Jehovah's Witnesses: How many true Gods there are according to John 17:3?

Question

Can you please write to me what the New World Translation says in John 17:3?

This question is not only for JWs, but since they have the NWT, I addressed this question to them

Could you please write the verse for me from John 17:3.

JR, thanks for the verse : )

Keiichi..I disagree, and the questions are here for the reason

Answer 1

One true God, who name is Jehovah.

John 17:3 (New World Translation)
This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.

Answer 2

Most translations at John 17:3 use the expression “the only true God” with reference to the Father. One reads “who alone art truly God.”

He cannot be “the only true God,” the one “who alone is truly God,” if there are two others, as the Trinity teaches, who are God to the same degree as he is, can he? Any others referred to as “gods” must be either false or merely a reflection of the true God.)

John 17:1 says: "Jesus spoke these things, and, raising his eyes to heaven, he said: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your son, that your son may glorify you." If Jesus was God, that means he was praying to himself doesn't it?

Then in verse 2, he says: "according as you have given him authority over all flesh, that, as regards the whole [number] whom you have given him, he may give them everlasting life." How can God give himself authority over all flesh if he already has it?

I see from your other questions that you are interested in the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses. I would encourage you to have a free home Bible study with them as this would no doubt prove beneficial. Or simply visit their web site to learn more.

All the best.

Answer 3

The only Scripture which refers to "the only true God" makes it incredibly obvious that Jesus is a person distinct from "the only true God"!

(John 17:3) This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.

Since Jesus (the Son) was "sent forth" on an assignment from "the only true God", the two cannot be the same person. Interestingly, the verse even teaches that God is superior to Jesus (since Jesus the Son directs prayer to and performs the work assigned by God the Father).


Meanwhile, it is sad when anti-Witnesses imply that Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus to be "false".

None of the Scriptures which have been translated to refer to Jehovah as "true" actually uses a term which is strictly an antonym of "false". Instead, in both Hebrew and Greek the terms convey the sense of being an "absolute" or "genuine" god in comparison with other so-called "gods". Almighty Jehovah has no peer among so-called "gods" such as Baal and Molech, Zeus and Jupiter.

Interestingly, the Scriptures nine times refer to Jehovah as "the true Lord". Yet the word "lord" is used dozens of times in reference to kings, dignitaries, masters, angels, and (of course) Jesus Christ. Would this questioner pretend that all of these "lords" must be "false" or else also be part of a single mysterious multi-personalitied "true Lord"?

Learn more:
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20050422/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/200602b/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19990208/article_03.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20040122/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20050422/article_03.htm

http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_04.htm

Answer 4

This scripture clearly shows how Jesus is NOT God because here the Father ALONE is not only very clearly identified as the only true God, but Jesus Christ is again pointedly and specifically EXCLUDED from that identification ("AND Jesus Christ whom YOU [the only true God] have sent").


For God to say at John 17:3 that he is the TRUE God does not demand that ALL others called `god' or `gods' are FALSE gods as a few trinitarian apologists imply. The inspired scriptures when speaking of FAITHFUL angels, prophets, God-appointed judges, kings, and magistrates clearly calls them "gods" on occasion. These are called "gods" in the sense of faithful servants of God, representing the true God.

If we should see, for example, someone being called the `TRUE prophet', that should mean that the person so described is TRULY a prophet. In either case this certainly does not have to mean that all other prophets must be FALSE. Even if it was said that this one was the "ONLY true Prophet," we would probably consider him the ONLY prophet in the HIGHEST of the word, but that still would not make ALL other prophets of God FALSE prophets.

At John 17:1, 3 Jesus prays to the Father: "FATHER, .... this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." - New International Version (NIV). Here the Father ALONE is not only very clearly identified as the only true God, but Jesus Christ is again pointedly and specifically EXCLUDED from that identification ("AND Jesus Christ whom YOU [the only true God] have sent").

Notice how this respected trinitarian Bible has rendered John 17:1, 3 - "FATHER,....This is eternal life: to know thee WHO ALONE art truly God, AND Jesus Christ whom THOU hast sent." - New English Bible (NEB).

So, the title "the TRUE God" does not have to mean that there are no others who may be called "gods" or "a god" in a subordinate but righteous sense. It is, however, an EXCLUSIVE title for God, the Most High, only true God, Jehovah. And clearly it refers EXCLUSIVELY to the FATHER. No one else is the God or the True God. (Compare Ps. 86:10; 2 Kings 19:19; Is. 37:16.)" -RDB

Answer 5

B4 I even read it, I already know the answer.
There is Only One True God.
But I will go read.
brb..
O.K. John 17:3:
"This means everlasting life
their taking in knowledge of you,
the one true God,
and of the one whom you sent forth,
Jesus Christ."

17:1 tells us right off the bat whom it is that is speaking;
"Jesus spoke these things, and,
raising his eyes to heaven, he said:
"Father,
the hour has come;
glorify your son,
that your son may glorify you,"
As I stated at the start; One True God.

Jesus is truly a god.
The only-begotten god.
Even Satan the Devil is a god.
But neither 1 of them is "The One True God."
Or "The God."

And again, these Scriptures clearly identify 2,
that's two Separate individuals.
Otherwise Jesus & God
are fruity then a bowl of cereal from California!

Plus! (I'm so excited) Plus!
The fact that Jesus "raised his eyes to heaven"
means " 'That's Where God Was',
While Jesus was here on earth."
He {Jesus} was 'Talking' To his Father & God.
That would be the 'why' he raised his eyes to heaven.
That's where God was, & Jesus was speaking to him.
So he looked towards Him.

Answer 6

ON THE BRAIN, ON THE BRAIN, YOU KNOW YOU WOULD MAKE A good Jehovah's Witness, because you have Jehovah on the BRAIN 24 hours a day, but you would have to change from "negative thinking to positive thinking"

The answer to your complicated question is "one"

King James Bible: John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

New World Translation: This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.

Believe both translations say the same thing. "there is only ont true God."

Answer 7

Bill, a very good point you got there. I must say they have a whole lot of knowledge. I am taking studies (just new to it) and I anticipate the time when my knowledge is sooooo great that I can give extra ordinary answer's! Nina, with your knowledge are you going to pass into the city gates as in Revelation's say? That means your robe is watched clean because of your knowledge?

Answer 8

According to Jesus' words at John 17:3, in prayer to his heavenly father, there is only one true God. In the King James Version: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

Jesus makes an interesting distinction between the only true God and himself. Of course, Jesus says absolutely nothing here about the existence of other gods. He does, however, refer to other gods elsewhere. And those other gods are neither false gods nor the true God. They are representatives.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 9

Jesus said in that scripture that everlasting life meant taking in knowledge of " the ONLY true God" Jehovah!

Answer 10

Thank you sooo much for saying and thinking and writing and puting online for 100s and maybe 1000s of people, God's name Jehovah.