Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, like most trinitarians, that Jesus and Jehovah are separate beings. Where they differ from the view of trinitarians is on the God aspect. In Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine, Jesus is not, and cannot, be God. Yet most Christian denominations believe that Jesus is God. One of the strongest biblical arguments for Jesus being God is But about the Son, he saysHebrews 1:8. However, this is only true if you read every bible except the New World Translation.
A Hebrews 1:8 Comparison
New World Translations
In every version of the New World Translations, you’ll notice that they avoid calling the Son “God”.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New World Translation (1950)
But with reference to the Son: “God is your throne forever, and the scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of straight principles.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (1969)
toward but the Son The throne of you the God into the age of the age, and the staff of the straightness staff of the kingdom of him.
But with reference to the Son: “God is your throne forever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New World Translation (1984)
But with reference to the Son: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New World Translation (2013)
But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
All other Bibles
There is not a single bible in the list below that avoids stating that the Son is God.
Hebrews 1:8 in the 21st Century King James Version
But unto the Son He saith, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy Kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the American King James Version
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the American Standard Version
but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Amplified Bible
But about the Son [the Father says to Him], “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the scepter of [absolute]righteousness is the scepter of His kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Amplified Bible Classic Edition
But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (to the ages of the ages), and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness (of justice and straightforwardness).
Hebrews 1:8 in the Blue Red & Gold Bible
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Common English Bible
But he says to his Son, God, your throne is forever and your kingdom’s scepter is a rod of justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Complete Jewish Bible
but to the Son, he says, “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever; you rule your Kingdom with a scepter of equity;
Hebrews 1:8 in the Contemporary English Bible
But God says about his Son, “You are God, and you will rule as King forever! Your royal power brings about justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Darby Translation
but as to the Son, Thy throne, O God, [is] to the age of the age, and a sceptre of uprightness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Disciple's Literal New Testament
But with regard to the Son He says: “Your throne, God, is forever and ever. And the scepter of straightness is thescepter of Your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Douay-Rheims 1899
But to the Son: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Easy-to-Read Version
But this is what he said about his Son: “God, your kingdom will last forever and ever. You use your authority for justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the English Standard Version
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the English Standard Version Anglicised
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Expanded Bible
But God said this about his Son: “·God, your throne [Your throne, O God; ] will last forever and ever. You will rule your kingdom with ·fairness [a just/righteous scepter; a scepter symbolizes royal authority].
Hebrews 1:8 in the 1599 Geneva Bible
But unto the Son he saith, O God, thy throne is forever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.
Hebrews 1:8 in the God's Word Translation
But God said about his Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Good News Translation
About the Son, however, God said: “Your kingdom, O God, will last forever and ever! You rule over your people with justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Holman Christian Standard Bible
but to the Son: Your throne, God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the International Children's Bible
But God said this about his Son: “God, your throne will last forever and ever. You will rule your kingdom with fairness.
Hebrews 1:8 in the International Standard Version
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.
Hebrews 1:8 in the J.B. Phillips New Testament
But when he speaks of the Son, he says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Jubilee Bible 2000
But unto the Son he said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a rod of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the King James Version
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Lexham English Bible
but concerning the Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of righteous is the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Living Bible
but of his Son he says, “Your Kingdom, O God, will last forever and ever; its commands are always just and right.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Message
But he says to the Son, You’re God, and on the throne for good; your rule makes everything right.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Modern English Version
But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, lasts forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Mounce Reverse-Interlinear New Testament
But regarding the Son he says, · “Your throne, O God, is for all time, · and the scepter of absolute justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Names of God Bible
But God said about his Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New American Bible
but of the Son: “Your throne, O God, stands forever and ever; and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom
Hebrews 1:8 in the New American Standard Bible
But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Century Version
But God said this about his Son: “God, your throne will last forever and ever. You will rule your kingdom with fairness.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New English Translation
but of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New International Reader's Version
But here is what he says about the Son. “You are God. Your throne will last for ever and ever. Your kingdom will be ruled by justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New International Version
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New International Version (UK)
But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New King James Version
But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Life Version
But about His Son, He says, “O God, Your throne will last forever. Whatever You say in Your nation is right and good.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Living Translation
But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Revised Standard Version
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Revised Standard Version Anglicised
But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Revised Standard Version Anglicised Catholic Edition
But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever, and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Revised Standard Version
But of the Son he says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the righteous scepter is the scepter of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
But of the Son he says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the righteous scepter is the scepter of thy kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Voice
But to the Son He said, God, Your throne is eternal; You will rule Your kingdom with the scepter of justice.
Hebrews 1:8 in the World English Bible
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Worldwide English New Testament
But here is what God says about his Son: `O God, you will sit and rule for ever. You will rule in the right way.
Hebrews 1:8 in the Wycliffe Bible
But to the Son he saith, God, thy throne is into the world of world [into the world of worlds]; a rod of equity is the rod of thy realm;
Hebrews 1:8 in Young's Literal Translation
and unto the Son: `Thy throne, O God, [is] to the age of the age; a scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of thy reign;
An incredible 53 bibles have been compared to the 4 versions of the New World Translation. Not one single version has attempted to avoid stating that Jesus is God. The New World Translation is on its own in avoiding to state that God the Father called his own Son “God”. Even the Greek in the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society’s Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures shows in context that the Father has called the Son “God”.
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society’s Translation
If we look at the Greek & English Comparison text found in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (KIT), we find the following:
προς δέ τόν υίόν Ό θρόνος σου δ θεός είς τόν αίώνα τού αίώνος, καί ή ράβδος τής εύθύτητος δικαιοσύνη ράβδος τής βασιλείας αύτού.
toward but the Son The throne of you the God into the age of the age, and the staff of the straightness staff of the kingdom of him.
Even the KIT clearly shows in the Greek text that the Son is God. How? Let’s break it down:
toward but the Son
In the context of the verses, God the Father is directing his comments to his Son.
The throne of you the God into the age of the age
In the Greek, you’ll notice that The Throne (Ό θρόνος) starts with an inverted comma to highlight the fact that someone is talking (God the Father). Here the father is clearly saying to Jesus, the Son, “The Throne of you the God”. Jehovah has called Jesus “the God” and that his throne would last into the age of the age, in other words, his rule would last forever and ever.
However, when we look at the New World Translation’s transliteration of this text, they have introduced the verb “is” and placed it before “the throne” thus rendering the verse incomprehensible:
But with reference to the Son: “God is your throne forever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
What does this even mean? God is your throne? Wouldn’t it make more sense to place the verb “is” after “your throne”? This would make sense of the verse:
But with reference to the Son: “God your throne is forever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
There is only one reason why the New World Translation is different to all other bibles in existence in relation to Hebrews 1:8 and that is because Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot accept that Jesus is God. It conflicts with their doctrine and also it would diminish the value they place in using “Jehovah” in their identity. After all, if Jesus is God then being a “Jehovah’s Witness” is only being a witness of one aspect of God. So, it’s more important for the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society to render a verse incomprehensible than have it conflict with their doctrine.
