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Is the New World Translation a Reliable Bible Version?

Edition 2.2

Updated November 2023

By Gary F. Zeolla,
the Director of Darkness to Light

 

“Is the New World Translation a Reliable Bible Version? A Verse-by-Verse Examination”

Edition 2.2 – Updated & Expanded (2023)

The Definitive Critique of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible

This concise but powerful analysis exposes how the New World Translation:

✔ Misrepresents key Greek terms to fit Watchtower theology

✔ Adds and omits words without justification

✔ Fails its own claims of being a “literal” translation

Why This Book?

Most critiques of the NWT focus on John 1:1 and Christ’s deity. This study is different. It examines:

• Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians – A less-discussed but critical text
• Side-by-side comparisons with the Kingdom Interlinear (the Watchtower’s own Greek interlinear)
• Word-for-word accuracy tested against the NKJV and Analytical-Literal Translation (ALT3)

Key Findings:

1. Undisclosed Additions & Omissions
   • Words added to support JW doctrine
   • Key Greek terms left untranslated when inconvenient
2. Grammatical Manipulation
   • Verb tenses altered to weaken Christ’s authority
   • Prepositions mistranslated to fit Arianism
3. Inconsistent “Literal” Claims
   • The NWT claims to be word-for-word—but often isn’t
   • Compare: The Kingdom Interlinear (literal) vs. the NWT (doctrinally biased)
4. Readability ≠ Reliability
   • The NWT is clear—but clarity at the cost of accuracy

How This Study Works:

Each examined verse includes:

1. NWT Reading – The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ translation
2. Kingdom Interlinear (KIT) – The Watchtower’s own literal rendering
3. NKJV & ALT3 – Faithful translations for comparison
4. Greek Analysis – Lexical & grammatical breakdown
5. Conclusion – Is the NWT trustworthy here?

Who Should Read This?

• Christians witnessing to JWs – Equip yourself with hard evidence
• Bible students – Learn how to spot translation bias
• Pastors & teachers – Defend the integrity of Scripture

“Even the Watchtower’s own interlinear contradicts their ‘translation.’”

Edition 2.2 Updates:

✔ New Cover & Title Clarification

✔ Minor Corrections Throughout

✔ Updated Appendixes

Available in:

• Paperback (Compact, easy to share)
• PDF eBook (Searchable & hyperlinked)

Why This Matters:

The NWT isn’t just “another translation”—it’s a theological weapon used to:

• Deny Christ’s deity
• Promote Watchtower authority
• Deceive seekers

This book exposes the deception—with facts, not rhetoric.

“But be examining all [things]; be holding fast [to] the good” (1Thessalonians 5:21; ALT3).

Complete Your Collection:

Pair this with the author’s Differences Between Bible Versions for a full defense of translation integrity.

    The NWT is the Bible of Jehovah's Witnesses. This review evaluates the NWT by looking at select passages from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. The standards I use are the same standards that I use in my book Differences Between Bible Versions. Simply put, does the translation faithfully and accurately render the Greek text into English?

Available Formats

Amazon:

Kindle Reading Device eBook: $1.75. Order and download from Amazon.

Paperback format: 74 pages. $5.99. Order from Amazon.

Lulu:

Acrobat Reader® eBook format: 73 pages. 796 KB. $1.75. Purchase and download from Lulu Publishing.

ePub (for iPad, Nook, etc.) eBook: 63 KB. $1.75. Order and download from Lulu Publishing.

Paperback format: 74 pages. $4.50. Order from Lulu Publishing.

Notes:

Different formats and publishers might have different covers, but the content is the same in all of them.

The links to Amazon are advertising links, for which I receive a commission in addition to my royalty if a product is purchased after following the link.

Readers

Download the free PDF Reader (Acrobat Reader®)

Purchase the Kindle Wireless Reading Device

Description

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WT). This is the organization that Jehovah’s Witnesses belong to. But how reliable is this Bible version?

Much has been written about the NWT in regards to passages dealing with the deity of Christ. So rather than going over that much worn ground, this review will instead evaluate the NWT by looking at select passages from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians.

The verses will be quoted first from the NWT, then from the word-for-word translation in the Watchtower’s own Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (KIT). Since the NWT claims to be a literal version (see below), it will be seen how close it follows its own interlinear reading. And then the passage will be quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) and from this reviewer’s own Analytical-Literal Translation: Third Edition (ALT3).

The standards I will use here are the same standards that I use in evaluating over thirty versions of the Bible in my book Differences Between Bible Versions. Simply put, does the translation faithfully and accurately render the Greek text into English?

More specifically, are words translated correctly? Are words left untranslated? Are words added without any indication that they have been added? Are the grammatical forms of words altered? Are phrases paraphrased rather than translated? How readable is the text? And how reliable is the Greek text being translated?

This edition 2.2 of this booklet published in 2023 is a corrected text not a full new edition. The title has been slightly changed for clarification purposes, minor corrections have been made throughout, plus the cover and appendixes have been updated

The above preview was first posted on this website July 14, 2001.
It was last updated June 19, 2025.

Additional Books and eBooks by the Director

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Contact Information

Darkness to Light Home Page
www.zeolla.org/christian