{"id":19919,"date":"2015-12-21T09:27:35","date_gmt":"2015-12-21T15:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mbcpathway.local\/?p=19919"},"modified":"2015-12-21T09:27:35","modified_gmt":"2015-12-21T15:27:35","slug":"four-examples-of-where-the-new-world-translation-gets-it-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2015\/12\/21\/four-examples-of-where-the-new-world-translation-gets-it-wrong\/","title":{"rendered":"Four examples of where the New World Translation gets it wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the last in a three-part series on Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses regard The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures as \u201can accurate, easy-to-read translation of the Bible\u201d (jw.org<\/a>). What many don\u2019t realize is that four of the five men on the translation committee producing the complete 1961 edition had no Hebrew or Greek training whatsoever. <\/span><\/p>\n

The fifth, who claimed to know both languages, failed a simple Hebrew test while under oath in a Scottish court.<\/span><\/p>\n

What all this means is that the Watch Tower\u2019s official version of the Bible is \u201can incredibly biased translation,\u201d writes Ron Rhodes in Reasoning from the Scriptures with Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses<\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

British scholar H.H. Rowley calls it \u201ca shining example of how the Bible should not be translated,\u201d classifying the text as \u201can insult to the Word of God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Revisions in 1984 and 2013 have not improved the translation. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s wrong with the NWT? In a phrase, the translators consistently have sought to conform the text to Watch Tower theology, particularly with respect to the person and work of Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few examples should make this clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus as \u201ca god\u201d
\n<\/span><\/strong>John 1:1<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This verse in the NWT 2013 reads: \u201cIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.\u201d The Watch Tower goes to great lengths to explain why this is an accurate rendering of the Greek, citing grammatical rules and misquoting Greek scholars to support its belief that the Word is \u201cgodlike, divine, a god,\u201d but not co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.<\/span><\/p>\n

In truth, as the late professor and dean Charles L. Feinberg noted, \u201cI can assure you that the rendering which the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses give John 1:1 is not held by any reputable Greek scholar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Compare the King James Version (KJV): \u201cIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.\u201d The New American Standard (NASB) and Holman Christian Standard (HCSB) versions read exactly the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus not eternal
\n<\/span><\/strong>John 8:58<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

The New World Translation (2013) renders this: \u201cJesus said to them: \u2018Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.\u2019\u201d Because Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses deny the deity and eternality of Jesus, their translators had to change the biblical text to match their errant doctrines.<\/span><\/p>\n

Compare the KJV: \u201cJesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Or consider the NASB: \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.\u201d And the HCSB renders it, \u201cI assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, Jesus harks back to Exodus 3 where God reveals Himself to Moses in the burning bush as I AM, or YHWH, a unique name Jesus applies to Himself as He speaks to religious leaders of His day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 blood not divine
\n<\/span><\/strong>Acts 20:28<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The NWT 2013 reads: \u201cPay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Since JWs deny the deity of Christ, they cannot allow God to shed His blood to pay our sin debt. <\/span><\/p>\n

Consider the plainer language of the KJV: \u201c\u2026 feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The NASB and HCSB both render it \u201cHis own blood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus a secondary creator
\n<\/span><\/strong>Colossians 1:17<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The NWT 2013 reads: \u201cAlso, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses argue that Jesus is the first of Jehovah\u2019s created beings, who then created all \u201cother\u201d things. Again, the biblical text is bent to match JW doctrine.<\/span><\/p>\n

The KJV reads: \u201cAnd he is before all things, and by him all things consist.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The NASB reads: \u201cHe is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And the HCSB reads: \u201cHe is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

No English translation distorts the true meaning of this verse like the NWT.<\/span><\/p>\n

We could cite other examples \u2013 Col. 2:9, Titus 2:13, and Heb. 1:8 to name three \u2013 but the point is that Scripture must dictate doctrine, not the other way around. And that is the fatal flaw of the five \u201cscholars\u201d who gave us what the late Bruce Metzger of Princeton Theological Seminary called \u201ca frightful translation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, what\u2019s wrong with the NWT? Following are four examples of the translators conforming the text to Watch Tower theology, particularly with respect to the person and work of Christ.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":19925,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[35,5,8,28,30],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nFour examples of where the New World Translation gets it wrong<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, what\u2019s wrong with the NWT? 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