Jehovah's Witnesses Intentional Changes to Sacred Scripture

The Jehovah's Witnesses have their own "Translation" of the Bible. The New World Translation was produced between 1950 and 1961 by a then anonymous committee. Five men were later identified as the producers of the text among which there is a total of two years of formal language study. The New World Bible is not used by any other religious denomination or sect. 

The New American Bible (NAB) is the basis for the Catholic lectionary from which we take the daily readings at Mass. When you hear a reading at Mass in the USA, you are hearing the New American Bible. The King James Version (KJV) and the later New King James Bible (NKJV) are held up by many Evangelicals as the "Real" Bible. The New International Version is generally accepted as a highly readable natural language translation and is widely used through mainstream Protestantism.

Comparing Matthew 26:26 between these Bible translations and versions yields interesting results. (The literal translation from the Greek Interlinear Bible at the site scriptureforall.com is provided for reference to the original Greek)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." (New American Bible)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” (New International Version)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (King James Version)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” (New King James Version)

OF-EATING YET OF-them GETTING THE JESUS THE BREAD AND blessing He-BREAKS AND GAVE to-THE LEARNers AND said BE-GETTING BE-EATING this IS THE BODY OF ME. (Online Greek Interlinear)

As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “TAKE, eat. This means my body.” (Jehovah's Witness New World Translation)

The original Greek agrees with both the most widely used Protestant translations as well as the Bible used by Catholics at Mass. All four render Jesus words as "This is my body" but the Jehovah's Witnesses butchering of the text reads "This means my body."

Another intentional modification of scripture by Jehovah's Witnesses can be seen in the very first verse of the Gospel of John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (New American Bible)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (King James Version)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (New King James Version)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (New International Version)

IN ORIGINal WAS THE saying (word) AND THE saying (word) WAS TOWARD THE God AND God WAS THE saying (word). (Online Greek Interlinear)

In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. (Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation)

Note as well that God is not capitalized in the Jehovah's Witness version and Jesus is called "A" god instead of "Was" , an allusion (at a minimum) to the Jehovah's Witnesses belief that Jesus Christ is not equal to God.

It is an historical fact that Martin Luther added the word "Alone" to Romans 3:28 so that instead of reading "For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law." it read "For we consider that a person is justified by faith alone apart from works of the law." What the Jehovah's Witnesses have done is orders of magnitude beyond what Martin Luther would have ever dreamed of doing in his most depraved state.

It is not far from the truth to assume that the vast majority of Protestant Christianity would be revolted at reading some of the intentional changes introduced into Sacred Scripture by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Those who deny the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist however, should ask themselves the New World Translation is not closer to their own doctrines than the Bible which they currently believe is the authoritative source of all religious truth!

Protestantism does not believe what the Bible clearly says. Jehovah's Witnesses have clearly changed the Bible to suit their own beliefs.

Be careful whom your children are discussing religion with.

-Tim-