I wonder if based on this article if the WTS is going to encourage jws to put aside the old (just store not toss) NWTs and use only new ones.
*** w08 5/1 p. 22 How Can You Choose a Good Bible Translation? ***
Finding the Best Translation
The Bible was written using the common, everyday languages of average people, such as farmers, shepherds, and fishermen. (Nehemiah 8:8, 12; Acts 4:13) Therefore, a good translation of the Bible makes the message it contains accessible to sincere people, regardless of their background. A desirable translation will also do the following:
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Accurately convey the original message that was inspired by God.—2 Timothy 3:16.
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Translate the meaning of words literally when the wording and structure of the original text allows for such a rendering in the target language.
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Communicate the correct sense of a word or a phrase when a literal rendering of the original-language expression would distort or obscure the meaning.
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Use natural, easy-to-understand language that encourages reading.
Is such a translation available? Millions of readers of this journal favor using the New World Translation. Why? Because they agree with the approach taken by its translation committee, as stated in the foreword to the first English edition: “We offer no paraphrase of the Scriptures. Our endeavor all through has been to give as literal a translation as possible, where modern English idiom allows and where a literal rendition does not for any clumsiness hide the thought.”
The New World Translation has been printed in whole or in part in more than 60 languages, with a total printing of more than 145,000,000 copies! If it is available in your language, why not ask Jehovah’s Witnesses for a copy and see for yourself the benefits of this accurate translation?
Sincere Bible students want to grasp and act upon the message that God inspired. If you are such a person, you need an accurate Bible translation. Really, you deserve nothing less.
*** w09 11/1 Do You Need to Learn Hebrew and Greek? ***
Is It Wrong to Use a Translation?
Some have made great efforts to learn Biblical Hebrew or Biblical Greek or both. Even though they are aware of the limitations of their understanding, they take pleasure in being able to read the Bible in its original languages and feel that all the effort was worthwhile. However, if you are not able to do that, should you feel discouraged and give up in your search for Bible truth? No, not at all! There are several reasons for this conclusion.
First, it is appropriate to use a translation of the Bible. In fact, the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures, or so-called New Testament, often made use of a Greek translation when quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures. (Psalm 40:6; Hebrews 10:5, 6) Although they spoke Hebrew and could have quoted from the original Hebrew Scriptures, they obviously were comfortable with using a translation of those verses that was more widely available to those to whom they were writing.—Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8.
Second, even if a person can understand Bible languages, he can read the words of Jesus only in translation. This is because the Gospel writers wrote down in Greek what Jesus originally said in a form of the Hebrew language. Any who feel that the ability to read the words of Jehovah’s faithful ancient servants in their original languages confers some kind of special wisdom should consider what that implies. The fact that Jehovah inspired the preserving of the words of his greatest Servant only in translation—in a language widely understood at the time—indicates that the language we read the Bible in is not important. What matters is that we read its inspired message in a form that we can understand and respond to.
Third, the “good news” contained in the Bible was to be made available for humble people of “every nation and tribe and tongue and people.” (Revelation 14:6; Luke 10:21; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29) In harmony with this, the overwhelming majority of people today can learn God’s purpose from a copy of the Bible in their own language without having to learn another language. In many languages a number of different translations are available, leaving the reader with a choice.
So how can you make sure that you understand the truth found in the Bible? Jehovah’s Witnesses have found that a topical study of the Bible, taking into consideration the context, is a useful way to understand the message found in God’s Word. For example, they take a particular topic, such as “Marriage,” and look up the verses that refer to that topic. In that way, they allow one part of the Bible to explain what another part means. Why not take advantage of the free home Bible study course that Jehovah’s Witnesses offer to all? No matter what language you speak, God desires that “all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”—1 Timothy 2:4; Revelation 7:9.
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