New world translation of the holy scriptures 1984
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a translation of the Bible published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, the official publishing arm of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The 1984 edition is the most widely used and well-known version of the NWT.
Here are some key features of the 1984 NWT:
- Translation philosophy: The NWT is a dynamic equivalence translation, which means that it aims to convey the meaning and message of the original texts rather than a literal word-for-word translation.
- Source texts: The NWT is based on the Greek text of the New Testament (Textus Receptus) and the Hebrew text of the Old Testament (Masoretic Text).
- Unique renderings: The NWT has some unique renderings, such as translating "Jesus" as "Jehovah" (John 1:1, 14, 18), "Lord" as "Jehovah" (Matthew 1:20, 22), and "Son of God" as "only-begotten son" (John 1:14).
- Changes from earlier editions: The 1984 NWT is the third edition of the NWT, and it includes some changes from the earlier editions. For example, the 1984 edition uses the phrase "Jehovah's witnesses" instead of "witnesses of Jehovah" (Revelation 12:17).
- Inclusive language: The NWT uses inclusive language, avoiding masculine pronouns and using gender-neutral language to refer to God and humans.
Some notable features of the 1984 NWT include:
- The use of "Jehovah" as the name of God, which is a distinctive feature of the NWT.
- The translation of "theos" (God) as "Jehovah" in many passages.
- The use of "only-begotten son" to translate "monogenes" (John 1:14, 18).
- The translation of "paradise" as "heavenly paradise" (Luke 23:43).
- The use of "Jehovah's witnesses" to translate "martyres tou theou" (Revelation 12:17).
Overall, the 1984 NWT is a distinctive translation that reflects the theological and linguistic preferences of the Jehovah's Witnesses. While it has its own strengths and weaknesses, it remains a widely used and influential translation among Jehovah's Witnesses and others.