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What the Bible Says About

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Bible (arranged by book)

    Genesis

  1. The JW book "Let God Be True" (1946) says that each of the seven days of creation was 7,000 years long. And that since Adam was "created toward the close of the sixth day, he was put on earth toward the end of 42,000 years of earth's preparation." (p. 155) And since "a]ccording to reliable Bible chronology Adam was created in the year 4026 B.C.E., likely in the autumn of the year, at the end of the sixth day of creation" (April 1, 1968, Watchtower), we know that the universe must have been created 48,028 years ago. 1:5

  2. "According to reliable Bible chronology Adam was created in the year 4026 B.C.E., likely in the autumn of the year, at the end of the sixth day of creation." (April 1, 1968, Watchtower) This was the basis of the failed 1975 prophecy: that Armageddon would occur in 1975, 6000 years after Adam's creation. The basis of the "reliable Bible chronology" was never explained, and the whole 6000 years thing was promptly dropped and forgotten after 1975 passed uneventfully. 1:27

  3. Jehovah ends his sixth day of creation by fashioning Eve from Adam's rib. The seventh day of creation began in 4026 BCE and will last 7,000 years. Armageddon will occur in "the autumn of 1975, fully 6000 years into God's seventh day, his rest day." (April 1, 1968, Watchtower) 2:22

  4. God forbids eating meat without first draining the blood. Many JWs have needlessly died because the governing body considers blood transfusions to be "eating blood." Of course, their view on this has recently changed to allow some use of blood. But the governing body is careful not to explain its new, complicated rules on blood to its followers. 9:4

  5. Abraham asks Sarah to lie for him. 12:13 and 20:2 (And Isaac does the same with Rebekah) 26:7
    The governing body uses these little fibs as examples for JWs. Lying is OK if the lying is directed towards  "worshipers of Jehovah" (Insight on the Scriptures, p.245). This is called the Theocratic War Strategy.

  6. Rachel's soul departed from her body. But how can a soul leave a body if, as the governing body of the JWs teaches, the soul is the body? 35:18

  7. The Pharaoh had a birthday party (and so did King Herod in Mt.14:6-10), therefore you shouldn't. 40:20

    Exodus

  8. Saluting the flag is a form of idol worship. 20:3-5

  9. JWs are disfellowshipped for celebrating Mother's Day or Father's Day. Why is that? Why aren't JWs encouraged to honor their parents by celebrating these days? It would seem like a perfect opportunity to follow the fifth commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother." 20:12

    Leviticus

  10. Abstain from blood. (Blood transfusions are not permitted.) 17:10-14

    Deuteronomy

  11. JWs are disfellowshipped for celebrating Mother's Day or Father's Day. Why is that? Why aren't JWs encouraged to honor their parents by celebrating these days? It would seem like a perfect opportunity to follow the fifth commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother." 5:16

  12. False prophets are to be (you guessed it) executed. How do you know who is a false prophet? By whether or not their predictions come true. (Watch out Jehovah's Witnesses!) 18:20

  13. Jehovah's Witnesses use this verse (along with 1 Tim.5:19) to justify their refusal to report or investigate incidents of child molestation unless two or three JWs have witnessed the event. If witnesses do not come forward (and they are discouraged from doing so since it would embarrass the organization), then the victim is told to be quiet about it -- or risk being disfellowshipped.  19:15

  14. The JWs believe that Jesus is "a god" who was with Jehovah during the creation. But how could that be if God was speaking truthfully in this verse when he said, "there are no gods with me"? 32:39

    2 Chronicles

  15. JWs used to believe that God lives on the planet Alcyone in the Pleiades cluster. The only biblical justification for this was this verse and Job 38:31. This belief was clearly stated in "Reconciliation" (1928): "But the greatness in size of other stars or planets is small when compared with the Pleiades in importance, because the Pleiades is the place of the eternal throne of God." This is just one of many JW beliefs that has since died a quiet death and is no longer mentioned in the Watchtower. 6:21

    Job/h4>

  16. To justify their hatred toward their former members, the NWT translates "hypocrite" as "apostate". 13:16

  17. To justify their hatred toward their former members, the NWT translates "hypocrite" as "apostate" and says they will live and die with homosexuals. 27:8-9

  18. To justify their hatred toward their former members, the NWT translates "hypocrite" as "apostate" and says they will live and die among the male prostitutes. 36:13-14

  19. JWs used to believe that God lives on the planet Alcyone in the Pleiades cluster. The only biblical justification for this was this verse and 2 Chr.6:21. This belief was clearly stated in "Reconciliation" (1928): "But the greatness in size of other stars or planets is small when compared with the Pleiades in importance, because the Pleiades is the place of the eternal throne of God." This is just one of many JW beliefs that has since died a quiet death and is no longer mentioned in the Watchtower. 38:31

    Psalms

  20. Apostates mock Jehovah and grind their teeth against him. 35:16

  21. Faithful JWs ("the righteous") will survive Armageddon and live forever on earth. Everyone else will be mercilessly slaughtered. 37:29

    Proverbs

  22. The mouths of apostates bring others to ruin. 11:9

  23. "Add thou not unto his words..." Yet the NWT inserts the word "other" four times in Col.1:15-17, even though it is not in the original Greek.

  24.  The NWT translates this verse as: "He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly." The Watchtower uses this verse to discourage JWs from associating with anyone outside the organization. JWs, of course, are "wise" and nonJWs are "stupid ones." 13:20

    Isaiah

  25. Jehovah will have no mercy on the widows and children of hypocrites -- or "apostates", as the NWT puts it. Thus, the Governing Body can claim that Jehovah hates exJWs (apostates) so much that he will kill not only them, but their families as well. 9:17

  26. Apostates are vile people who do "what is hurtful" and "speak against Jehovah." 32:6

  27. Apostates are fearful sinners. Is.33:14

    Jeremiah

  28. Ex JWs ("apostates") will be put to shame for "apostatizing from" Jehovah. (KJV says "all that forsake thee shall be ashamed."). 17:13

    Daniel

  29. The Governing Body's Theocratic rule will last forever. 2:44

  30. Jesus returned in 1914 to rule forever over everyone on earth (through the GB). 7:13-14

  31. The Watchtower claims that the abomination (or "the disgusting thing" as the NWT puts it) spoken of in this verse is the United Nations. (See Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy, p. 269).  11:31

  32. "It shall be for a time, times, and an half." From this and a few other equally cryptic bible verses, the Jehovah's Witnesses derive one of there most central beliefs: that Jesus returned in 1914 to rule (via the governing body) over all of humankind. 12:7

    Matthew/h4>

  33. Jesus makes a clear distinction between the soul and the body in this verse. Why would he do that if, as the Governing Body teaches, the soul is the body? 10:28

  34. Jehovah's Witnesses use these verses to justify forcing members to shun their own family. 10:34-37

  35. Jehovah's Witnesses use this verse (along with dt.19:15 and 1 Tim.5:19) to justify their refusal to report or investigate incidents of child molestation unless two or three JWs have witnessed the event. If witnesses do not come forward (and they are discouraged from doing so since it would embarrass the organization), then the victim is told to be quiet about it. 18:16-17

  36. In this verse Jesus says he'll return "on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory" and Rev.1:7 says that "every eye shall see him," The Governing Body claims that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 without clouds, glory, or being seen by anyone. 24:30

  37. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant?" For JWs, this is the most important verse in the bible. It is the basis of their central dogma, that the governing body of the Jehovah's Witnesses is the "faithful and wise servant", or as the NWT puts it "the faithful and discrete slave." As such, the governing body must be obeyed in all matters and all of their teachings must be accepted. Those who do so will survive Armageddon; those who do not, will not. 24:45

  38. The "evil servant" ("evil slave" in NWT) is any of the 144,000 anointed ones that are (or were) going to heaven, but have since left the organization. They are collectively called the evil slave class. 24:48

  39. This verse is put in parentheses in the NWT simply because the governing body doesn't like what it says. (The dead were raised and walked around after Jesus' death.) This contradicts Watchtower teaching since the dead are supposed to remain dead until after Armageddon, at which time those faithful to the governing body will be resurrected. 27:53

    Luke

  40. Jesus says that his disciples must hate their families. JWs use this verse to force members to shun their own families. 14:26

  41. Jesus tells the "good thief" that they will both be in heaven "today." But how can that be since it's only Friday and , according to the gospels, Jesus lay dead in the tomb Friday night and all day Saturday. The phrase "truly I say unto you" is used by Jesus more than 50 times in the NT. In all verses except this one (Lk.23:43), the NWT places the comma after the word "you". But the NWT translates this verse as follows: "Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in paradise." Why would they do that? Well, the Governing Body doesn't believe in a soul, so they say the good thief died like everyone else. Only later, nearly 2000 years later, after Armageddon, would he be resurrected. So they couldn't let Jesus tell him that he'd be with him that very day in paradise. Instead, they have Jesus say that he is telling the truth today (Not yesterday or tomorrow, but today. Or maybe "today" here is emphasizing that he's telling the truth today, but he was lying yesterday or something) -- and that sometime in the far distant future they'd be together in paradise. 23:46

    John

  42. These verses imply that Jesus is God, but this is denied elsewhere in the bible. It's also denied by the JWs, of course. But how could Jesus be with God in the beginning, as this verse says, if, as the GB teaches, Jesus was created by God? And how could Jesus be "a god" and yet be with God during the creation if God was speaking truthfully in Dt.32:39 when he said, "there are no gods with me"? 1:1, 14

  43. JWs deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus, saying instead that he was raised as a "spirit creature". If so, then what was he talking about 2:19? What did he mean by "this temple"? See v.21 2:19-21

  44. In this verse, by saying "before Abraham was, I am," Jesus claims to be God. Of course, the JWs try to change the clear meaning of Jesus' words by having him say, "Before Abraham came into existence I have been." I suppose this is supposed to mean that he was around as the Archangel Michael back then or something. The NWT translates "ego eimi" as "I am" everywhere it occurs except in this verse. 8:58

  45. JWs, like Jesus, are hated by the world and are not of the world. Thus they don't vote or take part in any human organizations outside the Watchtower Society. 15:19, 17:14

  46. The governing body of the Jehovah's Witnesses insist that Jesus died on a "torture stake," not on a cross. Watchtower publications often show this with Jesus nailed to a vertical stake, with his hands over his head and a single nail passing through his wrists. But if he was executed on a torture stake, then why did Thomas say "unless I see in his hands the print of the nailS...."? Wouldn't there have been only one nail through his hands if he died on a torture stake? 20:25

  47. If Jesus (like the JWs) didn't believe himself to be God, then why didn't he correct Thomas when he said, "My Lord and my God"? 20:28

    Acts

  48. If the name Jehovah [or YHWH] is so important, why isn't it found in the NT? And why does it say in Acts 4:12 that there is only one name (Jesus Christ, v. 10) "whereby we must be saved"? 4:10, 12

  49. Stephen, as he is dying, asks Jesus (not Jehovah) to receive his spirit. But how could Jesus receive his spirit if, as the Governing Body teaches, Jesus is not God and if the soul dies along with the body. 7:59

  50. Although in verse 59, Stephen was clearly praying to Jesus, the NWT tries to give the (false) impression that he was really praying to Jehovah by translating "Lord" (kyrios) as "Jehovah". [Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: "Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them." NWT] 7:60

  51. JWs deny that the Holy Spirit is a person. Why then does he talk and refer to himself in the first person in this verse? 13:2

  52. Many JWs have needlessly died because the WatchTower Society teaches that abstaining from blood, as required by this verse, prohibits blood transfusions. 15:20, 29

    Romans

    [rom/jw.html]

    1 Corinthians

  53. "Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought."(NWT) The Governing Body uses this verse to control the thoughts and beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are instructed not to accept or read the religious literature of others, not to listen to criticism of the Watchtower Society's teachings, and to fight against independent thinking. 1:10

  54. "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person." Jehovah's Witnesses use this verses to justify disfellowshipping those who fail to follow the teachings of the Governing Body. 5:9-13

  55. JWs are told to shun disfellowshipped family and friends. They are not to speak to them or share a meal with them. If a witness is caught doing so, they will be disfellowshipped as well. 5:11

  56. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they should not take another member of their church to court. Consequently, JWs who report incidents of sex abuse are often disfellowshipped. 6:1, 5

  57. "For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives." (NWT). If Christ arrived in 1914, as the governing body teaches, then why do Jehovah's Witnesses continue to partake of the bread and wine? Shouldn't they have stopped in 1914? 11:26

  58. "Do not be mislead. Bad associations spoil useful habits." (NWT) This verse is used to discourage any contact with non-JWs. ("Bad associations" refers to any contact with non-JWs.) 15:33

    2 Corinthians

  59. All non-JW human organizations are controlled by Satan (the god of this system of things). 4:4

  60. Keep away from unbelievers. Neither marry nor be friends with them. To JWs, everything outside of the Watchtower Organization is controlled by Satan. The Governing Body uses theses verses to condemn all holidays, civic activities, and association with non-JWs. 6:14-17

    Ephesians

  61. To JWs, everything outside of the Watchtower Organization is controlled by Satan. This is one of the verses that the the Governing Body uses to condemn all holidays, civic activities, and association with nonJWs. 5:11

    Colossians

  62. NWT inserts the word 'other' four times in these two verses (although it is not included in the Greek) to support the GB's denial of the divinity of Christ. But adding words to scripture is condemned in Pr.30:6. 1:16-17

    1 Thessalonians

  63. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel...." From this verse and Jude 9, the Jehovah's Witnesses figure that Jesus is really the archangel Michael. 4:16

    1 Timothy

  64. Jehovah's Witnesses use this verse (along with Dt.19:15) to justify their refusal to report or investigate incidents of child molestation unless two or three JWs have witnessed the event. If witnesses do not come forward (and they are discouraged from doing so since it would embarrass the organization), then the victim is told to be quiet about it. 5:19

    Titus

  65. "The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" -- Don't refer to Jesus like this at a Kingdom Hall meeting. 2:13

  66. Heretics are to be rejected since they are subverted, sinners, and condemned by God. The Jehovah's Witnesses follow this teaching by disfellowshipping those who refuse to accept the Governing Bodies teachings. (The NWT translates 3:10 in this way: "As for a man that promotes a sect...." But don't all JWs belong to and promote a sect?) 3:10-11

    Hebrews

  67. In this verse, Jesus is addressed as "O God." The JWs, of course, deny the dvinity of Christ so they just changed the words in the New World Translation to read: " But with reference to the Son: 'God is your throne forever and ever'". 1:8

  68. It is impossible for fallen-away Christians to be saved. JWs use these verses to justify their cruel treatment of "apostates" (exJWs). 6:4-6

    1 Peter

  69. The Watchtower Society teaches that there is no consciousness after death. But if that is so, then how could Jesus have preached to the "spirits in prison" as this verse claims? 3:19, 4:6

    2 John

  70. Don't associate with nonchristians. Don't receive them into your house or even exchange greeting with them. This is the biblical justification for "Disfellowshipping" among the Jehovah's Witnesses. 1:10

    Jude

  71. From this verse and 1 Th.4:16, the Jehovah's Witnesses figure that Jesus is really the archangel Michael.

    Revelation

  72. Will Jesus' second coming be visible to all? Well, not according to the Jehovah's Witnesses, anyway. Even though Jesus (Mt.24:30) says he'll return "on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory" and this verse says that "every eye shall see him," The Governing Body claims that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 without clouds, glory, or being seen by anyone. 1:7

  73. JWs believe that there are two distinct classes of believers: the 144,000 "Anointed" that are going to heaven and the "Great Crowd" that will remain here on earth. The WatchTower teaches that heaven closed in 1935, and that everyone else will either be killed at Armageddon (if they are not JWs) or live forever on earth. 7:4

  74. The "great multitude" is the WatchTower's "great crowd" that it claims will remain on earth rather than going to heaven. Yet in this verse the "great crowd" stands "before the thrown" and "before the lamb". Where else would the thrown and lamb be besides heaven? 7:9

  75. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus returned in 1914. This belief is derived from these verses that link "a time, times, and a half a time" with 1260 days. 12:6, 14

  76. The Watchtower says that "the beast that was, and is not, and yet is" referred to in this verse is the United Nations. It was the League of Nations which disappeared, only to once again rise as the UN. (See Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy, p. 269) 17:8