john 1 1 new world translation

The New World Translation (NWT) of the Bible renders John 1:1 as: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god." This translation is produced by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovahs Witnesses) and differs from most mainstream Christian translations, which typically say, "and the Word was God" (e.g., KJV, NIV, ESV). Key Differences & Controversy: "The Word was a god" (NWT) vs. "The Word was God" (Traditional translations) - The NWT interprets the Greek phrase "καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος" (kai Theos ēn ho Logos) as indicating a qualitative sense (i.e., the Word is divine but not the Almighty God). - Most scholars argue that the absence of the Greek definite article (ὁ, ho) before "Theos" does not necessarily make it indefinite ("a god") but rather emphasizes the nature of the Word as divine. Jehovahs Witnesses' Theology - They believe Jesus is a created being (Michael the Archangel) and not co-eternal with God the Father. - Hence, they avoid translating John 1:1 in a way that equates Jesus fully with Jehovah (YHWH). Criticism from Scholars - Many Greek scholars (including non-Trinitarians) argue that the NWTs rendering is grammatically questionable. - Some suggest that if John had meant "a god," he could have used "θεῖος" (theios, divine) or "θεὸς εἷς" (theos heis, one god) instead. Comparison with Other Translations: KJV/NIV/ESV: "and the Word was God." NWT: "and the Word was a god." Lamsas Aramaic Bible: "and the Word was God." Sahidic Coptic: "the Word was God." Would you like further analysis on the Greek grammar or theological implications?