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What Bible translations should I avoid?


Deuteronomy 4:2

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.


The New World Translation is a Bible produced by a cult, the Jehovah's Witnesses. Prior to that, the Jehovah’s Witnesses used the King James Version. Year after year it became a larger problem. As their cult grew, they found it increasingly difficult to dance around the glaring differences between the KJV and their theology. Time and time again, they would read something from the KJV that disagreed with their doctrine. They would then have to explain around it so their people wouldn’t see that their doctrine disagreed with the Bible.

Finally, they got tired of the Bible disagreeing with their theology, so their headquarters produced a new Bible, altering it drastically. They said they were correcting errors in the KJV and properly translating, but they were actually just creating a Bible that would agree with their doctrine. They changed and reworded passages that did not align with their teachings. Since their scholars lacked the theological training necessary for translating, they wouldn’t reveal who was on the translation committee, especially since real scholars criticised their “translation” from the very beginning.

Some of the changes made deal with major doctrine, most notably the deity of Christ and the trinity. Two examples are cited below. The above line shows the correct translation of a verse from mainstream Bible translations. The below line shows the incorrect rendering from the New World Translation. I underlined the extra words that were added in the Jehovah’s Witness NWT:

John 1:1

Mainstream translations

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


New World Translation

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was a god.


Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God Himself, so they added in the indefinite article “a” to make Jesus something less than God. Although it still doesn’t make sense, from there they can more easily tell their followers that Jesus is not God.


Colossians 1:16

Mainstream translations

…by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth…


New World Translation

…by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth…


The NWT adds the word “other” to the verse above, diminishing Jesus again. There are a few Greek words for “other,” none of which are used in this verse. The word is just not there at all. Christian translators will sometimes help readers understand a passage, but adding the word “other” here changes the meaning of the text and misleads people.

The above are two of many differences between the New World Translation and mainstream Bibles. Before picking up a new Bible at a store in the future, make sure you do some research beforehand, praying for discernment, that you would stay true to God’s word.


Revelation 22:18-19

18 …If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.