Sections
- Truth about the Jehovah Witnesses’ Bible
Truth about the Jehovah Witnesses’ Bible
The Jehovah’s Witnesses use a Bible known as the New World Translation. It is important to understand that this New World Translation (NWT) is not really a “translation” of the original languages, but rather a dishonest paraphrase to teach JW doctrine.
The NWT translators changed and added words not found or implied in the original text. These changes do not explain the text, but were deliberately intended to pervert the plain meaning of the verses, and create room for false JW doctrine.
Examples of NWT mistranslations and perversions:
New World Translation | King James Bible |
NWT: In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep; and God’s active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.
|
KJV In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
|
Reason for NWT Mistranslation Jehovah’s Witnesses deny that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are equal persons of the Trinity. They teach that God – “Jehovah” – created Jesus Christ as a lesser, subordinate “god”; and that the Holy Spirit is a “force” rather than a Person of the Trinity.
|
|
Zechariah 12:10
NWT: And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of favor and entreaties, and they will certainly look to the One whom they pierced through…”
|
KJV: And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced…”
|
Why was this changed in the NWT? In this incredible Messianic prophecy, God refers to Himself as the One Who would be pierced. This was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, clearly showing that Jesus Christ is God – which JWs deny. |
|
John 1:1
NWT: In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
|
KJV:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
|
Why was this changed in the NWT?
NW translators deceptively inserted the article “a” (not implied or stated anywhere in the text), to infer that Jesus Christ is not Jehovah God, but rather a subordinate, lesser god.
In the original Greek, the phrase is literally “the Word was God”: – ὁ (ho: “The”) λόγος (logos: “word”) ἦν (ēn: “was”) θεός (theos: “God”). There is no implication anywhere in the text that the article “a” is needed to show that Jesus Christ was simply another god. |
|
John 8:58
NWT: Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to YOU, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.” |
KJV: Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
|
This extremely important verse speaks of Christ’s eternality and deity. In the original Greek, the phrase is literally “I am”:- ἐγώ (egō: “I”) εἰμι (eimi: “exist”).
God and Jesus Christ are both “I Am” – “the Eternal, Self-existent One”. The NWT seeks to distance Jesus Christ from God.
The Lord Jesus claimed the very title that God used for Himself when speaking to Moses at the burning bush: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:13-14)
The Jews in John 8 understood that Christ was referring to Himself as God, because they took up stones to stone Him for blasphemy (John 8:59). |
|
Acts 20:28
NWT: Pay 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].
|
KJV: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
|
Why was this changed in the NWT?
The verse speaks of God purchasing the church “with His own blood,” clearly referring to the Lord Jesus Christ as God. In order to overcome this, the NW translators deceptively twist the plain meaning of Scripture by saying that God purchased the flock with the blood of His own Son – which means that Jesus Christ is still just a “son” and not God Himself. |
|
Colossians 1:16,17
NWT: because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist,
|
KJV: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
|
Why was this changed in the NWT?
Though the passage clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is God the Creator of all things, JW theology teaches that Jesus is simply the first of God’s created beings. The NWT cunningly suggests that Jesus created all “other” things, having already been created by God – even though the Greek does not contain or imply the word “other” in its text. |