From this week's Life & Ministry:
In Proverbs 11:9, the New World Translation reads:
"By his mouth the apostate brings his neighbor to ruin, But by knowledge the righteous are rescued."
At first glance, this rendering may seem faithful to the original text, but a closer look reveals a deliberate distortion. The Hebrew word translated here as "apostate" is חָנֵף (chaneph), meaning godless, profane, or morally corrupt. It does not refer to an apostate — someone who abandons a particular faith or belief system — but rather to any person who lacks reverence for God. Virtually all reputable translations recognize this. Versions like the NIV, ESV, and NASB use "godless" to accurately reflect the intent of the passage.
The Watchtower, however, chooses to substitute "apostate," a word that does not appear in the original Hebrew, inserting it into the Old Testament text where it simply does not belong. This alteration is not accidental. It serves a very specific narrative promoted by the organization: that anyone who leaves or criticizes them must be viewed not just as someone in error, but as a dangerous and corrupt individual on par with the truly godless.
By inserting "apostate" where the Bible originally speaks of the godless, the Watchtower blackens all who depart from their organization, branding them as wicked and spiritually destructive. It recasts legitimate dissenters and whistleblowers as enemies of God himself, rather than individuals seeking truth or exposing wrongdoing. This manipulation reinforces fear and loyalty among members, making it spiritually terrifying to question or walk away from the organization.
The real tragedy is that Proverbs 11:9, as originally written, speaks to a broader spiritual principle: that the godless can bring harm through their deceit, but the righteous are preserved by wisdom and understanding. It was never intended as a tool to threaten or malign those who conscientiously disagree. By distorting the word of God, the Watchtower undermines the very Scriptures it claims to uphold, substituting its own authority in place of divine truth.
In the end, it is not the apostate who brings ruin through deception, but those who manipulate the sacred text for their own ends.