JW NWT of the Bible

  • Thread starter Thread starter BusterMartin
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
spiderweb said:
Perhaps the evidence is in their translation itself. Because they are anonymous, there is no other information to go on. Anonymous people don’t have credentials, so their credibility is in their work.
Click to expand...
👍👍👍 Exactly what I was thinking. Why are they anonymous? As a member of the church I would want to know the credentials and experience of those men who translated something as important as the Word of God.
 
BusterMartin said:
So, I have a friend who is a Jehovah’s Witness, and we’ve been talking a good deal. When I mentioned that I read (in many places) that the New World Translation of the Bible was translated by 5 people with little to no experience in ancient languages, he asked me what source I could provide for him. He stated that as far as he knows the translation committee members were, and still are, anonymous. Is there a source that states these people that my JW friend might find to be authoritative on this matter?
Click to expand...
JWs have an aversion to higher education. JWs held very dear to the Diaglott Greek-English translation by Benjamin Wilson who was tied up with the Campbellites for a time but he was also on terms with the christadelphian founder John Thomas. Then came the JWs (though not fully JWs at the time) who took that bad translation, now own the copyright, and I believe they used that as a basis for their NWT translation of the NT. The NT is the primary thing they change. The Diaglott is the English vehicle. Higher Education in Greek or Hebrew not required.
 
Darryl_B said:
I know this information because
  1. I have a Diaglott from Benjamin Wilson sitting next to me that belonged to my grand-father a christadalphian dated 1950.
  2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Wilson_%28biblical_scholar%29
  3. I was a christadelphian who used that Diaglott similar to the JWs.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info? I wonder if you can still get the edition? I am going to check. Thanks again. I am always willing to learn something new.🙂

Actually I can. I am researching my options.
 
Does anyone know when the Watchtower begin changing the wording in Jn 1:1? What was their first bible version with the change?

Here is the 1972 “copyrighted” version of Steven Byington’s “the Bible in Living English” with the orthodox translation…noting there were NWT translations prior to this version but I dont know of their translation.

pcsgraphics.net/jwtalks/Visitors/Byington%20Steven%20-%20The%20Bible%20in%20Living%20English.pdf

Peace!!!
 
adf417 said:
Does anyone know when the Watchtower begin changing the wording in Jn 1:1? What was their first bible version with the change?

Here is the 1972 “copyrighted” version of Steven Byington’s “the Bible in Living English” with the orthodox translation…noting there were NWT translations prior to this version but I dont know of their translation.

pcsgraphics.net/jwtalks/Visitors/Byington%20Steven%20-%20The%20Bible%20in%20Living%20English.pdf

Peace!!!
Click to expand...
Apparently, according to a pro-NWT site, the translation goes back to the first edition of the NWT in 1950 (actually the “New World Translation of The Christian Greek Scriptures”). The site mentions the 1950 version and its rendering of the verse:

onlytruegod.org/defense/metzgercolwell.htm
 
Tomdstone said:
Several scholars have said that the NWT is a good translation.
Click to expand...
And 1 out of 5 dentists don’t recommend sugarless gum for their patients that chew gum (probably dating myself here).

Point being if several scholars (I have heard of 2) believe that the NWT is translated correctly and hundreds don’t (I am talking about grammar usage here, not faith issues) who would you go with?

Also, I know ancient Greek and current Greek are different but look at the Greek Orthodox Church. What to they believe based on the “Greek” ? Do they believe Jesus was GOD? worshiped?
 
Tomdstone said:
Why does this passage appear only in the gospel of John and not in the other three gospels?
Click to expand...
I don’t know, but its there. Why does Peter walk on water only in Matthew’s gospel? Are you suggesting that this was a later addition?
 
BusterMartin said:
Thanks for all the replies! This quote here is what I’m questioning…

How does Walter Martin have any credibility when making this claim? What’s his proof? Where does he get his info on this? Can anyone answer those questions?
Click to expand...
Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults—Expanded Anniversary Edition, October 1997, Bethany House Publishers, p. 123-124. “the New World Bible translation committee had no known translators with recognized degrees in Greek or Hebrew exegesis or translation. While the members of the [NWT] committee have never been identified officially by the Watchtower, many Witnesses who worked at the headquarters during the translation period were fully aware of who the members were. They included Nathan H. Knorr (president of the Society at the time), Frederick W. Franz (who later succeeded Knorr as president), Albert D. Schroeder, George Gangas, and Milton Henschel’.”
 
signit said:
Apparently, according to a pro-NWT site, the translation goes back to the first edition of the NWT in 1950 (actually the “New World Translation of The Christian Greek Scriptures”). The site mentions the 1950 version and its rendering of the verse:

onlytruegod.org/defense/metzgercolwell.htm
Click to expand...
Hmmm! Makes one wonder why would the WBTS would ever copyright such an extreme opposite translation AFTER they had already been translating it the “correct” way. 🤷

Not to mention the translation of “Lord” vs “Jehovah”. One would think once you have found THE Holy Name to be “Jehovah” then going back to the usage of “Lord” in a later version would make the name non important or at least make it hard to convince others that is as important as they say it is today. :whacky:

Peace!!!
 
adf417 said:
Hmmm! Makes one wonder why would the WBTS would ever copyright such an extreme opposite translation AFTER they had already been translating it the “correct” way. 🤷

Not to mention the translation of “Lord” vs “Jehovah”. One would think once you have found THE Holy Name to be “Jehovah” then going back to the usage of “Lord” in a later version would make the name non important or at least make it hard to convince others that is as important as they say it is today. :whacky:

Peace!!!
Click to expand...
The Bible in Living English uses “Jehovah.” Another commentator on another site suggests that’s why they copyrighted/distributed it, to lend support for “Jehovah” by showing that another Bible, by someone not of their faith, uses it.
 
signit said:
The Bible in Living English uses “Jehovah.” Another commentator on another site suggests that’s why they copyrighted/distributed it, to lend support for “Jehovah” by showing that another Bible, by someone not of their faith, uses it.
Click to expand...
In the OT yes but not in the NT. The link I provided earlier shows the translation, in the few passages I looked in the NT, as “Lord”.

Peace!!!
 
Logically said:
What credentials and experience did Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have before they wrote the gospels? 😉
At Acts 4:13 the apostles were described by the Pharisees as “uneducated”. - Yet they were used by Jesus to spread the good news of the Kingdom throughout the ancient world. Their works and history proves who was supporting them.
Click to expand...
So… just so we all understand… You are saying that individuals who were uneducated in Hebrew and Greek could have been used/inspired by God to translate the NWT ? :confused:
 
Logically said:
Jesus further prophesied a far greater preaching work that would be taking place in the last days. (Matthew 24:14) I guess it would be the subject of another post as to who is preaching the Kingdom throughout the wold today.
Click to expand...
Yes, and a little before that He also says that many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. That would be an interesting topic also. 😉
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top