Society's viewpoint of other bibles

by Zico 18 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  TD

  This is just my observation, but it seems to be that the Society (JW's) generally favor those Bible translations that are friendly to their theology. For example, the JW's favor Moffat and Goodspeed for their renderings of John 1:1c and you will occasionally see these translations in Witness homes.

  The JW's actually own the publishing rights to Stephen Byington's translation and apparently hold it in high regard. (Probably for it's use of "Jehovah" possibly coupled his favorable review of the NWT) I've also been told that the JW's attempted to purchase the rights to the Concordant Literal Version probably (And this is more speculation on my part) because the CLV's renderings of most of the traditional trinitarian proof-texts are favorable to JW theology. (But overall, it is one godawful translation if you ask me.)

  One other translation that the JW's hold the publishing rights to is Benjamin Wilson's Emphatic Diaglott, an interlinear that appeals to them because parousia is rendered as "presence." However the last time I checked, the JW's no longer print this work (Or any other interlinear for that matter.)

  The desire to find and promote translations favorably to their theology also has apparently led them astray at times, as their 20 year period of quoting from Johannes Grebers translation of the New Testament is now a source of considerable embarassment today.
• 

  Nathan Natas

  This is my understanding on the WTB&TS's use of various translations, and is subject to correction, as it is just off the top of my head:

  A. Early CTR days - used the King James Version as it was the most commonly used translation in Protestantism.

  B. Late CTR era - used the Emphatic Diaglott for reasons unknown to me. The WTB&TS was not in agreement with the translator of the ED on several doctrinal issues which the translator included in the notes of his translation.

  C. End of CTR era/very early JFR - Used a special edition of the Concordant Version by special arrangement with the publisher of the Concordant (which, btw, is still in business today) JFR summarily stiffed the Concordant organization, breaching their contract, as a way of punishing the Concordant publishers for the defection of F. H. Robison, who accepted the Concordant view of Christian Universalism (everybody gets saved, eventually). Menta Sturgeon and a LOT of Bible Students, especially in Scndinavia, left the Borg, and JFR was torqued. Robison was an officer of the WTB&TS and went to prison along with JFR in 1918.

  D. It seems to me that the major translation used in the 1950s was the American Standard Translation.

  E. The WTB&TS went down into the lab and conjured up the NWT, their "official" Bible.

  F. In my opinion the WTB&TS bought the rights to the Byington Bible with the primary goal of keeping it off the market ( I think it is a special order item). Byington dead was more of a Bible Scholoar than the entire NWT Committee at the height of their power. I bought my byington from eBay. An active JW with a mind for business could set up a little side business selling them there.

  Many people judge the value of a translation by whether or not it says what they want to hear, rather than understanding the intent of the translator. For example, one of the primary intents of the Concordant version was that any greek word shouold be translated THE SAME WAY every time it appears in the text instead of being bent and formed to fit doctrinal preferences. For that reason it has intellectual honesty and value.

  FULL DISCLOSURE CLAUSE: To me personally, the Bible is human literature, not of divine origin equivalent to the Tao Te Ching or Bhagavad Gita as a guide for daily life today.
• 

  TD

  Hi N.N.

  .....one of the primary intents of the Concordant version was that any greek word shouold be translated THE SAME WAY every time it appears in the text

  .....an utterly ridiculous notion.
• 

  TheOldHippie

  TD, you stated that "One other translation that the JW's hold the publishing rights to is Benjamin Wilson's Emphatic Diaglott, an interlinear that appeals to them because parousia is rendered as "presence." However the last time I checked, the JW's no longer print this work (Or any other interlinear for that matter.)"

  Not correct, sorry, but Wilson's Diaglott is available, I got a new one just some months ago, and it was definitely a new printing, white Bible-paper in stead of the older thicker and yellower one.

  As for The Bible In Living English, by Steven Byington, it does not seem to be possible to order any more. But The Holy Bible - 1611 King James Version - and also The Holy Bible - 1901 American Standard Version - can both be ordered, they own the copyright or the printing plates.
• 

  The Dragon

  Who cares what their "viewpoint" is?

  Would you like mine as well?
• 

  Leolaia

  I looked at my copy of the Byington translation the other day. It has odd lexical choices, unconventional spellings, and rather stilted prose -- even in comparison the NWT. It reminded me why I have used it so little since.
• 

  Narkissos

  LOL, I too must have a blue Byington somewhere in a box...

  One amusing thing a friend of mine told me recently: the French WT literature now regularly quotes the Bible translation I worked on after I was df'd (it was published in 2002). I don't know if the current WT translators are unaware of it (my name is on the "credits" page which is seldom read) or equally amused, anyway they do quote a partly "apostate" translation...

  To complete the irony, I have seen the same translation criticised by ultra-fundamentalists (especially textus receptus zealots) on the Internet because "the coordinator of the Translation Committee used to be a JW".
• 

  TheOldHippie

  Nothing beats being caught in crossfire ....................
• 

  A Paduan

  Their bible leaves out whole books - such as "Susannah" that has the story of the 'two witnessess' who were lying