I was pointing out to a Jehovah Witness (JW) friend that the word “exercises” is not found in John 3:16 in any translation except the NWT. I showed him that the Greek scriptures don’t mention anything about “exercises faith” in John 3:16. I gave the definition of the word that actually appears where the Watchtower Society inserts “exercises faith” when it actually means “believes” (ref 'Integrity of Translation' for John 3:16 breakdown). His response was as follows:

According to my friend, I’ve got a lot of problems:

I am puffed up with pride

I don’t understand anything (I hate it when that happens, lol)

I am obsessed with arguments and debates about words (where all this got started)

Because I am this way, I cause:

Envy

Strife

Slander

Wicked suspicions

Constant disputes about minor matters

And all this happens with men who are:

Corrupted in mind

Deprived of the truth

Think that godly devotion is a means of gain

The good news is that I’m not as bad as my friend makes me out to be because this is a prime example of where someone changes the context of scripture by not presenting it in the context that the author intended.

What my JW friend quoted, 1 Tim 6:4,5, verse 4 starts with “he”, a lower case letter. That immediately tells us that there is a good chance (not always), that the verse is being taken out of context because it is a continuation of the previous verse. We must work backwards to where the start of the sentence is, which is the beginning of verse 3. Now let’s take a look and see what it says in proper context:

“³If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, ⁴he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, ⁵useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.” 1 Tim 6:3-5 NKJV ( Full context of NWT )

Verses 4 and 5 say the same thing but when you add in verse 3 that changes the context because verse 3 gives four criteria that are to be used in verses 4 and 5 to maintain proper context:

1.   Teaches different than the author(s) of scripture

2.   Does not consent to wholesome words

3.   Does not teach the words of Yeshua (Jesus)

4.   Does not teach doctrine that lines up with godliness

For mankind, the most important teaching is salvation. I am a firm believer that God does NOT make things so complicated that only the most intelligent of people will get it. I see the prime example of this in John 3:16 because it is simple. The Greek word that is used for “believes” is a belief that changes someone’s life so it isn’t like saying “I believe that chocolate is good” but rather something that actually changes your life.

Since the teaching of salvation is so important it is imperative that John 3:16 be translated accurately in proper context; to do otherwise would be a false teaching ( 2 Pet 2:1-3 ). The original Greek says “believes”, NOT “exercises faith”. In my bible, the words in John 3:16 are red which means that this is Yeshua talking so I am not teaching contrary to the words of Yeshua (#3 above). I am actually maintaining the integrity of what the author of John actually said, unlike the Watchtower Society which changes “believes” to “exercises faith” in 27 places in the New Testament! Salvation is NOT a works based thing, there is NOTHING we can do to earn salvation! The one who doesn’t adhere to the teachings of Christ is the Watchtower Society because they change the actual words of Christ!

My JW friend said “it does nothing for you to help you really know God, let alone build a relationship with him.” Really? Putting an emphasis on accurately translating the scriptures “doesn’t really help me know God?” Putting an emphasis on accuracy of translation doesn’t help me “build a relationship with Him?” That is crazy thinking!

To my JW friend, how can you possible know God or have a relationship with Him when the scriptures you use were blatantly changed to say what the Watchtower Society wants you to believe about God, not what was actually written? It’s highly improbable to truly know God when you work from a translation that is bias and has certain predispositions. We can NOT change God into who we want Him to be. We can NOT change the scriptures and possibly expect to know who God is and what He desires of us. It simply is NOT possible!