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New World Translation
New World Translation
Full nameNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
AbbreviationNWT
NT published1950
Complete Bible
published		1961
Textual basisNT: Westcott & Hort.
OT: Biblia Hebraica.
Translation typeFormal Equivalence with occasional ventures into Dynamic equivalence[1]
CopyrightCopyright 1961 Watchtower Society
Genesis 1:1–3
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of the watery deep; and God's active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters. And God proceeded to say: "Let light come to be." Then there came to be light.
John 3:16
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.
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The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a modern-language translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society for Jehovah's Witnesses in 1961. It is not the first bible to be published by the group, but is their first original translation of ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic biblical texts. As of 2009, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has published more than 159 million copies of the Bible in 74 languages.[2][3]

History

Until the release of the NWT, Jehovah's Witnesses in English-speaking countries generally used the King James Version or American Standard Version of the Bible. In the literature they have produced, Jehovah's Witnesses have quoted liberally from the King James Version and many other translations of the Bible over the years.

According to the publishers, one of the main reasons for producing a new translation was that the majority of existing bible versions in common use employed archaic language. The English language has changed significantly since 1611, when the Authorised (King James) Version was first published, and many words in the KJV are no longer in common use today, or are used in a sense different from that in which the translators intended them.[4] The stated intention was to produce a fresh translation, free of archaisms.

Additionally, over the centuries since the King James Version was produced, more copies of earlier manuscripts of the original texts in the Hebrew and Greek languages have become available. In the publishers' view, better manuscript evidence has made it possible to determine with greater accuracy what the original writers intended, particularly in more obscure passages. Additionally, they feel that certain aspects of the original Hebrew and Greek languages are better understood by linguists today than previously.

In October 1946, the president of the Watch Tower Society, Nathan H. Knorr, proposed a fresh translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Work began on December 2, 1947 when the "New World Bible Translation Committee" was formed. On September 3, 1949, Knorr convened a joint meeting of the board of directors of both the Watch Tower Society's New York and Pennsylvania corporations to announce that work on a modern-language English translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was completed and had been turned over to the Society for printing. It was assigned to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania for publication.

The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures (New Testament) was released at a convention of Jehovah's Witnesses at Yankee Stadium, New York, on August 2, 1950. The translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) was released in five volumes in 1953, 1955, 1957, 1958, and 1960, and the complete New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures was released as a single volume in 1961. Since then, it has undergone minor revisions, with the addition of marginal (cross) references in 1984. These had been included in the six volumes released between 1950 - 1960 but not in the single-volume editions since 1961.[5] The basic layout style much resembles the American Standard Version 1901 edition.

Translators and Editor

The New World Translation was produced by the New World Bible Translation Committee. This committee was originally formed some time in or around 1947 and, according to Nathan Knorr, its members had multinational background.[6] The New World Bible Translation Committee requested that the publisher, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, not publish names of its members.[7][8] Former high ranking Watchtower staffers have proposed their identities[9][10], though the Watchtower organization has never confirmed or denied the details.

Editions and languages

The New World Translation is currently distributed in print editions commonly referred to as "Large Print" (four volumes), "Large Reference", "Regular Pocket-sized Hard Cover", "Regular Pocket-sized Soft Cover", and "Very Small Pocket-sized".[11]

Kingdom Interlinear

The New World Bible Translation Committee included the English text from the NWT in its 1969 and 1985 editions of Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. It also incorporates the the Greek text published by Westcott and Hort in The New Testament in the Original Greek, and a literal word-for-word translation.[12][13]

Non-print editions

Beginning in 1978, NWT's individual Bible books began to be released on audio cassette,[14] with the entire Christian Greek Scriptures released by 1981[15] and the Hebrew Scriptures in three albums released by 1990.[16] By 2008, cassette editions of NWT had been replaced by CD editions in MP3 and audio compact disc in major languages.

In 1983, the English Braille edition of NWT's Christian Greek Scriptures was released;[17] the complete English Braille edition of NWT was released by 1988.[18] NWT editions are now available in several additional Braille scripts[19].

Since 1993, NWT has been included in a computerized research tool, Watchtower Library on CD-ROM, available to baptized Jehovah's Witnesses.[20][21] This replaced an earlier, more limited computerized release of NWT which used Folio View software and required dozens of floppy disks.

Beginning in 2006 with the four Gospels, DVD editions in sign language for the deaf, especially American Sign Language, are currently in production.[22]

Since 2007, the full text of the NWT has been available on the Watch Tower Society's official website.

Since 2008, jw.org supports Podcast and other advanced features of AAC, for audio downloads of NWT's Bible books and chapters. Standard MP3 audio downloads of the entire NWT are also available there.

Languages

As of 2009, the NWT has been published in 72 languages.[23] Translation into other languages is based on the English text, supplemented by comparison with the Hebrew and Greek.[24]

The complete translation the Holy Scriptures is available in Afrikaans, Albanian, Arabic, Cebuano, Chinese (Standard, Simplified, Pinyin), Cibemba, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (also Braille), Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hungarian, Igbo, Iloko, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Macedonian, Malagasy, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (also Braille), Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic and Latin scripts), Sesotho, Shona, Slovakian, Spanish (also Braille), Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tsonga, Tswana, Turkish, Twi, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.

The Christian Greek Scriptures (commonly known as the New Testament) is available in American Sign Language, Amharic, Armenian, Brazilian Sign Language, Bulgarian, Cambodian, Chichewa, Efik, Ewe, Hiligaynon, Italian Braille, Kinyarwanda, Kirghiz, Kirundi, Lingala, Luganda, Myanmar, Ossetic, Samoan, Sepedi, Sinhala, Slovenian, Sranantongo, Thai, and Ukrainian.

Features of the translation

Various editions of the New World Translation have been published. The 1984 reference edition has more than 125,000 cross references, running headings at the top of most pages to assist in locating texts, footnotes about translation decisions, an index, and several appendices further discussing various translation decisions. Some of the footnotes also add transliterations from the original languages. The pronoun "you" is printed in small capitals to indicate plurality, as are some verbs when plurality may be unclear. Square brackets [ ] are added around words that were inserted editorially (double brackets are used to indicate sources considered doubtful).

The standard (not reference) edition is printed in smaller type on thinner paper, lacks the footnotes, and adds a "Bible Topics for Discussion" section that outlines where to find scriptures about various doctrinal points. An even smaller "pocket edition" also lacks the cross-references.

Many of the non-English translations lack the footnotes, and some add footnotes specific to translation into their languages.

There are various appendices in the different editions published, including arguments for various translation decisions, extra data on certain aspects of manuscripts, conversion tables for weights and measures, an agricultural calendar, maps, and diagrams of the tabernacle and temple.

The translators use the terms "Hebrew-Aramaic Scriptures" and "Christian Greek Scriptures" rather than "Old Testament" and "New Testament", saying the use of "testament" was based on a misunderstanding of 2 Corinthians 3:14.[25] When referring to dates in the supplemental material, the abbreviations B.C.E. (before the common era) and C.E. (common era) are used rather than BC and AD.

Verbs indicating continuous or progressive action are consistently rendered as such in English, for example "proceeded to rest" rather than "rested" in Genesis 2:2, or "keep on asking" rather than "ask" at Matthew 7:7.

Critical review

The New World Translation has received both commendation and criticism. In its review of bible translations released from 1955 to 1985, Harper's Bible Dictionary listed the New World Translation as one of the major modern translations.[26]

Translation Committee qualifications

Critics have speculated that the translators of the NWT insisted to remain anonymous because they were not formally qualified for translating the original texts, although other modern translations also have anonymous translation teams.[citation needed] Among the names rumoured as possible translators, none of them has significant academic training in biblical languages.[27] Responding, the Watchtower Society claims that "the particulars of their university or other educational training are not the important thing” and that the translation testifies to their qualification.[28] Academic reviewers of the New World Translation have made statements in favour of the translators. Dr. Bruce Metzger stated for the NWT of the Greek Scriptures: "On the whole, one gains a tolerably good impression of the scholarly equipment of the translators... Some of the translations which are simply indefensible… The introduction of the word "Jehovah" into the New Testament…John 1:1…is not justified despite a lengthy note…the translators have not hesitated to insert four times the word "other" (totally without warrant from the Greek)…in Col[ossians] 1:16f.”[29] However Dr. Metzger also said, "the Jehovah's Witnesses have incorporated in their translation of the New Testament several quite erroneous renderings of the Greek."[29] Similarly, though critical, Samuel Haas, in his review of the first volume of the NWT of the Hebrew Scriptures, stated that “this work indicates a great deal of effort and thought as well as considerable scholarship, it is to be regretted that religious bias was allowed to colour many passages.”[30]. Dr J R Mantey in reference to the NWT of John 1:1 said it is "a shocking mistranslation. Obsolete and incorrect. It is neither scholarly nor reasonable to translate John 1:1 'The Word was a god.'" On the NWT New Testament, commentator Alexander Thomson writes, “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,”[31]. Thomson had no formal training in either Greek or Hebrew and worked for a bank in Scotland. Croft (1988:1-2) , and the Greek scholar Dr. Edgar J. Goodspeed wrote in a letter to the Watchtower Society, “I am [...] much pleased with the free, frank, and vigorous translation. It exhibits a vast array of sound serious learning, as I can testify.”[32]On the question whether the NWT can be be recommended to the general public Goodspeed replied : "No,I'm afraid I could not do that. The grammer is regrettable . Be careful on the grammer. Be sure you have that right."(Cetnar & Cetnar,1983:58 )

Linguistic and theological review

Various critics have accused the translators of rendering the NWT to conform "to their own preconceived and unbiblical theology."[33] To support a view of theology overriding appropriate translation, Drs. John Ankerberg and John Weldon cite several examples, such as the NWT's use of "for all time" in Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is reserved for men to die once for all time, but after this a judgment.” Ankerberg and Weldon cite Dr. Julius Mantey on this text as saying, “Heb. 9:27, which without any grounds for it in the Greek, is mistranslated in the J. W. Translation… the phrase “for all time” was inserted in the former versions without any basis in the original for it.”[34]

The translation includes the name Jehovah over 200 times in the New Testament as a substitute for references to God, when in the original Greek and Hebrew the name Jehovah was never used.[35] The basis offered by the translating body departs significantly from their relatively thorough methodology, stating that since the name Jehovah was used liberally in the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament, it can be assumed that the lack of references to Jehovah in the New Testament were an oversight on the part of the ancient manuscript writers.[36]

Dr. William Barclay concluded that "the deliberate distortion of truth by this sect is seen in the New Testament translation…. It is abundantly clear that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest."[37]

In 2003 Jason BeDuhn, associate professor of religious studies at Northern Arizona University in the United States, published a 200-page study of nine of “the Bibles most widely in use in the English-speaking world,” including the New American Bible, The King James Bible and The New International Version. His study examined several passages of Scripture that are controversial, where “bias is most likely to interfere with translation”. For each passage, he compared the Greek text with the renderings of each English translation, and he looked for biased attempts to change the meaning. BeDuhn states that the general public and many Bible scholars assume that the differences in the New World Translation (NW) are due to religious bias on the part of its translators. However, he states: “Most of the differences are due to the greater accuracy of the NW as a literal, conservative translation.” While BeDuhn disagrees with certain renderings of the New World Translation, he says that this version “emerges as the most accurate of the translations compared,” calling it a “remarkably good” translation.[38]

Edgar J. Goodspeed, translator of the Greek “New Testament” in An American Translation, wrote in a letter dated December 8, 1950: “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.”

Greek scholar Dr. Rijkel ten Kate notes in reference to the NWT that in rendering different Greek words (bre′phos, pai‧di′on, and pais) employed to describe the successive stages of Jesus’ growth “that there is actually one Dutch Bible in which the different use of the three Greek words bre′phos, pai‧di′on, and pais is rightly taken into account,” after having previously reviewed other Dutch translations and concluded that “not one Dutch translation has rendered this adequately, that is to say, completely in harmony with the original text.”[39]

Professor Benjamin Kedar[1], a Hebrew scholar in Israel, said in 1989: “In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translations, I often refer to the English edition of what is known as the New World Translation. In so doing, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible.”

Bruce Metzger cites NWT renderings as instances of translating to support doctrine. He references the NWT’s comma placement at Luke 23:43 as “In the interest of supporting the doctrine of "soul sleep" held by Jehovah’s Witnesses.”[40] Another example Metzger offers is the insertion of the word “other” four times in Colossians chapter 1 “thus making Paul say that Jesus Christ is one among ‘other’ created things.” Of this insertion, Metzger states it is “In the interest of providing support of [Jehovah’s Witnesses’] Unitarianism” and that the insertion is “totally without warrant from the Greek”.[41] Dr. Jason BeDuhn disagrees on this point by stating “‘Other’ is implied by ‘all,’ and the NW simply makes what is implicit explicit.”[42] Dr. Bruce Metzger characterizes the NWT’s use of “Jehovah” in the New Testament as an “introduction.” He writes, “The introduction of the word ‘Jehovah’ into the New Testament text, in spite of much ingenuity in an argument filled with a considerable amount of irrelevant material (pp. 10–25), is a plain piece of special pleading.”[43]

Reachout Trust writer Tony Piper concludes it is not a "faithful translation of the Scriptures…", giving as examples Acts 2:42, 46 and 20:7, 11 and he objects that “the NWT translates it to read that the church simply shared meals together” rather than using the phrase “breaking of bread [...] to disguise the fact that the early church celebrated the Lord's Supper more than once a year.” [44]

Charles Francis Potter has stated about the NWT: "Apart from a few semantic peculiarities like translating the Greek word stauros, as "stake" instead of "cross," and the often startling use of the colloquial and the vernacular, the anonymous translators have certainly rendered the best manuscript texts, both Greek and Hebrew, with scholarly ability and acumen."[45]

Regarding the NWT’s use of English, Dr. Harold H. Rowley is critical of what he calls “wooden literalism” and “harsh construction.” He characterizes these as “an insult to the Word of God” and offers a few sample renderings from Genesis. Specifically he cites Genesis 15:5, 4:13, 6:3, 18:20, 4:8, 19:22, 24:32 and 24:66. Rowley concludes these criticisms by writing, “From beginning to end this volume is a shining example of how the Bible should not be translated.”[46]

Hebrew and Greek scholar Alexander Thomson wrote: “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. ... We heartily recommend the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, published in 1950 by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.”[47]

Thomas Winter considers the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (part of the NWT project) as “highly useful” toward mastery of biblical Greek.[48] Winter relates that the translation "is thoroughly up-to-date and consistently accurate.”[49]

Case study of translation

One of the NWT's most controversial passages is John 1:1. The King James Version translation renders this verse:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[50]

The New World Translation renders the same verse:

In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.

[51]

The NWT's rendering is considered by many as a change to agree with the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses. Some reference books argue strongly that the Greek text must be translated, “The Word was God”, however not all agree. In his article, “Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15:39 and John 1:1”, Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John 1:1,

“with an anarthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of theos.”

He suggests:

“Perhaps the clause could be translated, ‘the Word had the same nature as God.’” (Journal of Biblical Literature, 1973, pp. 85, 87)

The absence of the definite article (ho) in the second occurrence of the word theos before the verb in the sentence in Greek is considered significant. Translators who insist on rendering John 1:1, “The Word was God,” do not hesitate to use the indefinite article (a, an) in their rendering of other passages where a singular anarthrous predicate noun occurs before the verb. Thus at John 6:70, The Jerusalem Bible and King James both refer to Judas Iscariot as “a devil,” and at John 9:17 they describe Jesus as “a prophet.”

Of the NWT’s rendering “…and the Word was a god” at John 1:1, Metzger states it “is not justifiable” and “entirely in accord with the Arian theology of the sect.”[29]

Dr. Jason BeDuhn, states of the NWT that its “translation of John 1:1 is superior to” the other translations he considered. He continues, “It may well be that the NW translators came to the task of translating John 1:1 with as much bias as the other translators did. It just so happens that their bias corresponds in this case to a more accurate translation of the Greek. ... The NW translation of John 1:1 is superior to that of the other eight translations we are comparing. I do not think it is the best possible translation for a modern English reader; but at least it breaks with the KJV tradition followed by all the others, and it does so in the right direction by paying attention to how Greek grammar and syntax actually work.”[52]

Several other bible translations render John 1:1 in a similar manner:

  • 1808 “and the word was a god” - The New Testament, in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Archbishop Newcome’s New Translation: With a Corrected Text, London.
  • 1864 “and a god was the Word” - The Emphatic Diaglott (J21,interlinear reading), by Benjamin Wilson, New York and London.
  • 1935 “and the Word was divine” - The Bible—An American Translation, by J. M. P. Smith and E. J. Goodspeed, Chicago.
  • 1978 “and godlike sort was the Logos" - Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Johannes Schneider, Berlin.

John 1:1 is more fully discussed in its own Wikipedia article.

References

  1. ^ Jason David Beduhn, Truth in Translation - Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament...Also see All Scripture Is Inspired by God and Beneficial published in 1990 pg. 326 pars. 32-33 Study Number 7—The Bible in Modern Times: New World Translation A Literal Translation....This requires an almost word-for-word correspondency between the rendering in English and the Hebrew and Greek texts...the degree of literalness should be as high as the original-language idiom permits... There have been occasional departures from the literal text, for the purpose of conveying in understandable terms the difficult Hebrew or Greek idioms. However, in the reference edition of the New World Translation, these have been called to the reader’s attention by means of footnotes that give the literal rendering.
  2. ^ "Membership and Publishing Statistics", JW-Media.org, Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2009-04-10, "Since 1926, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has published more than 159 million copies of the Bible in 74 languages."
  3. ^ "How Can You Choose a Good Bible Translation?", The Watchtower, May 1, 2008, page 22, "The New World Translation has been printed in whole or in part in more than 60 languages, with a total printing of more than 145,000,000 copies!"
  4. ^ http://www.pronetisp.net/~diana/wcm.html list of KJV words and their modern meanings or counterparts.
  5. ^ Foreword, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984.
  6. ^ New York Times August 3, 1950 p. 19
  7. ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1950, p. 320
  8. ^ Walsh vs Honorable James Latham, Court of Session Scotland, 1954, cross examination of Frederick Franz pp. 90-92 "Q. Well then, which body decides? A. [by Frederick Franz] It is the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania [Corporation] that decides in these matters." (p. 90) "Q. Were you yourself responsible for the translation of the Old Testament? A. [by Frederick Franz] Again I cannot answer that question, in harmony with the gentlemen's agreement made by the Board of Directors and the Translation Committee." (p. 92)
  9. ^ Martin W, Kingdom of the Cults, Expanded Anniversary Edition, October 1997, Bethany House Publishers, p. 123. "While the members of the [NWT] committee have never been identified officially by the Watchtower, many Witnesses who worked at the headquarters during the translation period were fully aware of who the members were. They included Nathan H. Knorr (president of the Society at the time), Frederick W. Franz (who later succeeded Knorr as president), Albert D. Schroeder, George Gangas, and Milton Henschel (currently the president)."
  10. ^ Wills T, M.A., A People For His Name - A History of Jehovah's Witnesses and An Evaluation, Lulu, 2006. Originally published in 1967 by Vantage Press. "[Frederick] Franz is a language scholar of no mean ability-he supervised the translation of the Bible from the original languages into the New World Translation, completed in 1961." (p. 253) Of author Tony Wills, the Preface reads "The Author has been intimately associated with Jehovah's Witnesses for many years, close enough to be able to think as one, but never, at the same time, losing his objectivity."
  11. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, published by Jehovah's Witnesses, page 614
  12. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, published 1993 by Jehovah's Witnesses, "Chapter 27: Printing and Distributing God’s Own Sacred Word", page 610
  13. ^ "“Between-the-Lines” Translations of the Bible", The Watchtower, November 15, 1969, page 692
  14. ^ Our Kingdom Ministry, September 1978, page 3
  15. ^ Our Kingdom Ministry, October 1981, page 7
  16. ^ The Watchtower, February 15, 1990, page 32
  17. ^ Our Kingdom Ministry, August 1983, pages 3-4
  18. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, published 1993 by Jehovah's Witnesses, "Chapter 27: Printing and Distributing God’s Own Sacred Word", pages 614-615
  19. ^ Awake!, November, 2007 p. 30
  20. ^ "The Compact Disc—What Is It All About?", Awake!, April 22, 1994, page 23
  21. ^ Our Kingdom Ministry, published by Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, September 2007, page 3
  22. ^ 2007 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, published by Jehovah's Witnesses, pages 21-22
  23. ^ See The Watchtower (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.) May 1, 2009. p.25
  24. ^ Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom (1993) Chap. 27 p. 611, subheading Translation Into Other Languages.
  25. ^ Appendix 7E in the New World Translation reference edition
  26. ^ Robert G. Bratcher, "The English Bible," Harper's Bible Dictionary, Harper & Row, 1985, p. 266
  27. ^ For instance, the formal training of Frederic Franz was concentrated on Latin and classical Greek. According to the 1911-1913 University of Cincinnati transcript for Frederick W. Franz, he did in class 15 hours of Latin, 21 hours of classical Greek, and a single 2-hour credit class in a course titled “The New Testament—A course in grammar and translation.” However, according to A. H. Macmillan, one of the directors of Watchtower organization when the NWT was published, Frederic Franz, in addition to his native tongue of English, was fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and German, conversant in French, and a scholar of Hebrew, Greek, Syrian and Latin (MacMillan AH, Faith on the March, Prentice Hall, 1957, p. 181-182).
  28. ^ The Watchtower, December 15, 1974, p. 768
  29. ^ a b c Metzger, Bruce M, The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp. 150-153. Cite error: The named reference "Metzger" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  30. ^ Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 74, No. 4, (Dec. 1955), p. 283.
  31. ^ Thomson, A., The Differentiator, April 1952, pages 52-57
  32. ^ “Loyally advocating the Word of God,” The Watchtower (15 March, 1982), p. 23.
  33. ^ See Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003, The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, accessible online, which quotes a number of scholars regarding alleged theological bias of the New World Translation.
  34. ^ See Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003, The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, accessible from this site, which quotes a number of scholars regarding alleged theological bias of the New World Translation.
  35. ^ http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0049a.txt
  36. ^ The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever p. 24
  37. ^ Rhodes R, The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions, The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response, Zondervan, 2001, p. 94
  38. ^ BeDuhn, Jason D. Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament, 2004. Beduhn compared the King James, the (New) Revised Standard, the New International, the New American Bible, the New American Standard Bible, the Amplified Bible, the Living Bible, Today's English and the NWT versions in Matthew 28:9, Phillipians 2:6, Colossians 1:15-20, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8, John 8:58, John 1:1.
  39. ^ The Watchtower, April 15, 1995
  40. ^ Metzger, Bruce M, Persistent Problems Confronting Bible Translators, Bibliotheca Sacra / July-September 1993: 279
  41. ^ Metzger, Bruce M, The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp. 150-153.
  42. ^ BeDuhn, Jason D. Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament, 2004: 85
  43. ^ Metzger, Bruce M., The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp. 150-153.
  44. ^ Tony Piper, member of Reachout Trust examines the New World Translation http://www.reachouttrust.org/articles/jw/jwnwt.htm
  45. ^ The faiths men live by, Kessinger Publishing, 1954, 239. ISBN 1425486525.
  46. ^ Rowley, H.H., How Not To Translate the Bible, The Expository Times, 1953; 65; 41
  47. ^ Thomson A, The Differentiator, 1952, 55,57 No. 2, 6
  48. ^ Thomas N. Winter, Review of New World Bible Translation Committee’s The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Classics and Religious Studies Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, April-May 1974: 376. “[S]ince [the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures] short-cuts the mechanical and distracting lexicon-thumbing while presenting an unretouched text, I think it is a legitimate and highly useful aid toward the mastery of koine (and classical) Greek. After examining a copy, I equipped several interested second-year Greek students with it as an auxiliary text. No assignments were made in it: the students, combining their wish to learn Greek with a natural interest in the original of the New Testament, dipped into it on their own. They read the Greek (I strongly recommended reading it aloud), picked up the English more or less subliminally, and ended up improving their Greek. After learning the proper pronunciations, a motivated student could probably learn koine Greek from this source alone…. 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.”
  49. ^ Thomas N. Winter, Review of New World Bible Translation Committee’s The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Classics and Religious Studies Faculty Publications, Classics and Religious Studies Department, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, April-May 1974: 376
  50. ^ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201%20;&version=9;
  51. ^ http://www.watchtower.org/bible/index.htm
  52. ^ BeDuhn, Jason D. Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament, 2004: 125, 133

Further information

Online Edition

Supportive

  • Stafford, Greg: Jehovah's Witnesses Defended. [ISBN 0-9659814-7-9]
  • Furuli, Rolf: The Role of Theology and Bias in Bible Translation: With a special look at the New World Translation of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1999. [ISBN 0-9659814-9-5]
  • Byatt, Anthony and Flemings, Hal (editors): ‘Your Word is Truth’, Essays in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1950, 1953), 2004. [ISBN 0-9506212-6-9]
  • The Coptic Evidence
  • In Defense of the New World Translation

Neutral

Critical

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