In a recent conversation with the Jehovah’s Witnesses I had the painful privilege of speaking at length with them concerning their beliefs. After spending over two full hours with these well-meaning people I went away more enlightened and extremely frustrated over what I had experienced. The three people who engaged us did leave us a copy of all that they believe, it’s a book titled Reasoning from the Scriptures. From this little book and a handful of others I have compiled a list of their beliefs with regard to the Trinity.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s) have been around since the mid-1800’s. They are zealous for Jehovah and can be found combing most area neighborhoods. Their goal is to spread their propaganda to the entire world before Armageddon in order to avoid Armageddon. Though they use the Bible to make their arguments they are to be considered a cult. The translation they use, called the New World Translation (NWT) is a blatant twisting of the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures. The good news for Christians is that the JW’s revere the Scripture. The bad news is that they twist it and flip through it better than many seminary grads and lifelong Christians. Their texts are out of context and contain their own theology despite what the original language teaches. The following are a few of their arguments and the proper way to defend against their heresy. Most of the arguments against them come from David Reed’s Answering the Jehovah’s Witnesses Verse by Verse. Mr. Reed is a former JW, and I found his arguments to be the most insightful of all the reference materials so I have used his arguments at length. This is in no way an exhaustive list of references for refutation of their doctrines, but the bibliography at the end will provide the reader with an adequate list of helpful literature.

Other Twists of the Trinity by Jehovah’s Witnesses:

Claiming that the Trinity is actually three Gods conceived by orthodox believers, and thus, polytheism, JW’s go on to say this:

In dealing with Christ’s resurrection the JW’s believe:

Genesis 1:1-2: In verse two in most translations it is the "Spirit of God" that is hovering over the waters, but in the JW’s version it is translated "God’s active force." The JW’s don’t have to twist this verse because it is already pre-twisted in their translation. When their translation does speak of the Holy Spirit it is never capitalized, and it is always without the definite article in English. The JW’s see it as a mere impersonal force.

The answer to this problem is to use their translation against them. In Acts 13:2 the Spirit speaks; in John 15:26 the Spirit bears witness; in John 16:13 the Spirit says whatever he hears; in Isaiah 63:10 the Spirit feels hurt. Also see Acts 5:3-4 where the Holy Spirit and God are equated by Peter to be one.

Genesis 18:1-2: The JW’s hate the doctrine of the Trinity. As previously stated, to them it is a doctrine of Satan. They also say that it is impossible for God to exist as three persons.

In this passage God appears to Abraham as three men (or angels). Even Abraham addresses the three men as "Jehovah." Verse nine is described as "they" speaking and as "Jehovah" speaking. Even after two of them depart to Sodom Abraham still addresses the one left behind as "Jehovah" while at the same time Lot himself addresses the other two men in Sodom as "Jehovah." This doesn’t prove the trinity, but it does demonstrate that God can manifest himself in three different persons. Other passages for the trinity are Is. 9:6; John 1:1; John 16:13; 1 Cor. 6:19; 8:6; Col. 2:9; Rev. 1:7-8. Also read to them what Paul says in 1 Cor. 13:12 when he speaks of not fully comprehending God until we see him face to face.

Exodus 3:14: When God appeared to Moses at the burning bush He told Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him I AM WHO I AM sent me. When Jesus answered His accusers in John 8:57-58 he told them "before Abraham was, I AM." This is an obvious claim for deity, one in which the JW’s take out of their translation because they say the Jesus never claimed to be God. They think of him as Michael the archangel, but there is absolutely no Scripture to support that. Furthermore, the Book of Hebrews explicitly goes on to prove that Jesus is above all angels. What they put in their translation is that God tells Moses his name is "I shall prove to be" and Jesus’ claim to be "I have been."

In showing them the error of their ways Greek and Hebrew are always handy to know, but in the footnotes of their own translation the notes read "I AM" to be the proper rendering. This is found in the 1984 large print study Bible for the JW’s and in their interlinear translations.

Exodus 3:15: This verse is where the JW’s believe God told all men to refer to Him as Jehovah. They believe that anyone who refers to Him by any other name is actually praying to Satan because Jehovah does not hear any prayers not addressed to him by his proper name. Ironically the JW’s will admit that Jehovah is a mistranslation of the proper rendering "Yahweh," but they insist on that pronunciation only.

In defending against this heresy the JW should examine the prayers of Jesus. He never started out his prayers by calling on Jehovah, rather Jesus called him "Father" (cf. Matt. 11:25; 26:39-42; Mark 14:36; Luke 10:21; 22:42; 23:34, 46; Jn. 11:41; 12:27-28; 17:1-26). When Jesus instructed his disciples to pray he told them to address God as "Our Father..." (Matt. 6:9; Lk. 11:2). Paul calls God "Abba! Father! (Romans 8:15; Gal. 4:6). Other Scriptures claim that Jesus Christ is the name above all names (Philippians 4:2) and that there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved (Acts 4:10-12).

Deuteronomy 18:20-22: In this passage it is clear that when someone speaks a prophecy in the name of God, and it does not come to pass, then that person is a false prophet and must be killed. The New World Translation (NWT) ironically does not twist this passage -- a passage that clearly implicates them, and yet they call themselves "The Prophet."

The JW’s, or WatchTower organization comprised of both men and women who they say speak for Jehovah, have been "speaking for God" for almost 100 years now. They most certainly have spoken "in the name of Jehovah," so now their claims must be substantiated. First, they claimed that the battle of Armageddon would end in AD 1914 with the complete overthrow of the earth’s present leadership (The Time Is At Hand, 1904 Edition, p. 101). This did not occur.

Second, the JW’s predicted that they would be resurrected in the year 1925 as perfect men and rule the earth. To mark this time they predicted Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would return to take them (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, pp. 89-90). This did not occur. Third, the year 1975 was predicted to be the year that "the end" would come. The prediction was that in the autumn of that year Armageddon would be over and all would come to an end. In order to buffet their prediction it was claimed that this might not occur in the autumn, but that it would occur that year. It did not occur.

The JW’s have had to continually change their doctrines in order to fit their false prophecies. Christ was first predicted to return in the year 1874, but it did not occur. After re-evaluating their own data they came up with the parousia in 1912. Then again in 1914. When Jesus did not come once again they changed their doctrine to say that He did come -- only in spirit. They changed a word in Matthew 24:3 from "coming" to "presence" and said that Christ’s coming was only His presence which was a great way to fulfill their own prophecy and save face.

It can be claimed, in view of this passage, that the WatchTower organization is a false prophet, and the words of Jesus ring clear here: "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." "For false Christs and false prophets will arise..." (Matt. 7:15; 24:24).

There are many other OT passages the JW’s use to support their twisted doctrines. In combating these arguments the best approach is to read what they are reading from a more accurate translation (KJV, NAS, NIV), and to make sure the context is taken into consideration. In all cases the JW’s interpretations can be refuted by merely examining the context and cross referencing Scripture with Scripture. Remember that they revere the Scripture, and unlike Mormons, can be convinced if the Bible says it. They simply need sound teachers.

Matthew 3:11: This verse teaches that John baptized with water, but Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit. However, the NWT says, "John the Baptizer said that Jesus would baptize with holy spirit even as John had been baptizing with water. Hence, in the same way that water is not a person, holy spirit is not a person." This reasoning is against the personality of the Holy Spirit, and the absence of the definite article in the original Greek appears to justify their position, but this logic is clearly fallible in view of other Scriptures.

Romans 6:3 says that we have been baptized into Christ Jesus and were baptized into his death. The parallel to this argument would be that since death is not a person then Jesus is not a person. Galatians 3:27 says, "all of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ." The line of argument here would be that since people can be baptized into Christ and clothed with Christ, he must not be a person." It is obvious that these comparisons do not take away from the personality of Christ. Hence, the baptism argument does not disprove the personality of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 26:27: The JW’s do not take the Lord’s supper. Leaders of the JW’s teach that since the year 1935 no one is to take the Lord’s supper mediated by Jesus Christ. All who live after 1935 are the "other sheep" according to JW’s. 1935 is the year that the 144,000 JW’s ascended into heaven. All others will live on the earth after death.

The problem with this teaching is Jesus said, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves" (John 6:53). By excluding themselves from the new covenant they exclude themselves from eternal life. The JW’s cannot show anyone in the Bible that the year 1935 was the year in which instructions for communion ceased. Their problem was that up until 1935 they never thought that their church membership would exceed 144,000. When it did they had to change their doctrines once again. Now they believe they have an elite group reigning in the heavens while they seek to live on the earth forever after doing good works.

Mark 12:29: Jesus said "... the Lord our God is one Lord," the JW’s believe this statement to be proof that the doctrine of the Trinity is not real. Since God is one then He cannot be three as the argument goes. They fail to understand that the NT reveals God as a composite oneness. The OT does not reveal this, but the NT does.

Refuting this is to be done hypothetically. Can God hear many different people at the same time? Can he speak to more than one person at the same time? Can he work in different places at the same time? Can he leave heaven and visit the earth while at the same time remaining in heaven? God’s oneness is composite, and He manifests Himself in different ways as the discussion of Genesis 18 says.

Luke 16:22-24,27-28: This is the passage concerning the rich man and Lazarus. Both die, but Lazarus goes to Paradise while the rich man goes into Hades where there is intense heat. In order to substantiate their belief that there is not hell/eternal punishment, the JW’s call this passage a parable in order to show that Jesus was not being real.

In refuting this claim, a claim that even many Christians hold to, the JW’s should be made to see that even the parables of Christ were taken from real life situations. The prodigal son was real life, good Samaritan, etc. All might not have taken place per se, but they were real life situations that do occur. Even if this passage is a parable it is speaking of a real life situation the same way Christ’s other parables do. In this sense hell is a real place. Other passages speaking of hell are: Matthew 13:41-50; Luke 13:27-28; 12:4-5; 12: 46-48; 6:23-25Matt. 22:13; 24:50-51; 25:30; 26:24; Mk. 9:47-48; Rev. 14:9-11. It must also be asked whether or not Bible readers who lived prior to JW inception (late 1800’s) believed in hell. The teaching of Christ is clear concerning hell. Even if hell is not true fire, the Bible sure makes it sound unpleasant. All the more reason to trust in the Savior and to see that need.

John 1:1: The JW interpretation of this passage is that the Word (Jesus) is a god -- not the God. They interpret the absence of the definite article preceding God to mean a god. In doing so they place Jesus as a created being which bodes well with their own theology that Jesus was created angel and not God incarnate.

It is not necessary to interpret Greek nouns without a definite article with an indefinite article (Greek has no indefinite article). Theos, the Greek word for God, without the definite article does not need to be translated "a God" as the JW’s believe. The question to ask them is "how many gods do you believe in?" Of course they only believe in one God, yet they advocate a plurality of gods in attempting to defend their view in John 1:1. As Geisler has said, "It is significant that theos without the definite article ho is used of Jehovah God in the NT. Because the lack of the definite article in Luke 20:38 in reference to Jehovah does not mean he is a lesser God, neither does the lack of the definite article in John 1:1 in reference to Jesus mean he is a lesser God" (page 159). Looking at John 20:28 it is clear that the definite article does speak of Christ as "the God" when Thomas makes his proclamation. John 1:1 is not the final say because the Bible teaches that Jesus is God -- not a god.

John 3:3,7: Dealing with being "born again" in this verse JW’s will say that it does not apply to them. They believe that it only applied to those who were born prior to 1935. Those born after that are believed to be the ones Jesus speaks of in John 10:16. They are the "great crowd" and the "other sheep."

Refuting this, according to David Reed who is a former JW, is a four-step process. First, turn to John 3:3-15 where it gives no exceptions to the necessity of being born again. Second, turn to 1 John 5:1 where their NWT speaks of "everyone" believing in Jesus Christ is born again. Point out that "everyone" means just that. Third, turn to Galatians 4:5-6 and ask whether or not the JW has been adopted as a child of God by personally receiving the Spirit of the Son of God. The JW, being true to his beliefs, will say NO! Finally, turn to Romans 8, specifically verses 14-16. This passage does not apply to the devout JW. Now read verses 1-7 and comment on the contrast between walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit. The point is to be made in verses 8-9, and the JW should be reminded that he has admitted that he has not received Christ’s spirit to dwell in his heart by being born again through adoption as a child of God. He cannot please God, and he does not belong to Christ.

John 4:23: The JW will ask what you call God in your worship. Any name other than Jehovah brings a sharp rebuke that they are not true worshippers due to the fact that they are worshipping the Son. This is another example of denying the deity of Christ -- a doctrine essential to upholding the Trinity.

Christ’s deity is avoided by the JW’s, so taking them through some of the passages that prove His deity is all one need to do. Read passages like Isaiah 9:6; Matt. 28:9; John 1:1, 8:58-59; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Hebrews 1:6. All reveal Christ’s deity. After all this ask the JW if they honor Jehovah’s wishes. They will answer "yes." In their own Bibles turn to John 5:23 where God requires all to honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 14:28: This verse states that the Father is greater than the Son by Jesus’ own admission and is a favorite among JW’s because it seems to prove they are separate.

Remind them that Jesus was speaking at a time when he had done as stated in Philippians 2:6-7 where though He was in the form of God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. In this case Jesus could naturally speak of the Father being greater than He. He even became lower than the angels in order to act as the Savior of all mankind (Hebrews 2:9). The JW’s love to use the word "rank" in referring to the Father being of higher rank than the Son, and this verse appears to justify that line of twisted thinking. Ask the JW if they believe that women are inferior to men in the Bible. Most will say "no" of course, and tell you that they are equal. Refer them to passages in Ephesians 5 and 1 Corinthians 11 that show how, though women are equal with men, they have a different role in the family makeup. In the same way that women and men are equal but with different roles so are the Father and the Son, equal but with different roles -- not rank.

John 20:25: The basic gist of this passage has to do with the cross where Christ was crucified. The JW’s believe Jesus was killed while being nailed to a stake. Anyone believing in the cross is a "pagan false religionist." The NWT changes all references of "cross" to "torture stake." In this theology it took one nail through his hands and one through his feet.

The problem here is that the NWT has not changed Thomas’ proclamation in this verse -- yet. Since Christ was actually crucified with a cross beam he had to have had two nails in his hands (one in each hand). In this verse Thomas wants to stick his finger into the print of the nails (plural). The NWT fails to account for this, but in keeping with their twisted doctrine it will soon be added in later editions of their Bibles.

John 20:28: The JW’s say that Thomas was merely expressing his glee at the sight of Jesus. In the same way the people today say, "Oh my God!" Thomas too was taking the Lord’s name in vain. The problem here is that if Thomas were taking the Lord’s name in vain it brought no rebuke from Jesus. Instead Jesus commended him for recognizing his true identity as "Lord" and "God."

Acts 7:59-60: In this passage Stephen, the first Christian martyr, prays to Jesus. JW’s never pray to Jesus -- only to Jehovah God. This is grounds for excommunication (Reed, 87). The problem here is that there is no getting around the fact that Jesus is being addressed here.

Second Timothy 3:16-17: One of the nice things about JW’s is their reverence for the Bible. This verse is a favorite of theirs, and they believe it. They do not, however, stand by it. They believe that one must have their organization’s literature in order to be saved (The Watch Tower, 9/15/10, p. 298).

Hebrews 1:6: In the early editions of the NWT (1953, 60, 61, & 70) this verse with reference to worshipping Jesus was untouched. All other references to worshipping Jesus were taken out. Beginning with the 1971 version the verse began to read, "let all God’s angels do obeisance to him."

The problem here is that the entire book of Hebrews concerns Christ’s superiority over everything else, and in this chapter it is over the angels! In Revelation 22:8-9 the word for worship is the same as the word used for worship here. In Revelation, John bows down to worship an angel, but the angel rebukes him for doing so telling him to worship God alone. This worship is the same worship that is commanded to be given in Hebrews 1:6. Therefore, the Son is certainly not an angel.

The Book of Revelation: This book is the favorite of JW’s. It is also the best one to do battle with against their theology when they present themselves at your door. Their doctrine of the 144,000 is to be found here. In Rev. 7:4 they deduce that the Christian church is limited to the literal number of 144,000 people. This group was attained by the year 1935, and everyone else is part of the "other sheep" who will live on the earth eternally following the Battle of Armageddon. Though the identity of the 144,000 is debated even among Christians it is evident that the JW’s interpretation is flat wrong. The Bible states that during the tribulation there will be 144,000 people, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, who will be saved. The JW’s, as usual, start their hocus pocus and begin to twist Scripture to make it say what they want it to say. "Israel" here is to be representative of all nations they say, and they are symbolic. The problem with this is that everything they do up to this point to make this doctrine work is symbolic. But when they come to the number 144,000 they say it is literal -- a big problem with this inconsistent hermeneutic.

Another great apologetic with regard to Revelation is the Alpha and Omega spoken of in Rev. 1:8; 21:6; and 22:13. The JW’s will wholeheartedly admit that the Alpha and Omega is Jehovah God in all of these verses; he is the first and the last. The one they do not know is Revelation 1:17-18. It says, "When I [John] saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’" Given that the First and the Last is Jehovah God one must then ask the JW, "when did Jehovah die?" This is further proof that Jesus and God are one -- a doctrine the JW’s refuse to adhere to.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a sharp group of mostly well-meaning people who go door to door attempting to bring people to Jehovah, all the while believing to be securing their own salvation. Unfortunately, they have painstakingly changed their Bibles to fit their own theology. What they now have is a Bible that tells them what they want to hear, and this is the Bible they share while "evangelizing." Knowing the Scriptures and defending the Triune nature of God from the Scriptures is key to witnessing to JW’s. The JW’s spend hours learning their arguments. When a student of the Bible knows enough to take them out of their circle of reasoning they become confused and vulnerable. Understanding the Trinity, and what the Bible says concerning it, is key to sending the JW’s on their way, questioning their own beliefs.

Carlson, R. & Decker, E. 1994. Fast Facts on False Teachings. Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, Oregon, pp. 117-132.

Geisler, N. & Rhodes, R. 1997. When Cultists Ask. Baker Book House: Grand Rapids.

J.S. Horrell, classnotes from Trinitarianism 402 at Dallas Theological Seminary

Martin, W. 1965. Kingdom of the Cults. Bethany House Publishers: Minneapolis, pp. 38-125.

Reasoning Through the Scriptures, 1985. Watch Tower and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

Reed, D. 1986. Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse. Baker Book House: Grand Rapids.