The Problems  with "The New World Translation"

 

The following is a list of problems that we have found with the New world Translation (NWT). We do not claim this list to be complete, nor do we claim that all of the problems are doctrinally critical, but some are. In many instances the meaning of the Bible has been changed by apparently deliberate mistranslations, additions, or omissions. If anyone knows of any errors, mistranslations, loose paraphrases, etc. that we have missed here, please let us know.

The Watchtower Society has said much about their version of the Bible. On page 7 of the 1984 Reference Edition of the New World Translation we find:

As you read this list, please keep in mind what the Watchtower itself said:

"Appreciation of the reliability of the Bible is greatly enhanced when it is realized that, by comparison, there are only very few extant manuscripts of the works of classical secular writers and none of these are original, autograph manuscripts. Though they are only copies made centuries after the death of the authors, present-day scholars accept such late copies as sufficient evidence of the authenticity of the text...Manuscripts and versions of the Greek Christian Scriptures bear UNASSAILABLE TESTIMONY TO THE MARVELOUS PRESERVATION AND ACCURATE TRANSMISSION OF THAT PORTION OF GOD'S WORD." ("Insight on the Scriptures", Vol. 2, pp. 317, 318) 

"If someone deliberately changes or omits part of the contents of the Bible, he is tampering with the inspired Word."("The DIVINE NAME That Will Endure Forever", 1984 pg 5) 

The Greek/English base text that we will be comparing to the JW translation to is the "The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures", this is the Jehovah's Witnesses own interlinear version of the New Testament. The Watchtower explains the purpose of this interlinear as:  

"In this year 1969 at the "Peace on Earth" International Assemblies of Jehovah's Witnesses, there is released to the reading public The Kingdom Interlinear Translation o f the Greek Scriptures. This is a clothbound book of 1,184 pages. The Greek text that it uses is that prepared and published by Westcott and Hort in 1881. Underneath this is printed a literal word for word translation. In the right-hand column alongside on each page is presented the modern day translation as found in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in a revised edition. How ever, in the interlinear literal translation of the Greek the English words are not taken bodily or directly from the New World Translation and placed under the appropriate Greek word. No! But under each Greek word is placed its basic meaning, according to its grammatical construction, whether this agrees literally with the New World Translation or not. What we as Bible students should want is what the original Greek text says. Only by getting this basic meaning can we determine whether the New World Translation or any other Bible translation is right or not." ["The Watchtower" Nov. 15, 1969, pg 692]

        The opening pages of the 1985 "The Kingdom Interlinear" Has this to say about its own purpose: 

"The purpose behind the publishing of The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures is to aid such seekers of truth and life. Its literal interlinear English translation is specially designed to open up to the student of the Sacred Scriptures what the original ko-i-ne' Greek basically or literally says...The word-for-word interlinear translation and the New World Translation are arranged in parallel on the page, so that comparisons can be made between the two readings. Thus, the accuracy of ANY modern translation can be determined....So in many cases the reading in the English word-for-word interlinear translation is not the same as that found in the right-hand column. This helps one to determine what the Greek text actually, basically says. In using these interlinear readings, one will find a greater demand for scrutiny than when reading the parallel flowing translation into English." ["The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures", 1985, p. 5-6] 

The Errors In The NWT Christian Greek Scriptures

Matthew 1:20; 2:13; 2:19; 21:9; 28:2; Mark 11:9; Luke 1:11; 1:38; 2:9 (twice); 2:23; 4:18; 4:19; 5:17; 13:35; 19:38; John 12:13; Acts 5:19; 7:31; 8:26; 8:39; 12:7; 13:11; Romans 11:34; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10 - Greek word "Kuriou" ("of Lord," or "Lord's") mistranslated as "Jehovah's". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 1:22; 1:24; 2:15; 3:3; 21:42; Mark 1:3; 12:11; Luke 1:6; 1:9; 1:15; 1:45; 1:66; 1:76; 2:24; 2:26; 2:39; 3:4; John 1:23; 12:38; Acts 2:20; 2:21; 3:19; 4:26; 5:9; 8:22; 8:25; 9:31; 10:33; 11:21; 12:23; 12:24; 13:10; 13:12; 13:49; 15:35; 15:36; 15:40; 18:25; 19:20; Romans 10:13; 1 Corinthians 10:21; 10:26; 11:32; 16:10; 2 Corinthians 3:17 (twice); 3:18 (twice); 8:21; Ephesians 5:17; 6:4; 6:8; Colossians 1:10; 3:24; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2:13; 3:1; Hebrews 12:5; James 1:7; 4:10; 5:4; 5:10; 5:11 (twice); 5:14; 1 Peter 1:25; 3:12 - Greek word "Kuriou" ("of Lord," or "Lord's") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 4:4; James 2:23 - Greek word "Theou" ("of God," or "God's") mistranslated as "Jehovah's". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 4:7; 4:10; 22:37; Luke 1:16; 1:46; 4:8; 4:12; 10:27; 20:37; Acts 2:25; 8:24; 15:17; Romans 15:11; 1 Corinthians 10:9; 10:22; 2 Corinthians 3:16; Colossians 3:22; Hebrews 8:11; James 3:9; - Greek word "Kurion" ("Lord") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 5:33; Luke 1:17; 2:22; 2:23; Acts 13:2; 14:3; 14:23; 16:15; Romans 12:11; 14:4; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Ephesians 2:21; 5:19; 6:7; Colossians 3:23; 2 Peter 2:11; 3:8; - Greek word "Kurio" ("Lord") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 10:32 (twice); Luke 12:8 (twice); John 6:56; 10:38; 14:10 (three times); 14:11 (twice); 14:20 (three times); 15:4 (three times); 15:5 (twice); 15:6; 15:7; John 17:21 (three times); 17:23 (twice); 17:26; Romans 8:1; 8:2; 8:10; 12:5; 16:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1:30; 15:18; 16:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 12:2; 13:5; Galations 1:22; 2:4; 2:20; 3:28; 5:10; Ephesians 1:1; 1:3; 1:4; 1:11; 2:6; 2:7; 2:10; 2:13; 2:15; 2:21; 2:22; 3:6; 6:1; Philippians 1:1; 3:9; 4:21; Colossians 1:2; Colossians 1:27; 1:28; 2:6; 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:14; 4:16; 5:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:1; 2:10; Philemon :23; 1 Peter 5:10; 5:14; 1 John 1:5; 2:5; 2:6; 2:24; 2:27; 2:28; 3:6; 3:24 (three times); 1 John 4:4 (twice); 4:13 (twice); 4:15 (twice); 4:16 (twice); 5:20; Revelation 14:13 - Greek word "en" ("in") paraphrased as "in union with". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 22:44; 27:10; Mark 5:19; 12:29; 12:30; 12:36; 13:20; Luke 1:25; 1:28; 1:32; 1:58; 1:68; 2:15; 20:42; Acts 2:34; 2:39; 2:47; 3:22; 7:33; 7:49; 12:11; 12:17; 13:47; Romans 4:8; 9:28; 9:29; 12:19; 14:11; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 3:20; 4:4; 4:19; 7:17; 14:21; 16:7; 2 Corinthians 6:17; 6:18; 10:18; Colossians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:6; 2 Timothy 1:18; 2:19 (twice); 4:14; Hebrews 7:21; 8:2; 8:8; 8:9; 8:10; 10:16; 10:30; 12:6; 13:6; James 4:15; 5:15; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:9; Jude :5, 9, 14; Revelation 1:8; 4:11; 18:8; 19:6; 21:22; 22:5; 22:6 - Greek word "Kurios" ("Lord") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Matthew 23:39 - Greek word "Kurios" ("Lord") mistranslated as "Jehovah's". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Mark 5:36; John 3:18; 6:29; 12:36; 14:1 (twice); Romans 10:9; 2 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Peter 1:8 - The English word "exercise" is added with no basis in the Greek text - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 1:12; 3:16; 7:5; 16:9; Romans 10:4; Galations 3:22; 1 Peter 2:6 - The English word "exercising" is added with no basis in the Greek text - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 3:18; Romans 4:3; 2 Corinthians 4:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; Hebrews 4:3 - The English word "exercised" is added with no basis in the Greek text - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 3:18; 3:36; 6:35; 6:40; 11:25; 11:26; 14:12; Romans 10:10 - The English word "exercises" is added with no basis in the Greek text - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 6:45 - Greek word "Theou" ("of God," or "God's") mistranslated as "by Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 8:58 - Greek words "ego eimi" ("I am") mistranslated as "I have been" - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 12:38; Acts 1:24; 4:29; 7:60; Romans 10:16; 11:3; 14:6 (three times); 14:8 (three times); Revelation 11:17; 15:3; Revelation 15:4; 16:7 - Greek word "Kurie" ("to Lord") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 14:14 - Word "me" is omitted - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

John 17:3 - Greek verb "ginoskosin" ("to know, intimately) mistranslated as "taking in knowledge of". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott  (Compare this with the same verb used at Matthew 1:25, which the New World Translation renders sexual "intercourse.")

Acts 2:42 - Greek words "klasei tou artou" ("breaking of the bread") mistranslated as "taking of meals". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Acts 2:46 - Greek words "klontes arton" ("breaking bread") mistranslated as "took meals". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Acts 13:44; 13:48; 16:32; 18:21; 2 Peter 3:12 - Greek word "Theou" ("of God," or "God's") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Acts 16:14 - Greek word "Theon" ("God") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Acts 20:7 - Greek words "klasei arton" ("break bread") mistranslated as "have a meal". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Acts 20:28 - The English word "Son" is added in brackets without any support in the Greek text. - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Romans 4:3; Galations 3:6; Colossians 3:16; James 2:23 - Greek word "Theo" ("God") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

1 Corinthians 10:4 - The Greek phrase, "he petra de en ho Kristos" ("and the rock was Christ") is mistranslated as "and that rock-mass meant the Christ". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

2 Corinthians 1:5 - Greek word "tou" ("of the") mistranslated as "for the". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Philippians 2:9 - The English word "other" is added in brackets with no basis in the Greek text in the 1984 edition of the New World Translation. - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Colossians 1:16 - The English word "other" is added twice in brackets with no basis in the Greek text in the 1961 through 1984 editions of the New World Translation. - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Colossians 1:17 - The English word "other" is added twice in brackets with no basis in the Greek text in the 1961 through 1984 editions of the New World Translation. - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Colossians 1:20 - The English word "other" is added in brackets with no basis in the Greek text in the 1961 through 1984 editions of the New World Translation. - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Colossians 2:9 - Greek word "Theotetos" (Godship) is mistranslated "divine quality" - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

1 Timothy 4:10 - Greek words "panton anthropon" ("of all men") mistranslated as "of all sorts of men". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Titus 2:13 - Greek phrase "Theou kai soteros emon" ("God and Savior of us," or "our God and Savior") mistranslated as "god and of [the] Savior of us". (Note the word "the" added in brackets without any support in the Greek text.) - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Hebrews 2:13; Revelation 4:8 - Greek word "Theos" ("God") mistranslated as "Jehovah". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Hebrews 12:9 - Greek word "pneumaton" ("spirits") paraphrased as "spiritual life". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Hebrews 12:23 - Greek word "pneumasi" ("to spirits") paraphrased as "spiritual lives". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

James 1:12 - Greek word "epeggeilato" (he promised) mistranslated as "Jehovah promised" - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

James 3:9 - Greek word "kai" ("and") mistranslated as "even". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Revelation 5:10 - Greek word "epi" ("on") mistranslated as "over" - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Revelation 19:10 - Greek phrase "he gar marturia Iesou estin to pneuma tes propheteias" ("for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy") mistranslated as "for the bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying." - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Revelation 19:10 - Greek word "Iesou" ("of Jesus," or "Jesus'") mistranslated as "to Jesus." - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott 

Revelation 19:10 - Greek word "pneuma" ("spirit") mistranslated as "what inspires." - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

 

NOTES:

When considering the term "Jehovah" we must consider the following point:

"It seems most unusual to find that the extent manuscripts copies of the original text of the Christian Greek Scriptures do not contain the Devine mane in its full form" ("Aid To Bible Understanding" 1971, p. 886) 

Why, then, is the name [Jehovah, or YHWH] absent from the extant manuscripts of the Christian Greek Scriptures or the so called 'New Testament'? Evidently because by the time those extant copies were made (from the third century C.E. onward) the original text of the writings of the apostles and disciples had been altered. The divine name in the Tetragrammaton form was undoubtedly replaced with 'Kyrios' and 'Ho Theos' by later copyists." ("Aid To Bible Understanding" 1971, p. 887)

"no ancient Greek manuscript that we possess today of the books from Matthew to Revelation contains God's name in full." ("The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever"1984 p. 23)

So we see there is no evidence at all that "YHWH" or "Jehovah" were ever intended to be used in the New Testament - though the Society has packed it with such references in its NWT version of the Bible