New World Translation Errors

by ClassAvenger 75 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  DJ

  Hiya rocketman!

  I think that the question is....if the NWT liked "mighty wind" better...then why did they only translate it as active force once? Either the Hebrew transaltion is mighty wind or Holy Spirit..it seems to me that they chickened out if they realy thought that active force was a better translation. Could you imagine Jesus saying I will send the comforter, the active force.....lol..... I remember one of the very first things that the jw's taught me was that the Holy Spirit was just an active force of Jehovah. I blindly agreed. I betcha..that if I disagreed that they would have showed me Genesis 1:2 in their bible. I really think that is why they put it there. Hey, do you like Elton John????lol. love, dj

  Craig,

  So....whatyda think? If you have been studying Greek, what did you come up with about John 1:1? Thanks for the offer to help me but you may just have bitten off more than you want to chew!! LOL Did anyone here tackle "I AM" as opposed to I have been? Is it ego eimi? That means I am, not I have been, right? Stupid wt...what is with them anyway??? I don't know if the GB is genuinly misled themselves or just misleading others on purpose. I sadly lean toward the earlier now.

  Undis,

  You are such a treasure!!!!! love you guys, dj
• 

  onacruse

  Yeah, I thought it was real funny that they listed TEV and the NEB as if "on the NWT side," when in fact they're very obviously not. Journalistic sleight-of-hand: "Oh, wow, look at that list of all those Bibles that read like the JWs say...I'm convinced!" (and proceeds to gullibly accept it without checking the refs).

  btw, the NEB and TEV renderings of John 1:1 were not included in the three other references I listed above, nor are they, to my knowledge, quoted anywhere in WTS lit. I apologize for not making it clear that I added them to the list because they were referenced in the '91 WT footnote.

  Craig
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  Brummie

  There is a whole list of seldom noticed mistranslations on this site : http://www.truthsearcher.co.uk/

  Click here --> Mistranslations

  Even though my name gets a mention along with Robert Bowmans, I simply did not write any of this article, Rob Bowman wrote it while staying at my house and thats the only connection I have with it, I'm not brainy enough to write such. He is an expert on the NWT.

  Brummie
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  onacruse

  DJ, for many years as a JW I would point out (when anybody was willing to listen ) that the translation "the Word was God" is just as valid, in a purely grammatical sense, as is "the Word was a god." (Funny thing...the bros had no prob with my "heresy" about John 1:1, but when I said "1914 was not the beginning of the time of the end," they went apoplectic LOL). Now, I tend toward "the Word was God," though that rendering is itself misleading to the typical English reader.

  As for John 8:58, you are correct: ego eimi is literally "I am." The WTS asserts that this is to be taken as an "historical present." (See w74 527; w57 127) Basically, sometimes a Greek verb in the present tense can be understood in the past tense. The New American Standard preface includes this comment:

  In regard to the use in Greek of the historical present, the translators recognized that in some contexts the present tense seems more unexpected and unjustified to the English reader that a past tense would have been. But Greek authors frequently used the present tense for the sake of heightened vividness. However, the translators felt that it would be wise to change these historical presents to English past tenses. Therefore verbs marked with as ansterisk represent historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage.

  It's a judgment call of the translator. Most go with "I am" at John 8:58, though Moffatt, Goodspeed, Williams, Beck, and The Living Bible also take it as an historical present ("I existed, was born" etc).

  As with John 1:1, the "way" John 8:58 is translated into English doesn't do justice to the underlying Greek thoughts involved. "Divine nature" of the Word is clearly involved with John 1:1, and "eternal existence" of the Word is clearly involved with John 8:58.

  Craig
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  onacruse

  brummers, that it simply an excellent site! I've bookmarked it.

  Craig (of the "lathering at the mouth" class )
• 

  DJ

  Thank you Craig,

  and, my children thank you, and hopefully my children's children.....lol.. John 8:58 packs a powerful punch that is undeniable. Jesus declared himself to be Yahweh. Which makes perfect sense because of Isa.44:24 and Hebrew's 1:10. We have One Creator who had no help from Mr. Wisdom personified in a literal sense...

  It is very surprising that you didn't get df'd for John 1:1....makes one wonder why? love, dj
• 

  UnDisfellowshipped

  Hi DJ,

  Here are all of the Scriptures that I know of, which Jesus says that He is "I AM":

  Exodus 3:13-15: And Moses said to God, "Behold, I shall come to the sons of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they will say to me, 'What is His Name?' What shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM"; and He said, "You shall say this to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' " And God said to Moses again, "You shall say this to the sons of Israel, 'JEHOVAH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My Name forever, and this is My Memorial from generation to generation."

  Matthew 14:27: But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Have courage! I AM; do not fear."

  Mark 6:50: for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He spoke with them, and said to them, "Have courage! I AM; do not be afraid."

  Mark 13:6: For many will come in My Name, saying, 'I AM,' and they will deceive many.

  Luke 21:8: And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My Name, saying, 'I AM,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.

  John 6:20: But He said to them, "I AM; do not fear."

  John 8:24: Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins."

  John 8:28: Therefore Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and from Myself I do nothing; but just as My Father taught Me, these things I speak.

  John 8:58-59: Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the Temple, having gone through their midst, and so passed by.

  John 13:19: From now on I tell you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe that I AM.

  John 18:3-9: Then Judas, having taken the detachment of soldiers, and attendants from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things coming upon Him, went out and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus said to them, "I AM." And Judas, the one betraying Him, was standing with them. Therefore when He said to them, "I AM," they stepped back and fell to the ground. Then He asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus answered, "I have told you that I AM! Therefore if you seek Me, allow these men to go," so that the word might be fulfilled which He said, "Those whom You have given Me I have lost none."
• 

  UnDisfellowshipped

  The New World Translation versus The Other Bible Translations

  "The Presence of Christ" versus "The Coming of Christ":

  Matthew 24:3:

  New World Translation: While he was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?

  Versus:

  King James Version: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

  New King James Version: Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

  21st Century King James Version: And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world?"

  Modern King James Version: And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?

  English Majority Text Version: And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

  1901 American Standard Version: And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

  New American Standard Bible: As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

  International Standard Version: While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

  New International Version: As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

  Revised Standard Version: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"

  New Revised Standard Version: When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

  Amplified Bible: While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?

  World English Bible: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?"

  1833 Webster Bible: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? and what will be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

  1965 Bible in Basic English: And while he was seated on the Mountain of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Make clear to us, when will these things be? and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?

  Contemporary English Version: Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him in private and asked, "When will this happen? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?"

  1889 Darby Bible: And as he was sitting upon the mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be, and what is the sign of thy coming and the completion of the age?

  1899 Douay-Rheims Bible: And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the consummation of the world?

  Good News Bible: As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him in private. "Tell us when all this will be," they asked, "and what will happen to show that it is the time for your coming and the end of the age."

  GOD'S WORD Translation: As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign that you are coming again, and when will the world come to an end?"

  The Literal Translation of the Holy Bible: And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And, What is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?

  "The Message" Translation: Later as he was sitting on Mount Olives, his disciples approached and asked him, "Tell us, when are these things going to happen? What will be the sign of your coming, that the time's up?"

  1912 Weymouth New Testament: Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?"

  English Standard Version: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"

  Worldwide English New Testament: Jesus was sitting on the hill called the Mount of Olives. The disciples came to him alone. They said, `Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign to show you are coming and that it is the end of this world?'

  Third Millennium Bible: And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world?"

  Holman Christian Standard Bible: While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately and said, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?"

  New Century Version: Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his followers came to be alone with him. They said, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that it is time for you to come again and for this age to end?"

  Analytical-Literal Translation: Then as He is sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately, saying, "Tell us when these [things] will be? And what [is] the sign of Your Arrival and of the conclusion of the age?"
• 

  GermanXJW

  UnDisfellowshipped, you forgot about John 9:8,9:
  
  
  8 Therefore the neighbors and those who formerly used to see he was a beggar began to say: "This is the man that used to sit and beg, is it not?" 9 Some would say: "This is he." Others would say: "Not at all, but he is like him." The man would say:

  "I AM."
• 

  DJ

  good point German.

  Has anyone checked out Philipians 2:6 as far as I can remember the NWT has seizure instead of robbery or grasped, etc..which is ok but why do they have the word "namely" It's there just to add to confusion imo. It isn't in the Greek, obviously. I have to ask myself then why? The only thing I can come up with is that the NWT is purposely written in such a way as to cause confusion in the mind of the reader. It is like that from beginning to end. The word choices are deliberate to obscure truths, imo. I take Phil. 2:5-11 to be very revealing. To me, it clearly states that Jesus was equal to God but He didn't consider it robbery or something to be easily grasped or seized. In the NWT I read that over and over and because of their word choices..I never knew what it meant. Anyone else?