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The Bible and the translation · Claim record

The Greek text printed in the Watch Tower Society's own Kingdom Interlinear places a comma after λέγω and before σήμερον at Luke 23:43 — that is, its own base text punctuates the verse the way other translations do, and the New World Translation column beside it does not.

Claim ID claim-bible-luke-23-43-own-greek-textConcerns 1985Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 1985 Verified

The Greek text printed in the Watch Tower Society's own Kingdom Interlinear places a comma after λέγω and before σήμερον at Luke 23:43 — that is, its own base text punctuates the verse the way other translations do, and the New World Translation column beside it does not. The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, 1985New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), 2013

The organisation’s position or later explanation: The organisation states openly that the standard critical editions, including Westcott and Hort, place the comma before “today”.

Show the evidence (2 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, “Luke 23:43 (word-for-word English under the Greek)”

1985 · Luke 23:43 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“43 καὶ And εἶπεν he said αὐτῷ to him Ἀμήν Amen σοι to you λέγω, I am saying σήμερον today μετ’ with ἐμοῦ me ἔσῃ you will be ἐν in τῷ the παραδείσῳ. Paradise.”

The printed Greek text carries a comma after λέγω and before σήμερον — that is, the punctuation of the Westcott and Hort text the Society reproduces places 'today' with the promise, not with the speaking.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Interlinear text for Luke 23 opened on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026 and the Greek line, including its punctuation, read directly from the page.

Corroborated by. src-nwtv-nwtsty-note-luke-23-43

Notes. The Society's own study note concedes the same point about the editions of the Greek text.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-nwtv-int-luke-23-43

Primary JW publication Verified

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), “Study note on Luke 23:43, 'Truly I tell you today,'”

2013 · study note, Luke 23:43 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“In this verse, the grammar of the Greek text allows for placing a comma (or a colon) either before or after the word “today.” … Scholarly editions of the Greek text like the ones prepared by Westcott and Hort, Nestle and Aland, and the United Bible Societies put a comma before the Greek word rendered “today.” However, placing the comma after “today” harmonizes with earlier statements that Jesus made and with teachings found elsewhere in the Scriptures.”

A candid statement of the organisation's method at this verse: the grammar permits either, the standard critical editions choose one, and the organisation chooses the other because of what it holds the Bible to teach elsewhere. The note also cites the fifth-century Curetonian Syriac and Hesychius of Jerusalem as early witnesses to the alternative punctuation.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Study note read in full on the nwtsty Luke chapter 23 page on wol.jw.org, 19 September 2026. I have not opened Burkitt's edition of the Curetonian Syriac or the text of Hesychius to check those secondary citations.

Corroborated by. src-nwtv-int-luke-23-43

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-nwtv-nwtsty-note-luke-23-43

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-bible-luke-23-43-own-greek-text/. 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.