John 8:58
NWT- “Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been””.
Literal Greek Text- “Said to them Jesus Amen amen I am saying to you Before Abraham to become I Am.”
Why has the NWT violated their own standard and paraphrased the Greek words ego eimi (I AM) into I have been? After all, the NWT translates ego eimi accurately into I am in versus 18, 23, 24 and 28. To answer that question, one needs to read Exodus 3:13-14 in any approved bible translation. For example, in the King James Version (which Jehovah’s Witnesses used prior to 1950), Moses asks YHWH (LORD) what His name is. God’s answer is “I AM”. This presents a problem for the Watchtower, because Jesus is claiming to be the I AM, the Almighty God of the Old Testament. Notice the next verse in John 8:59, “Therefore, they picked up stones to hurl at him....”. The religious Jews of Jesus’ day knew very well who Jesus was claiming to be. They acted as if Jesus was a blasphemer (see Lev 24:16).
THANK you for posting one example- and pointing out how our translation alone does not follow the others!
WHY?
Any research into any interlinear will quickly show:
1- "Ego Eimi" has several variations of meaning, as used by JUDAS, Gabriel, John, Paul, Peter, Timothy, etc... "I am, I was, I have been, it is I, is it I? (Judas, Matt 26:22), I existed or I was (Christ). Often used in reference to THEMSELVES, there are many examples: Judas said it (Matt 26:22), John said it (John 1:20),
Peter said it (Acts 10:26), Paul said it (Acts 23:6), and Timothy did (1 Tim 1:15)
2- There are NO uppercase/lower case letters in the Koine Greek- they are ADDED to John 8:58 by most translators- yet NEVER in all the other usages.
3- Jesus didn't divert to avoid answering, didn't use e-bonics: he ANSWERED their question by telling them he was THERE when Abraham was. ( I EXISTED -ego eimi)
And,
4- Jehovah used that SYMBOLIC NAME ONLY once, to emphasis that he EXISTED (Heb hayah haw-ya, meaning "to exist, be, or become)- and would PROVE it, since the Jews were starting to doubt it. That term was NEVER USED anywhere else in the OT, and certainly is not in the NT where "ego eimi" is. Besides it is HEBREW, not GREEK.
I know how devoted you are to your churches (worship).
Is it more so than to the God of Jesus Christ?
If not, that is the simple TRUTH for you to accept, or to deny with all the ploys, excuses and spin that CHURCHianity is infamous for.