Why change the original New World Translation if God told them what to write?

Question

If, as the Watchtower Society claims, they are a prophet from God and are the only one’s to understand God’s word, that they have been led by God to produce the New World Translation, Why do they have to keep changing the "God inspired" translated verses, or re-translating?

Did God tell them the wrong words?

(The Watchtower, July 1, 1973, p. 402

"Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah's organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God's holy spirit or active force. (Zech. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise. To it alone God's Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book. Many persons of the world are very intelligent, capable of understanding complex matters. They can read the Holy Scriptures, but they cannot understand their deep meaning. Yet God's people can comprehend such spiritual things. Why? Not because of special intelligence on their part, but as the apostle Paul declared: "For it is to us God has revealed them through his spirit, for the spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:10) Jesus Christ praised his heavenly Father for 'hiding such things from the wise and intellectual ones but revealing them to babes.' (Matt. 11:25) How very much true Christians appreciate associating with the only organization on earth that understands the 'deep things of God!'")


Hebrews 1:6 from the New World Translation editions in 1950, 1961 and 1970;
"But when He again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: 'And let all God's angels worship him'."

After the last publication in 1970, did God tell them He got it wrong, "please correct these verses"? So, the next year a new translation was produced, that we must assume God was happy with this time, as we still have the same translation, one of the verses changed was;

Hebrews 1:6 Now reads, from the New World Translation edition in 1971 to this day;
“But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him.”

The Watchtower Society, including at least 4 of the original translators, agreed with, and used, the accurate Greek translation of this verse and it was subsequently published in three editions of the New World Translation.

However the Watchtower society was apparently losing so many old members and new converts because of the word "worship" (only God gets worshipped) they had to change the translation yet again, so they did the typically dishonorable thing, again, and in this case, chose the obscure unknown word "obeisance" to complete the deception of new converts and to satisfy the old members.

Now any reference to Christ receiving "worship" is now translated as "do obeisance" but where the same Greek word is used in relation to God it is still translated as "worship"........Go figure??

Answer 1

i agree



it shows they are altering it to get members and make it say what they want

Answer 2

I would say that if everyone would spend as much time actually studying the Bible in order to understand what it really says instead trying to find something to use against certain ones , they would see that the Greek word "obeisance" can also be translated "Worship" After all Most Hebrew and Greek words that can denote worship can also be applied to acts other than worship. However, the context determines in what way the respective words are to be understood.

EXAMPLE one Hebrew term that can denote worship is hish‧ta‧chawah′, which primarily means “bow down” (Pr 12:25), or do obeisance. Whereas such bowing could at times simply be an act of respect or of courteous regard toward another person (Ge 19:1, 2; 33:1-6; 37:9, 10), it could also be an expression of worship, indicating one’s reverence and gratitude to God and submission to his will.

Like i said study and not insults is much more advantageous

Answer 3

You present a straw man argument.



You imply that JWs think/claim that the NWT is inspired by God. JWs do not believe that.



You have failed to present how JWs view "inspired by God" versus "spirit directed." You imply that they are one in the same, when they are not. Even non-JW professed Christians believe that the spirit directs them in their lives, yet they do not claim that all their actions throughout their lives is "inspired by God." If that were the case, they would not have free will, which is essential to Christian theology.



JWs do not claim that the NWT is inspired by God. The second sentence in the Foreword of the 1st edition of the NWT says:

"No translation of these sacred writings [the Bible] into another language, except by the original writers, is inspired."



The last sentence of the first paragraph says:

"From this fact [human errors introduced into the Scriptures by hand copying] arises the need for a fresh translation from time to time, as better understanding of the original languages, now dead, becomes possible and as the light of the truth on the inspired Scriptures becomes brighter."



So with the very first paragraph, we see that:

1) The NWT doesn't claim to be inspired (as you say JWs claim).

2) As understanding advances, new Bible versions are needed (of which translation revisions are a subset).



As for Hebrews 1:6, the Greek word "proskuneo" is used. "Proskuneo" doesn't mean worship per se. It means to render deferential respect to a superior, usually by means of prostration. Depending on the context, it may mean "worship."



If the NWT is biased with this word, then so is every other translation, since they translate it "worship" when directed at God (and sometimes Jesus), yet "pay homage" (or something similar) when directed at puny humans.

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses have never claimed to be prophets and thus like the early apostles and first century christians will correct inaccuracies in understanding if and when God reveals that such is necessary.

Answer 5

So what is your real agenda. Get over it. If you don't believe, then you don't. How can you tell others what they believe. If you don't want to believe that the Jehovah's Witnesses are fed spiritually by the Faithfull and Discreet Salve that Jesus said he would appoint over his domestics when he returned, so be it.

What other organization can say that they are one as Jehovah's Witnesses are with Jesus Christ and his Father Jehovah.

The Witnesses are in over 236 lands, over 100,000 congregations world wide.

The Watch Tower Society has produced literature in 537 languages and calls on the services of more than 2,500 volunteers to assist with translation worldwide



This year a milestone is being reached in that such information is being published in 500 languages, more than 75 percent of which are also available online.



Internationally, among Jehovah’s Witnesses there are presently over 2,500 translators who volunteer their time, their knowledge, and their skill to be sure that a message of hope and peace can reach as many people as possible.



The only way all this and more is abler to be accomplished is by having Jehovah's Holy Spirit with them. They are truly one with Jesus Chirst and his Father, Jehovah.



One thought

At John 17:21, 22, he prayed to God that his disciples “may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, that they also may be in union with us, . . . that they may be one just as we are one.” Was Jesus praying that all his disciples would become a single entity? No, obviously Jesus was praying that they would be united in thought and purpose, as he and God were.—See also 1 Corinthians 1:10.



1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I exhort YOU, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that YOU should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among YOU, but that YOU may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.

Answer 6

because they used johannes greber to help them translate, he was a spiritualist who got the information on correct translation from the spirit realm. the WT society realized later that clearly johannes greber was communing with demons not god and had to change what he had told them i would think.



JWs, google 'johannes greber'

Answer 7

People choose what they want to believe in.



Organized religion is useless, anyway.