Active JW'S - Are YOU "exercising faith?"

by The Fall Guy 14 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  The Fall Guy

  On pages 27 & 28 of the August 2019 Study Watchtower, it perverts the translation of scriptures yet again, in order to drum it into JW's minds that they have to work for their salvation. It says this:

  “On the evening before his death, Jesus told his disciples: “Exercise faith in God; exercise faith also in me.” (John 14:1)

  According to Strong's Lexicon, the Greek word pisteuō is translated thus - “to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in, of the thing believed, to credit, have confidence.”

  These renderings point to a mental acceptance and belief - something which was not felt previously.

  It had nothing to with “exercising faith” in something/someone.
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  minimus

  Good catch to show the new world translation is biased.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Watchtower has argued that the particular construction used (“faith into”; eis) calls for a rendering that emphasises action in addition to belief. A few scholars have made comments which lend some support this idea. As with a lot of criticism of the NWT, it’s far from straightforward that the NWT is tendentious or has got it wrong. Just because the NWT may be unusual in many of its renderings doesn’t mean there is no basis or insight behind their perspective.
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  minimus

  NWT still is biased Slim
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  slimboyfat

  Well there are cases of bias in the NWT, but the examples I would cite are not the usual ones. For instance the 1950 NWT removed most references to “elders” in the New Testament because JW congregations didn’t have elders at that time. In the 2013 revision they put elders back into the text because JWs now have elders.

  Another instance is the use of the word “impale” in the old NWT for the execution of Jesus, an awkward and misleading rendering resulting from their extreme aversion of the words cross and crucify, which has now been abandoned in the 2013 version.
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  blondie

  Back to the topic, unfortunately it is like walking through a minefield when reading the NWT or the RNWT. I found it helpful to use one of those bible verse lists comparing the same scripture in several translations/versions and then the NWT. It can be eye-opening without needing a background in ancient languages.
  
• 

  The Fall Guy

  The Greek word phobos is where the word phobia, meaning 'fear,' comes from.

  Is fear a synonym for 'deep respect?'

  (1 Peter 3:1,2) ….you wives, be in subjection to your husbands, so that if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, 2 because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect. (RNWT)
  

  (1 Peter 3:1,2) Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (NKJV)
  

  It's sad that the “only true religion” on planet earth doesn't have God's spirit guiding them when it comes to translating the Christian Greek scriptures – but Christendom has it! :(
  
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  slimboyfat

  Many translations use “reverence”, or similar. And yes, I can see that fear is connected with respect, depending on the shade of meaning in the context. I am a bit dubious about your method for detecting bias in the NWT, because these don’t appear particularly compelling examples.
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  ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara

  I am so exercising faith that I am running away as fast as I can.Does this count as exercise? You betcha!

  Zing
• 

  The Fall Guy

  "Many translations use reverence or similar."

  That makes them as untrustworthy as the RNWT at translating the Greek word phobos.

  It's nice to see that virtually every translation - except RNWT & Derby - renders Revelation 5:10 thus, "You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth." (not over or above)

  At least they got that right! Even then, "ruling over" doesn't translate as ruling from a location up in the sky.

  Queen Elizabeth rules over the UK, but she doesn't do it from a giant drone or spaceship.

  JW's - check out Rev. 5:10 in the original Greek in your Interlinear Translation, then look at the diagram inside the hard cover.

  Exactly where are the org's kings princes/priests going to serve? (read Psalm 45:16)