Bible resource
The New World Translation: Is It Accurate?
The New World Translation (NWT) is the Bible version produced by the Watch Tower Society and used by Jehovah's Witnesses. In a few key verses it differs from standard translations in ways that change who Jesus is. Looking at those verses in context helps a conversation stay grounded in the text.
Two key verses to compare
John 1:1 “Standard: ‘the Word was God.’ NWT: ‘the Word was a god.’”
Colossians 1:16-17 “Standard: ‘by him all things were created.’ NWT: ‘by means of him all other things were created.’”
Hebrews 1:8 “Standard: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever.’ NWT renders it as an address to the Son.”
Titus 2:13 “Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
What the Greek text shows
In John 1:1, the absence of the article before “God” does not make it indefinite (“a god”); it marks a qualitative predicate, stressing that the Word shares the very nature of God. The NWT itself renders other anarthrous uses of “God” as “God” in the same chapter (John 1:6, 12, 13, 18).
In Colossians 1:16-17, no Greek manuscript contains a word for “other.” The NWT inserts it four times. Without that added word, the passage states plainly that Christ created everything — which cannot be true if Christ Himself is a creation.
A question to ask at the door
“If the NWT is the most literal translation, why does it insert the word ‘other’ into Colossians 1:16-17 when no Greek manuscript contains it — and render John 1:1 as ‘a god’ against standard Greek grammar?”
A gentle posture
The goal is not to win an argument over translations but to read Scripture together carefully. Ask whether you can both look at the surrounding verses — context usually does more than debate. For the full interactive guide, see Is Jesus God?.