What is so different about jehovah witness bibles?

Question

I have seen some people on y!a say that the JW's bible is different. What makes it different?

Answer 1

One way it's different is because it's accurate and honest in the translation from the originals languages.

Please read:

Old Testament:
In fact, the New World Translation is a scholarly work. In 1989, Professor Benjamin Kedar of Israel said:
"In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translation, I often refer to the English edition as what is known as the New World Translation. In doing so, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this kind of work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew....Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the New World Translation any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain."

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


The more I read and compare the NWT to other bibles, the more I come to appreciate the honesty of this bible.

Answer 2

If you feel more comfortable, when you study with Jehovah's Witnesses, tell them you would prefer to use your own Bible. When they show you a text from the Bible, open your Bible and compare. There are many different translations, but they are in essence the word of God, so technically any Bible can be used. Look up for example what the Bible says about the dead. Where they are and in what condition. The answer will always be the same no matter what translation you use. Also, look up the fact that Jesus says that the father is greater than he is in John 14:28, any translation will show you the essence of what Jesus said there. Look up Psalms 37:29 in any translation of the Bible and you will see that the righteous will possess the earth and reside upon it forever....etc.

Answer 3

Different from what? Does every Bible except the JW Bible say that the wise men was at the Nativity? No, they don't, yet the churches teach as if they do.

In most all aspects, it is the same as any Bible, except in clear English. Yes, it doesn't promote the Trinity, but then there are a dozen such Bibles that don't, only one of which belongs to the JWs. The KJV was revised 5 times, over a 150 year time period, to meet current doctrine of the Church of England. Do you use the KJV or Authorized Version, and if so, why? Do you belong to the Church of England?

Attend any JW meeting, using whatever Bible you want to bring and you will see how simple it is to understand.

Answer 4

The New Wold Translation is easier to understand and make mores sense.
It says this on the inside of it:
Rendered from the Original Languages by the New World Translation Committee

They did not take God's name out of the Bible and subsitute LORD or Lord for Christ.
Since the KJV was written there were many changes in the english language making the meaning changed. I have a KJV Bible that acknowledges these changes in the back of it.

Answer 5

The differences are designed to deceive the un-wary, and/or those that are ignorant of what the genuine translations, and what the original Greek and Hebrew texts say.
No matter who "translated" the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, the JW's use it because it supports their most un-Christian doctrines, most notably the JW doctrine that refutes The Trinity. (All the genunine Christian denominations - Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian. Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal Holiness, Assembly of God, Church of God, Church of Christ, Nazarene, all, believe in and teach the Biblical doctrine known as the Trinity. All the Christian cults - Jehovah's Witnesses aka Watchtower, Mormons aka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, B'hai, The Way, etc. do not believe in or teach the Biblical doctrine known as The Trinity. Anti-Trinity doctrine is the most readily identifiable watermark, if you will, of a group being a cult.)
The New World Translation differs in subtle ways with a true translation. If you have a copy of both, compare for example John 1:1 King James Version: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New World Translation: "In the beginning was The Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
See how sneakily it eliminates the Trinity? Really only one letter, the "a", is added. But oh, how it changes the meaning !
Or similarly, compare Jeremiah 23:6, an Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah who was to come: "In His days Judah will be saved,and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, [Jehovah-Tsidkenu], The Lord Our Righteousness.
New World translation is essentially the same, except it adds one tiny little two-letter word, the word "is":
New World Translation: "...this is his name whereby He shall be called, Jehovah is our righteousness." See, be very very wary of the New World Translation's tiny, almost unnoticeable, textural variations. Though seemingly small and insignificant, those tiny changes change the whole meaning of the Bible to fit their cult doctrines.

Answer 6

Not much. The reason we use the New World Translation has allot to do with the last word. TRANSLATION. It was created as an attempt to correctly TRANSLATE the original texts. It also was TRANSLATED in a way so as to make it easier to understand. Hope this helped.

Answer 7

You can see on this web site just how alike or different it is, if you have another Bible to compare it to. I've compared it numerous times, I find it to be very easy to read, just like the answerer before me said. It"s on the bottom right side, the very last thing.

http://www.watchtower.org/

Answer 8

The jehovah wittness Bible refers to Jesus as a physical son, NOT the Son of God or as part of the Godhead and therefore God. Whenever HE is metioned, the g is lowercase instead of G uppercase.

Answer 9

It has a recipe for a wonderful batch of blueberry muffins on page 47.

On page 104, there is a unique recipe for chicken curry.

Other than that, it's basically the same.

Answer 10

the only thing that i saw that was different (when i had one) was that it said "Jehovah" not "God."