Is the NWT translation of John 1:1 correct?

[Justin108]

John 1:1 (NWT) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.

John 1:1 (MEV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Why does the Jehovah's Witness translation of John 1:1 differ from virtually every other translation? Which is the correct translation of John 1:1? "The Word was a god" or "The Word was God"?

[Monta]

[Replying to post 19 by marco]

"At no point in Scripture does Christ ask people to pray to him. He does say that he is the way to the Father, which is quite different from saying that he IS the Father, in any possible sense. In fact, going by how Jesus spoke, we would imagine he would be horrified at being regarded as Jehovah in any shape or form. He accepted that the Father sent him; and works through him. His prayer to the Father to remove his chalice would be an absurdity were Jesus God."

Of course not. Jesus came to restore order not break it.
Prayers are not to be directed to humans.
Only after his ressurection, his human from Mary was glorified that is made Divine by union with the Father within Himself.

This is what makes Christianity so powerful.

[marco]

Of course not. Jesus came to restore order not break it.

If only Scripture didn't tell us otherwise! Take these:

Matthew 10:34 -35

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

Luke 12:51 -53

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.


I have seen it argued that Christ is simply speaking of what will happen to him and his followers but in both texts he expresses PURPOSE, not result. I have come IN ORDER TO....

One of the least peaceful places on Earth is the part of the world that Christ visited. His legacy remains.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 16 by marco]

"Dear onewithhim, it is normally Marco who is saying this sort of thing to you. Like you, I see no great reason for taking Jesus as Yahweh. It makes little sense. "

It is not what we think but what doctine is saying or not saying.

Jehovah of the OT was a Saviour to come and he did not have the human nature untill his descent into the world as the Word - the divine wisdom: the Word was with God and the Word was God.
Jesus was not Jehovah but his soul was while his human body provided by Mary.
After the ressurection the glorified humanity that Christ took upon himself is the direct path to God. That is why we pray, in Jesus name.

You are expounding things by rote, with no reasonableness involved. The Scriptures depict Jehovah as the Almighty God, whom no body can equal. EVERYONE else is inferior to Him. Jehovah is the Source of everything created. He is the ultimate Savior, and he picked his Son, known to us as Jesus Christ, to carry out his (God's) plan of salvation. Only then can Christ be called the Savior as well as his Father, the Father from whence salvation came in the first place.

Jehovah never has had human nature and never COULD have human nature. How could the Creator of humans be LIKE humans? In addition to that, God cannot be WITH God and also BE God. Jesus and his Father are two DISTINCT individuals, and they have never been the same Person. Think.

.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 1 by Justin108]

Semantics (where we place words) plays a different role in Greek than English.

If John had wished to make the Word simply a god, the greek would have run like this: kai ha logos hv theos. In which case, John would've been the first Arian.

If John had wished to conflate the two, the greek wouldve run "kai ha logos hv ha theos", making him a proponent of Sabellianism.

What we have however is "kai theos hv ha logos", which makes him Trinitarian.

No, my friend, the DEFINITE ARTICLE does not exist in that little phrase. The rules of translating Greek to English call for the use of an English indefinite article there. "A god" is the correct rendering, if the rules are to be respected.

[Monta]

[Replying to post 23 by onewithhim]


"Jehovah never has had human nature and never COULD have human nature. How could the Creator of humans be LIKE humans? In addition to that, God cannot be WITH God and also BE God. Jesus and his Father are two DISTINCT individuals, and they have never been the same Person. Think. "

Agree, Creator of the humans is not like humans.
You are confusing time frame. The Word (divine wisdom) has always been eternal
'the Word was with God and was God' and in time took on the human form, 'put it on like a garment' (Swedenborg puts it beautifuly and clearly).
Human garment is Jesus. He puts it on, did not become it.

It is paramount for Jesus to go through all temptations and death and to overcome. As a sinless and pure human being, death and hell could not claim him. After the ressurection and the total union of the Divine and the Human a direct path had been made to the Creator through the humanity of glorified Jesus: 'I am the way'.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 25 by Monta]

Lots of flowery words.....and IMHO meaningless.

Jehovah, the Most High, the Source of all things, did not "put on" a garment of human flesh. He remained in heaven while He sent His ONLY-BEGOTTEN Son. BTW, what does "only-begotten" mean? A person can tell just by looking at the word. "Begotten" means to have been brought into existence, and Jesus was the ONLY "begotten." What does that mean? Simply that he was the only person (or anything} that Jehovah brought into existence by Himself alone. All other things were created THROUGH His Son. (Colossians 1:15; I Corinthians 8:4-6)

[Monta]

[Replying to post 25 by Monta]

Lots of flowery words.....and IMHO meaningless.

Jehovah, the Most High, the Source of all things, did not "put on" a garment of human flesh. He remained in heaven while He sent His ONLY-BEGOTTEN Son. BTW, what does "only-begotten" mean? A person can tell just by looking at the word. "Begotten" means to have been brought into existence, and Jesus was the ONLY "begotten." What does that mean? Simply that he was the only person (or anything} that Jehovah brought into existence by Himself alone. All other things were created THROUGH His Son. (Colossians 1:15; I Corinthians 8:4-6)

You are giving a physical body (he remained in heaven) to God who is Omnipresent - in all time and space apart from time and space.
Yes, begotten, descent into human form.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 25 by Monta]

Lots of flowery words.....and IMHO meaningless.

Jehovah, the Most High, the Source of all things, did not "put on" a garment of human flesh. He remained in heaven while He sent His ONLY-BEGOTTEN Son. BTW, what does "only-begotten" mean? A person can tell just by looking at the word. "Begotten" means to have been brought into existence, and Jesus was the ONLY "begotten." What does that mean? Simply that he was the only person (or anything} that Jehovah brought into existence by Himself alone. All other things were created THROUGH His Son. (Colossians 1:15; I Corinthians 8:4-6)

You are giving a physical body (he remained in heaven) to God who is Omnipresent - in all time and space apart from time and space.
Yes, begotten, descent into human form.

I'm sorry but I don't understand what you mean here. Jesus existed at the beginning of the creation, after, of course, HE was created (or, begotten). He came into existence untold billions of years ago, before the Father created anything else.

He didn't have a physical body when Jehovah created him...he was just like God in form---a spirit person. (John 4:24) He created everything else by HIS FATHER'S POWER. He always did everything by the power GIVEN to him by Jehovah. Jesus is not God, and you seem contradictory in your statements. It's not clear what you mean. The Bible differentiates between God and Jesus. Too many people confuse them.

God---Jehovah---is not actually "omnipresent" according to the Bible. He is always in heaven. (Matt.6:9) His POWER extends everywhere in the universe. God Himself could never be contained within a physical human body. That's why He had to send His Son to explain Him and teach His truths.

[Monta]

[Replying to post 28 by onewithhim]


I'm sorry but I don't understand what you mean here. Jesus existed at the beginning of the creation, after, of course, HE was created (or, begotten). He came into existence untold billions of years ago, before the Father created anything else.

----It is Christ (the Word) was with God was God. Jesus the body, the garmet Christ took upon Himself was provided in time.

He didn't have a physical body when Jehovah created him...he was just like God in form---a spirit person. (John 4:24) He created everything else by HIS FATHER'S POWER. He always did everything by the power GIVEN to him by Jehovah. Jesus is not God, and you seem contradictory in your statements. It's not clear what you mean. The Bible differentiates between God and Jesus. Too many people confuse them.

----Same answer as above.

God---Jehovah---is not actually "omnipresent" according to the Bible. He is always in heaven. (Matt.6:9) His POWER extends everywhere in the universe. God Himself could never be contained within a physical human body. That's why He had to send His Son to explain Him and teach His truths.

---- By his 'power' he is Omniopresent, by degrees. It is not that God is big or small but everyone and everyhting receives him in accordance with their nature - I receive life from him so does my apple tree and the weeds; according to reception.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 28 by onewithhim]


I'm sorry but I don't understand what you mean here. Jesus existed at the beginning of the creation, after, of course, HE was created (or, begotten). He came into existence untold billions of years ago, before the Father created anything else.

----It is Christ (the Word) was with God was God. Jesus the body, the garmet Christ took upon Himself was provided in time.

He didn't have a physical body when Jehovah created him...he was just like God in form---a spirit person. (John 4:24) He created everything else by HIS FATHER'S POWER. He always did everything by the power GIVEN to him by Jehovah. Jesus is not God, and you seem contradictory in your statements. It's not clear what you mean. The Bible differentiates between God and Jesus. Too many people confuse them.

----Same answer as above.

God---Jehovah---is not actually "omnipresent" according to the Bible. He is always in heaven. (Matt.6:9) His POWER extends everywhere in the universe. God Himself could never be contained within a physical human body. That's why He had to send His Son to explain Him and teach His truths.

---- By his 'power' he is Omniopresent, by degrees. It is not that God is big or small but everyone and everyhting receives him in accordance with their nature - I receive life from him so does my apple tree and the weeds; according to reception.

God can't be God and WITH God. That makes no sense idiomatically, philosophically, theologically, or any other way you look at it.

I do not argue that God is not able to know what is going on everywhere, and, as you yourself said, it is by his power or holy spirit.

Your answers above do not make sense. Could you explain further?