Why do people say that Jehovah's Witnesses use a different Bible?

Question

Jason David BeDuhn, Ph.D. A historian of religion and culture states: “While it is difficult to quantify this sort of analysis, it can be said the NW[T] emerges as the most accurate of the translations compared.”

So a PHD in history and religion said that the NWT is the most accurate translation of the original manuscripts to date. Look it up on google.

One example: The unique, personal name of God, the Tetragrammaton ("YHWH or JHVH"), is found in Masoretic versions of the Old Testament 6,828 times. MOST ENGLISH translations of the Old Testament follow the standard convention of rendering the Tetragrammaton as "the LORD". The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) differs significantly here from most other English Bibles by consistently rendering the Hebrew Tetragrammaton (divine name) as "Jehovah" in 6,827 instances. In the new testament 146 times. A total of 6973 times.

That is just one example. Others are in John 1:1; Word was a god.

Answer 1

Such critics are 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", 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/na/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020915/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050715/article_02.htm

Answer 2

Firstly, I have to commend you for actually taking the time to do research on Jehovah's Witnesses and topics regarding, instead of most people who really only claim things about us without any hard evidence or truth.

Secondly, the reason why people like to say that we use a different bible is because they actually think that it's a completely different version from what they are used to. A lot of ones use the KJV or some other version, whereas the NWT is just a translation. Version and translation are two completely different words that have two completely different meaning. Check out dictionary.com if you want to know details.

Anyhow, the facts you provided are correct; the NWT is the closest and most accurate translation of the Holy Scriptures. But, unfortunately, most of the people are misled to believe that our bible is different and thus that gives them a sort of excuse to give us grief.

Answer 3

Many people believe in the Trinity even though there is NOT ONE scripture in the Bible that shows a vision, dream, or CLEAR description wherein God is shown as three persons:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Av.EsNEJfNbU03V1CJrLJX_sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071025193959AAcLmDU

Some people claim that Jehovah's Witnesses "change the way John 1:1 is written with "a god" rather than "God" (to) support their doctrine rather than the truth", WHEN IN REALITY the use of "God" for theos (qeoV) in John 1:1c is the phrase that is purposely mistranslated in most Trinitarian-produced Bibles as "God" (without the indefinite article "a").



In many Bibles, the first part of Jn 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word,"
The word "beginning" as used in Jn 1:1 indicates that the Word BEGAN at this time. Jehovah God, the Father alone has always existed. Therefore, the word "beginning" cannot be applied to Him, but only to His creations.

The second part of Jn 1:1 says,"...and the Word was with God,"

The word "with" as is used in Jn 1:1 indicates that the Word was near or by God at this time. God is phrased as A SEPERATE PERSON from the Word in Jn 1:1.

The third part of Jn 1:1 says, "...and the Word was God."

In New Testament Greek, the same word is used for "God" and "a god" which is theos (qeoV). Theos is the Greek word used in the third part of Jn 1:1. So how does one know if "God" or "a god" was meant here?

In New Testament Greek, the language DOES HAVE a definite article ("the"), BUT it DOES NOT HAVE an indefinite article ("a" or an"). At John 1:1, there are two occurrences of theos. The first one has the definite article ("the") but the second one in the third part of Jn 1:1 (the one in question) does not.

The first part of Jn 1:1 indicates that the Word began at this time. And if the third part of Jn 1:1 were interpreted to mean "the" God, then this would contradict the preceding clause of the second part which says that the Word was with God. Yet, the use of "God" for theos (qeoV) in John 1:1c is purposely mistranslated in most Trinitarian-produced Bibles as "God."

Answer 4

Yes, DeBuhn is correct when he says that the American Standard Bible and the NWT are the most accurate. But that is beside the point. What separates the NWT from other translations is that it alters a few extremely significant passages (as DeBuhn points out) in an attempt to erase a doctrine that is clearly delineated in the text.

John 1:1, for example. First year Greek students know that the definite article is omitted from the predicate nominative when the subject of the sentence is ambiguous.

[The names of the four Gospels were matters of tradition. The New Testament was written entirely in Greek. And if the Dead Sea Scrolls, Church Fathers and New Testament are correct, the Septuagint is more accurate than the Masoretic Text.]

Answer 5

People just seek ways to discredit Jehovah's Witnesses. When they tell others that we use a 'different' Bible, they know people are bound to be prejudiced against us even before we open the Bible.

It is nice to see the name 'Jehovah' put back where it belongs, and the NWT is in modern, understandable languages.

Another thing people ignore is that although Jehovah's Witnesses in general prefer the NWT, they do use other Bible translations. I personally have 6 non- NWT translations in different languages that I use when preaching to people in those languages.

Answer 6

It's a matter of opinion.

My opinion is that if you are not reading the Old Testament in Hebrew in the Masoretic text, you're not getting the authenticity of the writings. The same may be said of the New Testament. You should be reading it in Aramaic.

(Yes, I know that everyone thinks that Greek is the original language, but none of the writers were native Greeks except perhaps Luke. All of them had Galilean Aramaic as a first language.)

Answer 7

NOt really sure why people say that...
The question on jeopardy 6 months ago said it all...the answer was "the most accurate bible translation"...the answer?
"What is the New World Translation"

Answer 8

It is a different Bible because the differences in translation alter the meaning. John 1:1 is a perfect example. It is a well-known fact that the Watchtower is an opponent of the Trinity doctrine--though it is in scripture and makes perfect logical sense if you understand who God truly is. However, changing the way John 1:1 is written with "a god" rather than "God" supports their doctrine rather than the truth. It alters the meaning of God -- not just the Bible. It IS a different book.

Answer 9

I am not concerned so much about the bible Jehovah's Witnesses use, as I am about hoping there might be an opportunity to listen and exchange our theology in a non-combative environment about the God who created us that we both love. We both want to live better lives. We both believe helping others is what we are called to do. We both believe our faith is what drives us. I believe you search for truth just like I do.

Answer 10

"So a PHD in history and religion said that the NWT is the most accurate translation of the original manuscripts to date. Look it up on google."

You're misquoting that person. You're also appealing to authority. That's a logical fallacy.