Pneuma & the NWT

An Armchair Scholar Answers Jehovah's Witnesses

A Pneuma Study

A cursory glance through verses that include pneuma in the NWT reveals that the NWT sometimes translates pneuma as spirit and other times, varies the translation of pneuma by using other words and/or phrases. Since the NWT does not claim to be a paraphrase Bible, I endeavored to study these differentiations, comparing the NWT translation against 3 other Bibles: the KJV, NASB, and NIV. I included the transliterated Greek, noted differences related to pneuma in the greek texts (the Nestle Aland 26, 1991 Byzantine and 1894 Textus Receptus) and noted whether or not pneuma applied to the Holy Spirit in each specific verse.

Charts are linked below. (To print, most should fit on one or two pages with one inch margins, set on landscape rather than portrait.)

Other than those occasions in which the 1894 Textus Receptus includes pneuma, whereas earlier texts do not as well as variations between “Spirit” and “Ghost,” the KJV (a formal equivalent or word-for-word Bible translation) varies its translation of pneuma 6 times, 5 of which are occasions in which the KJV adds the word “Holy”. Of the total occurrences of pneuma, the KJV varies its translation by 1.6%

The NASB (also a formal equivalent Bible translation) does not vary its translation of pneuma at all – 0% of total occurrences.

The NIV (a dynamic equivalent or thought-for-thought Bible translation) varies its translation of pneuma 13 times, or about 3.5% of total occurrences.

The NWT varies its translation of pneuma 48 times, or about 12.9% of total occurrences – nearly 10% more than the dynamic equivalent, thought-for-thought Bible translation chosen for comparison purposes.

The NWT very obviously paraphrases its translation of pneuma.

Please see the charts below for all occurrences of the NWT’s 48 pneuma variants.