JW Source text for the New World Translation (2013)

[BobRyan]

There are differences between Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek and Modern Hebrew, Modern Greek. Concerning Greek, There is a Case System Differences.

My question was about Biblical languages.. I believe JW's had one Greek person on their translating committee for the NWT who spoke and read modern Greek but not the Koine and of course "Franz" did have "one semester" of Greek so more like a college freshman being handed the task of translating the Greek text into English that would satisfy JW bias and spin. I don't think anyone else on their NWT translation comittee had any credentials at all for knowing how to translate between Greek and English and I guess none of them had any training for translating Biblical Hebrew to English. Kinda like a bunch of Joseph Smiths translating the Bible to get the NWT. (Though I am sure they did not use his "seer stone" trick).

Decades ago I spoke with a Christian who as a JW worked in their Watchtower Organization. He told me back then that they started with a King James Bible, and revised it using Westcot and Hort Greek English Interlinear before doing their paraphrasing to get around Jesus is God.

I like that better than the "seer stone" idea.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

These are translations one should compare the NWT with

The New Testament in Greek and English, Containing the Original Text Corrected from the Authority of the most Authentic Manuscripts: And a New Version Form'd agreeably to the Illustrations of the Most Learned Commentators and Critics: with Notes and Various Readings, and a Copious Alphabetical Index Daniel Mace
A Translation of the New Testament Gilbert Wakefield
The New Testament, An improved version upon the basis of Archbishop Newcome's new translation with a corrected text and notes critical and explanatory. Thomas Belsham et al. NT English---Unitarian revision of Newcome's version (1796)
The New Testament, translated from the Text of J.J. Griesbach. London: John Green, 1840. Second edition, 1844. Third edition, 1856. Fourth edition, 1859 Samuel Sharpe
The New Testament, translated from the Greek text of Tischendorf by George R. Noyes George R. Noyes
The New Testament. The Modern American Bible ... The Books of the Bible in Modern American Form and Phrase with Notes and Introduction Frank Schell Ballentine
The New Testament in the common Version, conformed to Griesbach's Standard Greek Text John Gorham Palfrey
http://www.derose.net/steve/Bible/EnglishBibleTranslations.html

The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson
In 1972 it published Byington’s The Bible in Living English also featuring the name Jehovah.
The Bible in Living English (1972, revised 1989)—by Steven T. Byington
Watch Tower Society Pushes Bible Production and Distribution — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY
Joseph B. Rotherham's New Testament Critically Emphasised
List of Watch Tower Society publications - Wikipedia

 

[BobRyan]

These are translations one should compare the NWT with

The JWs have an interlinear Bible The Kingdom Interlinear Translation that they approve of - and oddly enough - it fully debunks their own NWT . Their interlinear has westcot and hort on one side of the page and then the same chapter and vs for the NWT on the opposite page for all to see the bias in the NWT vs the actual Greek. Hard to believe that they actually do that.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

The JWs have an interlinear Bible The Kingdom Interlinear Translation that they approve of - and oddly enough - it fully debunks their own NWT . Their interlinear has westcot and hort on one side of the page and then the same chapter and vs for the NWT on the opposite page for all to see the bias in the NWT vs the actual Greek. Hard to believe that they actually do that.

Hi Bob, use II Thess 2:1-2 with them.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 Good News Translation (GNT)

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to be with him: I beg you, my friends, 2 not to be so easily confused in your thinking or upset by the claim that the Day of the Lord has come. Perhaps it is thought that we said this while prophesying or preaching, or that we wrote it in a letter.

They "translate" Day of the Lord as Jehovah. The same Greek word is used in verse 1 for Lord Jesus. From the context in both English and Greek if one translates Jehovah for either, one must do so for both.

The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is Day of the Lord.

God Bless,
Daniel

 

[Daniel Marsh]

Proverbs 8:22 NWT
Jehovah produced me as the beginning of his way,
The earliest of his achievements of long ago

The phrase: ""earliest of his achievements of long ago"" comes from one of their own publications.

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach…
The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was a created being and the “earliest” of God achievements.

• “Many professed Christian writers of the early centuries of the Common Era understood this section to refer symbolically to God’s Son in his prehuman state…there can be no denying that that Son was ‘produced’ by Jehovah ‘as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago,’ nor that the Son was ‘beside [Jehovah] as a master worker’ during earth’s creation.” (Aid to Bible Understanding, 1971, pg. 918)

The Bible teaches…
The Jehovah’s Witnesses interpretation of Proverbs 8 violates the context of Proverbs. The first nine chapters of Proverbs deals with wisdom personified thus the wisdom talked about in Proverbs 8 is NOT referring to Jesus.

A good responses to JWs mistranslation: Proverbs 8:22-31, "Produced me" and "brought me forth" | CARM.org
Proverbs 8:22 – Wisdom I Know, But Who Is Prudence? | Watchman Fellowship, Georgia Office

Other Translations:

Christian Standard Bible
"The LORD acquired me at the beginning of his creation, before his works of long ago.

Good News Translation
"The LORD created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The LORD already possessed me long ago, when his way began, before any of his works.

New American Standard 1977
“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

American Standard Version
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.

Proverbs 8:22 The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.

If Wisdom was created, was there a time which God lacked wisdom?

Jehovah’s Witnesses And Proverbs 8:22

 

[Woke]

I’ve been comparing the 2013 NWT with the ESV and they’re remarkably similar. If, as many say, the JWs don’t have people qualified to undertake translation work, could they have used the RSV/ESV/NRSV as a source text to edit?

I know a lot was exposed about the translators of earlier editions of the NWT, does anyone know if a comparison has been done with other English translations? I’ve tried an online search but the minute you put in NWT and any other translation you get a mix of KJV Only stuff and people debunking the NWT - but nothing about the source of the NWT.

Actually the NWT when compared to all other translations is quite different in translating some very important Christian Greek words in the New Testament. If you go to the ESV Study Bible and read its footnote about John 1:1, you will note one of these very important points of difference, and proof of WT's fallacy there.

I used to be an active JW member for about 40 years; so I can recognize these differences used to support WT theology more easily than someone who has never been a JW member. The NWT is shaped to support WT theology. Most of that translation agrees with other translations. Nevertheless, it was translated, and continues to receive change, in order to support WT's unique theology. WT teaches only their "faithful and discreet slave" (WT's interpretation of Matthew 24:45) can accurately interpret scriptures. And it's on the basis of this group's various and changing beliefs their literature is produced. Today there are 8 members in that body. Here, I'll post a lengthy commentary I just wrote for another thread, in order to show you a couple critical changes the NWT makes to biblical translation.

Here's that commentary I wrote for the other thread. That thread was considering whether Christ is the archangel Michael:

IS CHRIST GOD OVER ANGELS AND MEN?

The terms used for angel in scripture mean messenger. So it is a relatively unimportant point if Christ carried the title of chief angel in scriptures or not. Christ is the word, thus he was the chief messenger of God. Whether he was Michael or not I see as inconsequential.

What is important is to recognize Christ's position over angels and men. Why? Because recognizing and then accepting it is what exercising faith in Christ means. Some Christians (Jehovah's Witnesses) believe the Bible teaches Christ is Michael as an archangel, in order to teach he is not God over angels and men/women.

The mistake Jehovah's Witnesses make in teaching that, and the illusion of their teaching, is that they equate Christ's position to his Father as if it affects both Christ's and his Father's position over Christians. That's a fallacy. It's like teaching because a wife subjects herself to her own husband then she is not a parent in equal status with her husband over her own children. And it's like claiming that her children must not recognize her as an equal parent. That's what JWs teach about Christ, that although the Bible calls him God (e.g. Mighty God at Isaiah 9:6-which JWs admit) he is not their God, only the Father is.

JWs have changed their Bible, the NWT, to conform to this false idea. At John 1:1 they claim Christ is "a god" or has the quality of being divine without the actual position of God over them. That teaching is based on the idea there is no direct article (the) placed in front of theos when referring to Christ. WT claims without the direct article the word god means a quality and not a position. Yet WT is proven wrong, for in the same chapter of John he does not place a direct article in front of theou when John refers to the Father at John 1:12, 13, 14, 16, 18. Check those vss out in an interlinear, since I am writing from memory I might have one or two wrong. Nevertheless, the point about the absence of a direct article preceding theos at John 1:1 holds no water, because of its absence in these other occurrences (in the same chapter) by John.

Furthermore WT has misinterpreted the Greek word most often used for worship, but only when WT applies that Greek word to Christ (do obeisance to, instead of worship). Check that out in an interlinear also, and you will note WT's deception there also. See Hebrews, the Father had all the angels worship Christ. Check out the end of Revelation when John was about to bow down and worship the angel, but was stopped by the angel. Check out Matthew where the Devil asked Christ to bow down and do one act of worship to him. All these scriptures and many more use the same word, translated worship in the NWT, except when that act and word is applied to worshipping Christ. Note also that when Christ was asked to do that before Satan he said, "worship your god and serve him only." And that statement, by Christ, is what defines WT's teaching that Christ is not the god over true Christians as apostasy. Because JWs admit Christ received all authority in heaven and on earth, which signifies he has the right to rule over all others, and others have an obligation before God to recognize this right of his. That means all obedient to God must, by the word of God, recognize Christ as their God and serve him. Just as Christ said, "worship your god and serve him only." You could not serve Christ in the sense scriptures claim as your absolute ruler, unless as Christ said in that statement you "worship your god" as Christ.

Whether or not Christ was created by the Father, whether he is inferior to the Father in any way, or whether or not the scriptures ever spoke of him as the chief messenger of God with a name Michael is not nearly as important as accepting Christ as your God alongside the Father.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

here

 

[Daniel Marsh]

JWs have about 8.4 million members as of 2018 -- it is very very hard to believe that out of 8 million people they could not find ten folks that read Hebrew and ten that read Greek accurately -- or at least reasonably well.

There are other groups that have at least some false doctrine that have people who can read Greek and Hebrew, why would the JW group be any different?

Hi Bob, they tend to appeal to people with lower education. Those with higher education can see thru their poor logic.

“Your children will no doubt experience new challenges and pressures … Are they prepared for the pressure they will receive to pursue higher education, date, and use alcohol or drugs?” Kingdom Ministry 2011 Jul p.2

“If you have a means of supporting yourself, do you really need to spend time, money, and effort on further education just to realize personal aspirations or those of your parents or other relatives?” Watchtower 2011 Jun 15 p.30

“No doubt, school counselors sincerely believe that it is in your best interests to pursue higher education and to plan for a secular career. Yet, their confidence lies in a social and financial system that has no lasting future.” Watchtower 2012 Jun 15 p.23

“Studying for my courses took so much time and effort that I was too busy to linger in prayer to Jehovah the way I used to, too exhausted to enjoy Bible discussions with others, and too tired to prepare well for the meetings. Thankfully, once I realized that being immersed in higher education was damaging my relationship with Jehovah, I knew I had to stop. And I did.” Watchtower 2019 Jun p.7

““I am ashamed to admit that the education I pursued taught me to be critical of others, especially my brothers and sisters, to expect too much of them, and to isolate myself from them.”” Watchtower 2019 Jun p.7

“Higher education: Jesus warned against ‘seeking your own glory.’” Watchtower 2011 Jun 15 p.32

“Clearly, a balanced education should take into account that more than material prosperity is needed to make us truly happy.” Jehovah’s Witnesses and Education

“University and college campuses are notorious for bad behavior—drug and alcohol abuse, immorality, cheating, hazing, and the list goes on.” Watchtower 2005 Oct 1 p.28

“Satan appeals to natural desires. We have a natural desire to learn skills that can help us provide for ourselves and our families. (1 Tim. 5:8) Often, we can gain those skills by attending school and being diligent students. But we must be cautious. The educational system in many countries teaches students not only practical skills but also human philosophy. Students are encouraged to question the existence of God and to disregard the Bible. They are told that the theory of evolution is the only intelligent explanation for the origin of life. (Rom. 1:21-23) Such teachings are opposed to “the wisdom of God.” … Some Christians who have pursued university education have had their minds molded by human thinking rather than by God’s thinking.” Watchtower 2019 Jun pp.6-7

“Yet, many who pursue such education end up with their minds filled with harmful propaganda. Such education wastes valuable youthful years that could best be used in Jehovah’s service.” Watchtower 2008 Apr 15 p.4

“Are we encouraging young ones, who are often steered by schoolteachers and others to pursue the world’s higher education, to set spiritual goals instead and pursue the highest education—divine education?” Kingdom Ministry 2011 Oct p.3

Jehovah's Witnesses and Higher Education - JW.Support

Education

Higher Education - Jehovah's Witness stance against university

watchtower quotes anti-education - Google Search

 

[Daniel Marsh]

cases of what?

There are five CASES in Greek, the nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, and vocative.
Lesson 3. Nouns.—Introductory.

Modern Greek Cases turns out has only four.
https://www.greekgrammar.eu/pdffiles/cases.pdf
Modern Greek grammar - Wikipedia

 

[Daniel Marsh]

My question was about Biblical languages.. I believe JW's had one Greek person on their translating committee for the NWT who spoke and read modern Greek but not the Koine and of course "Franz" did have "one semester" of Greek so more like a college freshman being handed the task of translating the Greek text into English that would satisfy JW bias and spin. I don't think anyone else on their NWT translation committee had any credentials at all for knowing how to translate between Greek and English and I guess none of them had any training for translating Biblical Hebrew to English. Kinda like a bunch of Joseph Smiths translating the Bible to get the NWT. (Though I am sure they did not use his "seer stone" trick).

He dropped out of that class early on.


I like that better than the "seer stone" idea.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

 

[LightBearer]

Is the New World Translation Accurate?

https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/new-world-translation-accurate/

Positive comments about the New World Translation from non-Witness scholars

• In a letter dated December 8, 1950, noted Bible translator and scholar Edgar J. Goodspeed wrote regarding the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures: “I am interested in the mission work of your people, and its world wide scope, and much pleased with the free, frank and vigorous translation. It exhibits a vast array of sound serious learning, as I can testify.”
  
  
  Edgar J. Goodspeed
  
  
• Professor Allen Wikgren of the University of Chicago cited the New World Translation as an example of a modern speech version that rather than being derived from other translations, often has “independent readings of merit.”—The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume I, page 99.
  
  
• Commenting on the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, British Bible critic Alexander Thomson wrote: “The translation is evidently the work of skilled and clever scholars, who have sought to bring out as much of the true sense of the Greek text as the English language is capable of expressing.”—The Differentiator, April 1952, page 52.
  
  
• Despite noting what he felt were a few unusual renderings, author Charles Francis Potter said: “The anonymous translators have certainly rendered the best manuscript texts, both Greek and Hebrew, with scholarly ability and acumen.”—The Faiths Men Live By, page 300.
  
  
• Although he felt that the New World Translation had both peculiarities and excellences, Robert M. McCoy concluded his review of it by stating: “The translation of the New Testament is evidence of the presence in the movement [Jehovah’s Witnesses] of scholars qualified to deal intelligently with the many problems of Biblical translation.”—Andover Newton Quarterly, January 1963, page 31.
  
  
• Professor S. MacLean Gilmour, while not agreeing with some renderings in the New World Translation, still acknowledged that its translators “possessed an unusual competence in Greek.”—Andover Newton Quarterly, September 1966, page 26.
  
  
• In his review of the New World Translation that forms part of the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Associate Professor Thomas N. Winter wrote: “The translation by the anonymous committee is thoroughly up-to-date and consistently accurate.”—The Classical Journal, April-May 1974, page 376.
  
  
• Professor Benjamin Kedar-Kopfstein, a Hebrew scholar in Israel, said in 1989: “In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translations, I often refer to the English edition of what is known as the New World Translation. In so doing, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible.”
  
  
• Based on his analysis of nine major English translations, Jason David BeDuhn, associate professor of religious studies, wrote: “The NW [New World Translation] emerges as the most accurate of the translations compared.” Although the general public and many Bible scholars assume that the differences in the New World Translation are the result of religious bias on the part of its translators, BeDuhn stated: “Most of the differences are due to the greater accuracy of the NW as a literal, conservative translation of the original expressions of the New Testament writers.”—Truth in Translation, pages 163, 165.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

"
Bill Cetnar, who worked at Watchtower Headquarters in New York during the period when the New World Translation was being prepared, was sent to interview Dr. Goodspeed in March, 1954 to seek his comments on the first volume of the New World Translation Of The Hebrew Scriptures. Cetnar writes:

"During the two-hour long visit with him it was obvious that he knew the volume well, because he could cite the pages where the readings he objected to were found. One reading he pointed out as especially awkward and grammatically poor was in Judges 14:3 where Samson is made to say: `Her get for me....' As I left, Dr. Goodspeed was asked if he would recommend the translation for the general public He answered, `No, I'm afraid I could not do that. The grammar is regrettable. Be careful on the grammar. Be sure you have that right" (Cetnar, W.I. & J., Questions For Jehovah's Witnesses Who Love The Truth [Kunkletown, Pennsylvania: W.I. Cetnar, 1983], p. 64).

Dr. Goodspeed was, of course, not speaking here about the Greek (New Testament) Scriptures, but about the Hebrew (Old Testament) Scriptures, while his earlier, favorable comments related to the Greek Scriptures. However, as Robert Bowman notes in his book, Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses (Baker Books, 1991), there is some doubt as to the authenticity of Goodspeed's letter. The letter does not bear a written signature and appears to be a copy of the original, if such ever existed (to date, the Society has not produced a signed original). Second, though the letter was dated 1950, it was not used by the Society as an endorsement of the NWT until 1982. Third, the letter contains several very minor criticisms of the NWT, but none relating to the more controversial translations - which would seem odd, in that Goodspeed's own translation differed dramatically with the NWT in several key texts. Finally, Dr. Walter Martin, whom Bowman knew, reported that Goodspeed forthrightly criticized the NWT rendering of John 1:1 in a personal conversation in 1958. Thus, there is no sure evidence that Goodspeed actually endorsed the NWT; there is solid evidence that he refused to endorse the NWT Hebrews Scriptures, and suggestive circumstantial evidence that he did not approve of the NWT Christian Greek Scriptures, either."

One can read what the rest of the scholars really said,
For an Answer: Chrisitian Apologetics - Scholars & NWT

My wife will be home soon, so I will be getting off the computer.

 

[BobRyan]

"
...
My wife will be home soon, so I will be getting off the computer.

A very wise man wrote those words

 

[LightBearer]

"
Bill Cetnar, who worked at Watchtower Headquarters in New York during the period when the New World Translation was being prepared, was sent to interview Dr. Goodspeed in March, 1954 to seek his comments on the first volume of the New World Translation Of The Hebrew Scriptures. Cetnar writes:

"During the two-hour long visit with him it was obvious that he knew the volume well, because he could cite the pages where the readings he objected to were found. One reading he pointed out as especially awkward and grammatically poor was in Judges 14:3 where Samson is made to say: `Her get for me....' As I left, Dr. Goodspeed was asked if he would recommend the translation for the general public He answered, `No, I'm afraid I could not do that. The grammar is regrettable. Be careful on the grammar. Be sure you have that right" (Cetnar, W.I. & J., Questions For Jehovah's Witnesses Who Love The Truth [Kunkletown, Pennsylvania: W.I. Cetnar, 1983], p. 64).

Dr. Goodspeed was, of course, not speaking here about the Greek (New Testament) Scriptures, but about the Hebrew (Old Testament) Scriptures, while his earlier, favorable comments related to the Greek Scriptures.

Dr. Goodspeed was, of course, not speaking here about the Greek (New Testament) Scriptures, but about the Hebrew (Old Testament) Scriptures, while his earlier, favorable comments related to the Greek Scriptures.

"In a letter dated December 8, 1950, noted Bible translator and scholar Edgar J. Goodspeed wrote regarding the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures: “I am interested in the mission work of your people, and its world wide scope, and much pleased with the free, frank and vigorous translation. It exhibits a vast array of sound serious learning, as I can testify.”

He clearly spoke very favourably of what he himself was a scholar of. I'm not sure he was as qualified to speak unfavourably of what he was not. If he ever did so (Hearsay).

Edgar Johnson Goodspeed (1871–1962) was an American theologian and scholar of Greek and the New Testament.

LB

 

[BobRyan]

"In a letter dated December 8, 1950, noted Bible translator and scholar Edgar J. Goodspeed wrote regarding the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures: “I am interested in the mission work of your people, and its world wide scope, and much pleased with the free, frank and vigorous translation. It exhibits a vast array of sound serious learning, as I can testify.”

He clearly spoke very favourably of what he himself was a scholar of. I'm not sure he was as qualified to speak unfavourably of what he was not. If he ever did so (Hearsay).

Edgar Johnson Goodspeed (1871–1962) was an American theologian and scholar of Greek and the New Testament.

LB

1. Did he sign the letter?
2. Did he author a Bible translation of both OT and NT?
3. Did the JW organization make this claim about his letter while he was alive to affirm/confirm the "private letter"? Or did they wait to make claims about that "private letter" -- 20 years after the death of the author?

 

[LightBearer]

1. Did he sign the letter?

Did you sign this post?

2. Did he author a Bible translation of both OT and NT?

Do you know for sure whether he contributed primarily to the Hebrew section or the Greek? He was a scholar of the latter and not the former. I suspect therefore, it was the latter.

3. Did the JW organization make this claim about his letter while he was alive to affirm/confirm the "private letter"? Or did they wait to make claims about that "private letter" -- 20 years after the death of the author?

Did the accusers bring up their claim about the letter before or after his death, so that he was not around to confirm it.

LB

 

[Daniel Marsh]

1. Did he sign the letter?
2. Did he author a Bible translation of both OT and NT?
3. Did the JW organization make this claim about his letter while he was alive to affirm/confirm the "private letter"? Or did they wait to make claims about that "private letter" -- 20 years after the death of the author?

1. The letter is believed to be a fraud.
2. Goodspeed Translated the NT and other Historical Documents.
3. It appears he was alive, and made a statement that The grammar is regrettable(see link in post 33 above).

"
Michael Van Buskirk of the Christian Apologetics: Research and Information Service (CARIS) wrote to Dr. Mantey (Dr. Dana had died), asking him if he had been quoted accurately by the Watchtower. Dr. Mantey replied in a letter dated February 25, 1974. It read:

In response to your request, I give you the following facts: In Jehovah's Witnesses' Translation of the New Testament, where I am quoted in a footnote on John 1:1 (cf., D-M Gk. Gram. Pg. 148 (3)), I was writing on how the article "distinguishes the subject from the predicate in a copulative sentence," not on the significance of the absence of the article before THEOS. My closing statement in the paragraph was: "As it stands, the other persons of the Trinity may be implied in THEOS." My interpretation of John 1:1 in that same paragraph was "The Word was Deity," i.e., that Christ is of the same essence as the Father, of the same family. So I was quoted out of context. Is that honest scholarship?

Thus, one of the authors of the Grammar the Watchtower used in defense of its translation says that he was quoted out of context and was not even discussing what it quoted him as affirming. Read in context, Dr. Mantey's comments about the "parallel" cases refer to two specific points about copulative sentences:

1. If one noun has the article, it is the subject of the sentence or clause (the place and the word).

2. If only one noun has the article, the sentence is not a "convertible proposition" (that is, the two nouns are not interchangeable, as they would be if both nouns have the article). Thus, place is not interchangeable with market; word is not interchangeable with Deity.

Dr. Mantey's comments have nothing to do with the semantic force of the predicate (whether indefinite, as in Xenophon, or qualitative, as in John 1:1).

Dr. Mantey spoke out forcefully against the Watchtower's misuse of his Grammar on several occasions, including a famous letter to the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society itself. For more information on Dr. Mantey and the Watchtower, click here."
For an Answer: Chrisitian Apologetics - Scholars & NWT

 

[LightBearer]

1. The letter is believed to be a fraud.

One can believe anything. It is believed the bible is a fraud. Jesus was a fraud. Even many religions/churches who claim to be "christian" believe the creation account in Genesis, the flood of Noah's day, the destruction of Sodom, the virgin birth and the resurrection of Christ, are all frauds. What one believes may not necessarily be true.

2. Goodspeed Translated the NT and other Historical Documents.
3. It appears he was alive, and made a statement that The grammar is regrettable(see link in post 33 above).

The link which stated this concerning Dr goodspeed's supposed statement: "The grammar is regrettable", went on to say: "Dr. Goodspeed was, of course, not speaking here about the Greek (New Testament) Scriptures, but about the Hebrew (Old Testament) Scriptures, while his earlier, favorable comments related to the Greek Scriptures.

Here are his comments on the NWT's Greek translation of the Holy Bible, of which he was well qualified to speak: "and much pleased with the free, frank and vigorous translation. It exhibits a vast array of sound serious learning, as I can testify.”

He clearly spoke very favourably of what he himself was a scholar of (Greek). I'm not sure he was as qualified to speak unfavourably of what he was not (Hebrew). If he ever did so (Hearsay).

Edgar Johnson Goodspeed (1871–1962) was an American theologian and scholar of Greek and the New Testament.

LB

 

[Leaf473]

Do the recent versions of the New world translation say what texts were used for the original languages, especially the Christian Greek scriptures?

I think I remember reading back in the eighties that the translation then used westcott and hort.

On a related note, in the current version of the online NWT it says in the appendix, in so many words, that we don't have reliable ancient Greek manuscripts to translate from.