John 14:14

InChristAlone

John 14:14, in most translations, says something to the effect of, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." (my emphasis on "Me") The KJV (and relative translations) and the NWT do not have "Me" in it. Most of the translations that keep the word were based on the Westcott and Hort which has the Greek "me", however the KJV doesn't because it was based on the Textus Receptus which does not have the Greek "me". My question is, if the NWT was based on the Westcott and Hort (as so proudly proclaimed in Colwell's rankings), why would it leave out the word "me" to be like the KJV (as so proudly condemned in Colwell's rankings)?

Crazyguy

its called Cherry Picking.

Wonderment

The text challenges both theology perspectives and textual transmission uncertainties. It is not uncommon for Bible translators to ‘cherry pick,’ to use Crazyguy's words, when that happens.

Another matter is that John 16:23 plainly states, "Most truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything, he will give it to you in my name."

If the translator takes into consideration, John 14:13, John 15:16 and John 16:23, he may choose to render the passage as the NWT and KJV have done. There are variants which support both views, though with a greater number of variants favoring having "me" included in the text.

Keep in mind too that trinitarianism won the war against non-trinitarians after Christ's time. Incidentally, there are a good number of textual corruptions introduced by trinitarian efforts in the early centuries A.D.

prologos

so why does the God that can fine-tune the universal constants to many decimal places not get HIS word right?

or is it?

or is he?

glenster

Calling upon Jesus
http://larryhurtado.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/jesus-in-early-christian-prayer/

What I have on it is on pp.6b-10:
http://glenster1.webs.com/gtjbrooklyn6b.htm

Alligator Wisdom

The footnote for John 14:14 in the large reference NWT notes that Jesus said to ask him anything in his name. I used this on several brothers in the congregation to suppport the fact that Jesus can be spoken to on a one to one basis. They couldn't refute this.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously)

Earnest

Some time ago I queried the NWT translation of this verse with the Watchtower Society. They responded :

We thank you for your letter in which you draw to our attention the translation of John 14:14 according to the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. You wonder why the word "me" of the literal word-for-word translation is omitted in the regular rendering of the New World Translation.

The reason for the difference relates to the different Greek versions. Although the Westcott and Hort text, used as the basis for the Kingdom Interlinear, includes the word "me," there are other Greek versions which omit the word. Among these is the Greek text used as the basis of The Emphatic Diaglott, which reads: "If anything you may ask in the name of me, I will do." The Rotherham translation reads: "If anything you shall ask [me] in my name the same I will do." By enclosing the "me" in brackets, Rotherham explains that the word is supplied, suggesting that there is some disagreement as to whether or not it should actually appear in the Greek text. Our prayers, of course, ascend to Jehovah through Jesus Christ. He had already told his disciples in the preceding verse that "whatever it is that you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son." Since the ascension of Jesus to heaven and the outpouring of the holy spirit at Pentecost 33 C.E., holy spirit has been given to individuals on earth through Jesus Christ and, in turn, our prayers ascend to the Father through Jesus Christ. So, while our petitions are just to the Father, we are, in effect, asking Jesus Christ to help us with our spiritual and material needs. So whether a translator wishes to put in the extra "me" or not, the meaning is the same. - Please see also John 15:16; 16:23.

A similar view is taken by many other translators. For example, the footnote, noting the authorities that read "me," is added to the New English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Today's English Version, the Revised Authorised and Weymouth. But they still leave it out of the main text as does the New World Translation. Others that leave "me" out without any explanation include Young's, The Twentieth Century New Testament, Fenton, Darby, Schonfield, The Jerusalem Bible, Barclay and the careful translation by C. B. Williams. Interestingly, although Alford included it in the textual apparatus of his Greek Testament, and showed that the authorities rejecting it were 'relatively late,' yet in the New Testament translation published in 1869, he did not consider it necessary to amend the Authorised Version rendering. So the vital question of context must be considered in addition to all other factors and in this case a large number of translations have taken that as decisive. In Moffatt's translation, which includes "me," this explanation is offered in the Moffatt New Testament Commentary on John, by G. H. C. MacGregor, page 308: "It seems redundant with 'in my name,' and moreover, the only prayer of which this gospel speaks is prayer to the Father in the name and spirit of Christ not prayer to Christ direct."

We trust the above information proves helpful to you and explains why the New World Translation is justified in rendering John 14:14 as it does. We take this opportunity to send you our warm Christian love etc.

Ruby456

I was checking on bible gateway and came to the same conclusion as jehovahs witnesses on this verse. Me is in brackets in westcort and hort's text. i don't think you can fault them on their translation of this particular verse

εαν τι αιτησητε [με] εν τω ονοματι μου τουτο ποιησω

Phizzy

At first that sounds like a very reasonable explanation from the W.T. Thanks for posting it Earnest.

But they are not consistent in this method of translation, they claim that :

" So the vital question of context must be considered in addition to all other factors".

This has not deterred them from offering many a rendering that defies the context.

I think this is just another case of their Theological position influencing the rendering overmuch.

Ruby456

phizzy - lol - I think their theological position is part of the all other factors

John 14:14

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