The NEW New World Translation: The Ultimate Modernist Failure.

 

 

As the Watchtower (JWs) Bible and Tract Society produced their revised edition of the New World Translation of the Scriptures, many Christian cult-watchers were horrified to discover that the first eleven verses of John 8 had been completely removed. There have been cries of “who do they think they are!” and “Haven’t they read Revelation 22:19?” However, after some research, I have found that modern translations like the NIV, the NLT use a footnote comment which also suggests that these verses are in doubt! The footnotes claim that “the earliest manuscripts do not have these verses.”

 

The Watchtower translators, who praise Wescott and Hort in their Bible’s preface, have long worshipped at the shrine of Higher Criticism disguised as Theological Academia. Their deliberate rejection of the King James Bible for a translation that deliberately undermines the Deity of Christ, has caused many NT scholars like to pour scorn on them; and yet…

What objection can Christians who extol the virtues of modern Bibles really have? How often we are condescendingly lectured on the value of early manuscripts and textual criticism. Haven’t the Watchtower just been more honest in their translation? Haven’t they just sided more fully with the “experts” who tell us that these verses might not be the word of God? Whilst it is a very disturbing to see verses that you and I have believed, prayed about and trusted in, suddenly erased from the Bible.  This is nothing new.  Dr Jack Moorman, author, Pastor and KJV defender said the following:

“Would it make a difference if you knew that the New Testament of your Modern Bible did not have First and Second Peter? Yet if the total number of missing words were added up this is how much shorter the modern translations are than the King James Version. Is it a cause for concern if in over 175 instances the names of Christ are missing, or if the word “hell” is not found in the Old Testament, or if key doctrinal passages have been diminished? And, the biggest shock of all! Is it possible that the most basic and blatant of all early heresies concerning the Person of Christ has been given a new lease on life in the modern Bibles? …”

“Many have gone over to the new Bibles without realising that much more is involved than the question of modern English. The entire fabric has been affected! The underlying text is substantially different. The philosophy and methodology of the translators is in marked contrast to that of the Authorised Version. The English of the new versions is assumed at first to be easier, but whether it is actually more readable, authoritative, and conducive to meditation, study, and memorization is another matter.” (The Old Heresy Revived-
Dr Jack Moorman.)

 

As you read your “Study” Bible notes that tell you 1 John 5:7 is “a later addition,” and “we must be cautious about building doctrine on the last twelve verses of Mark,” as they may not be inspired. Ask yourself, who is writing the notes? What does he or she believe? Are they even born again? How much do you actually know about them, and yet you are prepared to ditch twelve verses from God’s word on their say so!

As Christians we must rightly condemn the removal of passages from the Bible, yet we must be careful that we do not become hypocrites by endorsing translations that do exactly that!

Paul Jennings.