Editing New World Translation (section)

=== Controversial passages ===

Much criticism of the ''New World Translation'' involves the rendering of certain texts in the New Testament considered to be biased in favor of specific Witness practices and doctrines.<ref name="pentonbible" /><ref>Robert M. Bowman Jr, ''Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses'', (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Book House, 1992)</ref>{{sfn|Haas|1955|pp=283, "This work indicates a great deal of effort and thought as well as considerable scholarship, it is to be regretted that religious bias was allowed to colour many passages."}}{{sfn|Ankerberg|Weldon|2003}}<ref>Rhodes R, The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions, The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response, Zondervan, 2001, p. 94</ref>{{sfn|Metzger|1953|pp=}}{{sfn|Metzger|1964}} These include:

* the use of "torture stake" instead of "cross" as the [[instrument of Jesus' crucifixion]];{{sfn|Paul|2003|pp=85}}<ref name="pentonbible" />
* the use of the indefinite article ("a") in its rendering of [[John 1:1]] to give "the Word was ''a'' god";{{sfn|Paul|2003|pp=85}}<ref name="pentonbible" /><ref>C.H. Dodd: "The reason why [the Word was a god] is unacceptable is that it runs counter to the current of Johannine thought, and indeed of Christian thought as a whole." ''Technical Papers for The Bible Translator'', Vol 28, No. 1, January 1977</ref>
* the term "public declaration" at Romans 10:10, which may reinforce the imperative to engage in public preaching;<ref name="pentonbible" />
* the term "taking in knowledge" rather than "know" at John 17:3 (in the 1984 revision), to suggest that salvation is dependent on ongoing study;<ref name="pentonbible">{{Citation|author=Penton, M. J.|title=Apocalypse Delayed|publisher=University of Toronto Press|edition=2nd|year=1997|pages=174–176}}</ref>
* the placement of the comma in Luke 23:43, which affects the timing of the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to the thief at [[Calvary]].<ref name="bottingbible">{{Citation| last = Botting | first = Heather| author2 = Gary Botting| title = The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses| publisher = University of Toronto Press| year = 1984| pages = 98–101| isbn = 0-8020-6545-7}}</ref>