Page 6: Adam had to collaborate with and be obedient to the Source of life, his Creator, in order to maintain his life perpetually. - Genesis 1:31; 2:15-17.
Note: The Creator is a plurality of persons.
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Page 6: Man's Creator, Jehovah God, subjected humans to death because they sinned against him, but when doing this he also established a basis for hope.
Note: Jesus Christ is the Creator.
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Page 6: Jesus gained such life in heaven, and his faithful apostles and some others will too. Yet, for most of us who exercise faith in Jesus, everlasting life will be on earth, when Jehovah God has restored the earthly Paradise. - Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:48, 49; 2 Corinthians 5:1.
Correction: Jesus Christ returns with His saints to the earth at Armageddon
Jude 1:14-15 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Page 7: The Bible shows that by means of a resurrection, living forever will also be extended to those who are dead. (John 5:28, 29)
Note: Are you focused on Jesus Christ?
John 5:25 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
Page 7: Many of the mysteries of history might become clear to us when those who experienced them can fill in the details and answer our questions. Think of all the insight on different periods of history that the resurrected ones will supply. - Acts 24:15.
Correction: Former things from sinful human history won't be remembered.
Rev 21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Page 7: For those putting trust in Jehovah and exercising faith in Jesus, prolonging life beyond the limits of time is not just an elusive dream.
Note: True Christians place their trust in Jesus.
Psalms 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Page 7: This is in line with Psalm 68:20, which says: "To Jehovah the Sovereign Lord belongs the ways out from death." - Revelation 21:3, 4.
Note: Do you have Jesus Christ?
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life;
Page 8: Jehovah God knows that in spite of everything, mankind is still capable of showing love. That is why he requires all who want to please him to manifest love to the best of their ability.
Correction: The Father requires everyone to be in love with Jesus.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
Page 8: Many people feel, however, that it is very difficult to love someone whom they cannot see, and we humans cannot see Jehovah God because he is a Spirit. (John 4:24)
Note: Are you abiding in the love of Jesus?
John 15:9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."
Page 9: Thus, we need to take stock of all the good things that God has done for us and to meditate on the wonderful qualities that permeate all that he does. Doing so should enable us to discern the awe-inspiring wisdom and power of our Grand Creator. (Isaiah 45:18)
Note: True Christians discern that Jesus Christ is the wisdom and power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:22-24 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Page 9: Above all, the Bible reveals to us the greatest expression of God's love toward mankind - giving his only-begotten Son to be our Redeemer so that we can be freed from the bondage of sin and death. (Romans 5:8)
Note: The Redeemer is God who created all things by Himself.
Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;"
Page 9: Indeed, the more we learn about our loving Creator, the more we are moved to love him from our heart.
Note: Jesus Christ is the Creator.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Page 10: Therefore, if we want to learn the excelling way of love, we have to put forth serious effort to make our minds over and imitate our loving Creator, rather than follow the selfish ways of people in general. (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:1)
Note: Have you put on the mind of Jesus?
1 Corinthians 2:16 For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
Page 10: Since our heavenly Father sets such a magnificent example for us, we should strive to be kind and helpful to all. By doing so, we can prove ourselves 'sons of our heavenly Father.'
Correction: True Christians prove themselves through sincere faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Page 11: She frankly admits, for example, that she is not able to demonstrate to others how to establish from Bible prophecies and history that the Gentile Times ended in 1914.
Note: The date of 1914 is based on the bogus date of 607 BCE for the destruction of Jerusalem.
Page 11: Learning to feel and to show love toward others is an ongoing process. Doing so requires much effort on our part because we have to work hard to overcome our own imperfections as well as to resist the strong influences of this loveless world.
Correction: True Christians allow God to do the work.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Page 13: Each of us has good reason to plead as did David: "For your name's sake, O Jehovah, you must even forgive my error, for it is considerable." - Psalm 25:11
Note: Jesus Christ can give you eternal forgiveness.
Matthew 9:6 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"; then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
Page 13: There is no doubt that Paul's point involves our learning from God's example, for the next verse continues: "Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children."
Note: Are you focusing in on Jesus Christ?
1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Page 13: But ask yourself, 'Am I doing that? If it is not my nature, am I working in that direction, really striving to imitate God in being forgiving?"
Correction: True Christians allow God to do the work.
Colossians 1:29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
Page 13: Granted, our Christian brothers and sisters are striving to follow Jesus' pattern of love. (John 13:35; 15:12, 13; Galatians 6:2)
Correction: Are you focused on Jesus Christ?
1 Corinthians 16:22-24 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Page 13: They have long worked, and are still working, to abandon ways of thinking, speaking, and acting common to this wicked world. They truly want to manifest the new personality.
Correction: True Christians allow God to do the work.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Page 14: So can we imagine that it would be otherwise today when most true Christians do not have the testimony of the spirit that they are "God's chosen ones, holy and loved"?
Correction: True Christians will have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Page 14: "Bitter jealousy and contentiousness" in the hearts of true Christians? Yes, James' words clearly suggest that such had surfaced in the first-century congregation and will do so today.
Correction: There will false Christians among true Christians trying to enslave you by the law.
Galatians 2:4-5 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Pages 15-16: Similarly, many times it will help us to forgive if we try to be like Jehovah and wisely pass over the offense. (Proverbs 19:11)
Correction: Forgiveness is coupled with repentance.
Luke 17:4 "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."
Page 16: Remember that the apostles had their differences, as when some of them aspired to greater honor. (Mark 10:35-39; Luke 9:46; 22:24-26)
Note: The disciples had not yet been filled with the Holy Spirit.
John 20:22-23 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Page 16: We earlier noted one phase of a cycle: God forgave many sins that we committed in the past, so we should imitate him and forgive our brothers. (Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 43:25)
Correction: Forgiveness is coupled with repentance.
Acts 8:22 "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you."
Page 17: He next stressed that we must avoid stumbling "one of these little ones" and that we should try to recover straying "little ones" so that they do not perish.
Note: In context, those leading children away from Jesus will be condemned.
Matthew 18:6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
Page 17: But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he does not listen to them speak to the congregation.
Note: True Christians will be gathered in the name of Jesus.
Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Page 22: In line with their Scriptural qualifications, they will endeavor "to exhort by the teaching that is healthful and to reprove those who contradict." (Titus 1:9)
Note: True Christians will center their teaching on Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:11-15 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority.
Page 22: Paul mentioned to Timothy that some wrongdoers would in time repent and "come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil." (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
Correction: In context, people who repent are Christians who come back to Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:11-14 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
Page 28: For over a hundred years, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, the legal agency representing Jehovah's Witnesses, has distributed Bibles. Why, though, did Jehovah's Witnesses see the need to produce another version of God's Word?
Answer: To twist the Scriptures according to Greek scholars.
Dr. Julius R. Mantey: The Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) have forgotten entirely what the order of the sentence indicates - that the "Logos" has the same substance, nature, or essence as the Father. To indicate that Jesus was just "a god," the JWs would have to use a completely different construction in the Greek. Christian Research Institute.
Page 28: God's Word can thus be rendered more accurately today than ever before! It was for good reason, then, that the New World Translation Committee was formed to undertake the translation of the Bible into modern-day languages.
Note: The New World Translation Committee was formed to twist the Scriptures.
Dr. Walter Martin: There is not a single Greek scholar in the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. I did everything I could to find out the names of the translating committee of the NWT, and the Watchtower wouldn't tell me a thing. Finally, an ex-JW who knew the committee members personally told me who they were, and the men on that committee could not read New Testament Greek; nor could they read Hebrew; nor did they have any knowledge of systematic theology - except what they had learned from the Watchtower. Christian Research Institute.
Page 28: In 1950 the English-language version of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was published. The title itself was a bold departure from tradition, rejecting the designation of the Bible as made up of "Old" and "New" testaments.
Correction: The apostle Paul disagrees with New World Translation Committee.
2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
Page 28: Just who translated this remarkable Bible? The Watchtower of September 15, 1950, said: "The men who compose the translation committee have indicated their desire ... to remain anonymous, and specifically do not want their names to be published while they are in life or after death."
Note: The New World Translation Committee has been exposed.
The five known members of the New World Translation committee were Chairman Nathan Knorr, Frederick W. Franz, George D. Gangas, Milton G. Henschel, and A.D. Schroeder. With the exception of Franz, none of the committee attended college, and Franz dropped out of the University of Cincinnati after his second year. None of the five men could read New Testament Greek or, for that matter, Hebrew or Aramaic. They "translated" a text they could not actually read. In the words of the late Dr. Edgar Goodspeed, a Greek and Hebrew scholar whose endorsement they sought (and were refused), "their grammar is regrettable." CRI 6/2/93.
Page 29: Millions of readers have done just that and have discovered the New World Translation to be not only readable but scrupulously accurate.
Correction: The New World Translation Committee mistranslated John 1:1.
Dr. Julius R. Mantey: The translation suggested in our Grammar for the disputed passage is, "the Word was deity." Moffatt's rendering is "the Word was divine." William's translation is, "the Word was God Himself." Each translation reflects the dominant idea in the Greek. For, whenever an article does not precede a noun in Greek, that noun can either be considered as emphasizing the character, nature, essence or quality of a person or thing, as theos (God) does in John 1:1, or it can be translated in certain contexts as indefinite, as they have done. But of all the scholars in the world, as far as we know, none have translated this verse as Jehovah's Witnesses have. Portion of letter dated 2/25/83 written to the Watch Tower.
Page 29: Its translators worked from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages, using the best texts available. Unusual care was also exercised to render the ancient text as literally as possible but in language that would readily be understood.
Correction: The New World Translation Committee used poor English such as in Psalm 23:5.
NWT: You arrange before me a table in front of those showing hostility to me. With oil you have greased my head; My cup is well filled.
NKJ: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Page 29: The New World Translation is also quite consistent and uniform in its rendering of key terms. The Greek word psy.khe', for example, was translated "soul" in each of its occurrences. As a result, readers can quickly discern that contrary to religious theories, the soul is not immortal! - Matthew 2:20; Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9; 17:33.
Correction: The Watch Tower ignores Scripture in establishing its theories.
Revelation 6:9-10 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls (psy.khe') of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
Correction: The New World Translation is not uniform with Colossians 3:23-24 as an example.
(NKJ) And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord (ky'rios) and not to men, knowing that from the Lord (ky'rios) you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord (ky'rios) Christ.
(NWT-1970) Whatever YOU are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah (ky'rios), and not to men, for YOU know that it is from Jehovah (ky'rios) YOU will receive the due reward of the inheritance, SLAVE for the Master (ky'rios), Christ.
Page 29: An outstanding feature of the New World Translation involved the restoration of God's name, Jehovah. In ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible, the divine name is represented by four consonants that may be transliterated as YHWH or JHVH. This distinctive name appears nearly 7,000 times in the so-called Old Testament alone. (Exodus 3:15; Psalm 83:18) Clearly, our Creator intended his worshipers both to know and to use that name!
Correction: The apostle Paul wants true Christians to use the name of Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Page 29: Following the death of Jesus' apostles, copyists of the Greek Scriptures began replacing God's personal name with the Greek words Ky'rios (Lord) or Theos' (God).
Correction: The New Testament was written in Greek not Hebrew.
Page 30: The New World Bible Translation Committee took the bold step of using the name Jehovah in both the Hebrew and Greek portions of Scripture. They had a precedent for this in early missionary translations for people in Central America, the South Pacific, and the Orient.
Note: The NWT is not based upon Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.
Page 30: Knowing God's name is critical to coming to know him as a person. (Exodus 34:6, 7) The New World Translation has encouraged millions of readers to use his name!
Correction: It is critical to know Jesus if you want the Father.
John 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
Page 30: At times, though, a translation may have difficulty rendering a verse. The computer research system provides the translator with information on Greek and Hebrew terms and gives access to Watch Tower publications.
Note: The NWT is not based upon ancient manuscripts but on Watch Tower publications.
Page 31: We encourage you to examine it for yourself. You will enjoy numerous special features: clear type, page headings, an index that can help you to locate familiar verses, detailed maps, and fascinating appendix material.
Note: All other translations offer Bibles with the words of Jesus Christ in red ink.
Page 31: More important, you can read this Bible with confidence that it accurately transmits the very sayings of God in your language.
Dr. Julius R. Mantey: I would advise him to get a translation other than the NWT, because ninety nine percent of the Greek scholars of the world are in disagreement with the JWs.