How do you know the NWT is correct?

Question

This version, published by the Watchtower was translated by 5 men...Nathan Knorr, Albert Schroeder, George Gangas, Fred Franz, M. Henschel. 4 of the 5 had NO training in ancient Greek or Hebrew Scriptures and never got passed a high school diploma...dont believe me? research it. Fred Franz was the only one and he only took 2 years of Greek in college? Can you be well prepared to translate something as important as the Word of God in 2 years? What about in Hebrew, Franz was self taught in Hebrew... How reliable can this translation be? Also, i forgot to mention Johannes Greber, he was a man whose "translation" of the of the bible was used as a basis by the WTS for their "NWT." They knowingly used the translation of a Spiritist Occultist to base their translation on.

The funny thing is they claimed they had no clue Greber was involved in any such activity until 1983, but in 1932 Greber wrote his book where he gives his personal testimony as an occult spiritist: "Communication with the Spirit World of God--Its Laws and Purpose." And even before 1956 The Johannes Greber Memorial Foundation provided a photo-copy of a letter from the Watchtower Society acknowledging receipt before 1956, of several of his New Testaments, as well as Greber's book "Communication with the Spirit World of God."

Jason David BeDuhn was a historian of religion and culture...he is not an expert in Greek or Hebrew...

Answer 1

The bible is the Word of God; Jehovah Himself is the Divine Author of the Holy Scriptures.

(2 Timothy 3:16) All Scripture is inspired of God

(2 Peter 1:20-21) No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.

(Acts 28:25) The holy spirit aptly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers

(Acts 1:16) For the scripture to be fulfilled, which the holy spirit spoke beforehand by David’s mouth

(Mark 12:35-36) Jesus began to say as he taught in the temple: “...By the holy spirit David himself said [a particular Scripture]

(2 Samuel 23:1,2) And these are the last words of David: “...The spirit of Jehovah it was that spoke by me, And his word was upon my tongue.

(Zechariah 7:12) The law and the words that Jehovah of armies sent by his spirit, by means of the former prophets

(Luke 1:68-70) Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, because he has turned his attention and performed deliverance toward his people... just as he, through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, has spoken


But this so-called "question" seems less concerned with magnifying the Divine Author and more concerned with demeaning Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses have distributed more than 145 million copies of "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures" by 2007, 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.

The "New World Translation Committee" which oversaw the translation work request anonymity 'en perpetuity', and are likely all dead since the primary work was completed 45 years ago. Guesses at specific names have always been merely guesses. 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 shaky 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 significant 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/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/na/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020915/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050715/article_02.htm

Answer 2

With over a century of experience in publishing and distributing Bibles and Bible study aids, and with the scholarly resources at its disposal to examine all of the knotty issues pertaining to translation, and being the only organization solely dedicated to the Author of the Bible—Jehovah God—the Watchtower is more than qualified to sponsor the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

When Martin Luther first published his translation of the Bible in the 16th century, his work was denounced by the religious establishment of the day as being full of lies and falsifications. Now, though, scholars generally recognize it as a brilliant work.

The New World Translation is no different. The truth of the matter is that the most popular versions of the Bible are produced by denominationally-oriented publishers that have their own peculiar bias. The Catholics have their own Bibles. Protestants have their own Bibles, too. Each have their merits and weaknesses.

One of the criticisms leveled against the NWT is that the translators are anonymous and so their scholarly credentials cannot be checked out. But the criticisms of the Watchtower's New World Translation Bible run much deeper than just scholarly questions involving translation and exegesis. The fundamental reasons for dispute have to do with the doctrinal teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 3

I am a Jehovah's Witness and I have many different Bible Translations. It's good to cross reference. I love to read and meditate on the scriptures. Jehovah God's Word will endure forever. We study with people all over the world and we will use their own Bible to show them the truth.

Answer 4

The Old Testament as found in the New World Translation is based on Codex Leningradensis B 19A as published in Rudolf Kittel's Biblia Hebraica (7th, 8th, and 9th ed.), while the New Testament is based on Westcott and Hort's The New Testament in the Original Greek. Also considered were texts by Bover, Merk, and Nestle. Newer editions make use of newer texts, such as Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (1967/1977) and Novum Testamentum Graece (1983), as well as newer lexicons and dictionaries such as Zorell's Lexicon Hebraicum Veteris Testamenti (1984).

The New World Translation is a formal equivalence translation rather than a paraphrase.[3] To a very great extent, one English word has been selected for each Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic word and effort has been made to adhere to this rendering, context allowing. Some maintain that this makes the translation sound wooden, stiff or verbose, whereas others feel that it favors accuracy, facilitates cross-reference work and helps preserve the flavor of the original texts.[citation needed]

The translation does not contain any of the Apocryphal books, as the translators believed that any claim for canonicity on the part of these writings is without solid foundation. But it does give additional information proceeding Job 42:17 which is in the Greek Septuagint version. This additional information is only available in the reference version of the New World Translation. All the disputed parts of the New Testament are contained such as the long and short conclusion proceeding Mark 16:8 and the woman caught in adultery at John 7:53 - 8:1-11. Most Bibles alert the reader of the spurious nature of these two passages mentioned and the NWT is no different in that regard.

Also, the translation refers to the Old Testament as "Hebrew-Aramaic Scriptures", and the New Testament as "Christian Greek Scriptures", the latter terminology is used in order not to get confused with the Septuagint or Greek Bible. Unlike mainstream Bibles, it goes immediately into Matthew (first book of the New Testament) without any page breaks.

_______________________________________________
Jason David BeDuhn, Ph.D. is an historian of religion and culture, currently Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Northern Arizona University. He first gained brief national attention at the age of 18 when remarks he made in a speech to the high school graduating class of Rock Island, Illinois, sharply critical of oppressive attitudes towards youth by older generations of Americans, were widely reported in the American press. He defended his remarks in subsequent radio and television appearances by pointing to the historical contribution of youth to social idealism and cultural innovation. Pursuing the historical study of religion, he received his doctorate from Indiana University in 1995. He won the Best First Book Award from the American Academy of Religion in 2001 for his book The Manichaean Body in Discipline and Ritual (ISBN 0-8018-6270-1), notable for its analysis of religions as goal-oriented systems of practice rationalized within particular models of reality.

He subsequently wrote Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament (ISBN 0-7618-2556-8), which generated controversy when he found the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (published by Jehovah's Witnesses) and the New American Bible (published by the American Catholic Church) to be more accurate than other respected translations linked to Protestant constituencies. He had criticisms for every translation he reviewed, finding a consistent pattern of anachronistically imposing modern Christian views onto the biblical text. He has also been active on the www in discussions (two of which can be read online still) notably with evangelicals/trinitarians where he has argued against certain translations (not interpretations) often used by such in support of their belief that Jesus Christ is "God," maintaining that a wide variety of views about the nature and status of Christ were held by early Christians and are discernible in the Bible.

He was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 2004.

Answer 5

Have you ever seen a greek bible with english translation?

I do and compare both and see how accurate is NWT, you can do also here in internet, it is easy.


1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/index.php?action=getVersionInfo&vid=68&lang=40


NWT

http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm

Compare it and you will see but do it in the greek-english part for example take John 1:1 and see it in the greek bible and you will see why NWT translated in that way.


Check this site to see how a PH.D evaluated NWT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_BeDuhn

Answer 6

I love your question and totally agree with you. The nwt is a neutered satanic translation.

Beware of the scribes. Luke 20:46

Many modern Greek scholars would throw out the nwt even if they weren't believers because of the extremely poor translation...especially dealing with the deity of Christ!

Answer 7

You couldn't follow a prophet that is more incorrect....You have posted good and sound evidence, but it seems that they are unwilling to even look at the past problems...there is scriptural basis for examining your religion, but it applies to all OTHER faiths and not their own....sad

Doesn't comparihg the WBTS with Martin Luther make your skin crawl?

Answer 8

People object to the NWT because it does not support their false idea of the trinity.

The NWT reversed the Jewish superstition of avoiding the use of God's name Jehovah and put the divine name back where it belongs in the Bible.

Answer 9

Here is one idea... try and read the book Truth in Translation.
http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Translation-Accuracy-Translations-Testament/dp/0761825568

Answer 10

And Jehovah's Witnesses are accused of misquotes, and misleading statements.

If you are going to spread half truths, at least spread ones that are harder to disprove.

“It Is the Best Interlinear New Testament Available”
THAT is how Dr. Jason BeDuhn describes The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. He explains:
“I have just completed teaching a course for the Religious Studies Department of Indiana University, Bloomington, [U.S.A.] . . . This is primarily a course in the Gospels. Your help came in the form of copies of The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures which my students used as one of the textbooks for the class. These small volumes were invaluable to the course and very popular with my students.”

Why does Dr. BeDuhn use the Kingdom Interlinear translation in his college courses? He answers: “Simply put, it is the best interlinear New Testament available. I am a trained scholar of the Bible, familiar with the texts and tools in use in modern biblical studies, and, by the way, not a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. But I know a quality publication when I see one, and your ‘New World Bible Translation Committee’ has done its job well. Your interlinear English rendering is accurate and consistent to an extreme that forces the reader to come to terms with the linguistic, cultural, and conceptual gaps between the Greek-speaking world and our own. Your ‘New World Translation’ is a high quality, literal translation that avoids traditional glosses in its faithfulness to the Greek. It is, in many ways, superior to the most successful translations in use today.”

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures contains The New Testament in the Original Greek on the left-hand side of the page (compiled by B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort). A literal word-for-word English translation is found under the lines of Greek text. In the narrow right-hand column is the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, which allows you to compare the interlinear translation with a modern English translation of the Bible.

Some Comments by Greek Scholars on The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures

“I am interested in the mission work of your people, and its world wide scope, and much pleased with the free, frank and vigorous translation. It exhibits a vast array of sound serious learning, as I can testify.”—Letter, December 8, 1950, from Edgar J. Goodspeed, translator of the Greek “New Testament” in An American Translation.

“The translation is evidently the work of skilled and clever scholars, who have sought to bring out as much of the true sense of the Greek text as the English language is capable of expressing.”—Hebrew and Greek scholar Alexander Thomson, in The Differentiator, April 1952, pages 52-7.

“The translation of the New Testament is evidence of the presence in the movement of scholars qualified to deal intelligently with the many problems of Biblical translation.”—Andover Newton Quarterly, January 1963.

“The New Testament translation was made by a committee whose membership has never been revealed—a committee that possessed an unusual competence in Greek.”—Andover Newton Quarterly, September 1966.

“This is no ordinary interlinear: the integrity of the text is preserved, and the English which appears below it is simply the basic meaning of the Greek word. . . . After examining a copy, I equipped several interested second-year Greek students with it as an auxiliary text. . . . The translation by the anonymous committee is thoroughly up-to-date and consistently accurate. . . . In sum, when a Witness comes to the door, the classicist, Greek student, or Bible student alike would do well to bring him in and place an order.”—From a review of The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, by Thomas N. Winter of the University of Nebraska, appearing in The Classical Journal, April–May 1974.
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in 1973 the New World Translation was rated by a British Bible handbook compiler as one of 14 main English translations of the 20th century.

● Is it true that the teachings of Jehovah’s witnesses are based on the New World Translation of the Bible?
The fact that the New World Translation bears out teachings of Jehovah’s witnesses does not prove that the teachings of Jehovah’s witnesses are founded upon this Bible translation. Since 1879 The Watchtower has been published, setting forth the things that Jehovah’s witnesses believe and teach. The New World Translation, which the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has accepted as a gift from the New World Bible Translation Committee, first began to be published in part in 1950, and volumes of it have been coming out from time to time since then. Consequently, the formulation of the Bible doctrine of Jehovah’s witnesses did not wait upon the New World Translation, beginning in 1950.

Up until 1950 the teachings of Jehovah’s witnesses were based mainly upon the King James Version of the Bible, but in the course of years the publications of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in English alone have quoted from more than seventy different Bible translations produced in Christendom. This does not take into account the fact that our literature is published in more than 125 languages and that these foreign languages do not have the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. In all parts of the world Jehovah’s witnesses are proving their Bible-based beliefs to the people by the copy of the Bible that the householder may have or that he may recognize as authoritative. So the New World Translation comes along merely as a confirmation of the correctness of the teachings of Jehovah’s witnesses and does not constitute the foundation of their teachings.

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Wolfgang Feneberg comments in the Jesuit magazine Entschluss/Offen (April 1985): “He [Jesus] did not withhold his father’s name YHWH from us, but he entrusted us with it. It is otherwise inexplicable why the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer should read: ‘May your name be sanctified!’” Feneberg further notes that “in pre-Christian manuscripts for Greek-speaking Jews, God’s name was not paraphrased with kýrios [Lord], but was written in the tetragram form [YHWH] in Hebrew or archaic Hebrew characters. . . . We find recollections of the name in the writings of the Church Fathers;

Professor George Howard of the University of Georgia wrote: “Since the Tetragram [four Hebrew letters for the divine name] was still written in the copies of the Greek Bible which made up the Scriptures of the early church, it is reasonable to believe that the N[ew] T[estament] writers, when quoting from Scripture, preserved the Tetragram within the biblical text.”—Journal of Biblical Literature, March 1977, p. 77.

“In pre-Christian Greek [manuscripts] of the O[ld] T[estament], the divine name (yhwh) was not rendered by ‘kyrios’ [lord] as has often been thought. Usually the Tetragram was written out in Aramaic or in paleo-Hebrew letters. . . . At a later time, surrogates [substitutes] such as ‘theos’ [God] and ‘kyrios’ replaced the Tetragram . . . There is good reason to believe that a similar pattern evolved in the N[ew] T[estament], i.e. the divine name was originally written in the NT quotations of and allusions to the OT, but in the course of time it was replaced by surrogates.”—“New Testament Abstracts,” 3, 1977, p. 306.

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Volume 2, page 649) says: “One of the most fundamental and essential features of the biblical revelation is the fact that God is not without a name: he has a personal name, by which he can, and is to be, invoked.” Jesus certainly had that name in mind when he taught his followers to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.”—Matthew 6:9.