More from an email reply:
Dear Rod:
Thank you for your email and kind words. I am glad that you found at least some agreement with what I teach from Scripture and your own findings.
Actually I have had a New World Translation for forty-five years now.
However, let me say this (and I certainly hope this will not be the least bit offensive to you), I very seldom use the NWT. I think that I have quoted from it but two times in my papers on the bible-truths site. Although the Christian world as a whole despise the NWT, their own King James is very similar, with the one exception of most of mankind being NOT SAVED by "eternal annihilation" rather than "eternal torture." Either way, both teach that God will utterly fail in saving all of His children. This does not speak well for the most powerful and most loving Father in the universe!
The Watch Tower does, however, publish a book that I use ALL THE TIME. It is very helpful in MANY places. It is the EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT. Do you have a copy? Have you not notice how DIFFERENT it is from the NWT? Maybe just one example will put you on the Rod to a whole new world of Scriptural Truth discovery.
Matt. 25:46, NWT:
"And these will depart into EVERLASTING CUTTING-OFF, but the righteous ones into EVERLASTING LIFE."
This translation is very similar to the KJV:
"And these shall go away unto EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT: but the righteous into LIFE ETERNAL."
The only real different in the NWT's translation of the compound, "cutting- off" instead of "punishment."
Now then, let's check the Emphatic Diaglott:
"And these shall go forth to the AIONIAN CUTTNG OFF; but the righteous to AIONIAN LIFE."
This is a MUCH improvement over the King James and the NWT. The Greek word "aionios" or "aionion" never EVER means "everlasting" or "eternal." NEVER. For proof of this read the first ten pages of my letter to John Hagee in the paper "EXPOSING THOSE WHO CONTRADICT" on my site.
The Watch Tower's Diaglott has this word translated CORRECTLY--it is "aionian" or "eonian" or (if we must use a compound, "age-lasting" or "age- abiding").
But, although the Watch Tower's Diaglot has "eonian" it TOO, misses the mark by using "cutting-off" to translate the Greek word: "kolasis" which comes from "kolaza" which means "to CHASTISE." "Cutting off" is an aspect of this word, however, it is NOT it's primary meaning. It can carry the connotation of "cutting-off" (as in PRUNING A TREE), if the desired result is to IMPROVE rather than destroy or annihilate. This word is used only a couple of times in all the Greek Manuscripts. Here is the other place it is used:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has TORMENT [Greek: kolasis]..." (I John 4:17).
Is John really telling us that "fear" causes "CUTTING OFF"?? That's absurd.
The proper translation of the word "kolasis" is neither "punishment" OR "cutting-off"--it means "CHASTENING OR CHASTISEMENT" -- to bring about correction, making something RIGHT -- RIGHTEOUSNESS: God's judgements (chastisements) bring about RIGHTEOUSNESS in the WICKED. That IS the result of God's Judgments. Just for curiosity's sake I checked the NWT translation of Isaiah 26:9 with regards to what happens when God really begins to send forth His JUDGMENTS into this earth:
"...because when there are judgments from you for the earth, righteousness is what the inhabitants of the productive land will certainly learn" (NWT).
Here, even the King James is a better and more accurate translation:
"...for when Thy [God's] judgments are in the earth, the INHABITANTS OF THE WORLD [all of them] WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS" (KGV).
YES THEY WILL. They will NOT be ETERNALLY annihilated, neither will they be ETERNALLY CUT-OFF.
There is a world of difference between the words "punish" and "chastise." Chastise carries to meaning of CORRECTING, MAKING RIGHT, ETC. Therefore, it can NEVER EVER BE EVERLASTING OR ETERNAL, as anything that is eternal NEVER fulfills its goal of "correcting or making right"!!
The reason most translations do not translate this verse in Matt. 25:46 correctly is not because it is that difficult to translate; it is not. It is because of the RELIGIOUS BIAS of the translators. And so the King James makes it appear that people will be "PUNISHED [tortured for eternity in fire) and the NWT make it appear as though it is "eternal," however, not eternal conscious suffering, but rather eternal cutting-off from God or literally, eternal annihilation. BOTH ARE DEAD WRONG!
This verse should be translated as follows:
"And these shall be coming away into CHASTENING EONIAN, yet the just into LIFE EONIAN."
And that is the meaning of the Greek words in this verse. It's just that theologians cannot then UNDERSTAND this verse. It doesn't fit the preconceived ideas of the Christians, nor does it fit the preconceived ideas of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The argument on both sides goes like this: How can we have "ETERNAL life" if it is the same period of time that the wicked are chastised, if that chastisement COMES TO AN END?
The answer is quite simple and clear, Rod, if we will but listen to the Scriptures carefully. The Scriptures NOWHERE promise believers "everlasting or eternal life." WHAT? That sounds like blasphemy AND HERESY, doesn't it?
What the Scriptures do promise believers is: (1) Aionian, eonian, or age- abiding, life, AND (2) IMMORTALITY and INCORRUPTION. Immortality has nothing to do with TIME. Immortality does not mean "everlasting" or "eternal" or any other word or combination of words denoting ENDLESS TIME. Immortality mean DEATH=LESS=NESS. Incapable of dying. NEVER to die. So it will be "everlasting," but the WORD DESCRIBING IT DOES NOT MEAN EVERLASTING.
And so the two statements of Matt. 25:46 are in perfect harmony with one another, even though NEITHER ONE IS SPEAKING OF ETERNAL OR ENDLESS TIME!
Jesus promised "eonian life" to those who "OVERCOME." They are to rule WITH Christ as the manifest SONS OF GOD (The BODY of Christ), who will be the "saviours" promised back in Hosea, that will be instrumental in brining God's judgments to all the inhabitants of this earth, both in the millenium and in the second resurrection.
This is just ONE verse of Scripture, Rod. But both the Christians and the Jehovah's Witnesses CARRY THIS ERROR FORWARD IN THEIR ENTIRE TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES! BOTH ARE DEAD WRONG. God IS THE SAVIOUR of the world, not the weak and wishful "potential" Saviour of the world. This is a TRUTH of GRAND PROPORTIONS, Rod, that you will have to come to grips with if you are to ever truly appreciate God and His Sovereign Power and Love.
GOD WILL NO MORE ANNIHILATE MOST OF HIS CHILDREN FOR ALL ETERNITY, THAN HE WOULD PUNISH OR TORTURE THEM IN FIRE FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!
After reading the ten pages I suggested above, get back with me on this, Rod. And, Yes, you may send me your paper when you are finished with it, and I will be happy to read it. I hope nothing I said in this email is offensive to you? Let me hear from you. Okay? Good!
God be with you,
Ray