Jehovah’s Witnesses’ bible is known as the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. They believe that it is equal to all other bibles. However, there are some scriptures omitted from their bible but are found in other bibles. This is something that is not known by many people, including Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves!
If this is true, then the verses found at [the_tooltip text=”Deuteronomy 4:2″ tooltip=”You must not add to the word that I am commanding you, neither must you take away from it, so as to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God that I am commanding you.” background=”333″ color=”fff”] and [the_tooltip text=”Revelation 22:19″ tooltip=”and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life and out of the holy city, things that are written about in this scroll.” background=”333″ color=”fff”] need careful consideration by each member of Jehovah’s Witnesses.1
Let’s step down through various verses in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures and compare them with verses in other bibles.
A Bible Version Comparison
Complete Verses Omitted
In the Appendix of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (2013), at A3 How the Bible Came to Us, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society makes the claim that most bibles have gaps in the verse numbering at Matthew 17:21; 18:11; 23:14; Mark 7:16; 9:44, 46; 11:26; 15:28; Luke 17:36; 23:17; John 5:4; Acts 8:37; 15:34; 24:7; 28:29; and Romans 16:24. But is that true? A comparison of various bibles should help us to ascertain if this is true.
New World Translation v Darby Translation - Mat 17:21; 18:11
New World Translation
Matthew 17:21
—
Matthew 18:11
—
Darby Translation
Matthew 17:21
But this kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew 18:11
For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.
New World Translation v King James Version - Mat 23:14; Mar 7:16
New World Translation
Matthew 23:14
—
Mark 7:16
—
King James Version
Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Mark 7:16
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
New World Translation v 1599 Geneva Bible - Mrk 9:44,46; 11:26
New World Translation
Mark 9:44,46
—
—
Mark 11:26
—
1599 Geneva Bible
Mark 9:44,46
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out.
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out.
Mark 11:26
For if you will not forgive, your Father which is in heaven, will not pardon you your trespasses.
New World Translation v Wycliffe Bible - Mrk 15:28; Luk 17:36
New World Translation
Mark 15:28
—
Luke 17:36
—
Wycliffe Bible
Mark 15:28
And the scripture was fulfilled that saith, And he is ordained with wicked men.
Luke 17:36
two in a field, the one shall be taken, and the other left.
New World Translation v New King James Version - Luk 23:17; Joh 5:4
New World Translation
Luke 23:17
—
John 5:4
—
New King James Version
Luke 23:17
(for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).
John 5:4
For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
New World Translation v The Voice - Joh 7:53; Act 8:37
New World Translation
John 7:53
—
Acts 8:37
—
The Voice
John 7:53
The time came for everyone to go home.
Acts 8:37
If you believe in your heart that Jesus the Anointed is God’s Son, then nothing can stop you. The Ethiopian said that he believed.
New World Translation v New Century Version - Act 15:34; 24:7
New World Translation
Acts 15:34
—
Acts 24:7
—
New Century Version
Acts 15:34
but Silas decided to remain there.
Acts 24:7
But the officer Lysias came and used much force to take him from us.
New World Translation v Modern English Version - Acts 28:29; Rom 16:24; Heb 1:8
New World Translation
Acts 28:29
—
Romans 16:24
—
Modern English Version
Acts 28:29
When he had said these words, the Jews departed and disputed greatly among themselves.
Romans 16:24
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
After comparing eight bibles with the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (2013), evidence has been provided showing that:
- A total of 17 single verses are missing from the bible used by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
- Most bibles do not have gaps at the aforementioned verses.
Partial Verses Omitted
In the New World Translation, there are partial omissions made to some of their verses. The omissions are underlined in the comparative verses.
New World Translation v Amplified Bible CE - Luk 1:28
New World Translation
Luke 1:28
And coming in, the angel said to her: “Greetings, you highly favoured one, Jehovah is with you.’
Amplified Bible Classic Edition
Luke 1:28
And he came to her and said, Hail, O favoured one! The Lord is with you! Blessed are you before all other women!
New World Translation v BRG Bible - Act 24:6
New World Translation
Acts 24:6
He also tried to profane the temple, so we seized him.
BRG Bible
Acts 24:6
Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law
New World Translation v Douay-Rheims 1899 - Act 24:8
New World Translation
Acts 24:8
When you examine him yourself, you will find out about all these things of which we are accusing him.
BRG Bible
Acts 24:8
Commanding his accusers to come to thee: of whom thou mayest thyself, by examination, have knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
New World Translation v JB Philips NT - Col 1:2
New World Translation
Colossians 1:2
to the holy ones and faithful brothers in union with Christ at Colossae: May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father.
JB Philips New Testament
Colossians 1:2
to all faithful Christians at Colossae: grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
New World Translation v Jubilee Bible 2000 - Col 2:2
New World Translation
Colossians 2:2
This is so that their hearts may be comforted and that they may be harmoniously joined together in love and may have all the riches that result from the full assurance of their understanding, in order to gain an accurate knowledge of the sacred secret of God, namely, Christ.
Jubilee Bible 2000
Colossians 2:2
that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in charity and in all the riches of the fulfilled understanding to know the mystery of the God and Father and of the Christ;
New World Translation v New Life Version - 1 Joh 5:7
New World Translation
1 John 5:7
For there are three witness bearers:
New Life Version
1 John 5:7
There are three Who speak of this in heaven: the Father and the Word and the Holy Spirit. These three are one.
New World Translation v World English Bible - 1 Joh 5:13
New World Translation
1 John 5:13
I write you these things so that you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God.
World English Bible
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
New World Translation v Young's Literal Translation - Rev 1:11
New World Translation
Revelation 1:11
saying: “What you see, write in a scroll and send it to the seven congregations: in Ephesus, in Smyrna, in Pergamum, in Thyatira, in Sardis, in Philadelphia, and in Laodicea.”
Young’s Literal Translation
Revelation 1:11
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; and, `What thou dost see, write in a scroll, and send to the seven assemblies that [are] in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.’
New World Translation v 21st Century KJV - Rev 2:15
New World Translation
Revelation 2:15
In the same way, you also have those adhering to the teaching of the sect of Nicolaus.
21st Century King James Version
Revelation 2:15
So thou also hast them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
New World Translation v Worldwide English NT - Rev 21:24
New World Translation
Revelation 21:24
And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
Worldwide English New Testament
Revelation 21:24
Those who are saved will walk in its light. The kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
After comparing ten additional bibles with the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (2013), evidence has been provided showing that an additional ten verses are missing some text from the bible used by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
A New World Translation Comparison
There are interesting differences between the 2013 edition and the 1984 edition of the New World Translation. You are invited to compare both editions of the New World Translations for yourself. When a comparison is done of Mark 16:9-20 and John 8:1-11, one may be surprised to note that whole sections of text have been removed. In the 2013 edition, a footnote is provided justifying their omissions by referring their readers to A3. However, A3 does not include any reference to the omitted text.
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (2013 Edition)
Mark 16:9-20
Does not exist
John 8:1-11
Does not exist
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1984 Edition)
Mark 16:9-20
After he rose early on the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had expelled seven demons. She went and reported to those who had been with him, as they were mourning and weeping. But they, when they heard he had come to life and had been viewed by her, did not believe. Moreover, after these things he appeared in another form to two of them walking along, as they were going into the country; and they came back and reported to the rest. Neither did they believe these. But later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table, and he reproached their lack of faith and hardheartedness, because they did not believe those who had beheld him now raised up from the dead. And he said to them: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. He that believes and is baptized will be saved, but he that does not believe will be condemned. Furthermore, these signs will accompany those believing: By the use of my name they will expel demons, they will speak with tongues, and with their hands they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly it will not hurt them at all. They will lay their hands upon sick persons, and these will become well.”
So then, the Lord Jesus, after having spoken to them, was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. They, accordingly, went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and backed up the message through the accompanying signs.
John 8:1-11
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak, however, he again presented himself at the temple, and all the people began coming to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught at adultery, and, after standing her in their midst, they said to him: “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of committing adultery. In the Law Moses prescribed for us to stone such sort of women. What, really, do you say?” Of course, they were saying this to put him to the test, in order to have something with which to accuse him. But Jesus bent down and began to write with his finger in the ground. When they persisted in asking him, he straightened up and said to them: “Let the one of you that is sinless be the first to throw a stone at her.” And bending over again he kept on writing in the ground. But those who heard this began going out, one by one, starting with the older men, and he was left alone, and the woman that was in their midst. Straightening up, Jesus said to her; “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said; “No one, sir.” Jesus said: “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way; from now on practice sin no more.”
Why has the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society removed over thirty verses from their bible? Is it because some of these scriptures conflict with their doctrine? A reading of John 8:1-11 is a powerful examination of a Christian’s duty to be forgiving, not to be condemning. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses are quick to condemn their fellow brethren for their sins, disfellowshipping them and thus mentally torturing them with their evil act of shunning. Compare [the_tooltip text=”Matthew 18:21, 22″ tooltip=”Then Peter came and said to him: ‘Lord, how many times is my brother to sin against me and I am to forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him: ‘I say to you, not up to seven times, but up to 77 times.” background=”333″ color=”fff”].
There is clear evidence that the above noted differences between the New World Translation and other bibles is because the same differences are contained within extant manuscripts. However, the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society‘s suggestion that the verses at John 8:1-11 and Mark 16:9-20 are “spurious” is open to debate. Consider the argument for the inclusion of the verses at John 8:1-11 here. Even though the text in Mark is accepted by most scholars to have been an addition, the justification for removing it is argued against by many scholars here.
The Final Word
There is a broad concurrence among textual scholars to reflect in the main text the readings supported by the most reliable manuscripts, and to print these disputed passages at the margins, or also in the main text but marked with some symbols (for instance, a bracket [ ]) to indicate that the passage is disputed. The latest edition of the New World Translation disregards this recommendation.
Footnotes
1 This article does not discuss Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society‘s allegation that these omitted verses from their bible are additions to manuscripts by copyists. Rather, the purpose of this article is to (1) inform the public of these omitted verses, (2) disprove the claim that most bibles omit these verses, and (3) highlight the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society‘s attempt to suppress the content of these verses considering that in time, just like their 1961 edition of the New World Translation, they will remove the 1984 edition of their bible from general use.
