The Peculiar Jehovah’s Witnesses Bible Translation
The Peculiar Jehovah’s Witnesses Bible Translation
This is all taken out of the New World translation of the bible by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1961. the Publisher is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., International bible Students Association, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
This is a commentary on the very subtle difference between the infamous Jehovah Witnesses’ translation of the bible versus the rest of what is commonly called Christianity today. I think this truly will be an interesting comparison and contrast study. This will not cover the entire bible since that would be too encompassing. for this reason I will focus and the scripture verses I suspect will be different. That will be the focus of this study, the bible verses that are different from the rest of trinitarian Christianity. Since it is common knowledge that Jehovah’s Witnesses actually deny the Trinity, these ought to actually be the suspect verses that were changed by Jehovah Witnesses.
John 1:1-18 New world Translation Comparison & Contrast
with Accepted Standard Correct Translations
John 1:1 New World JW Translation
    1 In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
Notice how the Jehovah Witnesses changed the translation from the Old King James Version which states:
John 1:1 KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
This is a comparison and contrast study on the subtle but peculiar changes JW’s made to the bible in contrast to what the Apostle John clearly taught saying “Christ was there in the beginning.” contradicting the JW’s claims Christ was not appointed by God as a sort of intermediary on some kind of temporary mission working for God. No, John says clearly and we know this by reading the teaching out through verse 18 that the great Apostle Evangelist John is claiming that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh visiting mankind as the Son, deity and the Son, a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
      Now notice in verse one of the JW translation which says in the beginning the “word was,”  word is not capitalized, also it says “a god.” These are specific things the Jehovah witnesses did to change the bible. I will not get into whether or not it is the proper translation here or not because that is not the issue. In my opinion, which I believe to be correct and scriptural, all Christians must assume all translators were selected by God, and, God breathed through these translators when they translated the scriptures. We can select a translation we are more comfortable with as longs as the translation adheres to accepted prior Christian standards of translation. We cannot just change it when we feel like it or change it by removing or adding words to certain verses. This is in violation of scripture itself, Revelation 22:18-19.Â
Revelation 22:18-19 KJV
      18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19 NIV
      18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
      So what is it people? The meanings of these two translations are the same. In verse 19 Jesus Christ states as a matter of fact “this book of prophecy,” while also ending verse 19 with “this book.” What does Christ mean when he states ‘this book of prophecy,” and ‘this book?” What book of prophecy is Jesus talking about? What does Jesus mean when he refers to “this book?” Some of you might say Jesus is referring to the book of Revelation only and not the entire bible. This is a common way this is translated through the various commentaries. Lets see if this holds water by following the interpretation to where it is going. Are you aware 95% of the bible is prophecy? So I ask you again what is Christ speaking of when he says “This book of prophecy?” Is Christ speaking of the entire bible or the book of Revelation? It is true that at the beginning years there were separate books on a shelf and they were not one big book that we call the bible today. Are you saying that God was unaware that some day all the books would be combined into one big book?Â
John 1:1 NIV
      In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
      Now notice that the NIV also testifies that the same Word was God, not as the JW states “a god,” as in a false god. I would like to know how the bible can become a false god? I mean really, doesn’t scripture clearly teach we are to be Bereans and show ourselves worthy and protected of false doctrines by the diligent study of God’s words in the scriptures he breathed through the prophets?  Just how does the bible become a false god? It doesn’t, these are lies coming from Satan and the JW’s are preaching another gospel. But let us delve into this deeper and see what else we find. On to verse two.
John 1:2 JW’s New World Translation
2 This was in [the] beginning with God. 3 All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come into existence 4 by means of him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light is shining in the darkness, but the darkness has not overpowered it. 6 There arose a man that was sent forth as a representative of God: his name was John. 7 This [man] came for a witness, in order to bear witness about the light, that people of all sorts might believe through him. 8 He was not that light, but he was meant to bear witness about that light. 9 The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own home, but his own people did not take him in. 12 However, as many as did receive him, to them he gave authority to become God’s children, because they were exercising faith in his name; 13 and they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God.
