The New World Translation (NWT) is a translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. This organization is associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The NWT is controversial because some believe it distorts the meaning of the original biblical texts to support Jehovah’s Witness theology.
Here are some key considerations when evaluating the validity of the NWT:
Translation Methodology
Most Bible translations are done by committees of scholars from various denominations. The NWT, in contrast, was produced by a committee appointed by the Watchtower Society. The committee members’ names were not revealed until 1950, and most did not have formal training in ancient languages. This raises questions about the transparency and qualifications of the translators.
The NWT departs from standard translation practice in a few notable ways. For one, it translates the Hebrew word “Sheol” as “grave” instead of “hell,” downplaying the afterlife. It also adds the name “Jehovah” 237 times in the New Testament, even though the original Greek manuscripts use the words “Lord” (Kyrios) or “God” (Theos). The justification is that Kyrios and Theos substitute for the divine name YHWH. However, there is debate if this is appropriate since New Testament authors were writing in Greek for Greek-speaking audiences. The addition of “Jehovah” relies more on theological interpretation rather than strict translation methodology.
Accuracy and Bias
One of the major criticisms is that the NWT has introduced biased translations to support Jehovah’s Witness doctrine. This is evident in verses about the deity of Christ and the personality of the Holy Spirit.
For example, John 1:1 reads “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (ESV). The NWT renders it as “…the Word was a god.” This translation makes Jesus into a lesser god or divine being, not fully equal with God. However, there are no grammatical grounds for using an indefinite article (“a”) before “God” in the Greek text.
In other instances, the NWT adds words not found in the Greek to make Jesus separate from God. Colossians 1:16-17 says all things were created “by him and for him.” The NWT adds the words “other” and “other things” to make Jesus less than the creator of all. The additions are not warranted by the Greek text (Colossians 1:16-17 ESV).
The NWT is also notably different in verses about the Holy Spirit. It translates references to the Spirit as “it” instead of “he,” downplaying the Spirit’s personhood. It also adds “according to his will” in passages about the Spirit’s work (Romans 8:16, 26-27 NWT). This may reflect the theology of the Watchtower Society, which views the Spirit as an impersonal force rather than a person of the Trinity.
While all translations have an interpretive element, the pattern of bias in the NWT gives reason for caution. It frequently distorts straightforward Greek or Hebrew meanings regarding the nature of Christ and the Trinity.
Use of Extra-Biblical Sources
The New World Translation utilizes extra-biblical sources in questionable ways. Appendixes in the NWT cite Hebrew and Greek dictionaries to argue for translating “Sheol” as “grave” instead of “hell.” However, it selectively quotes sources out of context, failing to represent their full views on the afterlife. It also relies heavily on Johannes Greber’s New Testament translation, even though Watchtower publications elsewhere denounce it as spiritist.
In contrast, most modern translations rely primarily on manuscripts for word meanings rather than dictionaries. They may consider extra-biblical uses to shed light on rare terms, but ultimately defer to context within the Bible itself. The use of Greber’s New Testament translation is also troubling, given its unorthodox origins.
Lack of Peer Acceptance
Unlike major English Bible translations, the New World Translation has not been generally accepted by biblical scholarship. It has received little attention in peer-reviewed academic literature, apart from critiques of its methodology and accuracy. While new translations often face skepticism at first, the NWT has failed to gain credibility even after several decades.
For example, the ecumenical English Standard Version (ESV) was also greeted with suspicion by some when it was first published in 2001. However, through transparency about its translation philosophy and demonstrated accuracy, it has since gone on to become one of the most widely used and trusted English Bibles. The NWT, in contrast, is viewed with suspicion due to its ongoing lack of transparency and biased distortions of religious texts.
Rejection by Other Jehovah’s Witnesses
Perhaps most telling is that even some Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the New World Translation. Former Witnesses cite the NWT’s biases and poor scholarship as one reason for leaving the Watchtower organization. If the translation cannot be fully embraced even by members of its own movement, that raises serious red flags.
Raymond Franz had served in leadership with the Watchtower Society before being ousted and later writing a book critiquing the NWT. He revealed that some on the translation committee had almost no knowledge of biblical languages. He also showed examples of unethical translational manipulation to align with Jehovah’s Witness theology.
The story of Franz and others illustrates that the NWT has credibility issues even among those inside the Watchtower organization. The translation’s poor reputation extends well beyond external critics.
Positive Contributions
While the New World Translation has inaccuracies and transparency problems, it is not without merit. It uses up-to-date manuscript evidence and provides an alternative perspective at points. The appendices also contain useful information about the manuscript sources.
Some Jehovah’s Witnesses appreciate how the NWT avoids archaic language and reads smoothly. While not valid reasons for distorting meaning, modern readability and accessibility are positives. The lack of emphasis on hellfire and the Trinity may also appeal to some readers.
So while the NWT has shortcomings, it is not completely without value. At certain places, it may have legitimate textual arguments or provide an alternative viewpoint. Some of its critiques of Christendom also deserve consideration. Just because it has biases does not mean it contains no truth.
Conclusion
The New World Translation displays a pattern of deliberate distortion to align biblical texts with Watchtower theology, particularly regarding Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It lacks transparency about its methodology and relies on questionable extra-biblical sources. While it provides an alternative perspective, its biases and lack of acceptance among scholars undermine its credibility as an accurate Bible translation.
This does not mean, however, that the NWT is worthless. With discernment, readers can note its useful features while recognizing the need to compare it to more rigorous modern translations. As with any Bible version, the fully validity of the New World Translation remains an open question subject to debate.