How Has the New World Translation Changed?

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ New World Translation has been revised, and two differences can be read on the editions Watchtower Online Library still publishes. In Colossians 1 the 1984 Reference Bible puts brackets around “[other]”; the current text prints other with no brackets. In Hebrews 1:6 a Questions From Readers article prints “worship him,” and the 1984 Reference Bible prints “do obeisance,” with worship only in a footnote.

Key points

• The introduction to the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References calls that volume “this 1984 revised edition.”
• In that 1984 text of Colossians 1, verses 16, 17, and 20 print all [other] things. A footnote says “All [other],” as in Luke 11:41, 42. Verse 18 prints first in all things, with no other.
• The current New World Translation of Colossians 1 prints all other things in those same three verses, without brackets. The Greek of Colossians 1:16CloseFor by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:Colossians 1:16 · King James VersionOpen source is τὰ πάντα, all things, with no word for other.
• A Questions From Readers article prints Hebrews 1:6 as “And let all God’s angels worship him.”
• The 1984 Reference Bible prints “And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him,” and the footnote says “Or, ‘let . . . worship.’” The 2013 Study Edition, the Bible Jehovah’s Witnesses use now, prints do obeisance — Hebrews 1:6CloseBut when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him.”Hebrews 1:6 · New World Translation · Jehovah’s Witnesses’ BibleOpen source.
• The King James Version of Hebrews 1:6CloseAnd again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.Hebrews 1:6 · King James VersionOpen source says let all the angels of God worship him. The Greek verb is προσκυνησάτωσαν.

Colossians 1:16–20 and the brackets

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ 1984 revised edition, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References, prints the brackets in the verse itself. (1) (2)

16 because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist, 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because [God] saw good for all fullness to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake.

Source · New World Translation · Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible

The footnote on that page is: “All [other],” as in Lu 11:41, 42. Verse 18 is the line that does not add other. “First in all things” stands without the bracketed word.

The current text on Watchtower Online Library drops the brackets and keeps the word. (4)

• Current New World Translation, the Bible Jehovah’s Witnesses publish now: by means of him all other things were created; he is before all other things; through him to reconcile to himself all other things — Colossians 1
• 1984 Reference Bible: the same sentences, with [other] in brackets in verses 16, 17, and 20 — Colossians 1, 1984
• King James Version: by him were all things created; he is before all things; by him to reconcile all things unto himself — Colossians 1:16CloseFor by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:Colossians 1:16 · King James VersionOpen source (7)

The Greek of verse 16 is ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα, and τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται. Verse 17 is πρὸ πάντων and τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν. Verse 20 is ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν. There is no ἄλλος, no word for other, in those clauses. The brackets in 1984 told a reader the word was supplied. The current line still supplies it, and the brackets are gone. Why the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ study note says the word was added is Has the New World Translation been changed to fit doctrine? and Is Jesus the Creator or a creature?.

Hebrews 1:6, from worship to obeisance

A Questions From Readers article asks how to understand Hebrews 1:6, “which says that all the angels are commanded to worship Jesus,” and then prints the verse. (6)

Hebrews 1:6 reads: “But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: ‘And let all God’s angels worship him.’”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ article does not put the words “New World Translation” on that sentence. The wording is the Society’s own English: First-born, inhabited earth. Later in the same article the writer says that if the rendering “worship” is preferred, such worship “is only of a relative kind,” and that “bow before” and “pay homage” “are in no way out of harmony with the original language.”

The 1984 Reference Bible prints a different English word in the verse, and keeps worship in the footnote. (3) The verse says that when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says, And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him. The footnote is: Or, “let . . . worship.” Gr., pro·sky·ne·saʹto·san; Lat., a·doʹrent.

• 2013 Study Edition, the Bible Jehovah’s Witnesses use: let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him — New World Translation of Hebrews 1:6CloseBut when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him.”Hebrews 1:6 · New World Translation · Jehovah’s Witnesses’ BibleOpen source (5)
• 1984 Reference Bible: do obeisance to him, with worship offered as “Or” — Hebrews 1, 1984
• King James Version: let all the angels of God worship him — Hebrews 1:6CloseAnd again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.Hebrews 1:6 · King James VersionOpen source (8)

The Greek is Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι θεοῦ. The 1984 footnote names that verb and still offers worship as an alternative. The verse line the Society now prints is obeisance. Should Jesus be worshipped? reads the verb with Revelation 5.

Bound copies of the 1950, 1961, 1970, and 1971 printings were not opened for this page. What is on the page is the Questions From Readers rendering with worship, the 1984 verse with obeisance and the worship footnote, and the 2013 Study Edition with obeisance.

Frequently asked questions

Did the brackets mean the translators knew “other” was not in the Greek? The 1984 footnote says “All [other],” as in Luke 11:41, 42. The brackets mark a supplied word. The current edition keeps the word and removes the brackets. The Greek clauses still read τὰ πάντα.

Does the 1984 footnote admit that “worship” is a possible English word at Hebrews 1:6? It says “Or, ‘let . . . worship,’” and it names the Greek προσκυνέω form. The verse line in that edition is do obeisance. The earlier Questions From Readers article printed worship in the verse it was explaining.

Is every revision of this kind? John 14:14CloseIf ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.John 14:14 · King James VersionOpen source is a real manuscript difference, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ study note says so. How reliable is the New World Translation? keeps that case beside Colossians 1:16. Supplying other, and moving Hebrews 1:6 from the worship line to obeisance, are edition choices a reader can set next to the Greek.

Keep reading

• Has the New World Translation been changed to fit doctrine?
• How reliable is the New World Translation?
• Is Jesus the Creator or a creature?
• Should Jesus be worshipped?
• How do you read Watchtower language?