by Albert Einstein 118 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
What scriptures would you reccomend, to prove NWT is not reliable?
Please help, I need a reason for my wife to start reading other translation. I want to start chronological reading of NT with her, to show her WTBS is not a mediator for us.
Thanks. :-)
Albert
Search for New World Translation on Youtube. There's a few clips worth-watching on there.
It is good to do a little research on your own by googling; these look interesting and might start you out.
http://www.adam.com.au/bstett/JwNWTScholarly19.htm
http://www.jwfiles.com/inconsistent.htm
As long as your wife believes that the WTS is the "faithful slave" there is no convincing her that the NWT is "unreliable". If a person wants to believe in the narrative the WTS sells about itself, they will pretty much just make excuses for whatever you show them.
Also, be careful what info you get off the net. A number of websites that criticize the NWT are written by christian fundamentalists who many times have arguments that are just as poor (e.g. the KJV is the 'real' inspiried version of the bible, johannine comma should be in the bible, ect)
Hi,
None! Just the Holy Spirit
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Let Him counsel you and teach you spiritual things. Without the Spirit of God scripture does not make any sense.
Don't forget to pray and ask God to send His Spirit to you and your wife too!
Happy reading :)
All the best,
Stephen
Hebrews 1: God, who long ago spoke on many occasions and in many ways to our forefathers by means of the prophets, 2 has at the end of these days s poken to us by means of a Son , whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things.
Pretty conclusive proof that the WTBTS aren't needed, but rather God speaks to us through His Son.
It starts with "In the beginnin, god created. . ." That's all the proof you need it's not accurate.
New World Mistranslations
We need to do what the Watchtower Society ask us to do(The Watchtower, 15 November 1969) and check their English translation with the Greek in the KIT. Below are a few examples of the type of changes we find. The literal Greek of the Society's Kingdom Interlinear Translation (KIT) literal is shown first and underneath the New World Translation (NWT) rendering with changes in bold type.
1 Corinthians 10:4 was the Christ
meant the Christ
Revelation 3:14 beginning of the creation of the God
the beginning of the creation by God
1 John 4:2 the spirit of God
inspired expression from God
John 17:3 that they may be knowing you the only true God
their taking in knowledge of you the only true God
John 1:4 in him life was
by means of him was life
John 13:31 and the God was glorified in him
and God is glorified in connection with him
Hebrews 9:27 it is reserved for men once to die after but this (thing) judgement
it is reserved for men to die once for all time but after this a judgement
Acts 10:36 Jesus Christ: this One is of all (them) Lord
Jesus Christ: this One is Lord of all [others]
Hebrews 12:23 and to spirits of righteous (ones)
and the spiritual lives of righteous ones
Above all, a careful study of the NWT and especially the KIT shows that the Society is guilty of twisting God's Word as the following examples show.
John 1:1
The KIT appendix (pp.1158-60) explains that theos is rendered here as 'a god' because it is 'anarthrous,' that is without the Greek definite article 'o'. This 'principle of translation' should be applied consistently, but is it?
In Mark 12:26-27 the anarthrous theos is rendered twice as 'God' and once as 'a God.' Indeed only 16 times out of 282 occurrences of the anarthrous theos does the NWT render it as 'god,' 'a god,' 'gods,' or 'godly.' This means the Society made up its own rule and then broke it 94 times out of a 100. Colossians 1:27-28 'Union with' are two words, which are added many times in the New Testament but are not in the Greek. The Society will not accept that Jesus can be 'in' us or we can be 'in Christ.' Therefore, they add to God's Word to prevent Jehovah's Witnesses having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. However, John 17:26 shows clearly their inconsistency of translating the Greek phrase 'en autois'.
And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them ( en autois) and I in union with them ( en autois) (NWT).
In the same verse, they translate 'in' and 'in union with' but the Greek is the same. We can have 'God's love' in us but not Jesus Christ. This inconsistency occurs over ninety times in the New Testament. The Society is guilty of inconsistency in translation because of the need to support a specific viewpoint.
Who is the Lord?
In a number of passages, the Watchtower cause confusion by their translation of the Greek word for Lord, kyrios, in all its various forms. We have listed a few below. Acts 7:59-60 - Stephen made appeal and said: "Lord Jesus [ Kyrie Iesou] receive my spirit." Then he cried out with a strong voice: "Jehovah [ Kyrie] do not charge this sin against them."
The second Kyrie translated as Jehovah seeks to divide Jesus from Jehovah. Whilst this suits Watchtower doctrine there is no such distinction in the Greek. Colossians 3:23,24 - Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah [ Kyrio], and not to men, for you know that it is from Jehovah [ Kyrion] you will receive the due reward of the inheritance. Slave for the Master, Christ [ Kyrio Christo]. The first two 'lords' are translated Jehovah but the third as master. It is strange that if we are serving Jehovah we are also to serve (slave for) the Lord Christ, especially when Jesus said it is impossible to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). For Christians there is no problem! Jesus is Lord, just as Yahweh is Lord, they are both God. Therefore, service to the Lord is service to God the Father and Jesus because they are one. Romans 14:8-9 - for both if we live, we live to Jehovah [Kyrio], or if we die, we die to Jehovah [ Kyrio]. Therefore, both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah [ Kyrion]. For to this end Christ died and came to life again, that he might be Lord [ Kyrieuse] over both the dead and the living. In verse 8, the NWT translates Jehovah, but if Jehovah is our Lord whether we live or die, how can Jesus be Lord of the dead and living?
Jesus and the end times
Underlining again the choice of translation by the Watchtower are the following verses.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. The Watchtower use these verses as part of their proof that Jesus is Michael the Archangel but they are very interesting for other reasons. "...because the Lord himself will descend from heaven. . . and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with [the] Lord." These events will take place together, therefore if as the Watchtower believe Jesus returned in 1914 the dead in union with Christ rose and the living were caught away at that time. This however is not in the belief of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
They also use 'Lord' again in these verses and we need to understand that in the KIT the Society quote from a use a number of other Bible translations, with each one given a 'J' number, to help them decide which word to use in translation.
These verses are a classic example of the 'pick and mix' translation of the Watchtower.
In verse 15 the NWT inform us that J7,8,17,18 all have Jehovah and therefore so can they. We are informed about verses 16 & 17 above that J7,8,14 all have Jehovah but they prefer Lord. Why are two of these references right for verse 15 but wrong for verses 16 & 17. Jesus would be called by the name of Jehovah!
http://www.reachouttrust.org/articles/jw/jwnwtexp.htm
The New World Translation
I think the Kingdom Interlinear is helpful. I downloaded it off the Internet. Below are just two comparisons. I would wonder why God chose to leave us in the dark until the NWT came out. Who translated the NWT? What were their qualifications?
Acts 20-28
NWT: Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed YOU overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own (Son).
KIT: Be you paying attention to selves and to all the flock, in which YOU the spirit the put overseers, tobe shepherding the ecclesla of the God, which he reserved for self the blood of the own (one).
NIV: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.KJV: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Colossians 1:16-17
NWT: because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist,
KIT: who is image of the God the invisible, firstborn of all creation, because in him it was created the all (things) in the heavens and upon earth, the (things) visible and the (things) invisible, whether thrones or lordships or governments or authorities: the all (things) through him and into him it has been created;
NIV: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
KJV: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
The organization discourages individuals from reading the bible on their own and independant thinking which is contrary to what the bible teaches.
....some who point out that the organization has had to make some adjustments before, and so they argue: "This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe." This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?
Watchtower, Jan. 15, 1983.
....In Jehovah's organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to that very thing.... ,Watchtower June 1, 1967.
From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah's people those, who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude...They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such 'Bible reading,' they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago... Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981.
Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
1 John 2:2 7As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit - just as it has taught you, remain in him.
