why, in the jehovah's witness bible, the new world translation replace the word hell with hades or gehena?

Question

and what is the original greek or hebrew root word it steems from? not once is hell ever mentioned in the witness bible. how could every bible in the world be wrong except thiers?

Answer 1

The premise of this question is false. The original language words are left intact in "New World Translation", while it is actually other bibles which replace the original terms with the imprecise and misunderstood English word "hell".

The original Hebrew word actually is "Sheol", and the original Greek word actually is "Hades". Jehovah's Witnesses readily acknowledge that it is appropriate (but confusing to most) to translate either word to the English word "hell". However, the vast majority are unaware that the Old English word "hell" referred merely to "underground" rather than to any fiery place of torment. The bible actually teaches that the terms "Sheol", "Hades", and "hell" all refer simply to the common grave of mankind (that is, the condition of being dead).

The bible plainly teaches that Jesus himself was in "Hades" (that is, Jesus was simply dead for three days), and that verse discusses Jesus' fulfillment of a prophecy which used the term "Sheol".

(Acts 2:22-33) Jesus the Nazarene... fastened to a stake by the hand of lawless men and did away with. But God resurrected him... David says respecting [Jesus], ‘...you [Father] will not leave my soul in HADES

(Psalm 16:10) For you [Father] will not leave my soul in SHEOL.


The Greek term "Gehenna" is NOT a synonym for "hell" or "grave"; rather "Gehenna" is a synonym for "lake of fire" and "the second death". The bible uses these terms always in connection with death from which there is no hope of resurrection. After Armageddon, God and Christ will resurrect dead humans, thus "emptying" the common grave of mankind. Once "Hades" is emptied for good, both "Hades" and "death" are thrown into "Gehenna" (so that they cannot be "resurrected" and later plague mankind). In other words, humans will then live forever!

(Revelation 20:13-14) Death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. And death and Hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20020715/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20020601/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_07.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20010901/article_02.htm

Answer 2

You need to read more Bibles. The "Jehovah's Witness Bible" is not the only modern English translation that uses the words hades and gehenna. Actually, those are the Greek words that the Bible writers themselves used.

"Hell" is an English translation used in some Bibles, but the way the Bible uses hades and gehenna is not the way most people understand "hell." So it is better to use the Bible's own original words, hades and gehenna.

The "Jehovah's Witness Bible," the New World Translation, is one of the most accurate Bibles you can read. It encourages study and aids understanding of what the Bible is really saying.

Answer 3

The irony with your question is that the NWT bible does not actually "replace" the word 'hell'...it accurately translates the word(s) as it was originally written. The word that most bibles inaccurately translates as 'hell' is actually the Hebrew word she´ohl´ and the Greek word hai´des or gehenna.

The question of " How could every bible in the world be wrong except thiers?" was obviously sarcastic in nature but, ironically, is not far from the truth. Yet even the incorect versions get their translations somewhat correct sometimes:

In the King James Version,she´ohl´ IS also translated 31 times "grave" and 3 times "pit." In the Douay Version she´ohl´ is rendered "hell" 64 times, BUT THEY ALSO RENDER IT "pit" once, and "death" once. These versions illustrates their inconsistencies whereas the NWT at least is consistent with their accuracy.

'GEHENNA appears 12 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, and whereas many translators take the liberty to render it by the word "hell," A NUMBER OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS TRANSLITERATE THE WORD FROM THE GREEK ge´en·na.—Mt 5:22, Ro, Mo, ED, NW, BC (Spanish), NC (Spanish), also the footnotes of Da and RS.

'Hades' is the common transliteration into English of the corresponding Greek word hai´des. It perhaps means "the unseen place." In all, the word "Hades" occurs ten times in the earliest manuscripts of the Christian Greek Scriptures.—Mt 11:23; 16:18; Lu 10:15; 16:23; Ac 2:27, 31; Re 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14.

The King James Version translates hai´des as "hell" in these texts, BUT THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION RENDERS IT HADES," with the exception of Matthew 16:18, where "powers of death" is used, though the footnote reads "gates of Hades." "Hades" rather than "hell" is used in many modern translations.

Answer 4

Depending on what language you speak it is hell, sheol, or hades.
The Valley of Hinnom was used as a place for the disposal of waste matter from the city of Jerusalem. (At Mt 5:30 “rubbish heap.”) Concerning “Gehinnom,” There was a continual fire there to burn the unclean things and the bones of the carcasses. Hence, the judgment of the wicked ones is called parabolically Gehinnom.”
Symbolic of Complete Destruction. It is evident that Jesus used Gehenna as representative of utter destruction resulting from adverse judgment by God, hence with no resurrection to life as a soul being possible. (Mt 10:28; Lu 12:4, 5)

Answer 5

The words "Sheol" in Hebrew and "Hades" and "Gehenna" in Greek have all been translated into "hell" in many English Bibles.

The New World Translation has simply left those words untranslated. Nothing was altered.

Answer 6

The word "hell" is found in many Bible translations. In the same verses other translations read "the grave" "the world of the dead" and so forth. Other Bible simply transliterate the original-language words that are sometimes rendered "hell" that is, they express them with the letters of our alphabet, but leave the words untranslated. What are those words? The Hebrew she'ohl` and its Greek equivalend hai`des, which refer, not to and individual burial place, but to the common grave of dead mankind; also the Greek ge`en-na, which is used as a symbol of eternal destruction. However. both in Christendom and in many non-Christian religions it is taught that hell is a place inhabited by demons and where the wicked , after death, are punished (and some believe that this is with torment)
Much confusion and misunderstanding has been caused through the early translatiors of the Bible persistently rendering the Hebrew Sheol and the Greek Hades and Gehenna by the word hell. The simple transliterations of these words by the translators of the revised editions of the Bible has not sufficed to appreciably clear up this confusion and misconception_ The Encyclopedia Americana (1942), Vol. XIV,p.81.
Translators have allowed their personal beliefs to color their work instead of being consistent in their rendering of the original-language words. FOr example: 1) The King james version rendered she,ohl` as hell, the grave and the pit; hai`des is therein rendered both "hell"and "grave" ; ge`en-na is also translated "hell" 2)todays English version transliterates hai`des as hades and also renderes it as hell and the world of the dead. But besides rendering hell from hai`des it uses that same translation for ge`en-na 3)the jerusalem Bible transliterates hai`des six times, but in other passages it translates it as "hell" and as "the underworld." It also translates ge`en-na as "hell"as it does hai`des in two instances. Thus the exact meanings of the original-language words have been obscured.

Answer 7

Whoever said every bible in the world was wrong but the NWT? JWs us the NWT because it is easier to read, and God's name is replaced. The meanings are the same, just different words. The KJV actually made an addition, this is verified by most bible scholars. I wish you people would research things before you go spouting off at the mouth. The truth can be found in any bible, what do you think the early believers of the JW's used? The NWT was not published until 1950.

Answer 8

If one compares the bible to interlinear one would find the usage of Hades in Greek and Sheol in Hebrew.

(KJV) Acts 2:31 "that his soul was not left in hell."

Greek interlinear "hoti oute egkalelepi() eis hadES"

(NWT) Acts 2:31 "neither was he forsaken in Ha´des."

In this example the NWT seems to be more on par with the original wording then the KJV.

Answer 9

It really doesn't matter what word is used, the word "sheol" is the original Hebrew and the word Gehenna is the original Greek. Hell is the trasnlation into the KJV and orher versions use Hades. What word is used is not important, but the concept as is taught in the Bible of what Hell (Sheol, Gehenna, Hades etc) really is.

Answer 10

Many answered your question, including those who are not Witnesses. Despite the fact that as usual people looked upon this as a golden opportunity to repeat the mantras: “they’re a cult,” “they changed the Bible to match their theology,” and “the NWT is a neutered satanic translation,” I hope you were able to see the meaning of the original terms which those who responded tried to share with you.

As for Hell, I invite you to read Acts 2:31 in the King James Version where it very specifically states that when Jesus died, he went to Hell. If I may direct your attention to two things:

First, he went to Hell. If Hell is a place of torment and fire as punishment for unrepentant sinners, why would the sinless, perfect Jesus go there? Some say to preach to the bad people. To what end? Don’t people teach that God assigns people to Hell for eternal punishment and torment? Why go preach to them if they’ve already been assigned that fire and brimstone punishment forever?

Notice the second thing: the verse plainly states that God resurrected Jesus from Hell. Only dead people need a resurrection. The people in Hell are dead. No conscious thought, no feelings, no nothing.

Hannah J Paul