15 - New International Reader's Version)
- You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study are a witness about me. But you refuse to come to me and receive life.(John 5:39-40 - New International Reader's Version)
- Since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. (2 Timothy 3:15 - The Voice)
- Here you are scouring through the Scriptures, hoping that you will find eternal life among a pile of scrolls. What you don’t seem to understand is that the Scriptures point to Me. Here I am with you, and still you reject the truth contained in the law and prophets by refusing to come to Me so that you can have life. (John 5:39-40 - The Voice)
- Since you were a ·child [infant] you have known the ·Holy Scriptures [orsacred writings] which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15 Expanded Bible)
- You ·carefully study [search; examine] the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. They do in fact ·tell [testify; witness] ·about me [concerning me; on my behalf], but you ·refuse [do not want] to come to me to have that life. (John 5:39-40 - Expanded Bible)
Essentially, these versions all say that unless you have a personal relationship with Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you do not have eternal life. So the NIvR is useful, but unnecessary because there are sufficient Bibles written in English to convey the message in today’s language.
Question 2) How did the women see that the fruit was good—it could have been rotten (bad)?
- The woman saw that the tree’s fruit was good to eat and pleasing to look at. She also saw that it would make a person wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. And he ate it. (Genesis 3:6 - New International Reader’s Version)
- The woman approached the tree, eyed its fruit, and coveted its mouth-watering, wisdom-granting beauty. She plucked a fruit from the tree and ate. She then offered the fruit to her husband who was close by, and he ate as well. (Genesis 3:6 The Voice)
- The woman saw that the tree was ·beautiful [L pleasing to the eyes], that its fruit was good ·to eat [L for food], and that it would make her wise. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of the fruit to her husband who was with her [C apparently he was present but silent while the woman spoke to the snake], and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6 - Expanded Bible)
The three versions that we are using translate תַּאֲוָה (taavah) -- a desire (Strongs Concordance 8378.)—as:
- pleasing to look at (NIrV)
- coveted mouth-watering, wisdom-granting beauty (The Voice)
- beautiful pleasing to the eyes
At the heart of these translations is the idea of desire. Although, most translations tend to use terms that suggest the fruit is a delight to the eyes, the Message Bible is a little more down to Earth.
- pleasant to the eyes (KJV)
- attractive in appearance (ISV)
- desirable to the eyes (JUB)
- looked like good eating (MSG)
The KJV Lexicon has the following to say about the word תַֽאֲוָה־ (taavah):
a longing; by implication, a delight (subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm) -- dainty, desire, exceedingly, greedily, lust(ing), pleasant.[1]
If you want to know whether the fruit could have been bad (i.e. rotten), ask yourself: Would you find bad (rotten) fruit delightful to the eye?
The fruit would have had to appeal to the woman before she partook of it. Now whatever it was that made her decide that the fruit was desirable and the more that she thought about it, the more she longed to taste it,this can be a matter of conjecture.
Consider this: now that you have read what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, and read what Jesus said in respect to the Scriptures testifying of Him, Are you longing to know Lord Jesus Christ?
Eve took action. Unfortunately for her, it was too late to turn back afterwards; she had separated herself from God. At least that is the message the NIrV conveys to me, which I would say is correct.
Likewise, when speaking of myself, I took action and reached out to the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ and encountered Him. Every word that testifies to Lord Jesus Christ being the Son of God is correct.
Footnotes
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