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my words SCRIPTURE, or Scriptural perspective WT view / quotes / info PERSONALITY concept EMPHASIS
GREEK SCHOLARSHIP

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Greek Scholarship??? The WT spells the 17th letter of the Greek alphabet as "HRO" instead of "RHO". See inside cover of the 1969 Kingdom Interlinear, & the 1971 Aid to Bible Understanding (p.696) -- so it's an issue of Greek scholarship, not a typing error! The WT did figure it out by 1988. "Additionally, the Greek letter rho, transliterated r, always requires a "rough" breathing mark at the start of a word." (Insight vol.1, p.1010, Greek) The correct spelling is "rho" as verified by any dictionary. It's the only Greek consonant that requires the rough breathing sound when the letter appears at the beginning of a word. BUT pronunciation & spelling are different matters.

Greek Scholarship???
In Rom 8:27, the
WT translates "PHRONEMA" (MIND) as "MINDING" in the Kingdom Interlinear -- & as "MEANING" in the NWT.
(CLICK here & scroll down ==>
for their 'explanation'.)
Two vital questions on "Scholarship" are asked on page 277 of the 1985 publication, Reasoning From The Scriptures, under the title "NEW WORLD TRANSLATION".
  • 1. "WHO were the translators?"
  • 2. "Is it really a SCHOLARLY TRANSLATION?"
  • Q1 - Raymond Franz (nephew of Fred Franz the 4th WT President) answered this question in 1983 ! Raymond was a member of the Governing Body for 9 years, & wrote that Fred was the "PRINCIPLE TRANSLATOR of the Society's New World Translation".

    Raymond also wrote: "The New World Translation bears no translator's name & is presented as the anonymous work of the 'New World Translation Committee.' Other members of that Committee were Nathan Knorr, Albert Schroeder & George Gangas; Fred Franz, however, was the only one with sufficient knowledge of the Bible languages to attempt translation of this kind. He had studied Greek for two years in the University of Cincinnati but was only self-taught in Hebrew." (Crisis of Conscience, footnote, p.50)

    Q2 was followed by this quote: "Since the translators have chosen to remain anonymous, the question cannot here be answered in terms of THEIR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND. The translation must be APPRAISED on its OWN MERITS."

    Translators are like Doctors. Some are qualified. Some aren't.
    Franz's 1983 revelation makes it clear WHY the translation committee wanted to remain anonymous.
    So now THEIR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS can indeed be taken into account, & the DEPENDABILITY of THEIR TRANSLATION & ALL COMMENTS about the meaning of the Greek (& Hebrew) can be considered in the light & context of THEIR SCHOLARSHIP.

    The vast majority of Greek Scholars
    disagree with the
    New World Translation on 'KEY' passages.

    It sure makes you think. Should I rest MY ETERNAL DESTINY on an "anonymous", disputed-translation???

    Under the title: "The New World Translation -- Appreciated by Millions Worldwide", the Nov 15/01 Watchtower magazine states:
    It took 12 years, 3 months, and 11 days of painstaking work. On March 13, 1960, however, the final segment of text for a new Bible translation was completed. It was called the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.... The first step toward filling this need was taken in October 1946 when Nathan H. Knorr, a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, proposed the production of a new Bible translation. On December 2, 1947, the New World Bible Translation Committee set out to prepare a translation that would be faithful to the original text....

    Even after 53 years (Dec 2/47 - Nov 15/01), the WT is still afraid to reveal the names of the NWBT committee!

    The following INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GREEK SCHOLARS UNANIMOUSLY AGREE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON !
    F.F. Bruce The Letters of Paul, etc., etc.
    J.N. Darby (Dy) The 'Holy Scriptures' (English Bible); French Bible; German Bible; etc., etc.
    Kittel / Friedrich (Massive 10 volume) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
    A.T. Robertson Word Pictures in the New Testament; A Grammar of the Greek New Testament
    J. Strong Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
    R.C. Trench Synonyms of the New Testament
    J.H. Thayer Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
    M.R. Vincent Word Studies in the New Testament
    W.E. Vine An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
    R. Young Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible; Young's Analytical Concordance of the Bible
    WT publications FREQUENTLY quote & DEPEND on these scholars!

    A search on the 1997 WT CD provides the following results:
    Bruce 20, Darby 667, Strong's 273, Thayer 42, Vincent 119, Vine's 121.
    The WT makes many references to others scholars, but the above is enough to make the point that
    INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GREEK SCHOLARS UNANIMOUSLY AGREE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON !


    GREEK FACTS
    • In the King James Version, pneuma is translated as 'spirit' 293x, & as 'ghost' 92x.
    • In the KJV: Ghost = pneuma 92x (Strong's #4151); ekpneo 3x (#1606); ekpsucho 3x (#1634).]
    • The word 'ghost' does not appear in the New World Translation.
    • With only a hint of over-simplifying things ("ruach" &) "pneuma" should always be translated as "spirit" (except for "wind" in Jn.3:8). So, of the 385 NT occurrences of pneuma, the KJV translators should have been consistent & used "spirit instead of "ghost" in Mt.27:50 & Jn.19:30, & should have used Holy "Spirit" instead of Holy "Ghost" 90x. Curiously, the KJV uses "spirit" instead of "ghost" in Lk.24:37 where pneuma could be rendered "ghost" (cf. "phantom" in Mt.14:26; Mk.6:49). ~/~ Anything else is someone trying to sell you something!!!
      The NWT translates pneuma as:
      • "inspired expression" in 2Thes.2:2; 1Jn.4:1 (2x), 4:2 (2x), 4:3 (2x), 4:6 (2x); Rev.16:13,14; 22:6 {???}
      • "inspired utterance" in 1Cor.12:10; 1Tim.4:1 (2x) {???}
      • "inspiration" in Mt.22:43; Rev.1:10 {???}
      • "inspires" in Rev.19:10 {???}
      • "exhalation" in Rev.18:2 (1x) {???}
      • "breath" in Rev.13:15
      • "wind" in Jn.3:8
      • "force" in Eph.4:23
      • "spirit" or "spirits" everywhere else {!!!} (except Mt.5:3; Col.1:8; Heb.12:9, 23; Jude 1:19)

    Note A: - Because Greek is an inflected language, the spelling changes for nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, participles, & the definite article.

    Click HERE for the various spellings of the Greek definite article "THE" from the back cover of the
    Kingdom Interlinear.

    Note B: - The Greek language does not have a word for the indefinite article "a".

    Note C: - Only conjunctives, prepositions, adverbs, particles, negatives, & infinitives do not change spelling.

    Note D: - Sometimes an "e" at the beginning of a Greek word indicates the past tense.

    Note E: - In Greek, CAPITAL LETTERS are relatively infrequent. They are used for: (a) proper nouns; (b) to mark the beginning of a paragraph; (c) at the beginning of direct speech; but not at the beginning of a sentence -- unless (a), (b), or (c) occurs.


    RESEARCH about: " THE > SPIRIT -- THE > HOLY (ONE) "
    Is "The Holy Spirit" a FORCE, or a Sentient BEING -- or BOTH ?

    The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society's view on "The Holy Spirit"
    deviates dramatically from the over-whelming majority of Bible-believing Christians, scholars, & researchers.
    WT dictionaries contain the following very brazen & shocking statement that summarizes their view
    & executes THE SPIRIT THE HOLY ONE !!!.

    " The Scriptures themselves unite to show that
    God's HOLY SPIRIT is NOT a
    PERSON
    but is God's active FORCE

    by which he accomplishes his purpose and executes his will
    ."

    Insight p.1019, & Aid p.1543 ~ INSIGHT On The Scriptures (1988) is the updated version of AID To Bible Understanding (1971)

    WOW !!! ~ IF The Holy Spirit is just a force, then I (& any truth-seeker)
    would be compelled by intellectual honesty & integrity, to abandon belief in the Trinity & become a JW !!!
    An honest, careful, thorough comparison of WT opinion with Scriptural evidence, shows there is no need to accept WT conclusions.

    I don't view my work as a THEOLOGICAL DEBATE. There's no prize for the winner.
    This research is to help JWs think about their eternal destiny -- it's about you & God, not about me.
    If WT teaching is wrong, you are picking a fight with the most AWESOME BEING in the universe!
    The Holy Spirit has emotion (intellect & will) & can be INSULTED & OUTRAGED !!!
    Heb.10:26-31 warns:
    For if we practice sin willfully {or stubbornly, or mindlessly, or blindly, or foolishly} after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, 27 but [there is] a certain fearful expectation of judgment & [there is] a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition. 28 Any man that has disregarded the law of Moses dies without compassion, upon the testimony of two or three. 29 Of how much more severe a punishment, do YOU think, will the man be counted worthy who has trampled upon the Son of God & who has esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, & who has OUTRAGED THE SPIRIT of undeserved kindness with contempt? 30 For we know him that said: "Vengeance is mine; I will recompense"; & again: "Jehovah will judge his people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of [the] living God.
    According to WT opinion:
  • only God the Father is Jehovah
  • The (Paraclete) Holy Spirit = God's Active Force
  • Jesus is a sub-God (a.k.a Michael the archangel).
  • According to Scripture:
  • Jesus is our Paraclete (Lawyer / Advocate) ~ 1Jn.2:1
  • The Holy Spirit is also our Paraclete ~ Jn.14:16,26; 15:26; 16:27

  • (Greek allos = another of the same kind -- not different-kind-heteros).

    Therefore:
  • God The Father -- as the Active Force PARACLETE -- is same as Jesus, & must be demoted to the archangel level.


  • Or, God The (Paraclete) Son must be elevated to equality with God The Father.
  • And God The Spirit -- as same as Jesus PARACLETE -- must be promoted to equal Personhood & Godhood !!!
  • In other words, The Trinity is alive & well.
    Like the atheist who doesn't believe in God, JWs are in for a shock when they meet THE SPIRIT THE HOLY Paraclete-Lawyer-Advocate.

    Because of deliberate, consistent, repeated, systematic emphasis, programming & reinforcement
    (a.k.a. re-education, conditioning, mind control, thought reform, brain washing),
    JWs automatically equate & substitute the Bible expression
    "The Holy Spirit" with the WT's phrase "Active Force",
    e
    ven though
    the "Active Force" phrase is a MISTRANSLATION & found only ONCE in their own Bible!!! See the NWT at Gen.1:2.

    Click here for more detail, & the WT's 28 Meanings / Senses / Interpretation-opinions for "ruach" & "pneuma" ( spirit ).


    SCRIPTURE distinguishes between:
  • The Awesome PERSON & the awesome POWER of The Holy Spirit (throughout Scripture)

  • The GIVER & the GIFT -- in Acts 2:4 for example:
    "...they all became filled with HOLY SPIRIT & started to speak with different tongues,
    just as
    THE SPIRIT
    was GRANTING them to make utterance".
    So obviously "pneuma" is not POWER-only or PERSON-only.
    The truth is that HE is an Awesome PERSON
    AND demonstrates HIS Awesome POWER.

  •  

    WT Basis for "FORCE" Concept

    My Response

     

    Scripture Basis for "PERSON" Concept

    A Absent Greek Definite Article 'the' Fact, BUT... A1 Comparison Chart: - DEMON pneuma (spirit)
    A2 Demon-Pneuma-Spirits are Sentient Beings
    A3 ABSENT Greek 'the' = Awesome POWER
    A4 PRESENT Greek 'the' = Awesome PERSON
    B Pneuma = Neuter Gender noun Fact, BUT... B1 Greek Nouns & Pronouns prove Awesome Person
    C holy spirit Associated with Impersonal Things Fact, BUT... C1 EMOTION = Personality
    C2 INTELLECT = Personality
    C3 WILL = Personality
    D The Holy Spirit has NO Personal Voice F A L S E D1 SPEAKS DIRECTLY & via Humans & Scripture
    E The Holy Spirit has NO Personal Name Unknown,
    but so what?
    E1 Names / Titles of The Holy Spirit
    E2 Testimony of Jesus (GOD-THE-WORD)
    F A 'Person' only because of Personification WT's FAULTY
    conclusion CONTRADICTS
    a host of
    "inconvenient" Scriptures
    F1 Testimony of the Whole NT
    F2 Comparison Chart: - PARACLETE (Advocate)
    F3 Awesome Scriptural Warnings
    F4 Greek Facts / Scholarship
    F5 Does the WT Misquote Scholars ?
    F6 Convincing Evidence (& "Michael")
    Click here for Kingdom Interlinear ~ Definite Article chart to see the various spellings of the neuter gender "the".

    Click here to Search a Greek Interlinear NT
    (Good info in "Tips".)
    Under "Online Bible Search" enter "spirit" beside "Search For ".
    Under "Version(s) " scroll down to "Greek Texts" & click on the next entry.
    Go back to "Search For:" box & click "Search:".

    You will be able to see (in the Greek text) when the definite article "the" is Absent (A3) or Present (A4) before or after "pneuma".
    For verses with TWO definite articles see Acts 1:16; 5:3,32; 7:51; 13:2; 20:23,28; 21:11; Heb.3:7; 9:8.
    (For more verses with double articles, click A1 above & see box 5 in all 3 columns.)

    Click here to Search a Greek NT. ~ Enter "pneuma" beside "Search" & click "GO" (top right).
    Click here for MULTIPLE Greek (& other) Bible CHOICES.

    Chart of interesting LINKS & other RESEARCH

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    Email me if you feel I've made any errors, or misrepresented Watchtower theology in any way.
    I will make corrections immediately.
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