A word by any other name would be just that....another object of perception. Relative to the subject matter of this blog, it seems as though the smallest, simplest of words can make a huge difference in ones perceptions.
About two years ago I finally had the opportunity to read the Bible cover to cover (or as close to it as I had ever been...still lacking some psalms, proverbs, and 2 minor prophets). This, coupled with a home Bible study, more extensive reading of Nag Hammadi (Gnostic) resources, and vast internet research, has led me to realized what an important issue the wording is.
One of the most common debates in Christianity is based on the insertion or omission of a simple "a" in John 1:1. In the King James Version John 1:1 reads: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." In the New World Translation it reads: "In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
The argument being for or against the trinity. May be it is my Jewish upbringing or perhaps my current leaning toward a "Gnostic" label, but , despite having read countless articles on both sides, I still don't get that one. In my opinion, the statement is inconclusive either way.
The New World Translation has a bigger concern (in my opinion) with its version of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-11 (also in Luke). Most of the traditional version of the Bible use the word "blessed" in the Beatitudes. The New World Translation uses the word "happy". Most people perceive divine intervention when they hear the word "blessed" whereas, "happy" (happiness) could have any internal or external source.
A Gnostic might also find concern in the differences in Col. 1:27.
I invite my readers to site other examples as well as voice their opinions of these passages.
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