The same change of practice appears at Acts 20:28: the 1984 Reference Bible read “with the blood of his own [Son]”, with a footnote referring to Appendix 6C, while the 2013 revision reads “with the blood of his own Son” without brackets.
Claim ID claim-bible-acts-20-28-brackets-removedConcerns 2013Later reinterpretation
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The current study note still explains that the Greek is literally “through the blood of the own (one)” and that ὁ ἴδιος can stand alone as a term of endearment for a close relative.
2013 · Acts 20:28 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.”
The 2013 rendering. The 1984 Reference Bible read 'with the blood of his own [Son]', with 'Son' bracketed as a supplied word and a footnote referring the reader to Appendix 6C.
Provenance and verification note for New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), Acts 20:28
Confidence note. Both chapter pages opened on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; the 1984 footnote 'For a discussion of “the blood of his own [Son]” see App 6C' was also read on the Rbi8 page.
1985 · p.1141 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Grammatically, this passage could be translated as in the King James Version and Douay Version, “with his own blood.” That has been a difficult thought for many. … A noun in the singular number would be understood after “his own,” most likely God’s closest relative, his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ.”
The organisation's defence. It quotes J. H. Moulton's Prolegomena (1930 ed., p. 90) on ὁ ἴδιος used absolutely as a term of endearment for near relations, and F. J. A. Hort's remark in the Westcott and Hort appendix that 'it is by no means impossible that ΥΙΟΥ dropped out after ΤΟΥΙΔΙΟΥ at some very early transcription'. It also lists six translations from 1903 onwards that supply 'Son'.
Provenance and verification note for The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Appendix 2C: With the Blood of God’s Own Son
Confidence note. Appendix opened in full on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; page marker 1141 read from the page-number span. I have not opened Moulton's Prolegomena or the Westcott and Hort appendix to verify those quotations against the printed originals.
1984 · Acts 20:28 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son]. … *For a discussion of “the blood of his own [Son]” see App 6C.”
The 1984 Reference Bible brackets ‘[Son]’ as a supplied word and carries a footnote referring the reader to Appendix 6C. The 2013 revision prints ‘his own Son’ with no brackets.
Provenance and verification note for New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References, Acts 20:28 and its footnote
Confidence note. Chapter page and footnote block opened on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026 by the independent auditor and read directly. Added during the audit: the claim about the 1984 bracketing previously rested on no source that showed the 1984 text.
2013 · study note, Acts 20:28 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“with the blood of his own Son: Lit., “through the blood of the own (one).” Grammatically, the Greek expression could be translated “with the blood of his own” or “with his own blood,” so the context has to be taken into consideration. In Greek, the expression ho iʹdi·os (“his own”) could stand alone without a clarifying noun or pronoun … In non-Biblical Greek papyri, the phrase is used as a term of endearment to refer to close relatives.”
The current note repeats the 1985 appendix's argument and again concedes the alternative rendering.
Provenance and verification note for New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), Study note on Acts 20:28, 'with the blood of his own Son'
Confidence note. Study note read in full on the nwtsty Acts chapter 20 page on wol.jw.org, 19 September 2026.
Notes. The same page carries a separate note: 'God: Some ancient manuscripts read “the Lord” here, but the main text reading “God” has strong manuscript support and is viewed by many scholars as the original reading.'
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-nwtv-nwtsty-note-acts-20-28
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-bible-acts-20-28-brackets-removed/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.