### The "I AM" Sayings of Jesus: Examining the Translation and Significance The New World Translation (NWT) has been a subject of scrutiny regarding its translation of Jesus' "I am" (ego eimi) sayings in the Greek text of the New Testament. The NWT offers various renderings for these sayings, such as "I am," "I am he," "I," and "I have been." In the New World Translation (NWT), the Greek words ??? (G1473) ???? (G1510), rendered as ??? ????, appear with various translations: "I am" - 32 times "I am he" - 9 times "I" - 6 times "I have been" - 1 time This translation decision has raised questions, particularly when it comes to the crucial passage in John 8:58. In John 8:58, Jesus declared, "Before Abraham was, I am!" This statement carries a profound significance, as it echoes God's self-identification in Exodus 3:14 as "I AM." The NWT's translation decision here has been criticized by scholars and biblical experts for several reasons. Firstly, the NWT's footnote explaining the translation choice for "I have been" lacks substantial scholarly support or grammatical basis. Additionally, the argument that this translation is a historical present tense, as opposed to the usual usage of ???? (eimi) in the New Testament, has been challenged by scholars like Daniel B. Wallace. The NWT's apparent motive for this translation choice is to avoid the implication that Jesus was claiming to be the eternal, existing One, Yahweh, consistent with Exodus 3:14. Furthermore, the NWT translation of John 8:58 does not accurately convey the original words spoken by Jesus. Many scholars agree that "I am" in this context is not a reference to the Divine Name or Exodus 3:14. Therefore, a more reasonable approach would be to faithfully report what Jesus said, with a footnote to clarify its meaning. Moreover, Jesus apparently makes a direct allusion to Psalm 89:2 (or 90:2 according to an alternative numeration), which in the Greek Septuagint reads: ??? ??? ??? ????????? ??? ????????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??????????, ??? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ?? Before mountains came to being, and earth and the world was formed, and from eternity to eternity, You are. John 8:12: "I am (ego eimi) the light of the world." (NWT) Jesus was the light of the world before he had made this statement, and his being the light of the world was still in progress when he had made that statement. Nevertheless, the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating this passage, which ought to have read "I have been the light of the world" if the NWT was being faithful to its own stated translation procedures. John 10:12: "I am (ego eimi) the door for the sheep". (NWT) Jesus was the door for the sheep before he had made this statement, and his being the door for the sheep was still in progress when he had made that statement. Nevertheless, the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating this passage, which ought to have read "I have been the door for the sheep" if the NWT was being faithful to its own stated translation procedures. John 14:6: "I am (ego eimi) the way and the truth and the life". (NWT) Jesus was the way and the truth and the life before he had made this statement, and his being the way and the truth and the life was still in progress when he had made that statement. Nevertheless, the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating this passage, which ought to have read "I have been the way and the truth and the life" if the NWT was being faithful to its own stated translation procedures. John 10:36: "I am (ego eimi) God’s Son". (NWT) Christ was God's Son (i.e. the Son of God) before he had made this statement, and his being God's Son (i.e. the Son of God) was still in progress when he had made that statement. Nevertheless, the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating this passage, which ought to have read "I have been God's Son" if the NWT was being faithful to its own stated translation procedures. We further observe that the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating other passages from the 'Christian Greek Scriptures' relating to Christ's pre-existence as the Son of God: Mark 14:61-62: “'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' Jesus said: 'I am' (ego eimi)." (NWT) Christ was the Son of the Blessed One before he had made this statement, and his being the Son of the Blessed One was still in progress when he had made that statement. Nevertheless, the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating this passage, which ought to have read: "'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' Jesus said: 'I have been' (ego eimi)", if the NWT was being faithful to its own stated translation procedures. Revelation 1:17: "I am (ego eimi) the First and the Last". (NWT) Christ was the First and the Last before he had made this statement, and his being the First and the Last was still in progress when he had made that statement. Nevertheless, the NWT does not follow its own stated rule in translating this passage, which ought to have read "I have been the First and the Last" if the NWT was being faithful to its own stated translation procedures. A rule of translation procedure can only reasonably be described as a rule if it has general application in relevant cases. If it is applied only to one Biblical passage, and is not utilized when its terms of application are clearly indicated in reference to a number of other Biblical passages, it loses the character of a rule, and becomes nothing more than an arbitrary imposition upon the text on the part of the translator. To sum up matters, the NWT translation of John 8:58 is not reasonable, for three primary reasons: The passages used to support the NWT translation of John 8:58, i.e. John 5:18 and John 10:31-36, as they have been translated and commented upon in the NWT Study Bible, present us with an unintelligible text, for they leave us with the contradictory notion that the Jews had sought to kill Christ for claiming to be the Son of God because this indicated to them that he was claiming to be a lesser god who was not equal to God (Jn 10:33), and also that he was claiming to be equal to God (Jn 5:18). The translation rule advocated by the NWT Study Bible, which states that "ego eimi" (I am) should properly be rendered into idiomatic English as "I have been" whenever this phrase indicates that an action which had started in the past continues on into the present, is ignored on multiple occasions in the NWT of the Holy Scriptures, most strikingly in all other passages where Christ speaks of his pre-existence as the Son of God, i.e. (Mark 14:62; Jn 10:36; Rev 1:17). A rule that is observed primarily in the breach is no rule at all, and amounts to nothing more than an arbitrary imposition upon the text. In English usage, the phrase "I have been" without a proper referent (i.e. "I have been...what"?) is poor idiomatic expression, and cannot be validly substituted in place of the original "I am" without distorting the meaning of the text. "Before Abraham came into existence, I am" informs the reader that Christ claimed present existence in all times and places. "Before Abraham came into existence, I have been" leaves the reader wondering what it was that Christ was claiming to have been up to prior to the time of Abraham - i.e. "I have been"...what - communing with the Father, creating the world, who knows? Once more, we are confronted with the problem of an unintelligible text. John 8:58 - Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am!" This statement was a reference to Exodus 3:14 where God identifies Himself to Moses as "I AM." By using this phrase, Jesus was equating Himself with God. John 10:30 - Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." The Jewish leaders of the time understood this as a claim to deity, which is why they wanted to stone Him (John 10:33). John 20:28 - After the resurrection, Thomas refers to Jesus saying, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus doesn't correct him but accepts the declaration. Revelation 1:8 - Jesus is described as the "Alpha and the Omega," a title that is used for God in other parts of the Bible. Mark 14:61-62 - At His trial, when the high priest asked Him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus replied, "I am," and then added, "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." The "Son of Man" reference, taken from Daniel 7:13-14, is a divine figure to whom everlasting dominion is given. Matthew 28:18-20 - After His resurrection, Jesus tells His disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." He then commissions them to baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," placing Himself on par with the Father and the Spirit. Luke 5:20-25 - Jesus forgives a paralyzed man's sins. The Pharisees and teachers of the law question who can forgive sins but God alone. Jesus acknowledges their thinking and demonstrates His authority to forgive sins by healing the man. ###### His Followers Called Him God John 1:1 is a pivotal passage underscoring the divinity of Jesus. While some argue that it calls Him "a god," it's essential to recognize that since there is only one God, Jesus is that God. This rendering as "a god" is incorrect, as other New Testament passages using the Greek word for God (theos) in similar constructions are consistently rendered as "God." John 1:18, found in the best manuscripts, refers to Jesus as "God" rather than "Son." The term "monogenês" often translated as "only-begotten" actually means "one of a kind" and is unique to Jesus. Even if translated as "only-begotten," it does not imply a lesser divinity. John 20:28 records Thomas addressing Jesus as "my Lord and my God." Jesus' response suggests the correctness of Thomas's declaration. Acts 20:28 mentions "the church of God which he purchased with his own blood," emphasizing Jesus' divine sacrifice. Romans 9:5, while open to various interpretations, supports the identification of Christ as "God" within the consistent structure of doxologies in Scripture. Titus 2:13 is one of the strongest proof texts for Jesus' deity, using grammatical and contextual elements to describe Him as "our great God and Savior." Hebrews 1:8 confirms Jesus' divine nature, countering interpretations that render it as "God is your throne." 2 Peter 1:1, similar to Titus 2:13, refers to Jesus as "our God and Savior." Lastly, 1 John 5:20 is subject to interpretation, with some scholars divided on whether it refers to the Father or the Son as the "true God." However, considering the context and the confession form used, it strongly suggests Jesus Christ as the "true God." These verses collectively emphasize Jesus Christ's divinity, His unique relationship with God the Father, and His central role in the Christian faith. testestes <audio controls src = > </ audio> QeYdNOZnQli8CgG5gj5ATQ