INFLUENTIAL BIBLICAL SCHOLAR AND AUTHOR,
JOHN R. KOHLENBERGER III PASSES AT AGE 64
AUTHOR OF THE “NIV EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE”
LEAVES BEHIND LEGACY OF WORK
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Casey Harrell
Director of Corporate Communications
tel: 615.902.1109
web: Casey.Harrell@HarperCollins.com
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Zondervan author and biblical scholar, John R. Kohlenberger III, passed away on September 29, 2015. He was 64 years old.
Kohlenberger’s contributions to Christian Bible publishing and Bible study reference tools revolutionized the way that biblical languages are studied. The “NIV Exhaustive Concordance,” published in 1990, is considered one of Kohlenberger’s most crowning achievements, along with co-creator Edward W. Goodrick. This concordance not only pairs up the words of the New International Version of the Bible (NIV) to the original languages of the biblical texts, but also indicates the nature of the relationship between the words of the NIV and the original texts. The “NIV Exhaustive Concordance” also introduced a new numbering system for identifying every Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek word in the manuscripts of the biblical languages. The “NIV Exhaustive Bible Concordance, Third Edition” was published earlier this year, a work which Kohlenberger both created and typeset singlehandedly.
Dr. Stan Gundry, SVP and editor-in-chief for Zondervan, had worked with Kohlenberger, as his publisher, since 1980. “There is no doubt in my mind that John will be remembered and praised for years to come for his contributions to the success of the NIV, for his contributions to Bible publishing in general, and for his desire to make Bible study reference tools that were accessible to students without advanced knowledge of the biblical languages,” says Gundry. “I grieve the loss of a close friend and publishing colleague. However, I am grateful for the rich legacy of tools for Bible study that he has left behind.”
Zondervan published many other works on biblical scholarship by Kohlenberger including the “Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament,” “Greek-English Concordance to the New Testament,” “Hebrew-English Concordance to the Old Testament,” and the “NIV Integrated Study Bible.”
For more information about the life and work of John R. Kohlenberger III, please read the following essay written by Dr. Stan Gundry on the BibleGateway blog.
About Zondervan: Zondervan is a world-leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, as part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, MI. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.