Hi i've noticed in one of the posts that the JW Bible put Gods name into the new testament,and that it shouldn't be there. I admit that i'm not the brightest pebble on the beach, but when i was studying they told me that the name Jehovah was restored to where it was originally and that the NWT was the most accurately translated Bible around. Just wondering how they have got away with doing that if they have blatantly inserted it where it bible scholars would immediately see it shouldn't be?Also is there any such thing as the most accurate Bible translation cos i'd like to try reading it my myself(without the aid of watchtower publications), but don't know now if i can trust NWT or not. Am now wondering if John1:1 is correct translation or not as well now.Thanks
JEHOVAH'S NAME IN NEW TESTAMENT
by dobbie 6 Replies latest watchtower bible
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jwfacts
There is some information about the word Jehovah at http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/Jehovah.htm
A bible scholar wrote a theory that the word Jehovah may have been in original documents. The Watchtower quotes this theory as justification. A second justification is that some Jewish bible versions of the 1200's put YHWH into the NT. However this was a thousand years after Jesus, so they were using the same theorising as the JWs do. Interestingly these Jews apparantly believed the Trinity and included YHWH in different places to JWs in order to show Jesus is YHWH.
What this spurious addition does is undermine the entire Bible. If the word Jehovah has been removed from the New Testament what else has been changed? Since not a single NT document has been found with the Tetragrammaton in it, how much else is different in the "original documents" that were removed.
Putting the word Jehovah into the NT significantly changes the message of the NT. It means that salvation does not come from using the literal word Jehovah, and does away with needing to be called a Jehovah's Witness for salvation. It is also why Christians focus on Christ whereas JWs focus on Jehovah.
This subject really hightlights the power of mind control, that we didn't even question such a serious and spurious addition to the bible.
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dobbie
jwfacts thanks so much for the information have looked it up,it's very interesting and will do so again tomorrow when i am not half asleep!I can't believe i went along like a meek sheep believing everything just because its what they told me-i feel so stupid!If Jesus did'nt use the divine name then jws certainly shouldn't surely-wouldn't that be a big sin or blasphemy?Just know i won't be able to sleep now my head's spinning with it all yet again!
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Narkissos
Welcome dobbie,
I will add only one comment to jwfacts' post:
A second justification is that some Jewish bible versions of the 1200's put YHWH into the NT. However this was a thousand years after Jesus, so they were using the same theorising as the JWs do. Interestingly these Jews apparantly believed the Trinity and included YHWH in different places to JWs in order to show Jesus is YHWH.
The earliest of those "documents" (which are actually Hebrew translations of some or all of the NT texts) is from the late 14th century and contains only a version of Matthew (which is pretty different from the original Greek text). All the rest are modern printed translations (mostly by Trinitarian Christians) from the 16th century onward.
The Jerusalem Bible, for instance, uses Yahweh where it belongs (i.e. in the Old Testament).
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Hellrider
If Jesus did'nt use the divine name then jws certainly shouldn't surely-wouldn't that be a big sin or blasphemy?Just know i won't be able to sleep now my head's spinning with it all yet again!
LoL. And it gets worse, too. In the Lords prayer, Jesus says "Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name" etc. A jw would probably use this as an argument that "aha, so Jesus did use the name Jehovah, and it was removed later by those filthy apostates". In reality, it is quite the opposite. The "hallowed be thy name"-part may actually be a command to not use the name, to not say it out loud (and this is made especially clear by the fact that Jesus never uses it). There is a jewish saying somewhere in jewish religious litterature that is almost identical to the Lords prayer, in which it is clear that the name should not be pronounced. Narkissos knows more about that, ask him.
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elatwra
I like the new king James version because it flows well and it is easy to read while remaining literal(meaning word by word translated from the original).Obviously no translation is perfect. And you are right I would not trust the NWT especially in the rendering of John 1:1. Their translation defies greek grammar and syntax rules(I am greek so I should know)
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Narkissos
Hellrider is probably alluding to the Qaddish, one of the most famous Aramaic prayers of the rabbinical liturgy, the core of which may well date to the 1st century AD:
Heightened and hallowed be his great namein the world he created according to his will.And may he establish his kingdom in your life and in your days
and in the life of all the house of Israel,
very soon and in the coming season.
--And you say: Amen!Blessed, praised and glorified, raised, lifted up and revered, exalted and lauded be the name of him who is Holy, blessed be He!
Although he is high above all blessings, hymns, praised and solace
uttered in (this) world.
--And you say: Amen!May our prayers and the supplications of all Israel
be accepted by our Father, who is in heaven (abuhon di bishemmaya).
--And you say: Amen!May there be abundant peace from Heaven
and life for us and all Israel.
--And you say: Amen!May he who makes peace in the heights make peace for us and all Israel!
--And you say: Amen!While this does not imply that "sanctifying God's name" means not pronouncing it, it certainly shows that it is considered compatible with not pronouncing it.