O Christians, Why you are tempering the word of God?

Question

The most vociferous of all the Bible-thumpers are the Jehovah's Witnesses. On page 5 of their "FOREWORD" they confess:
"IN COPYING THE INSPIRED ORIGINALS BY HAND THE ELEMENT OF HUMAN FRAILTY ENTERED IN, AND SO NONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF COPIES EXTANT TODAY IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ARE PERFECT DUPLICATES. THE RESULT IS THAT NO TWO COPIES ARE EXACTLY ALIKE"

"THE EVIDENCE IS, THEREFORE, THAT THE ORIGINAL TEXT Of THE CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURES 1 HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH, THE SAME AS THE TEXT OF THE LXX THE SAME AS THE TEXT OF THE LXX2 HAS BEEN,"

Answer 1

It is perhaps interesting when Witness apologists understand the confused mumblings of anti-Witness critics better than the anti-Witnesses themselves do. In this case, the questioner seems to complain about the use of the name "Jehovah" in the so-called "New Testament" of the "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures".

It was not Jehovah's Witnesses who tampered with divine writings, since it happened many centuries ago...

The evidence is quite convincing that ancient scribes and copyists actively worked to remove the divine name when they translated the Hebrew Scriptures (the so-called "Old Testament") into other languages. These same scribes worked contemporaneously (at the same time) and even alongside copyists of the Christian Greek Scriptures (the so-called "New Testament").

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that these Greek copyists must have also removed the divine name when they copied original NT Greek writings which almost certainly included the divine name. The translators (and Jehovah's Witnesses) note that the original Greek manuscripts of the Christian Greek Scriptures (the so-called "New Testament") have never been found. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus, the apostles, and the other Christian bible writers must have used the divine name in their speech and in their writings.

(John 17:26) [Jesus said] I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them

(Matthew 6:8,9) God your Father knows what things you are needing before ever you ask him. 9 “You must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.


Think about it: Jesus and his apostles must have been extraordinarily familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures (the "Old Testament"), and the evidence is that they frequently quoted from these writings. The Hebrew Scriptures use the divine name SEVEN THOUSAND TIMES; would Jesus and his apostles have skipped over "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" when it appeared in the text they were quoting?

Perhaps the most revealing passage is to note the way that Luke 4:18,19 quotes from Isaiah 61:1,2. Scholars universally concede that the passage in Isaiah uses the divine Name and even repeats that Name; Jesus and his audience all understood Hebrew and the scroll was almost certainly in Hebrew (although that is immaterial). Clearly, when Jesus actually read the Isaiah passage he would hardly have replaced his Father's personal name with a generic term (such as the corrupters of Luke's Gospel have done).

(Luke 4:16-21) [Jesus] entered into the synagogue, and he stood up to read. 17 So the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed him, and he opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach a release to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send the crushed ones away with a release, 19 to preach Jehovah’s acceptable year.” 20 With that he rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were intently fixed upon him. 21 Then he started to say to them: “Today this scripture that you just heard is fulfilled.”

(Isaiah 61:1,2) The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me, for the reason that Jehovah has anointed me to tell good news to the meek ones. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to those taken captive and the wide opening of the eyes even to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah


As in Luke chapter 4, the New World Translation is quite careful to ONLY render the divine name when a verse or phrase in the Christian Greek (NT) Scriptures seems to quote or refer to a Hebrew (OT) Scripture with the divine Name. That is why the OT has almost 7000 occurences of "Jehovah" while the NT has less than 300.

Essentially, the New World Bible Translation Committee believed that it is preferable to err (if that is what they did) on the side of magnifying the divine name, rather than share in perpetuating a superstition that hides it.

The name "Jehovah" is an English translation of the Hebrew name pronounced as or similar to "Yahweh" or "Yehowah"; the exact original pronunciation is unknown. The four Hebrew characters corresponding to the letters "YHWH" are well-recognized as the biblical personal name of Almighty God, and are universally designated as "the Tetragrammaton" or "the Tetragram".

For centuries, most Jews have superstitiously refrained from pronouncing aloud any form of the divine Name. They base that superstition on the third of the Ten Commandments given to Moses:
(Exodus 20:7) You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way
http://watchtower.org/e/bible/ex/chapter_020.htm?bk=Ex;chp=20;vs=7;citation#bk7

Over the centuries, that Jewish superstition has expanded to also forbid writing or engraving any form of "YHWH", even when simply copying from one of the nearly 7000 occurences in the Hebrew Scriptures. In recent centuries, some superstitious Jews have even forbade unabbreviated EUPHEMISMS for "YHWH"; capitalized terms such as "Tetragrammaton" and (amazingly) even "the Name" are forbidden by such superstitions, and they even insist that "God" must be written as "G~d".

Naturally, the religious and superstitious practices of a person are between him and his Creator. However, in recent decades these superstitious Jews have worked to impose their superstitious sensibilities beyond their religious communities, and onto the entire populace. Thus, although "YHWH' is unanimously recognized as the personal name of God, few today use any form of it in their writings and conversation.

Interestingly, Christendom has largely joined with superstitious Jews in suppressing the use of "Yahweh" and "Jehovah". However, it seems that Christiandom's anti-YHWH bias largely devolves from their hatred of Jehovah's Witnesses, the religion almost single-handedly responsible for the growing public recognition that the Almighty God of Judaism and Christianity actually does have a personal name.

It seems that too many are more interested in coddling superstition than in allowing intellectual honesty and respect for the Almighty.

Answer 2

when I first grew to alter right into a Christian, I made this determination based on the character (or "character") of Christ, as he's "God with us" and could supply us the final perception into the character of God. As I went directly to earnings the previous testomony in somewhat extra component, i stumbled on some issues to be somewhat stressful and that i did no longer extremely understand why God acted interior the way that he did. yet, the extra I studied, the extra I observed that comparable character interior the previous testomony -- quite interior the way that God introduced Israel many times lower back, even while they constantly saved turning faraway from him. additionally -- and that i will confess that this would sound chilly -- God made a covenant with Abraham. simply by fact of Abraham's faithfulness, God promised to guard and multiply his descendants. on the time, this promise became no longer prolonged to something of the worldwide. there have been many different countries that considered Israel as being "susceptible", quite in the previous the rule of King David, and God allowed them victory with the aid of some "questionable" procedures so as to maintain the promise that he made to Abraham, simply by fact God is honest to his be conscious. Now, that promise has been prolonged to truthfully all people, no longer in basic terms Abraham's descendents. i wish this answer isn't too "dismissive" ... if we've been discussing particular events i'd have extra particular solutions.

Answer 3

The answer is simple. These are the Last Days and Demonic influence is working aggressively to deceive, manipulate, and confuse many. As time goes on, tampering with the Bible, and spiritual illusion will become more overt, until eventually the Anti-Christ will arrive boldly proclaiming lies and false teaching.

Many will willingly accept his lies, because right now their minds are slowly and gently being seduced and molded. So when he arrives, these people will feel a sigh of relief, and think this False Prophet is what they've always been searching and waiting for.

This may sound WAY OUT THERE to someone who is not familiar with prophecy, because I felt the same way years ago before I began to study the Word with guidance from the Holy Spirit. However, once the Lord has provided discernment and revelation, you begin to see things from an entirely different perspective, and will find it easier to detect False Teachings.

Don't be surprised...expect it...brace yourself...and know that False Teaching and Prophets have been foretold in prophecy. The tampering you've noticed is only the tip of the iceberg.

Answer 4

At Qumran they found among the Dead sea scrolls a complete text of the book of Isaiah that was virtually identical to our present day "copy". The Isaiah Scroll was dated 300 B.C. That speaks to the faithful copying of the Jewish scribes in preserving the Biblical text intact. The Jehovah's Witnesses claim of tampering simply can't be substantiated.

Answer 5

Tempering or Tampering

If the word has been tamped with then tempering is prudent, so long as it keeps with the commandments of God and the teaching of Jesus.

According to Paul you're not supposed to know nor sit with a fornicator. If that is so, how are you to enlighten them and help them find a better way. To follow Peter is to let them wallow in thier own mire. To never let them see the light. That is not the way of God nor Jesus.

Answer 6

.I did,nt realize that the Jehovah,s had so much in common with the Muslims whose opinion of the bible is almost word for word. but seriously now ,this forward is in their own version of the bible the the( new world translation).not a comment on the bible as a whole its funny however that their translation should back up discrepancies they've been teaching for years.

Answer 7

So, some stuff was lost in tranlation. If you've ever learned another language you know some words just don't translate with their full meaning, that's bound to happen.

But not all of it was lost, there's still A LOT of good stuff in there. We should just be glad for that.

Answer 8

It is perhaps interesting when Witness apologists understand the confused mumblings of anti-Witness critics better than the anti-Witnesses themselves do. In this case, the questioner seems to complain about the use of the name "Jehovah" in the so-called "New Testament" of the "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures".

It was not Jehovah's Witnesses who tampered with divine writings, since it happened many centuries ago...

The evidence is quite convincing that ancient scribes and copyists actively worked to remove the divine name when they translated the Hebrew Scriptures (the so-called "Old Testament") into other languages. These same scribes worked contemporaneously (at the same time) and even alongside copyists of the Christian Greek Scriptures (the so-called "New Testament").

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that these Greek copyists must have also removed the divine name when they copied original NT Greek writings which almost certainly included the divine name. The translators (and Jehovah's Witnesses) note that the original Greek manuscripts of the Christian Greek Scriptures (the so-called "New Testament") have never been found. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus, the apostles, and the other Christian bible writers must have used the divine name in their speech and in their writings.

(John 17:26) [Jesus said] I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them

(Matthew 6:8,9) God your Father knows what things you are needing before ever you ask him. 9 “You must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.


Think about it: Jesus and his apostles must have been extraordinarily familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures (the "Old Testament"), and the evidence is that they frequently quoted from these writings. The Hebrew Scriptures use the divine name SEVEN THOUSAND TIMES; would Jesus and his apostles have skipped over "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" when it appeared in the text they were quoting?

Perhaps the most revealing passage is to note the way that Luke 4:18,19 quotes from Isaiah 61:1,2. Scholars universally concede that the passage in Isaiah uses the divine Name and even repeats that Name; Jesus and his audience all understood Hebrew and the scroll was almost certainly in Hebrew (although that is immaterial). Clearly, when Jesus actually read the Isaiah passage he would hardly have replaced his Father's personal name with a generic term (such as the corrupters of Luke's Gospel have done).

(Luke 4:16-21) [Jesus] entered into the synagogue, and he stood up to read. 17 So the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed him, and he opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach a release to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send the crushed ones away with a release, 19 to preach Jehovah’s acceptable year.” 20 With that he rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were intently fixed upon him. 21 Then he started to say to them: “Today this scripture that you just heard is fulfilled.”

(Isaiah 61:1,2) The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me, for the reason that Jehovah has anointed me to tell good news to the meek ones. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to those taken captive and the wide opening of the eyes even to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah


As in Luke chapter 4, the New World Translation is quite careful to ONLY render the divine name when a verse or phrase in the Christian Greek (NT) Scriptures seems to quote or refer to a Hebrew (OT) Scripture with the divine Name. That is why the OT has almost 7000 occurences of "Jehovah" while the NT has less than 300.

Essentially, the New World Bible Translation Committee believed that it is preferable to err (if that is what they did) on the side of magnifying the divine name, rather than share in perpetuating a superstition that hides it.

The name "Jehovah" is an English translation of the Hebrew name pronounced as or similar to "Yahweh" or "Yehowah"; the exact original pronunciation is unknown. The four Hebrew characters corresponding to the letters "YHWH" are well-recognized as the biblical personal name of Almighty God, and are universally designated as "the Tetragrammaton" or "the Tetragram".

For centuries, most Jews have superstitiously refrained from pronouncing aloud any form of the divine Name. They base that superstition on the third of the Ten Commandments given to Moses:
(Exodus 20:7) You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way
http://watchtower.org/e/bible/ex/chapter...

Over the centuries, that Jewish superstition has expanded to also forbid writing or engraving any form of "YHWH", even when simply copying from one of the nearly 7000 occurences in the Hebrew Scriptures. In recent centuries, some superstitious Jews have even forbade unabbreviated EUPHEMISMS for "YHWH"; capitalized terms such as "Tetragrammaton" and (amazingly) even "the Name" are forbidden by such superstitions, and they even insist that "God" must be written as "G~d".

Naturally, the religious and superstitious practices of a person are between him and his Creator. However, in recent decades these superstitious Jews have worked to impose their superstitious sensibilities beyond their religious communities, and onto the entire populace. Thus, although "YHWH' is unanimously recognized as the personal name of God, few today use any form of it in their writings and conversation.

Interestingly, Christendom has largely joined with superstitious Jews in suppressing the use of "Yahweh" and "Jehovah". However, it seems that Christiandom's anti-YHWH bias largely devolves from their hatred of Jehovah's Witnesses, the religion almost single-handedly responsible for the growing public recognition that the Almighty God of Judaism and Christianity actually does have a personal name.

It seems that too many are more interested in coddling superstition than in allowing intellectual honesty and respect for the Almighty.

Source(s):

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/na/
http://watchtower.org/e/20040122/...

Answer 9

My goodness. The KJV might not be a perfect rendition?

But it can't be! Someone told me on here that is it the actual Word of God!

Answer 10

Take 2 aspirin with some warm milk and lie down.