JEHOVAHS WITNESS TRUTH: THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TRANSLATION OF LUKE 23:43

LUKE 23:43

The process of interpreting and translating God’s inspired word is a very delicate undertaking. It is critiqued by individuals who are qualified scholars in the Hebrew and Greek with theological training who follow rigid and stringent guidelines. These are in place to ensure that there will be no mistake in the translation. Unfortunately the WTS does not adhere to any traditional guidelines in its attempt to translate the Bible. Something as the placement of a comma can change the meaning of a key doctrine in our belief. A perfect example is Luke 23:43.

Luke 23:43 And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.” {NWT}

Luke 23:32-43. And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. {KJV}

The above narrative is a perfect example of the Creator’s compassion for his creation. While Jesus Christ was experiencing the physical, emotional and spiritual agony on the cross, he still expressed the eternal nature of His love for man. Jesus possessed the compassion to listen to the cries of a dying man who had great need. After the man professed his belief in Jesus Christ; Jesus assured him that that very day, he would be with Jesus in Paradise.

In the NTW the punctuation is placed after “today,” in contrast to the KJV where the comma is placed before “today.” You may inquire “Is there a difference?” Indeed so, and a monumental one. When the comma in Luke 23:43 is placed after “you,” then “today” refers to the point in time that the thief would enter paradise. In the NWT the coma is placed after “today.” By placing the comma after “today,” “today” now refers to that moment in time when Jesus is speaking to the thief and not when the thief will enter paradise. The WTS would rather have their disciples believe that the thief ceased to exist at death, has not existed anywhere during the past 2000 years, and will enjoy Jesus’s promise sometime in the future millennium. The comma was moved to support the WTS’s doctrine that teaches that physical man and his soul are one in the same. Man is not a spirit that leaves his physical body upon death, and then journeys to either heaven or hell. If the comma was left in its proper location it would undermine the WTS doctrine which instructs that paradise is a future hope and not a present reality.

If that is so, then everyone from Adam to now is dead in the grave and not in heaven or hell. Is there any scriptural evidence to support or contradict the WTS claims on the existence of a soul after physical death?

Matthew 22:31-32. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

In Matthew 22, Jesus is involved in a debate with the Sadducees. The Sadducees believed that the resurrection of the dead was impossible. Their question on marriage had an underlying sarcastic comment that came from their view that the resurrection was absurd. Jesus answered them form the book of Exodus {3:6}. Jesus’s rebuttal is simple and undisputable; if Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were dead then God would not have said “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” God would have said he “was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” God spoke of these dead men as if they were still alive. God would not have a relationship with dead individuals. So from God’s prospective, they are still alive. God continues his relationship with these men because they are with him in heaven.

Jesus is recorded utilized the phrase, “Truly I say unto you,” or “Truly I tell you” seventy one times in the four Gospels. When translated from the Greek the punctuation is always placed after “you.” Only in the NWT is the translation of Luke 23:43 done with the comma placed after “today.”

Below are several verses quoting Jesus where the coma is always placed after “you.”

Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.{KJV}

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. . {KJV}

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. . {KJV}

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. .{KJV}

Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. . {KJV}

Matthew 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: {KJV}

Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. .{KJV}

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; .{KJV}

It is clearly understood by the evidence above that the WTS deliberately misinterpreted the inspired word of God to accommodate their man inspired doctrine.

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