Why do the Jehovah witness add words to there bible?

Question

The NWT adds the word "[the]" to the phrase "of our God and savior Jesus Christ" in 2pet 1:1. 2pet1:11, 2:20, and 3:18, which contain the same exact phrase in the Greek with the exception that these verses contain the word "lord" (kyrios) instead of the word "God" (Theos), but don't have the word"[the]" added to them. See Greek-interlinear. What is the reason for this gross of inconsistency in translation of this phrases? How would 2pet1:1 read if it had been translated the same way as 2Pet 1:11, 2:20, and 3:18, and the word"[the]" had not be added? What does scripture say about adding words to the bible? See Prov 30:5-6

Answer 1

This so-called "question" seems to focus on "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures", which is distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses. There are more than 130 million copies of this modern-language bible in print, in dozens of languages.
http://watchtower.org/languages.htm

The entire text of NWT is freely available at the official website of Jehovah's Witnesses, and a personal printed copy can be requested at no charge:
http://watchtower.org/bible/
https://watch002.securesites.net/contact/submit.htm
http://watchtower.org/how_to_contact_us.htm


Jehovah's Witnesses certainly like NWT, but they are happy to use any translation which an interested person may prefer, and in fact Jehovah's Witnesses themselves distribute other translations besides NWT. Jehovah's Witnesses attach no particular infallibility or inspiration to NWT.

Since the same manuscripts used by the NWT translators are still widely available for study, and since there are dozens of alternate translations for comparison, anyone who chooses to use NWT does so informedly.

It seems that the vast majority of the criticism against the New World Translation is actually as a proxy for blind hatred against Jehovah's Witnesses. The hatred must be "blind" since secular experts of biblical Hebrew and Greek have consistently refused to condemn any particular verse or phrase as an unacceptable translation. Instead, it is religionists with preconceived theologies who bigotedly insist upon particular wordings, since these are necessary to prop up the shakey tenets of their false worship.

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

It seems signficant that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are the ones best known for their worldwide preaching work. Yet Jesus commanded that ALL who would call themselves "Christian" perform this public work:

(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/library/pr/article_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/na/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020915/article_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050715/article_02.htm

Answer 2

You arthe complicated thethethe Biblthe withethe Englisthe theranslatheions of thethethe Biblthe. Tthethe Biblthe was once writhethethen in Hthebrthew, Aramaic, and traditional Grthethek. ALL Englisthe theranslatheions upload phrases theo thethethe Biblthe, bthecausthe thetheathe is nthecthessary theo theranslathethe from onthe languagthe theo anothethether. All languagthes do nothe thexprthess thetheougthethes in thexacthely thethethe samthe mannther or withethe thexacthely thethethe samthe phrases. Tthetherthe arthe thetheousands of phrases in ithealics in thethethe King Jamthes Vthersion. Eacthe ithealicizthed phrase is an ADDITION theo thethethe Hthebrthew or Grthethek thethexthe thetheathe is usthed theo deliver thethethe thetheougthethe from onthe languagthe theo anothethether. two Pthethether a million:a million is a vthersthe withethe varianthe rtheadings in thethethe ancithenthe Grthethek manuscripthes. Somthe ancithenthe Grthethek manuscripthes theavthe "our God and savior," othethethers theavthe "our Lord and savior." For thexamplthe, thethethe Codthex Sinaitheicus, thethethe Syriac, and thethethe Coptheic manuscripthes rthead "our Lord and savior" athe two Pthethether a million:a million. So, theo bthegin withethe, wtheathe thethethe Biblthe firstly mentioned athe two Pthethether a million:a million is ithesthelf in doubthe. If thethethe fashioned Grthethek rtheading was once "our Lord and Savior Jthesus Ctheristhe," thetheis thearmonizthes withethe thethethe rthesthe of thethethe Scriptheurthes. Buthe if thethethe fashioned Grthethek rtheading was once lithetherally "our God and Savior Jthesus Ctheristhe," thetheathe dothes nothe thearmonizthe withethe thethethe rthesthe of thethethe Scriptheurthes. Ithe could nothe thearmonizthe withethe wtheathe Pthethether theimsthelf says thelsthewthetherthe, sincthe athe a million Pthethether a million:three thethe says, "Blthessthed bthe thethethe God and Fathethether of our Lord Jthesus Ctheristhe." (King Jamthes Vthersion) Htherthe, Pthethether says clthearly thetheathe thethethe Fathethether of Jthesus could also be thethethe God of Jthesus, thetheathe thevthen thetheougthe Jthesus is thethethe Lord, Jthesus additionally theas a God, Somtheonthe wtheo is suptherior theo theim. Tthethertheforthe, ithe can bthe complicated theo rthendther two Pthethether a million:a million intheo Englisthe as "our God and savior Jthesus Ctheristhe." Tthethe Grthethek grammatheical constheructheion ithesthelf can bthear thethethe mtheaning "our God and thethethe savior Jthesus Ctheristhe," withethe "thethethe" btheing implithed. Tthethe Nthew World Translatheion mtherthely brings outhe wtheathe thethethe Grthethek can indicate, rthemoving any confusion, and brings thetheis rtheading of thethethe vthersthe -- wtheicthe is ithesthelf a thethextheual varianthe -- intheo thearmony withethe thethethe rthesthe of thethethe Scriptheurthes. Incidthentheally, thethethe Amtherican Stheandard Vthersion theranslathethes two Pthethether a million:a million in thethethe samthe means, althetheougthe thetheathe Biblthe was once nothe thethethe paintings of Jthetheovathe's Withenthessthes: "Simon Pthethether, a sthervanthe and aposthelthe of Jthesus Ctheristhe, theo thethethem thetheathe theavthe obtheainthed a likthe prthecious faithethe withethe us in thethethe rigthethetheousnthess of our God and [thethethe] Saviour Jthesus Ctheristhe." -- two Pthethether a million:a million, Amtherican Stheandard Vthersion

Answer 3

Every translator adds/deletes words to the Bible. Example there is no article "a" in Greek but every English Bible used that. In John 1:1 , the original Greek has the word "the" in the text "and the word was with THE God". All English Bible has removed the word "the" in it. There are certain rules in translations which I'm not familiar with, so they decided to do that. Is everybody now guilty of removing and adding words to the Bible? Some of the words added are to further clarify the meaning & bring the flavor of the original Greek text when being translated in English. A word in Greek may be translated in 2 or 3 words in English. It doesn't mean that you really add to the Bible.

Answer 4

Millions of people put their trust in the King James Bible. I would love to see you attack it the way you attack the New World's Translation. In the King James, there is monstrous addition to 1 John 5:7 where a scribe tried to make the divine record appear to be trinitarian. And what about 1 Tim. 3:16, which says: "God manifest in the flesh" instead of "he who was manifest in the flesh"--another trinitarian addition that has been corrected in modern translations? And let's not forget that the King James Bible uses the pagan observance "Easter" instead of the proper word "passover".

But that's okay, isn't it? Instead of questioning those huge errors in the King James Bible, you are going to quibble over the word "the" in the New World Translation? How petty you are. It is not surprising that you have brought haters of Jehovah's Witnesses out of the woodwork. Does that make you feel like a big man?

People who know better, are well aware that Jehovah's Witnesses do their best to live by Bible principles that are found in any version of the Bible. We shun holidays that are obviously pagan. We refuse to go to war for any reason. We don't smoke or abuse ourselves with drugs. The next time you visit a jail or prison, find out how many of Jehovah's Witnesses are in there. Don't be surprised if the number is zero.

I have noticed in your profile that your four questions in Yahoo Answers are exclusively targeting Jehovah's Witnesses? You are not after answers. Why are you doing this?

Answer 5

You need to read the book:

New Testament:

While critical of some of its translation choices, BeDuhn called the New World Translation a “remarkably good” translation, “better by far” and “consistently better” than some of the others considered. Overall, concluded BeDuhn, the New World Translation “is one of the most accurate English translations of the New Testament currently available” and “the most accurate of the translations compared.”—Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament.

“Here at last is a comprehensive comparison of nine major translations of the Bible:

King James Version,
New American Standard Bible,
New International Version,
New Revised Standard Version,
New American Bible,
Amplified Bible,
Today's English Version (Good News Bible),
Living Bible,
and the New World Translation.


The book provides a general introduction to the history and methods of Bible translation, and gives background on each of these versions. Then it compares them on key passages of the New Testament to determine their accuracy and identify their bias. Passages looked at include:


John 1:1; John 8:58; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1

Jason BeDuhn
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Chair
Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion
Northern Arizona University


It discusses most of the verses you have questions about.

Answer 6

I was brought up JW and ran as fast as I could away from it once I was old enough. That being said, the JW's produce their own literature. It's one of the reasons among many that people believe they're a cult - even though, honestly, it's a religion that really does take the bible as literally as possible (no birthdays because the one in the bible ended up in death as well as being a selfish display of self, no Christmas because many of the traditions are rooted in paganism [this goes for easter too], no crosses since this is considered idolitry being a representation of Christ, no patriotism since this is considered honoring something other than God as sacred, and so on).

JW's also do not believe God and Jesus are the same/interchangeable. So God is something completely different from Jesus, but God is the Holy Spirit. So no trinity as other religions believe. This may be why "the" is added.

As far as adding words to the bible... yea. You can look at it that way. You can also question why other people interpret the bible the way they do. While I don't believe in Christianity personally, I have never understood how gay/lesbian people can when it's pretty straight forward. Besides that, many versions of the bible are around, not just JW's. King James version, Mormon's version, NWT... take your pick. I'd give anything to be able to read the ORIGINAL texts - but since I'm not going to be taking up hebrew any time soon nor Christianity, I'll remain Atheist and happy.

Answer 7

Go through your bible.....every time you see an upper case ( Lord )that is The Almighty God Jehovah. Psalms 83:18...then go to the new testament and look at the word( lord.)...lower case is Jesus.
Jehovah ... Almighty God
Jesus .... a mighty god.
Jehovah ....no beggining or end
Jesus ....had a beginning
Jehovah...Father
Jesus...son
Jehovah ...Supreme omnipresent, omniscent
Jesus....higher than the angels
Jehovah....knows when the end will come
Jesus ...doesn't know when the end will come

Answer 8

The Jehovah's Witness organization distorts the essential doctrines of Christianity. It denies the deity of Christ, His physical resurrection, and salvation by grace.To support its erring doctrines, the Watchtower organization (which is the author and teacher of all official Jehovah's Witness theology), has even altered the Bible to make it agree with its changing and non-Christian teachings.

Typical with cults that use the Bible to support its position is a host of interpretive errors:

1. Taking verses out of their immediate context.
2. Refusing to read verses in the entire biblical context.
3. Inserting their theological presuppositions into the text.
4. Altering the Biblical text to suit their needs.
5. Latching onto one verse to interpret a host of others.
6. Changing the meanings of words.
7. Proclaiming some passages to be figurative when they contradict their doctrines.
8. Adding to the Word of God.

Answer 9

The nwt does its usual perversion of 2Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith, held in equal privilege with ours, by the righteousness of our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ:"

There is an article in the Greek, but it is connected to God (theou - Genitive case) and NOT savior (soteros). The article is linked by proximity to God, making it primary. Savior, Jesus, and Christ are also Genitive case and are considered to be further identifying or describing God... Of course, their theology denies the main point of the passage.

...The underlying Greek text in their interlinear may be faulty. I have not examined it, but I have seen MANY texts in interlinear books which did not represent te best scholarship of the Greek New Testament... I have seen them misspell names, things like that in OTHER INTERLINEAR BIBLES. Do not trust the text without confirming it against UBS 3/4 or NA26/27.

The JW organization CLAIMS to be a prophet of God, yet they have FALSELY PROPHESIED MANY TIMES.

In 1972 the Jehovah's Witness Watchtower claimed to be the prophet of God.

IDENTIFYING THE "PROPHET" -- "So does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet?...This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian Witnesses...Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a ‘prophet' of God. It is another thing to prove it." The Watchtower, 4/1/72, p. 197.

FALSE PROPHECIES:

1897 "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874," Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 4, page 621.

1899 "...the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Revelation 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." The Time Is at Hand, page 101 (1908 edition).

1916 "The Bible chronology herein presented shows that the six great 1000 year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th Day, the 1000 years of Christ's Reign, began in 1873." The Time Is at Hand, page ii, (forward).

1918 "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews 11, to the condition of human perfection." Millions Now Living Will Never Die, page 89.

1922 "The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated by the Scriptures than 1914." The Watchtower 9/1/22, page 262.

1923 "Our thought is, that 1925 is definitely settled by the Scriptures. As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon which to base his faith than Noah had upon which to base his faith in a coming deluge." The Watchtower, page 106 4/1/23.

1925 "The year 1925 is here. With great expectation Christians have looked forward to this year. Many have confidently expected that all members of the body of Christ will be changed to heavenly glory during this year. This may be accomplished. It may not be. In his own due time God will accomplish his purposes concerning his people. Christians should not be so deeply concerned about what may transpire this year." The Watchtower, 1/1/25, page. 3.

1925 "It is to be expected that Satan will try to inject into the minds of the consecrated, the thought that 1925 should see an end to the work." The Watchtower, Sept, 1925 page 262.

1926 "Some anticipated that the work would end in 1925, but the Lord did not state so. The difficulty was that the friends inflated their imaginations beyond reason; and that when their imaginations burst asunder, they were inclined to throw away everything." The Watchtower, page 232.

1931 "There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah's faithful ones on earth concerning the years 1917, 1918, and 1925, which disappointment lasted for a time...and they also learned to quit fixing dates." Vindication, page 338.

1941 "Receiving the gift, the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the Lord's provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before Armageddon." The Watchtower, 9/15/41, page 288.

1968 "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an ‘end to the world', even announcing a specific date. Yet nothing happened. The ‘end' did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing?.. Missing from such people were God's truths and evidence that he was using and guiding them." Awake, 10/8/68.

1968 "Why are you looking forward to 1975?" The Watchtower, 8/15/68, page 494.

What does SCRIPTURE teach us about FALSE PROPHETS?

Deuteronomy 18:21 You will say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message hasn’t been spoken by the LORD?” 22 SOMETIMES A PROPHET WILL ANNOUNCE SOMETHING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. AND IT WON’T TAKE PLACE OR COME TRUE. THEN THAT’S A MESSAGE THE LORD HASN’T TOLD HIM TO SPEAK. THAT PROPHET HAS DARED TO SPEAK ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY. SO DON’T BE AFRAID OF HIM OR WHAT HE SAYS.

Answer 10

I don't know......every sect (well most such as mormon and Jehova Witness) of Christianity added words to their bible even though the bible specifically says not too. They translate and manipulate the true meaning into something of there own liking.